More on the Connection
 

You might want to check a map on that one.

Yoo Make Loving Fun
 

You think Yoo could sue them for libel for that nonsense? He should.

More on the Connection
 

The actual number of people killed in the WTC are miniscule compared to the pop of New York, yet I don't see anyone using the term "miniscule" with that tragedy. 850 people who swore to defend our country have been killed.

I know everybody's got stories about their link to the troops, so I'm not arguing I'm special, but I have a family member who wa sin Iraq and is now rotated out. He served as a pallbearer for a guy from his brigade who was killed a month ago in Iraq. He didn't really know the guy that well but since the rest of the unit was still in Iraq he wanted to do what he can. The descriptions he gave of the sadness of the family and friends of this guy were pretty heartbreaking. You might think that "miniscule" is perspective, but my perspective is that the suffering of that kid's family and friends is being felt 850 times over.

Sorry to get all holier than thou. It's usually not my style but I think the word miniscule just set me off. I think it's time for happy hour.

Shhhh! Stop that or you will bring Gin Rummy out of lurking, firing off scripture verses condemning to hell those who use the lord's name in vane.

More on the Connection
 

First you expect us to know history, and then math, and now GEOGRAPHY?!?!?!? JFC, Ty, give it a rest it is FRIDAY!

Geneva Convention - My Thoughts
 

Let me take this one Ty.

Because we are supposed to lead by example. The "well, they do it too" doesn't fly with this here American

More on the Connection
 

Irrelevant.

Fear, and beg for mercy from, the Iraqi Navy!

More on the Connection
 

I did: http://www.mideastweb.org/maps.htm

Those water ways don't look very deep on the map . . .

Geneva Convention - My Thoughts
 

Hank is good with the Gilligan's stuff, so I was counting on him to cite Hogan's Heroes to remind us that the Red Cross got to see U.S. POWs in Germany during WWII.

Assumption of the Risk
 

Well, this may set you off, too.

I don't think it is an apt comparison to compare a terrorist attack on civilians to a military action. There is a difference between civilians sitting in their offices at work, and a military death during war. People in the military, like police officers and fire-fighters, know that they are doing a dangerous job. And IMHO, not getting paid enough for it. This is why they are honored in such heartfelt ways when they die while performing their duties - they are heros.

Unless they were a firefighter/police officer or an ordinary person who lost their lives trying to save another, those who died in the WTC weren't heros. They were victims. You may mourn the death of a victim or honor them for the things they did during their lives, but they aren't heros. Heros are those who act heroicly.

We have an all volunteer military and I respect and grieve for those people who die while so honorably serving their country. But the reason I feel such respect for them is precisely because they chose this service knowing full well what the risks were. They knew war was a possibility and knew that they might die. The fact that only 850 people have died in the invasion and subsequent attempt to stabilize Iraq is a testament to the skill of those in the military. I would say that number is unexpectedly low given the magnitude of the job they were asked to do.

More on the Connection
 

More than two or three feet would stop most of the Iraqi Army. The Red Sea is deeper than that.

More on the Connection
 

Au contraire, mon frer.

I remark all the time that it is an absolute miracle that so few people died in that carnage. It could have been 65,000.

I feel for your friend's family. I really do. But there is loss whenever a loved one does, however the cause.

Bottom line is that ~850 deaths over an entire year out of a current mass deployment of over 138,000 troops (a lot more if you count rotations) is a SMALL amount.

Hardly the mess. If anything, I'd say the minimal loss of life is quite the SUCCESS.

Geneva Convention - My Thoughts
 

Can't help you.
Once Auto Focus came out, Ashcroft really discouraged using HH for our blogging nuisance sock work.

Geneva Convention - My Thoughts
 

If that is the reason, then people should state it. But all this talk about how it is important for us to abide by the GC because the GC protects our soldiers when they are taken as POWs is just bunk. Hasn't happened once.

More on the Connection
 

I was kidding. The sad thing is that I actually checked the map before I posted the first time. Israel is so damn small that I missed it.