ISIS

Today is May 21st. The news reads something like this: sports, more garbage, useless information and ISIS takes Ramadi.

I don't care what the news says, and I'll tell you why. Nearly 95% of what you read, see or hear is bullshit. Most news agencies will film something and then comment later on it. Almost as if they were filming a movie and then putting the words to it later.

Case in point: When I was deployed to Iraq my unit had to go recover a blown up HUMVEE. The vehicle was burning and the occupants were fully cooked. Dead on arrival, and I didn't have time to do anything to rescue the people. By the time I arrived, the children had gathered offering their support to us and condolences for the lost troops. The men in the vehicle were not from my unit. I never knew their names, and to this day I don't know who they were.

Something changed though. The camera man who stood behind us while we checked for enemy remained still. When the all clear was given, he came out from hiding and began to film. Instantly the parents of the children came out and instructed their kids to throw rocks at the vehicle. The parents spewed anti-american propaganda, which was a 180 turn from what they were just telling us. The message on TV wasn't one of compassion. CNN reported it as another instance of the Iraqi's not wanting us around.


So today when I read that Ramadi had fallen, I took the news with a grain of salt. The reason is I have pictures with buddies from the military who are dead. Whole photographs where the only person living is myself. It's sad. To think that many of my comrades paid the ultimate price in Ramadi only to have this happen is pathetic.

The problem isn't the Iraqi's. It's their culture. Generally in the Arab world, Islam is a very pacifist culture. People who live in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and other Muslim area's are very shy about themselves. They won't do anything to bring harm to another. They won't make a stand even if it means degrading themselves. So when ISIS comes in with their extreme rules, many Iraqi's will roll over and do nothing. That's why their military is useless. Iraq needs a leader, perhaps a dictator.

Yes, I know. I was part of a military force used to remove such a man. Iraq is a place where communism works.

So why are we waiting to put someone in power? The easy answer is our government has promised the American people that we will end our decade and a half war status. Obama doesn't want to be the guy who invades a country. He'll forever taint the democratic party by pulling out and then re-invading Iraq.

Almost no one likes George Bush. Not because he was a president, but because he led the charge into Iraq.

So how do we solve Ramadi? The answer to most people is to re-insert troops. But what does that accomplish? We lose men and women to a place that just doesn't care.

We can send missiles like we already have been. CNN and Al Jazeera will report how badly we missed an caused casualties.

The answer to ISIS isn't easy. It for sure isn't America. If no other country will take a stand to remove ISIS, they will prosper and grow. If the United States has to go back, it's time to take Iraq and occupy it. Change it to a military state and own the country. The 51st state.

Rigged Interview/ other bullshit

I'm drunk. Watching hockey and drinking Molson. I'm also about to smoke some insanely good weed. The advantages of living in Colorado.

I've had massive opportunities in my life. Some have been incredibly awesome. I will say that my experiences in 1st Armored Division of the United States Army was probably the most dynamic and wonderful experience of my life. Probably the worst experience I have ever had was deciding to leave the same unit because I didn't want my wife's family to be worried about my combat tours. Bad choice. I have kids now, so that's in the past. They are my life, and I wouldn't trade them for anything. Even the year I spent in Iraq doing nothing but watching goats from a guard tower.

This blog is about something that I never thought I'd experience. The Army had it's fair share of bullshit. People would get promoted over you because they knew the right people. Even though promotion ran off of a points system run by the Department of the Army, the female's putting out on the side seemed to always max out on points.

I took part in a rigged interview this week. I was on the wrong side of the rigging. It sucked. I walked into the interview with a suit and tie on my body. I had my notepad and pen in one hand, and a waiting handshake in the other. On my resume was at least 2 years of relevant experience highlighted by the bachelors degree that I worked so hard for. Turns out, I wasn't selected because a young lady who had no relevant experience and no education knew the right people. This was a position for which I easily qualified. There was nothing else. It was just me. But then I learned that my experience in the Army wasn't as unprofessional as I thought. Turns out, the Army and the military for that matter are almost exactly like the civilian sector. Well for pay purposes. If you know the right people, you can stave off that bullshit deployment to Korea. If you know the right people at your job, you can get promoted over anyone else. The department will even supply the coaching, and your new manager will tell all the other candidates that he doesn't want an employee that needs to be taught everything. Even though that's what is going to happen with the candidate in question.

Honestly, I'm tired. I studied for 4 years to get my degree in accounting. Unless I get my CPA, my degree is worthless. I might as well have studied basket weaving. I would venture to say that 95% of the people who get accounting degree's (bachelors) find themselves doing fully cycle accounting for a profession. Nothing that you spend your 3rd and 4th year studying. Such bullshit.

That's also why I took a broad range of courses. I can still remember my first course in communication. My first semester. I took classes that were easy. I could ace anyone of them, and never look back.

Now my life is jumbled. It just doesn't get any easier. Even the things that I have worked for have become difficult to progress in.

WTF?