Sunday Mainstream Media News of Interest to Veterans

In today’s New York Times there is an article about "G.I. Jane" breaking the combat barrier in American warfare.  The article is here.  There is an article about a vicious bombing near the NATO headquarters in Afghanistan here. For disabled veterans who might need bone replacement due to injuries, there is an article about using present-day off the shelf medical plugs to mimic bone replacement and cause new growth in surrounding cartilage here.  And here is an article that is really different.  America’s number one game theory mathematician is using the science of game theory to predict international conflict potentialities and possible outcomes.  The article is enlightening and is here.  Who would have thought? 

And here is an interesting article on the politics of Defense Department high-command appointment process.  This goes on every day here in the capitol of the country….I know if you live in the real America you will find this hard to believe, but it is really true.  You should read this editorial to get a flavor for the daily insanity that goes on out here relative to your national defense needs.  The editorial is here. And finally here is an in depth look at a female suicide bomber in Iraq.  The article is here.

From today’s Washington Post there is an article on threats from North Korea that it will wipe out the U.S. and South Korea if it threatens the North with routine military drills. The article is here.  Does anybody know if North Korea has access to valium?  They should if they don’t.  Here is an article about Right Wing rage in America that keeps showing up at Health Care town hall meetings.  It is very interesting in that somehow or other it has Obama painted as a Nazi type leader. I am having a hard time following that one! 

The Associated Press reports today that General McChrystal, our main man in Afghanistan’s foggy ‘war’, will not request more troops for Afghanistan.  The article is here.  I am glad about that because I am still at a loss to figure out what our mission is there. Does anybody reading this know what it is? I have been trying to figure it out for years.  I am not kidding.

Enjoy your Sunday today.  If you read these articles and you get a clear idea on any of these topics, I sure would appreciate a comment or two.  I need the insight. Lately I am just generally befuddled by American paradigms.  We don’t seem to address reality all that often.  Does anybody know whether or not we actually know what we want in this country?  Is Disneyland a theme park or a way we live our lives now? I don’t think we are a nation that is politically fractured as much as we are just generally schizophrenic…the Sunday news cycle always tends to point that out to me!  Happy reading.  Please don’t forget to share your insights!

CWO3 Tom Barnes, USCG (Ret.)