Tales of the Heliosphere

Never forget, never forgive.

-tdr

Labels: America, War, War on Jihad

In a story today (here) about the handover of authority from American to Iraqi forces in Baghdad's Green Zone, Haider Mahmoud, an Iraqi guard, said something profound.

"Nothing is more beautiful than rules."

There's a tendency to see only bad coming out of America's 6 year military involvement in Iraq. Six years ago Iraqi and American soldiers were fighting each other to the death. Now Iraq's soldiers are trained by and fight alongside Americans. Relationships that are developing now between the two armies, especially among the officers, is bound to make a difference. And if Mahmoud's comment is any indication, America's soldiers are providing an example of professionalism and respect for law, that is sinking in.

-tdr

Labels: America, War

The Presidential Council of Iraq has approved the provincial elections law. Local elections must occur sometime before January 31, 2009. (Here.) More good news in this the 21st month of The Surge that was opposed by Barack Obama. Nice call, Senator.

-tdr

Labels: Elections, War, War on Jihad

The latest good news from Iraq is that the central government is taking over control of the so-called Awakening Councils. (Here.) There is tension associated with the turnover driven by some mistrust. But the transfer represents yet another positive result of the surge in Iraq. The surge that the phony senator from Illinois judged would not work. Nice call, Senator.

-tdr

Labels: America, Elections, Politics, War, War on Jihad

Today on a continent far, far to the south, a conflict is developing between Peru and Chile over the origin of the potato.

"Peruvian agronomists, historians and diplomats are chafing at an assertion by Marigen Hornkohl, Chile's agriculture minister, who said recently, 'Few people know that 99 percent of the world's potatoes have some type of genetic link to potatoes from Chile.'

"Peru, where the potato is a source of national pride, could not let such a comment pass.

"'Obviously the world has known for centuries that the potato is from Peru and that the Peruvian potato saved Europe from hunger,' Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Garcma Belaunde told reporters here last week. 'The entire world knows this.'" (Here.)

Not a word in the story about the origin of the Irish potatoes that did so well in the 19th Century.

If war breaks out, invest in the company that manufactures these high tech potato guns: (claytonbailey.com here.)

-tdr

Labels: Food, International, War