The New Enemy?....Fascists?

In a clear act of desperation, President Bush, Republicans, and Conservatives have found a new Boogy man. Fascists. Hmmm...not communist, not liberals...but fascists. Apparently they feel that by using this term they can once again scare Americans in to voting for their party and their agenda. Wow. Big surprize there. Now America is in a stuggle against radical "Islamic Fascists." Consider the following article from the Associated press:

WASHINGTON (Aug. 30) - President Bush in recent days has recast the global war on terror into a "war against Islamic fascism." Fascism, in fact, seems to be the new buzz word for Republicans in an election season dominated by an unpopular war in Iraq. Bush used the term earlier this month in talking about the arrest of suspected terrorists in Britain, and spoke of "Islamic fascists" in a later speech in Green Bay, Wis. Spokesman Tony Snow has used variations on the phrase at White House press briefings. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., in a tough re-election fight, drew parallels on Monday between World War II and the current war against "Islamic fascism," saying they both require fighting a common foe in multiple countries. It's a phrase Santorum has been using for months. And Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Tuesday took it a step further in a speech to an American Legion convention in Salt Lake City, accusing critics of the administration's Iraq and anti-terrorism policies of trying to appease "a new type of fascism."

Boy these guys never give up. Hey Democrats...we need to address this concern of fascism head on:

1) Point out that this administration continues to support Kuwait and Saudi Arabian...both controlled by dictators who continue to violate basic human rights of their own people, including conducting public beheadings and execution of woman who are charged with adultery.

2) Point out that under the Bush administration we have continued to strip away basic civil rights in the name of national security including allowing un-warrented wire tappings, detaining individuals without charging them with crimes, ect..

Dont let these clowns get away with this again. The enemy are not fascists. They are religious zealots. And we have our own problem with religious zealots in this country.

Anyway...thats my take. Hope you all have a nice day.

One week down - 51 to Go

It has been a week since I left the comforts of my single room, air-conditioned room at Fort Hood Texas. Hard to believe. But my life right now is all about sleeping with 15 other guys in a tent that has air-conditioning that works about half the time. My sleep pattern is a little messed up right now. Still feeling energetic at the wrong times and tired most of the time. In two days we will be getting a sandstorm that last for about 5 days. I am not looking forward to this new experience. The food is plentiful but my appetite is off as well. Today I participated in 5 briefings with my LTC and the soldiers who work under me. That went pretty well. I just found out that I will be the Sergeant of the Guard for 24 hours later this week. I can't tell you what we are guarding. I here things are going well in Albany. I am glad of that. I miss everyone more and more everyday. Getting emails from you all makes my day. Its what I find myself looking forward to most of all glennzing@aol.com if you are interested. Take care for now, I got to try to sleep.

133 Degrees

You know why there will never be peace in the middle east?...cause its too @@@@ing Hot! Thats right its was 133 degrees some time today. At night I use a blanket because it gets down to 100. Ha Ha. Its like in February and March in NY when we wake up to that first 50 degree weather and people want to start wearing shorts after a long winter. Crazy. Yep. I have never seen heat like this before. Oh its a dry heat too. The wind blows the heat and sand around and it get everywhere. Mostly in your mouth and nose. Next time you go out for a slice of pizza after drinking ask the guy if you can put your own slice in the oven. When he gives you the slice, stick it in along with your head. Keep it there for about 5 minutes. THATS HOW @@@@ING HOT IT IS!!!..Sorry Sherry. The heat is getting to me. We are not doing much except laying around and some classes now and then. There is a couple of big tents that have lots of movies, internet, books, and other stuff to do. There is a theater where they show lots of good movies. Mostly we go there to cool off. Happy Birthday to Christa! I hope her surprize party was wild and crazy. I know she and my peeps drank a little bit of wine. The only thing we have here is "Near Beer". Thats the non-alchohol stuff. I was hoping they would come up with the NA version of Grey Goose. But I doubt it. Well this week should be exciting. I understand that there is a big ass sandstorm heading our way! Yep. Sand and 80 miles an hour winds. These things are nasty and can last up to 5 days. We have to get plastic bags and seal up all our shit. Oh and we have to go out to the px and get our goat milk and eggs in case we get stranded. There will most likely be a mad rush for those things once the weather channel issues the storm warning....lol. Woo Hoo...maybe we will get a sand day...no school! At any rate, I guess things are going ok. Everyday I spend here is one more day I can cross off the calendar.

Climatizing and Aclamation

Well this has been an interesting week. I think its Saturday, but I dont know for sure. The last few days we have just been trying to adapt the time difference from home and the intense heat. I am making progress on both fronts. Although my sleep pattern is still a little messed up, overall I am adjusting well. The heat on the other hand...well lets just say I would take a nice cold January morning over this in a heart beat. Its hard to decribe what this place looks like, but think the surface of the moon with tents on them. Or maybe Hiroshimo after the blast. Its pretty desolate. I have seen no trees and the only shade we have is man-made. No animal either, other then an ant or two. My buddy claims to have seen a desert rat, but I can't confirm that. We think that we will be here for a couple more weeks and then on to Iraq. Exact dates and places are classified. Sorry guys. But if you want, tune into Fox News. They might no more then we do. Yesterday we got up at 3:00am to go fire our weapons. We did it that early because it was too hot to do it at other times. Besides the range and some mandatory classes and briefings, its been pretty relaxed. We have been able to watch movies and play video games when we were not training. Over-all, its been an interesting few days here. I will keep you posted if we have any excitement while we are here. Peace my peeps!

Day Two: Hot and Sandy

My impression of this country so far: Its hot. Oh...and there is lots and lots of sand. When I was back in Texas, one of the things we were required to do when we were driving tactical vehicles was to put a drip pan under the hummers to keep oil off the ground. The "green" in army stands for many things including enviroment-friendly! Haha...well one of my buddies made the point that there was little concern that oil got on the ground over here because it was all sand. Then I thought...yeah. I mean...its sand...and deep under this sand...there is oil anyway...so screw it! I don't know why I find this funny, perhaps I am just delirous from the heat and lack of sleep. So this place is not so bad I guess. We are staying in big tents (with about 16 guys) that have air. Of course its still hot but its better then nothing. We are taking it easy this first 48 hours to allow our bodies to adjust to the jet lag. I am almost there, although right now i feel like I should be having lunch. Local time here is actually 1909 (7:09pm). Tommorow bright and early, we go to the range. Early meaning 0330 or something. We have to do our training at night because its too hot in the day time. The food is plentiful and taste ok. The coke cans have arabic on them. Well tommorow will be my 42nd birthday and usually I am home in Albany getting ready to celebrate with my girl Christa. My twin Jeanne is celebrating as well although she insists I have miscounted our ages. She hasnt hit 40 yet. Happy birthday sis! Maybe next year we will celebrate together! Happy birthday to you too Christa! My baby misses me. I miss my baby too. Hold on there honey...363 days to go!

Long Day and Damn this Heat

The last 24 hours have been the longest I can remember since basic training. It began late Monday night when we were rounded up and bussed to a gym on Fort Hood and went through the final stages of paper work and inprocessing before we got on the plane. This was also the last chance that family members and friends had to see their soldiers off. It was pretty emotional and I was feeling for them and for myself as well. Just before midnight we got back on the bus and headed to the airfield where the huge plane was waiting. There the USO was there and gave us nice care packages and we hung out until it was time to load. A short time later we got on the plane and took off. We stopped off in Maine first, where we were greeted by USO volunteers and veterans from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. It was nice to know that they supported us...if not the war. Back on the plane and off to Germany, we we changed planes and headed to our current location somewhere in the middle east. (can you guess where?...) I will be here for a for a week or more and then head to Iraq. Damn it is hot. I dont think anyone can fully appreciate how hot....and its not humid but it doesnt matter. Haha. Sand is everywhere. I am tired and worn out but my spirits are high. Its weird to think that 24 hours ago I was in Texas...and now....not. Haha. I will keep you all posted.

Leaving on a Jet Plane - Elvis has left the Country

By the time most of you will read this, I will no longer be in the United States. Sometime in the next few hours I will be on a plane heading overseas. It will be the first time in my life that I have left this country except for trips to Canada and Mexico. I am both excited about this and a little nervous. I can't tell you when I will be back...or even if...I ever will come back. But its my goal. I really know how much I will be missed and I have promised everyone of you I would come back safe. But...just to cover my bases....I want to tell you how I feel at this moment. I have had so much to thankful for. I am healthy, I have a great family, and so many friends. Now I have my T...the love who waits for me. I just want you all to know how much I love you all. A man who has friends and a loving family...well he's got everything. I feel happier and more content then I have ever felt in my life. Its because of you. Each of you. Now I know you all think I am a little messed up in the head for doing this...and somedays even I think thats so...I have no regrets. However this ends...I know that I have made the right decision. When I was growing up, I got use to taking the easy road. All through my first tour in the army and through college, I never applied myself the way I should have. I was selfish and inconsiderate. But somewhere along the way, I started to change. Pehaps that was when I began working with people with HIV/AIDS. There I was taught and shown compassion. I started to realize that each person on this planet has purpose and meaning. Each life is precious...each person a gift from god. What I am doing is trying to use my gifts to bring a little ray of light to an area of the world that needs it right now. I want to do two main things:

Support my fellow soldiers.

Learn about and appreciate the Iraqi people.

Some people do not think its possible to do both...but I know I can do it. Not sure how I will go about doing this, but hell...I got to try. I hope I can show both groups my sense of humor...my appreciation for diversity...and my compassion. I hope that I can make friends...as dear to me as all of you have been. I know if I get the chance...I will succeed. Or die trying.

Good bye all. I love you all.

Calm before the Storm

Well I started this blog way back in February and I have been through alot since then. There was all that stuff I had to do (the diet, the exercise, my physical,) and then I had to make it through waiting for my orders to be processed, the numerous parties and dinners to say goodbye, and then my arrival at Fort Hood. Then my training began and there was the countless classes, the trip to the field, the daily PT, the walking around in 100 degree heat with my full battle gear on. Going to the range and learning about how to avoid IED's. Then there was the close quarter combat with live ammo. I came to Fort Hood to train to go to war and to learn how to run the brigade legal office. I think I am ready. But like I said many months ago, the Army wants us to Hurry up....and wait. Now we can see the end of this phase and the beginning of the next...our mission will begin very soon. That mission will last at least one year. Thats 365 days from the day we hit the country. I will be counting the days until I see all my family and friends and for the love who has promised to be there when I return. I am very excited about this adventure and I have never been happier. I am right where I want to be and right where I know I should be. Perhaps it is the calm before the storm or maybe I am just crazy. Ha ha...either way I am ok with it.

Kentucky and Tennessee - One Last Goodbye

Last night I returned from visiting family in Kentucky and Tennessee and seeing some of my buds at a wedding for my friends Erchan and Katie. This time when I said goodbye, I really meant it. Haha. I say that because since March, I have said goodbye to the "albany" family on numerous occasions. At this point, they are just saying "go already" and I have to agree. I want to get there bad and start this next year off. Then I can start counting down the days before I come back. I am ready and tommorow I will be going through my final processing in preparation for Iraq. All my training is over and now its just a bit of a waiting game. The last few days with my family were very important to me. We got a chance to talk about important stuff and now I feel that they understand me completely. I won't soon forget my last night with them, when Ron and Bill and Sherry shared some laughs with me and told me they loved me ---no matter what. I have never felt closer to them. I am a happy man . They promise to spend my life insurance wisely if something happens to me. Haha. Thank you Sherry for being so supportive of me. Thanks Bill and Ron for being great brothers. I wish John and Jeanne would have been there with me that night, but when I get leave in February we will have a reunion. I am very proud of my sister by the way. She is really something. I got a chance to see her on Sunday and she told me about all the training she has been doing. She is now an EMT and is working with search and rescue teams. She has been repelling off rocks and everything. She is fearless. Always has been. She would be a much better soldier then me. Ah well, I miss everyone already. Especially my love. Heavy sigh....love you babe!