OF COURSE people are smiling, laughing, giving thumbs up. There are people are riding through their cities, towns and villages in tanks, Bradleys and Humvees armed to the hilt.

And apparently with ROE which allow them to fire at will - the entire country seems to be a free-fire zone, as long as someone says they saw a threatening gesture.

You'd smile, laugh and give 'em the thumbs up, too.

And then these same folks shoot 'em in the back.

Now, I will admit that if I'm not under fire, then it seems peaceful. I could write poems, if I could write poetry, about how serene the world was, how thoughtful the inhabitants, hypnotic the breezes, and even the delight of drinking a warm beer. That first burp was a pleasure, the second a delight. Overwhelmed with gratitude for my Uncle Sugar for the experience. I could send that home, a word picture of a world at peace with itself. (If I could get the stench of burning feces out of my head.)

When I have been under fire, the entire goddamned world seemed to be at war.

Reconcile the conservative spin of peace, love and respect in Iraq with the reality of 700+ Americans killed and almost 4000 wounded. (We forget, wounded can be a real, real nuisance, too! They are casualties, have to be replaced most of the time.)

Arf