My neighbour across the big river, our correspondent and 10th Mountain Division paralegal in Iraq, Brian, has created a photo gallery confirming that the occupation law is perhaps a little less dynamic than the TV shows would let you think. Despite that, it is an example for me of one of the most interesting things about the US and how it treats its soldiers - it allows them to have blogs and talk about themselves without any censorship other than the good sense of each soldier and no doubt the fear of paralegal Brian's prosecutorial powers should any breach of good order break out.
Things insteresting to note:
- His laptop's screen saver appears to be about Guinness leading me to ask if the goodly black beverage is available and whether Brian would like to post an article on the Guinness of Baghdad on the beer blog.
- Standard issue US desert fatigues blend in very well in the colour schemes chosen for their homes by former dictatorial tyrant murderers.
- You still have to wear a visitor's pass even if you bring your own machine gun.
Comments
Brian - November 24, 2004 1:45 AM
Um, I don't think they know i have a blog. I've mentioned it around the office a few times, but nobody really seems to care.
There was a soldier who has a very popular blog, his unit found out, and now he has to submit each post for approval before he publishes. That would suck. Of course, he's also vocally against the war. I'm not, but I wish I could be with my family - especially around the holidays.
Guinness... The screen saver/desktop bmp is the closest any of us can get to the ebony nectar. There's "Budweiser NA" in the dining hall, but if I wanted that stuff, I could go dunk my head in the canal outside. When I get to Kingston, Alan, probably next August or so, at the earliest, we'll go have a Guinness. You name the pub.
Alan - November 24, 2004 8:27 AM
Good call but perhaps I will name the pubs! There is actually one work related thing we have to deal with Fort Drum legal-wise very occassionally so maybe I will get to do a beer blog report on the situation there, too.<p>I remember in my Halifax days when the NATO fleet was in ther would always be tours of the various ships and the US fleet would always make a point of saying how the ship was dry while the Canadian one sold beer at 25 cents a go. I wouldn't be surprised if the Dutch navy was giving it away in the mess. I do recall one US sailor saying how the fleet had to turn around to pick up one sailor of another nationality who had fallen off the deck after too many.