The Free and the Brave - Free

Here's a wma version of the Free and the Brave. Right click here and select "save target as". I'll only have this available for a short while - but if you miss this, no sweat - I'm going to re-post it again tomorrow.

And thanks to all who've donated to support this project.

This song isn't complete, so expect more to follow. For the story so far (including video and lyrics) see here.

One Last Run

I think I may have fixed the problem but I'm concerned that not all mail is being received. After yesterday's test, it seems sporadic.

So this will be my last test run hopefully to verify.

Need to due a full email exchange to make sure incoming and outcoming are working. So email me, I'll send a "Got it" reply, and you send me confirmation that you got my "Got it".

Got It?

Thank You.

Limited time only...

Due to email issues I'm not sure if copies I've sent are being received, so here's the audio (mp3) for "The Free and the Brave".

Right click here and select "save target as". I'll only have this available for a short while - but no sweat, if you miss this, I'm going to re-post it at 6pm eastern, and again tomorrow.

And thanks to all who've donated to support this project.

No News is good News

...all news is bad news.

Last June:

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- An Iraq court on Sunday sentenced three former aides to Saddam Hussein, including the man known as "Chemical Ali," to death by hanging for their role in a 1980s genocide campaign that that killed up to 100,000 Kurds.

Ali Hassan al-Majid, Hussein's first cousin, earned his nickname for atrocities committed in a military campaign code-named Operation Anfal during the 1980-88 Iraq-Iran war.

And today:

Execution of 'Chemical Ali' approved

BAGHDAD -- Iraq's three-member Presidency Council has approved the execution of Ali Hassan Majid, a cousin of Saddam Hussein known as "Chemical Ali," ...

Supporters of Majid and his codefendants had argued they were merely carrying out Hussein's orders when they took part in the gassing of tens of thousands of Kurds in the 1980s.
<...>
The decision to hang him could be seen as another setback in reconciliation efforts in Iraq...

...says the LA Times.

We report, You Decide

Continuing our efforts to contrast the candidates on key issues...

McCain

...in between fund-raisers and events in Texas, held another conference call with bloggers.

Obama

...shook a few print reporters' hands -– told a few bloggers he doesn’t read blogs –- and then headed to the back of the plane -– a part he dubbed "the fun part of the plane" -– where the photographers sit.

Nothing current on Clinton or Huckabee.

FWIW, Obama's campaign blog is here.

Email Test

UPDATE lll - That's all the testing for tonight. I need a drink. I'll resume this tomorrow.
Thank you all for your help.

UPDATE ll - Let's try again and see if this works. Any volunteers?

Update: thanks for the help - we'll continue to work the issue but need a break, further emails not needed at this time. Thanks !

Since we've been having difficutly with outgoing mail, I need to do some test email exchanges.

Any volunteers would be appreciated.

Email to greyhawk at mudvillegazette dot com.

If you have emailed and you have not received a "Got it" reply, please leave a comment.

Preliminaries

The Washington Times:

In a sneak preview of the ground that both men would defend if they face each other in the presidential election, John McCain yesterday accused Sen. Barack Obama of misreading the war in Iraq and Mr. Obama accused the Arizona senator of getting it wrong in the first place.
<...>
Mr. McCain fired first, blasting the Illinois senator for saying that after he withdraws U.S. forces, he would consider sending troops back if al Qaeda establishes a base there.

"I have some news. Al Qaeda is in Iraq. It's called 'al Qaeda in Iraq,' " Mr. McCain told a crowd in Tyler, Texas.

Mr. Obama, campaigning in Columbus, Ohio, soon returned fire of his own: "I've got some news for John McCain, that is there was no such thing as al Qaeda in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade."

Ar least a partial answer to one of my questions....

Update: Additional thoughts here.

Once again, the Free and the Brave

(Now with audible vocals)

Okay, so I went out and invested in a decent microphone...

I sang this thing out loud without musical accompanyment every day while I was in Iraq, so now I confess I like hearing the actual music that played in my head all those months.

Previous version - and background on this song - here.

This still isn't a finished product, but if anyone would like an audio-only version of this song let me know and I'll send it (email) in whatever format you prefer.

And if anyone would like to help fund the development of Greyhawk Studios...

The Free and the Brave
Greyhawk

Over in America, home of the free
Land of unlimited opportunity
People in the streets protest whatever they can
While over in Iraq and Afghanistan

The brave, far from home, are standing tall
and toeing the line, so they can have it all
Some try to complicate it but it's simple to me
They're making noise, we're making history

Osama'd like to think that we can't get it done
And some would like to tell you it's time to cut and run
Me I like to finish something once I've begun
And I don't think I'm the only one

Here making history, hearing the noise
of things that divide and things that destroy
Things you'd never ever want to see on your street
Things you might call the price of defeat

So excuse me if I come home a little annoyed
If while I was making history, you were making noise

We're making history
They're making noise
We're facing the fire
They're playing with toys
Nobody ever said
That it would be easy
They're making noise
We're making history

- Iraq, May, 2007

What if, what was, what now, what next...

I suspect we'll be hearing this argument frequently over the next few months:

He (Obama) argued the Iraq war "diverted attention from Afghanistan where Al Qaeda, that killed 3,000 Americans, are stronger now than at any time since 2001."

...in large part because we've been hearing it repeatedly over the last few years. It's a popular argument because it's based in undeniable fact - every soldier, weapon, or vehicle sent to Iraq could not simultaneously be in Afghanistan. It's a powerful argument - as long as you stop thinking about it right there and don't let additional facts intrude on your reverie.

To engage in this discussion is to enter into a game of "what if?". Let's indulge those who've chosen to do so - I'm assuming they've thought it through beyond the bumper-sticker/sound bite level and are eager to flesh out their position. So here are a few follow-up questions:

Would you have sent all the troops who went to Iraq into Afghanistan? If not, how many?

Is there any limit to the amount of troops or time you would devote to the hunt for Osama bin Laden? If so, what is that limit? What percentage of troops in Afghanistan would be assigned to other tasks?

Would the al Qaeda recruits (or "foreign fighters") who went to Iraq since 2003 have gone to Afghanistan instead? The Soviet experience in Afghanistan certainly indicates that's likely.

Would Saddam Hussein have assisted that effort? If so, how would you respond?

From 1991-2003 tens of thousands of American troops served in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey enforcing U.N. sanctions against Iraq. (Remember the "no fly zones" and the near-daily attacks on Iraq radar sites and anti-aircraft positions?) Would you have left these troops in place? (Hint: they aren't there any more...) Consider also that Osama bin Laden cited the presence of these troops as the fundamental basis of his jihad against America, culminating in the 9/11 attacks.

There are countless follow-up questions - but that's enough "what if?" for now. The more important question is "what now?" - and any candidate's answers to the "what ifs" or complaints about "what was" matter only insofar as they illuminate that persons view of "what next".

So on to the questions that matter:

Are you arguing for a reduction in troops in Iraq? How many? How soon?

If the answers to the above are "yes" and "not all": experience has proven a smaller number of troops in Iraq is ineffective at containing violence/maintaining stability. Has the situation on the ground in Iraq changed to the point where a smaller number of troops will be effective? What is that number?

If violence rises as a result of a reduction to that level (or a complete withdrawal), would you restore the larger number of troops? If (post-drawdown) evidence indicated al Qaeda had created training camps in Iraq to prepare troops for Afghanistan would you increase the number of American troops in Iraq? Following any drawdown, is there any contingency you could imagine that would trigger an increase of troops in Iraq?

If al Qaeda in Afghanistan is "stronger now than at any time since 2001"? would all the troops in Iraq "come home" or would they move to Afghanistan? Would some remain somewhere near Iraq "just in case?" Where would that be?

If an American withdrawal from Iraq led to an al Qaeda recruiting boom in Afghanistan (Osama cited our withdrawal from Somalia as evidence of our ultimate weakness) would you respond with further increases to our forces in Afghanistan?

Is there any limit to the amount of troops or time you would devote to the hunt for Osama bin Laden? If so, what is that limit? What percentage of troops in Afghanistan would be assigned to other tasks?

Finally: what would the tour length be for troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, or "somewhere nearby just in case"? How much time should they spend in the United States between tours in the combat zone?

These are the questions that will confront our next President, and I think it's fair to ask them now. I don't care what they would have done in 2003 - we all share the gift of 20/20 hindsight - I won't vote for anyone who doesn't have a plan for 2009.

Update: One answer?

Story from an old man's war

I spent a few days last summer on a one-day trip to one of our many lovely FOBs in Iraq. The plan was for one day, but a dust storm wasn't part of the plan. That trip ended with an hours-long wait on a wooden bench in an outdoor "passenger lounge" - something to which any future travel delays I might experience will ever be compared. Fortunately I had a book in my pocket to pass the time - one I'd picked up at an MWR tent in another garden spot somewhere else in Iraq. That book was there because it's author makes sure his books are available (free of charge) to troops in Iraq. That author is John Scalzi, and the book was The Ghost Brigades, second in a series he began with the novel Old Man's War

Once safely back in Baghdad I left a comment over at Scalzi's blog, telling my little story and thanking him (ain't technology wonderful?) for providing a tale that actually had me hoping the helo wouldn't show up too soon. We swapped a couple of emails, amd later when he made an e-version of his book The Android's Dream available to troops I got one of those, too.

Old Man's War I bought for myself, and after getting back to the good ol' USA I ordered the third book in the series, The Last Colony.

This Fall there will be a fourth book in the series, and once again Scalzi is coming through for the troops:

I have recently completed my newest book, Zoe’s Tale, and am offering a special pre-publication bound manuscript version of the novel to auction to benefit the Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust. This is an exclusive and extremely rare version of this novel (only four other copies of this edition exist) and will be the only way for a member of the general public to read the novel prior to its official publication in August 2008. All money raised by this auction, minus eBay and PayPal fees, will go to the Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust. The auction is currently taking place on eBay and will end on Feb-25-08 09:10:29 PST. Opening bid is $50.

(Additional details here.)

Auction page here. The bidding is a bit out of my price range (though certainly not as high as it should be yet), but in addition to the reasons above for buying a few of Scalzi's books I can add one more: they are damn fine reads.

FYI

To those that emailed us recently, I would like to apologized for seemingly not responding but for some reason we cannot send mail.

We are working to fix this.

Now where did I leave my hammer?

The Free and the Brave (Part 2 or 10 or something...)

A while back...

After effects of the Toby Keith concert: Wrote this country music song while driving around in my humvee. Maybe later I'll work out the guitar part and record.

Looking back for that link, I was surprised to realize that was written in May of last year. I was in Iraq, the buildup for the surge was ongoing (though almost done) and we were about to launch some key missions. Meanwhile, back in America, Harry Reid was about to announce the whole thing was a failure. Time flies whether you're having fun or not.

Anyhow,

A very rough cut of a song I wrote during my second tour of duty in Iraq, as part of the "surge" operation in the summer of 2007. I had no guitar or recording equipment on hand over there and this had to remain "in my head" for months until I returned home. I believe I've managed to transfer that music of the mind into digital reality without losing any of the original...

But this is still a rough draft - a basic and incomplete cut. Each part was recorded in one take, (including the lead solo which was improvised on the spot) and the result is something that exists only because I wanted to turn an idea into a reality that I could build on. (On the other hand, my time is such that this may be all it ever is...)

FWIW: I first used the phrase "They're making noise, we're making history" a few years ago as a comment to a fellow milblogger who was taking a tremendous amount of crap in his comments section on one of his posts from Iraq. It was my way of saying "don't worry about these REMFs - it's a hell of a lot easier to write from the comfort of their living rooms than it is in a tent. One of your words is worth about a thousand of theirs."

Words to this version below the fold. (Mrs G insists she can't hear the singing. My excuse: the quality changed with each subsequent mix of this song, from original tracks to mixed final to video soundtrack to youtube upload. But my actual response to her complaint: turn it up.)

And if there are any bass players out there who want to throw down a track and send it to me, feel free. (Preferably ogg, but I can work with lower quality stuff, too.)

I may bore you with technical details on the creation of this later, as an update or in the comments if anyone's curious.

The Free and the Brave
Greyhawk

Over in America, home of the free
Land of unlimited opportunity
People in the streets protest whatever they can
While over in Iraq and Afghanistan

The brave, far from home, are standing tall
and toeing the line, so they can have it all
Some try to complicate it but it's simple to me
They're making noise, we're making history

Osama'd like to think that we can't get it done
And some would like to tell you it's time to cut and run
Me I like to finish something once I've begun
And I don't think I'm the only one

Here making history, hearing the noise
of things that divide and things that destroy
Things you'd never ever want to see on your street
Things you might call the price of defeat

So excuse me if I come home a little annoyed
If while I was making history, you were making noise

We're making history
They're making noise
We're facing the fire
They're playing with toys
Nobody ever said
That it would be easy
They're making noise
We're making history

- Iraq, May, 2007

A note on the pictures: Most of these were actually in my head along with the words and music, I began adding the images shortly after the words coalesced. But like my guitar, they too were back home (on my computer hard drive) - except for those I took in Iraq during that tour. Many are from other milbloggers, and I can only remember the sources for a few. So if you see one of yours in the montage let me know, I'll compile a list of credits. (And you have my thanks.)

For my fellow troops still deployed: sorry, I know youtube is blocked and all you see is a big square gap up there. I'll get a version to you through other methods.

Check...

....1, 2, 3, 5...

Hello? Is this thing on? (Clears cobwebs out of keyboard, adjusts volume control...)

Check. Check. Check 1. Sibilance. Sibilance. Check. Check. Check 2. Sibilance. Ssssibilance...