Fair and Balanced?

[Andi]

Well, what a surprise.

Rather than having outspoken war critic Cindy Sheehan as the featured speaker at Drury University convocation, the university also has invited a military officer to join a discussion of dissent.

Planners of the event said adding Col. Michael Meese to the event April 26 was simply part of the process of putting together the convocation, titled "Liberty and Security in a Post-9/11 World." It was not a reaction to criticism the university received for inviting Sheehan to speak, they said.

"I’m very OK with the program we’ve laid out. It will make it a better day," said Steve Mullins, chairman of the convocation. "There was no arm-twisting."

Joan Collins, head of the Peace Network of the Ozarks, said the timing of adding Meese, deputy head of the social sciences department at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, to the event was "curious." However, she said, it will provide a better opportunity for the audience to hear both sides.

What Sheehan "has to say is very important," Collins said, "and I’m sure she’d like the chance to talk to someone in the military about it."

The name Colonel Meese sound familiar? It should.

Lend a Hand..er, Ear.

[Major John]

I received a letter from my Legion Post (addressed to "Dear Desert Storm Era Veteran"... heh) that asks for some help. Our Service Officer had read an article in the Legion's magazine, and had a thought or two. While we now see an effort for wounded warriors - what about everyone else returning home? Invoking the return of WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam vets coming home to simply try and pick up their lives as best they could he mentions;

Many of our veterans from all these war eras would have had an easier time returning to their families and freinds and assimilating back into the civilian sector if they had been able to discuss their experiences with fellow veterans who had been there and done that.

And then tell us that our Post is going to set aside time every week for returning vets, from OEF and OIF, to have a place to go and someone to talk to.

At first I was a little bitter about this - first, "Dear Desert Storm Era Veteran"? I was in OJE in 1997 and OEF V (2004-2005) .... then I thought "I wish this had been around when I came home in 2005." Let us just say, my return home was a little problematic. But, I quit being bitter and decided I would help.

After all, we take care of our own, yes? Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. Etc.

Anyway, I will be at the Post, with the coffee pot on, and a box of doughnuts handy - and I will listen.

Cross posted here.

Watada

[Greyhawk]

We've been following the Ehren Watada story here, but I expect Watada's more interested in this one.

Playing in Peoria

[Greyhawk]

Hoo-rah:

The Padres' ongoing search for baseball talent recently found an unusual source: the United States Marine Corps. The Padres are enlisting Cooper Brannan, a Marine corporal whose service includes two tours of duty in Iraq.

A former pitcher for Highland High in Gilbert, Ariz., Brannan worked out for Padres scout Brendan Hause recently and will participate in spring training with fellow minor leaguers. The 22-year-old right-hander is to report to Peoria on March 2.

“He is a little raw, but he is very athletic and has a great body and a loose arm,” said Grady Fuson, Padres vice president of scouting and player development.

Brannan sustained wounds to his left hand during his second deployment, which resulted in his being sent to San Diego Navy Medical Center.

“The (Marines) are going to let him out of his deal a year early to pursue this,” Fuson said. “We'll give it a shot for a year. There's nothing but good that can happen here.”

Fuson said a few Marines recommended Brannan to Padres CEO Sandy Alderson, who served four years as a Marine infantry officer with a tour of duty in Vietnam.

Apparently that injury was the loss of his left pinky finger.

Sadr Bugs Out?

[Greyhawk]

I'm not convinced this is accurate. I'm less convinced it matters that much.

According to senior military officials, al Sadr left Baghdad two to three weeks ago and fled to Tehran, Iran, where he has family.

One, it's from unnamed military officials, two, he's "visiting family" - so what? Three, Sadr doesn't live in Baghdad anyway, four, Sadr isn't the "leader" the press makes him out to be - mostly because his organization lacks the basic organization to be actually organized. (This doesn't mean they aren't killing people.)

Other than that it's an interesting story. One of those things to make you go "hmmmm..."

Update: Hit at the same time as Soldier's Dad, below, who's story quotes a U.S. "senior U.S. official".

More: Reuters has a different spin - The U.S. military believes radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, one of Iraq's most powerful figures, has left the country and is now in Iran, two senior American officials said on Tuesday. I don't fully trust reporters quoting "unnamed officials" who say someone else "believes something." That's three strikes in my book. (But one out doesn't end an inning...)

To clarify: If true, it's good news.

Still more: Combined with multiple previous busts of major figures in the Sadr movement this does bode well for the possibilities of the still not as yet underway "surge". But given that the Sadr gang has been intentionally low profile for a few weeks now we'd best get some of the guys who've been killing folks, too...

And props to Soldier's Mom, who sounds prescient here.

Moqtada runs to his Masters

[Soldier's Dad]

via AP

WASHINGTON (AP) - Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr fled Iraq for Iran ahead of a security crackdown in Baghdad and the arrival of 21,500 U.S. troops sent by President Bush to quell sectarian violence, a senior U.S. official said Tuesday.

A Review of Every Iraq Book Ever Written

[ArmyLawyer]

From Middle East Quarterly. Seriously, nearly every book out there on the topic is reviewed in this lengthy and very interesting essay.

As you might expect, not every book out there is a good one.