Friday December 22, 2006

I posted an entry earlier this week and then deleted it and some of you may be wondering why. Change of heart? No, not really. But these guys shouldn't automatically be killed as I implied in my original entry: I can imagine scenarios in wartime in which an enemy is captured, not killed. What ticked me off was the phrase "the three suspects are being held for questioning." This war is being run too much like a policing action and not enough like a war.

Original post:

Consider the following quote from an American Forces Press Service press release today:

Iraqi troops and U.S. soldiers of the 25th Infantry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team today captured three men attempting to set up a mortar tube east of al Qasim. Combined forces found a mortar tube, five 81mm rounds, and a mortar bipod and sight. The three suspects are being held for questioning.

Uh, pardon me for what some of you may view as simplistic thinking, but why aren't these three guys dead? If you come upon three enemy combatants setting up a mortar position, you don't "hold them for questioning." You kill them. That's what you do in wars--you kill people that are trying to kill you.

Setting aside the question of whether we should be in Iraq or not, this is the biggest thing wrong with the war: not enough dead enemy combatants.

Awhile back, I submitted some photos to Sun's Photo Share Program, a program run by Sun's branding team to find distinctive, compelling, and creative photos to add to our brand library. Twelve of my entries were selected for inclusion in the Sun Photo Library and today I received a $50 gift certificate from Amazon as a thank you.

As someone who enjoys photography, this was a fun way for me to participate and share my work with others. And get rewarded, too. Sweet!