Of mice and men
Maybe getting back in the blogger's seat just takes something about which you feel strongly enough.
This is it: Sometimes, war's a game of cat and mouse
I'm proud to call the author my friend. Jerry's a former co-worker, a reporter with a wicked out-of-nowhere sense of humor and a wonderful flair for heartfelt feature stories. Nothing he's written, though, has been as important as this. Moments ago I e-mailed him and told him he did a great service by humanizing the modern soldier -- taking him (or her) out from under the public relations veil cast over them by the Pentagon.
In WWII there was "Willie and Joe at the Front" and other such words and images that reminded those at home that those dodging the bullets and shells were their friends and neighbors. We tend to forget that in 21st century warfare because the combatants are depersonalized -- I suppose because Uncle Sam doesn't want us to become too emotionally involved in the war lest our support for it wanes.
I'm still about 86 bazillion light years from supporting the war in Iraq. But I've always supported those engaged in it and I simply can't begin to understand those who maintain that one cannot support the troops without supporting the war. (I love my classic Chevy, but GM can go straight to hell as far as I'm concerned.)
But since reading this -- the tale of a soldier and his empathy for an adversary -- I not only support the troops, I feel pretty good about what some of them are made of.
Especially my friend Jerry Jimenez.
Keep your head down, dude. See ya soon, I hope.
8:42:29 PM 
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