A fellow sevicemember sent this to me - and it is all about hating on Dubai (UAE) for being a capitalist country.

Click HERE to see the presentation -

This is interesting to me because it attacks successful productive capitalists for - - being successful - and stirs sentiment that is based purely in emotion and not in logic or fact - I think the motivation behind this piece of work is *exactly* why we are failing in the global economic realm.

I would like to point out that this is a very emotional piece that hits the heart through your pocketbook - but think about the real issues -

I say we should not be angry or jealous of Dubai or anyone else because of their business success - (continued below the fold)

Posted by: Misha Moriarti at 10:59 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I am exhausted - another day of dodging mookie’s stuff and I think I have "Saddam's Revenge" yuk.

Posted by: Misha Moriarti at 11:49 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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But ya did piss me off-

My hootch now looks like a planetarium - thanks -

"up to and including 800m of that sumbitch with my M4 and ACOG...Game Over" (on second thought - an M2HB on my HMMWV - or a Mk19 - oh...wait - perhaps my frackin Randall up close)

For those who are following along at home - Mookie tried to get us again today - butcha missed me again dincha - bitch.

Posted by: Misha Moriarti at 01:31 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I am not gonna say that last night was fun - but - Mookie can kiss my ass-

BLUF - Missed me ya bastard.

I suppose you have all read the news this morning - if not:

ARMY TIMES

and YAHOO have most of the info -

But also know that the media NEVER gets it exactly right - I can't speak in absolutes - but suffice it to say that Mookies boys lobbed quite a few more than 10 at us yesterday - Phucerz.

Posted by: Misha Moriarti at 12:38 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Try Iraq!

Right now there is this huge debate over how to stimulate the economy of this beleaguered country we U.S. soldiers affectionately refer to as Iraq . One of the best solutions to date is a plan to revitalize the dormant tourism industry of this nation full of historical wonders! Now a lot of you westerners (aka infidels) are going to stick out over here, so here are some things you're going to want to do to keep from alarming the locals. Now remember, this list isn't complete. You'll need to check with your local travel agency to get the complete list of do's and don'ts. Here you go:

Posted by: Misha Moriarti at 05:04 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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OMG - I think I am in man love with Hans Gruen - we need to put this before congress and ratify it IMMEDIATELY!

Hat tip: SlantRight and The Jawa Report

Posted by: Misha Moriarti at 11:12 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Back to the incident just after we moved in -

I went to the CSH (Combat Support Hospital - the modern day successor to the venerable MASH - Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) to "swipe in" so that they can track my health care while in Iraq.

Just prior to my arrival a vehicle manned by by Air Force Cops - on a Mounted Combat Patrol near the IZ got slammed by an Iranian made EFP - in a sheet of flame and slug of molten copper a life was snuffed out - and many more changed forever -

The long faces and blank stares were all I needed to see to know that they had lost one - they saw the knowledge in my eyes and recognized one of thier own - as did I.

Brown and ACU patten NOMEX uniforms bearing the insignia of the AIr Force and Army - Senior NCOs, Officers and junior enlisted all milled about waiting for news of the rest -

Dusty faces streaked with the trails of tears - belied the humanity of the professionals that even in this time of crisis, neatly lined up body armor against the walls of the hospital.

These are my brothers and sisters - these are your sons and daughters - these are American Warriors.

Defensor Fortis my Brothers and Sisters.

Posted by: Misha Moriarti at 01:21 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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RAMBO IV *** - A pretyty decent flick for what it was - and finally the movies get the effect of a M2HB sorta right.

THE KINGDOM ***** - A MUST SEE - again the movie industry gets it right. You want to see how evil the enemy is - watch this

OUTLAWS - FIGHTING BACK *** - Pretty decent flick - a sort of British Boondock Saints...but the ending sucks.

Posted by: Misha Moriarti at 12:41 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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They have this new thing called "Eagle Cash" - this is, in my humble opinion, a racket - looting @ it's finest - brilliant use of the art of flim flam in order to make money, cheaply -

Here is how it works -

The Army issues you an "Eagle Cash" smart card.

You transfer funds from your bank account or directly from your check

You use the card @ select locations (almost everywhere in CENTCOM AOR)

There is no fee for you to pay

SOUNDS like a good deal - no?

HERE is the REST of the story -

The Army is working its way to requiring an Eagle Cash card for *any* transaction in CENTCOM. You already MUST have one to draw casual pay or write a check in Q8.

Further - there is NO interest paid on your money stored in your EC account -

I am thinking that *someone* sold the Army a bill of goods - and are pushing for it to be the *only* way for a Soldier to buy anything in the CENTCOM AOR. Meanwhile, they make millions on the $ that is "stored" on those cards.

Hmmmm...... 

Posted by: Misha Moriarti at 12:31 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I thought ya might like to see this -

Its down south of Baghdad - it was a long day - but we were happy Soldiers - we weary few - we band of brothers...

Posted by: Misha Moriarti at 08:28 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Had a bit of a trip out in the red - that was supposed to be a pretty fluff mission - that turned into a dismounted patrol out in the streets of Baghdad - I really can't go into any detail -  but suffice it to say that there were some pretty high speed Iraqi Airborne MPs out there that backed us up - it was good to be back in the red - it felt REALLY good - that may sound nutz to some of you - but there is, ironically, just a bit of peace that comes with being totally in the zone - - hot as hell - - scaning rooftops - - watching hundreds of people - - feeling the reassuring familiarity of the grips of my M4 - - checking on the principal - - the weight of your vest, plates and combat load -- not thinking about the mechanics of your movements - - they just happen - - you find yourself moving in autopilot as your sensors are tuned in like the bionic man - - ready for everything - - placid like the surface of a lake - - staying frosty as hell - - mmmm....good stuff....

Posted by: Misha Moriarti at 10:39 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Well, our first week or so has been madness on so many levels - I still have a LOT of notes to convert to stories - But I will hit the highlights quickly -

We spent some time south of Baghdad training on the ranges (yes MORE ranges!) OK - I can't resist - 1 QUICK story - heh - I can't even write this without laughing - So no shit - there we were, on the machine gun range and we were almost done when the CO decided that he wanted to get down with our Para-Minimi (Shorty M249 - very Gucci kit) - So while he went to get is battle rattle on, the outgoing 1SG and I decided to play a little joke on him....So we popped the top on the drum of 5.56 and placed the belt in backwards, then replaced the top and placed it back in the carry bag- giggling like schoolboys the whole time - When the boss came back over he dutifully took the ammo and strolled out to the firing line. Now you have to picture this - this guy is hard core - a Ranger, combat vet and is generally switched on. To top that off his safety is our most squared away SNCO- also a combat vet and knows what the hell is going on. So there they are about to load the SAW and spend at least 3 minutes trying to figure out why the drum is fitting but the bullets are going the wrong way. Turning the drum one way and the gun another...all the while the other 1SG and I are about to die - laughing ourselves into a headache. They finally figured it out, when they noticed that I had a Joe filming the whole thing. (Video will be up on YouTube soon!)

The trip down and up were uneventful - But just before we left a patrol got hit pretty hard by an IED -

We were in the CSH while the wounded were being worked on - there was 1 KIA - They were all MP types - the guys hurt were Air Force Security Forces- I will post more about that later...suffice it to say that it sucked - DEFENSOR FORTIS MY AF BROTHERS!

Then the day before we got back IDF took the lives of two guys in our AO - one from our command...that sucked pretty bad as well...

BUT - it is still *relatively* safe in our area, so no worries...

On the upside of things we have completed close to 20 missions already without a peep outside the wire - ironic, no?

At any rate - if any fans of Mookie or AQIZ are out there - PHUC EWE! If *we* see ya - we WILL get ya...heh.

Another up note is that the outgoing unit has adopted a family that lives in our AOR. They are the REAL poor - they are fans of GWB and America, and they are targets of the baddies. In fact they took a round of IDF on one of their dwellings in the last week...one 3 year old boy slightly wounded (in fact the one on the right in the pic)...grrr...In the near future I will be trying to organize some relief for these folk...I will post what they need here. Those of you who would like to help out can reach me in the usual ways.

Here is a pic of one of my troops with some of the kids -

"Why We Fight"

See ya all soon.

Posted by: Misha Moriarti at 01:15 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The transition is a long process - and with so much activity of late it has been ALL I have been able to do -

I have a LOT of stories to post - I will do so soon - Suffice it to know that in spite of what you may have heard - Elvis has NOT left the building

TTYS!

Posted by: Misha Moriarti at 02:52 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Posted by: Misha Moriarti at 02:12 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Quick note - Leaving Q8 today will be in the IZ 2nite

Nootch -

Remember -

Len Esteslem

I WILL NOT SUBMIT

Support Geert Wilders!

Watch Fitna - It is just a Presentation of the facts.

Check Liveleak, Google Video and YouTube -

Posted by: Misha Moriarti at 12:24 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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