Hug a Veteran Day

I've never served in any war, and that's all the more reason to admire and honor those who have risked their lives fighting in those conflicts that have left our nation and our allies stronger, freer, and more secure.

There are two people, one verified and one not verified, who are the last remaining veterans of World War I. They are Florence Green of the UK who served in the Women's Royal Air Force, and Andrew Rasch, who claims to have been in the US Navy. Both of them are 110 years old.

Of course, there are still thousands of World War II veterans, including 87-year-old Daniel Inouye, one of Hawaii's two US Senators. There are loads of veterans from the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Desert Storm, the second Iraq War and the Afghanistan conflict. My hat's off to them all, along with those who served in dangerous conditions during the Cold War or otherwise between wars.

Frank, a family friend now in a nursing home, is a veteran of the 100th Battalion. Along with the 442nd Infantry Regiment of which Daniel Inouye was a part, they became famous as nearly all-Japanese-American fighting units distinguished by their immense bravery. I sometimes ask him questions about his time in Italy, but while his mind is still sharp at ninety-something, it's hard for him to speak. The conversations are limited, but he enjoys watching old cowboy movies, which I bring him on DVD. 

At the same nursing home as Frank is a woman named Jackie who was a pilot in the WAC (Women's Army Corp). Her job was flying newly minted aircraft from the Mainland (usually California) to Hawaii or elsewhere where they were needed by combat pilots and male officers authorized to fly in combat. She was still flying her own private airplane up and down the California coast past the age of eighty, when a mild stroke left her in a wheelchair and unable to drive, much less fly. Listening to her tell stories about the war and California and Hawaii back in the day has been fascinating, but I get the impression that I'm the only one who ever hears them. What little family she has never visits her. (Don't even get me started on the utter disregard for human life when people ignore those in nursing homes, simply because they fear their own ridiculously low threshold of discomfort will be crossed if they enter such a facility and actually speak to someone there.) 

I have a number of relatives who have served in the US military, though I haven't had the chance to hear many stories. One grandfather, who died years before I was born, served in Europe and then Japan and Korea, and became a career soldier. Two uncles were in Vietnam, and one of them also made the military his career. A cousin is an officer who has recently served in Iraq and Afghanistan. I expect some of his kids will also follow suit.

An uncle by marriage lied about his age and joined the Navy, and he eventually fought at Iwo Jima. He passed away recently, having been going through the stages of Alzheimer's Disease, the "long goodbye." I wrote about him here and here. He died less than three weeks after I wrote that first link and I spent the last part of my summer arranging the funeral.

Nursing homes are full of veterans. Go visit one. Not today, but tomorrow or the next day, when most everyone else will have forgotten them until next year.

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Costly military action gives Republicans the vapors

From the Los Angeles Times:

House Republicans charged forward Wednesday with a plan to try to scale back U.S. military engagement in Libya, a move intended as a rebuke of President Obama's handling of the mission.

GOP members agreed in a private meeting to hold a vote on a bill that would cut off funding for "hostilities" in Libya, while continuing to support noncombat activities by the NATO-led operation, including intelligence-gathering and support.

The measure, which is not expected to pass the Senate, could come up for a House vote as early as Friday.

The focus on hostilities is a pointed rebuff of Obama, who has chosen not to seek congressional authorization for the mission under the War Powers Act. The White House has argued that the U.S. involvement does not meet the legal definition of hostilities, as described in the act.

Both Democrats and Republicans have expressed frustration with the president's decision, saying it sets a dangerous precedent for expanding executive power and undermining Congress. That frustration is most concentrated, however, in the Republican-led House, where skepticism of the president is intense and concern over the financial effects of international interventions is a hot topic.

House Republicans were quick to voice frustration Wednesday. Some complained that the U.S. had no clear mission or endgame in the conflict, and worried that it could escalate quickly. Others cited monetary concerns: More than $700 million has been spent so far to support the mission.

Really, while I get the concern that the situation in Libya may necessitate Congressional approval, weren't some of these Republicans the same ones who were questioning the patriotism of various Democrats when the latter opined negatively about how Bush's people were executing the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, or the need for going into Iraq in the first place?

And whisky tango foxtrot, when did the Republicans — who until 2009 were utterly unfazed by the financial disaster that was is the Iraq War — get so upset over a mere $700 million? (Come to think of it, SCHIP funding to give medical insurance to kids was too expensive when it would have been a tiny sliver of the Iraq War budget, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.)

Power to the (Iraqi) people!

A consortium of South Korea's industrial heavy hitters has secured a $3.125 billion contract to build twenty-five power plants in Iraq:

The consortium includes major South Korean industrial firms such Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., STX Heavy Industries Co. Ltd, Doosan Heavy Industries and LG, Mussab Al Mudaris said.

The deal, which was signed by Iraqi Electricity Minister Raad Shalal in Baghdad Wednesday, would include installing 25 power plants in various parts of Iraq with total production of 2,500 megawatts, Mr. Mudaris said. The power stations should be up and running by the summer of 2012, he added.

It's a win-win, I suppose, aimed at curbing the rolling brownouts that still occur (?) in that war-ravaged country, while South Korea gets a bit of quid pro quo for sending a fairly large contingent of soldiers (the third largest in the coalition, after the US and the UK) who helped improve infrastructure in the north, mostly out of harm's way (which was the only way South Korea's then-president Roh Moohyun would go along).

PBS Newshour on the economic battles faced by returning vets

I've mentioned this many times, but I'll say it again: PBS's Newshour is probably the single best source of objective and comprehensive information on news and current issues in the United States.

They turn their attention to the challenges faced by veterans as they separate from the US military after serving in Iraq or Afghanistan and enter a very tough job market where their skills and experience are not always well advertised or appreciated.

Watch the full episode. See more PBS NewsHour.

South Korea to build half a million homes in Iraq

South Korea, whose military contingent in the relatively safe Kurd-controlled part of Iraq was the third largest contributor to the Iraq War effort  (after the US and the UK), may be seeing some payback for the effort.

From Reuters:

Iraq's National Investment Commission said on Sunday it had signed a memorandum of understanding with a South Korean group to build 500,000 housing units all over Iraq.
The deal could have a possible total value of $25 billion, according to previous information from the commission stating that each housing unit was expected to cost $50,000.

The group includes Hyundai, SK and POSCO (005490.KS), the media office of the National Investment Commission said.

Given South Korean companies' history of heading out to the Mideast for major construction projects, I guess this isn't a bad choice. I see this as a win-win situation.

NOTE:
This is my 1000th post this year.