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12:48:13 PM    

Comment - I like this story because it notes that the soldiers lie under their tarps at night and gaze at the night sky. The picture that goes with the story is amusing, too: it looks like the Marine is getting attacked by a herd of goats.

News - Spartan basketball primed to take off next year: http://www.freep.com/sports/michstate/msu1_20030401.htm

Comment - This article notes the return of all their key players, plus the addition next year of two McDonald's All America guards. I think next year's the year they have to make a serious charge for a national championship, before their players start leaving for the NBA.

Only seven months until they play their first game of the 2003-2004 season!

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11:18:12 AM    

Comment - The U.S. military is highly adaptable. It's not a "failure" when you have to change your plan to adjust to changing circumstances. From this article: "Whatever happens, the war is fast becoming a demanding test of the commanders' ability to adapt to unforeseen circumstances, synchronize their diverse forces to get the most from them and prevail in a complex, risky and most unusual war."

The Wall Street Journal has an annoying article on today's front page. When noting our challenges in Iraq (in a war that's all of a week old!) it mentions Hitler's disaster in Russia, especially in Stalingrad.

It's an ignorant and shallow comparison. The article claims Hitler's army "was shattered by crumbling logistics and harassment of supply lines by small Russian units." No, that's not what happened at all in Russia during WWII. Hitler's army was shattered by a vicious, multi-million-man Soviet counterattack that was supplied in large part by American trucks and food. Plus, there was the impact of round-the-clock Allied bombing of Germany and the opening of a second front on the beaches of Normandy.

It's not so much that those who ignore the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them...it's more like reporters who get their history wrong are destined to sound stupid.

News - Okay, I always try to finish on a light note. Frosty Welcome gives you online fridge magnets: http://www.frostywelcome.com/

Comment - Use your mouse to arrange the magnets into a message, then e-mail it to your friends.

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10:38:19 AM    

Comment - On the plus side: the oil fields were quickly captured, western Iraq was secured to prevent the firing of Scuds into Israel, we have a bridgehead across the Euphrates River, the new Patriot missile batteries appear to be working really well (shooting down most of the Iraqi surface-to-surface rockets) and, for whatever reason, no chemical attacks yet.

On the negative side: Saddam's regime did not crumble under the "shock and awe" attacks (although it remains an open question whether Saddam is dead or alive), the fedayeen thugs are dangerous and need to be eliminated, and weather/supply problems have slowed the U.S. advance.

Here's a summary quote from the article: "The war so far has been demanding and unpredictable. But the United States military has accomplished some important objectives and has changed its strategy and tactics to deal with its foes. Allied commanders seem persuaded of two things: the fedayeen will be defeated and the most difficult fight, the battle of Baghdad, lies ahead."

News - My reading of headlines in the Washington Post, New York Times, and watching CNN makes me think that Bush is starting to turn around the PR battle: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33955-2003Mar26.html

Comment - This article is reinforcing the message that the war could last months and that we need to assemble more troops. What's missing is any hint that we should quit, so that's a win for Bush.

Also, coverage of our troop conduct is overwhelmingly positive. And, several stories today about how the U.S. forces are showing flexibility in dealing with temporary military setbacks.

I'm sure the media is strongly influenced by daily polls that continue to show strong support for the war.

News - Brandon passed on this link to an article that shows what happens when you get too curious about Homeland Security: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16791-2003Mar23.html

Comment - Goes to show that just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

News - To close on a lighter note, here's a funny article from Dave Barry about how he helped write jokes for Steve Martin's Academy Awards show: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/columnists/dave_barry/5454934.ht m

Comment - From the article: "We met eight times over the course of three months. Most of the meetings were in the living room of Martin's home, a fine place to sit and laugh. In addition to the writers, these meetings were attended by Martin's Labrador retriever, Roger, whose contribution to the process was to periodically emit eye-watering blasts of flatulence. We'd be sitting around, tossing out jokes, and suddenly, WHOA, the air would turn green. When this happened, Martin would give Roger a stern lecture."

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11:01:24 AM    

Comment - The article about shooting photos from the Space Station can be found at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2003/24mar_noseprints.htm?list120586. The astronauts say the aurora are the most beautiful things they see from orbit.

News - Worried about the war? Quit watching the news!: http://www.sbam.org/resource/digest/features/32603.html

Comment - From a story I wrote today for our Online Digest:

Try and ignore the media saturation coverage of the war's minute-to-minute progress. "I only pay attention to major developments, otherwise I would find myself worrying needlessly over every event and every reported casualty," says Robert MacDonald, Vice-President of WORKPOINTS, who is a combat veteran with a family member serving in Iraq. "I also find that there are too many media 'armchair generals' offering their own opinions and criticisms of how the war is being conducted. If you are anxious about the safety of a loved one, listening to these self-appointed experts will only make matters worse," he says.

If there's one thing I've learned from reading a lot of military history over the years, it's that there is no substitute for victory. Nothing will shut up the CNN "armchair generals" faster than winning the war. I pray it is soon.

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12:13:53 PM