Doctor Pat Smith, my Idol in Vietnam

This indomitable, blunt-talking woman, whom my Montagnard friends called "ya pogang tih" - big grandmother of medicine, had besieged the Catholic Relief Services in 1972, trying to return to the war zone, where she had worked almost day and night, experiencing 13 years of terror, disease, squalor, frustration and triumph.

During her unselfish devotion to the poor in that region, where I had spent several months advising the 748 Regional Forces Company, at Ngo Trang, several miles north of Kontum, I had visited her facility in downtown Kontum a few times. She seemed irascible, and she was, but then, how do you control your temper, when you spend almost twenty hours, seven days a week, in a primitive and non-sterile environment, treating desperate patients whose only hope for survival is that you drive yourself daily to the point of exhaustion?Had she been Catholic, I suspect that she would have been very high on the path to sainthood by now.

France, Great Britain Against War with Russia

French President Nicolas Sarcozy and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown led the European Union leaders against US proposed sanctions for Russia's "invasion" of Georgia's breakaway province, which was necessitated by that province's war against ethnic Russians.

Peace among the World Religions

The King's Speech: "I bring a message from the Islamic World, representing its scholars and thinkers who recently met in the confines of the House of God. This message declares that Islam is a religion of moderation and tolerance, a message that calls for constructive dialogue among followers of religions, a message that promises to open a new page for humanity, in which, God willing, concord will replace conflict."
"Dear friends, we all believe in one God, who sent messengers for the good of humanity in this world and the hereafter. His will, praise be to Him, was that people should differ in their faiths. If the Almighty had so desired, all mankind would have shared the same religion. We are meeting today to affirm that the religions that God Almighty desired for the happiness of man, should be a means to ensure that happiness."

Russia Tower to be built by Skidmore, Owings& Merrill LLP

What, Me Worry?

Not Putin. As a matter of fact, he has big plans, hiring the architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, the same people who built the Airforce Academy Chapel in Colorado Springs, to build "Russia House" in downtown Moscow.

We're talking 2126 feet high, 134 floors.

I think we're also talking peace, and I doubt that Mr. Putin is going to be tempted to destroy that building, trying to blame us to bring his country into a war!

Way to go, Mr. Putin!

The Best, and Most Popular Weapon in the World

During World War II, since most firefights happen at close range, probably within 300 meters, the Germans developed the assault rifle concept. Mikhail Kalashnikov (see picture), a simple" infantry soldier, developed an automatic rifle, that incorporated the best features, of all infantry weapons at the time, including a high-capacity magazine, that made life much easier for the avarage soldier. Unfortunately, his weapon made my tour of duty as an advisor in Vietnam unnecessary hazardous.

No hard feelings, Mikhail: As the French, who preceded us in Vietnam, used to say: "C'est la guerre".

May you live long, and prosper!

Impeach Bush

Articles of Impeachment for President George W. Bush

by Dennis Kucinich

1. Creating a secret propaganda campaign to manufacture a false case for war against Iraq.

2. Falsely, systematically, and with criminal intent conflating the attacks of September 11.

3. Misleading the American people and members of Congress to believe Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, to manufacture a false case for war.

4. Misleading the American people and members of Congress to believe Iraq posed an imminent threat to the United States.

5. Illegally misspending funds to secretly begin a war of aggression.

6. Invading Iraq in violation of the requirements of HJ Res 114.

7. Invading Iraq Absent a Declaration of War.

8. Invading Iraq, a sovereign nation, in violation of the UN Charter.

9. Failing to provide troops with body armor and vehicle armor.

10. Falsifying accounts of US troop deaths and injuries for political purposes.

11. Establishment of permanent US military bases in Iraq.

12. Initiating a war against Iraq for control of that nation's natural resources.

13. Creating a secret task force to develop energy and military policies with respect to Iraq and other countries.

14. Misprision of a felony, misuse and exposure of classified information and obstruction of justice in the matter of Valerie Plame Wilson, clandestine agent of the Central Intelligence Agency. (There are a total of 35 articles. Please click on the "Impeach Bush" title to read the rest.

Barack Obama's Lost Brother Found in Kenya

Why is George Hussein Onyango Obama, Barack's half brother living in a squalid hut on the outskirts of Nairobi? Mr. Obama said he lives on less than a dollar a month, in a two meter by three meter shack.

"If anyone says something about my surname, I say we are not related. I am ashamed," he said.

Mr. candidate Obama: Before you claim to "save" America and the world, try to make life a little easier for George.

Please click on the link under the title.

As the old song goes: "He ain't heavy, he's my brother!"