Welcome to all new readers!

Thanks to Castle AARGH and Hugh Hewitt for their links. Just to flesh out a bit more on the premiere of "Over There": This show had the opportunity to demonstrate that not only is war horrible, but that sometimes it is necessary. They could have also paid homage to those who fight in it, as was done so well in "We Were Soldiers." After all, millions of Americans have a family member or a friend serving in the armed forces of the United States. Unfortunately, due to a lack of effort- Bochco short circuited any penetrating analysis of what is going on in Iraq. Instead, he has used Hollywood writers who seemingly have no military experience to write what they IMAGINE is happening. I don't know how many of my fellow mil-bloggers have ever seen an enlisted serviceman light up a joint in the middle of an ops area- but I have never seen it happen, and I doubt many other officers have!! To have major characters delve into "racism in the military" and "turning into savages" within six days of arriving in the Sandbox is fanciful. Let's be honest, most grunts are more interested in discussing Jessica Simpson centerfolds and the latest rap music than "the white man is holding us down." So, this series is woefully misguided on two parallel levels: it gets military tactics and strategy totally wrong (like how a transport squad ends up in ranger graves for three days outside a mosque WHILE AN ABRAMS TANK is just sitting there doing nothing). It also portrays a defeatist look at the political and strategic situation, showing the death and injury of war without shedding any light on the REASONS our troopers are willing to bear this burden. My longer review is below...