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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sig who wrote (132629)	5/11/2004 3:29:51 PM
From: Paul van Wijk	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Hi Sig, Did you get a Purple Heart for asking the Sergeant for his ID? (And did you throw it away?) I also served in the army, during 1981/1982. Luckily we had the cold war in that time so I never saw an enemy. No heroic story from my side. Although during that time I refused humiliating orders during the training period. It cost you the weekend, but that was a fair price for dignity. I watched the hearings on CNN. Looks like the full blame goes to the soldiers (and Karpinsky). Taguba mentioned several times that it was not formal policies. Only once he mentioned that, although it was not formal policy, the soldiers were pressured to do so. Complicated matter. Formally the soldiers have no leg to stand on, but I can understand, to some point, that they acted like they act. Today the first dutch soldier was killed in Iraq. It will force us to have some public debate on Iraq. So far all we have here is silence. As a country we are against the war and we also think Bush is a moron. On the other side, their is broad consensus that we want to stay behind America for historic reason (removal of the Germans). Within 2 months the government has to decide if we will extend our stay in Iraq. No doubt it will be yes. If they start cutting of the heads of Dutch soldiers I think it will be a different case. The real war for us start on the 15-th of June. The first match for the final rounds of the European Championship Soccer in Portugal will be against our alltime 'friends', the Germans. I am counting the days. A soccermatch against the Germans is always a major event in Holland. As usual I will see the match in an overcrowded bar, smoking cigarettes, drinking beer, blaming the referee etc.) I doubt if we will be the next European Champions. The French have the best chance to win it. But with a little luck we can make it to the final. Anyhow, nice to hear from you and say hi to the wife. Regards, Paul