A few things:

1. Pictures from my trip to Istanbul have been posted in the photo gallery. Find them in the Peace Corps Romania album… enjoy!

2. You may now select which skin/theme you prefer for this site. Look for “Select Theme” under “Search:” on the left hand side. This is not 100% yet, but the front page is all set.

3. Click here to read a pithy commentary about a broken social contract viewed in the context of the armed forces medical care scandal. The author, a Vietnam vet, states: “There is a social contract between a country and those it sends to war, and America’s social contract is broken… Less than half a percent of our population is being asked to bear the burden of this “long war.” Our all-volunteer military has allowed most of the country to remain oblivious to the horrors of our wars. We must begin to equitably distribute this sacrifice – not by sharing the burden of combat, but through the burden of political engagement.”

A commenter replies: “Sadly, the results you describe are inevitable when the ENTIRE burden of the war is carried by those serving and their families. As far as most Americans are concerned, this war has been outsourced. Too bad if a soldier gets hurt: he knew the job was dangerous when he took it. It is this attitude, varients of which exist all through American society, that is so shameful. People picking crops can’t make a decent wage? Too bad, it is simply supply and demand. Your job was sent to India? Too bad, but that is the way the new economy works now.”

I am particularly interested in the issue because it DOES appear that this entire war has been outsourced (or perhaps down-sourced to the most desperate members of our own society.) When I look at the maps showing where most of the dead have come from, I see few coming from priviliged areas. Though this is not new, past wars have called for shared sacrifice, such as rationing in WWII and the draft in Vietnam. Thus, if this GWOT is indeed the generational struggle that it is trumped up to be, ought not we all be asked to sacrifice? (and no, not our Constitutional liberties…)

4. Spring is beginning to show itself here. Though it’s raining and nasty out now, I’ll take some photos as soon as we see some blue skies. And, on that topic, have you heard the song “Mr. Blue Sky” by ELO? It’s fantastic. I’m starting to feel this way for many things…