Comments for American Myrmidons in Action.

American Myrmidons in Action.

2005-10-20T13:07:52Z

For our veterans of the 7th Cavalry...

A young girl gets her feet measured for a new pair of shoes. Soldiers of B Company 448th Civil Affairs Battalion CATA 5 attached to 3-7 Cavalry give away shoes in Al Nafees primary school in Al Kafajyeh, Baghdad, 08 October, 2005.

Depending on your view, this is a "Aw, shucks" kind of picture. But a Brit soldier might well come away with a slighty different view. Not negative about what is being done - but about the armed and armored soldier. A Brit troop might or might not be wearing body armor in this situation, but would probably have a beret on vice a helmet. There is some truth to the observation, but there is also some truth to the fact that the Stars and Stripes draws more fire than the Union flag.

And in general (click the leading numbers in the captions)

051018-N-5526M-004 18, Oct 2005 A U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter passes over a CH-47 Chinook on its way back from a mission providing food, water, and medicine to remote villages suffering from hurricane Stan in Guatemala. Personnel from U.S. Southern Command from Joint Task Force Bravo continues to provide assistance to the government and the people of Guatemala as part of an ongoing disaster relief effort. U.S. Navy Photo by Photographers Mate 1st class Robert McRill (RELEASED)

051016-N-5526M-048 16 Oct 2005 Specialist Ryan Becker from Easton, Pennsylvania unloads food, water, and medicine from a Army Blackhawk helicopter during relief efforts for victims of hurricane Stan. Personnel from U.S. Southern Command Joint Task Force Bravo continue to provide assistance to the government and the people of Guatemala as part of an ongoing disaster relief effort. U.S. Navy Photo by Photographers Mate 1st class Robert McRill (RELEASED)

Reference a point made my Dr. Funk in the comments - does anyone know if any European nations are directly helping with relief efforts? Vice I'm sure there is monetary/in-kind assistance coming out of the EU, I was wondering if there was any other kind - granting, this is somewhat in our backyard and therefore easier for us to get to - but I recall Dutch Navy vessels helping out in New Orleans.

Comment from Alan on 2005-10-21

2005-10-21T14:16:03Z

Not that I know much about what my nation is doing in global relief but here is something of a round up: Hurricane Stan: 1. http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2005/13/c0631.html 2. http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/latinamerica/tropical-storm-stan-en.asp 3. http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=014973&tid=001 Pakistan 1. http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/10/18/dart051018.html 2. http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=014976&tid=001 3. http://www.gov.ab.ca/home/index.cfm?Page=1271 Afganistan 1. http://rickmercer.blogspot.com/2005/10/operation-enduring-blogger.html [I think you will particularly like the last link.]

Comment from ry on 2005-10-20

2005-10-20T21:22:32Z

A) Couldn't tell when at work, small monitor. B) Cultural tolerance. Sending a fem Soldier when dealing with Iraq females. Trying to be sensitive to the Iraqis not liking US men touching Iraqi women. C) Put the 'Beat Mysogynists Senseless' truncheon down, John. You're scaring me.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2005-10-20

2005-10-20T17:18:27Z

Um, yes that's a female soldier. I'm confused as to what your point is...

Comment from ry on 2005-10-20

2005-10-20T17:16:26Z

Is that a female soldier in the first photo? I'm seeing long-ish blonde hair. ANd isn't there something about non-Moslem males not teaching Moslem fems? Geez, even when the US Army goes for 'cultural sensitivity' it get's hacked like Shaq.

Comment from Jim on 2005-10-20

2005-10-20T16:11:20Z

Glad the kid got shoes and the other thousands of kind actions by our troops. Too bad you'll never see this on CNN or FOX.

Comment from Bad Cat Robot on 2005-10-20

2005-10-20T16:07:34Z

I dunno, that little girl doesn't look like she cares whether the soldier is wearing armor and a helmet or not. If people are determined to hate you, they'll hate you even if you wear a beret. And if you wear full battle rattle and still act like a civilized being, they'll pick up on that too. Sometimes it seems like people overthink the problem. Or want instant results.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2005-10-20

2005-10-20T14:22:51Z

Your lot could do it, Dr. Funk - if we loaned 'em the gear... Bill - actually, I hadn't even noticed the caption in detail... I was too busy fixing the typos in it. I actually sent off a crabby email to the Army website managers about it. I reiterated my usual gripe about them getting the details wrong even more often that Army Times captioners, but the spelling errors were simply unprofessional. We make 'em here, but we generally fix 'em as we go... Good point, though - I don't see French and German helos in the area (which is not the same thing as they are not there and are not helping... I just don't know). Reality is, it's just another third world disaster, so it's not news. If I find some time, I'll do some digging.

Comment from Dr_Funk on 2005-10-20

2005-10-20T14:17:51Z

Tell us again how Chimpy McBushhitler is just after the oil.... Most armies can pull off aid missions, but not many can pull off simultaneous ones across the world and still fight one and a half wars. Least obtrusive, most effective imperial power the world has ever known...and they'd like nothing better than to just go home, but the job needs to be done and no one else can do it.

Comment from cw4(ret)billt on 2005-10-20

2005-10-20T13:38:13Z

The Black Hawk's actually passing behind the Chit-hook, about 60-70 feet, based on the relative size of the two. Purposely flying over a parked aircraft (particularly one with the blades untied) is just daring a Flight Evaluation Board to take your wings away. Permanently, if you had no compelling reason for the overflight... *note to denizens: john didn't write the caption--he knows better. he just doesn't like to admit it in public.*