red5's Journal: Improvised, Explosive, & Divisive

As I've said earlier, I read Harper's (not "Harper's Bazaar" you twit). The writers often times like to close their articles with an anecdotal story that sums up their original point. Which in this case is that the endgame strategy in Iraq isn't being given enough thought because the Administration, The Military, and the American people just don't care enough about Iraq.

"Take hold of the grommets" he tells me when he unhooks the U.S. flag from it's ropes. As I hold the grommets the commander carefully folds the flag, leaving the star side up, and by the end he has managed a tight triangle of bright, perfectly bundled cloth. The Iraqi flag is next, I stand there waiting to be handed my end, but after he unclasps the Iraqi flag he bunches it up and throws it onto a nearby by chair. I look at this sad, rumpled bit of cloth and then at him. He catches himself and does not quite smile as he looks at his boots. "We don't usually fold that one."

I'd link to the full article but this issue is not on their website just yet.