Thursday, August 23, 2007

I'm Back!

Profuse and humblest apologies for leaving you guys worried and wondering. I've been back since May. Its taken me that long to get access to my blog back after such a hiatus.

In Taji, it turned out - we had no reliable internet access. Then once my roomate and I found and paid a guy named Sadik to hook us up - my lap-top crashed completely. I got it fixed (memoryt lost) about two months later with the help of some very busy commo guys attached to our unit, but by then we were in transient housing - two weeks out from our bird back to Kuwait.

Since I've been home, I either couldn't remember my login or password, but with the help of some Google folks - somehow I'm back in. I hope I'm able to re-access it after tonight.

What have I been doing? Being a bum. A professional bum, plus some travelling - and of course - gardening. I've got oh . . . 5 months of photographs with comments to catch you up on - and I fully intend to get started on that herculanean task this week. (I'm off to the UK next week, (for pleasure, not business)).

I hope you all are well. I've still got my ten fingers and ten toes. My company back at the PRT all made it out safely, our battalion (about 330 persons) - scattered throughout Baghdad and environs suffered 9 killed and some 20-odd purple-hearts. Many of the injured returned to duty of their own accord. And of course some of them could not, (the more grievously wounded). My piece of the "surge" (myself and one other were sent to support a surge brigade in Taji) also went as well as could be expected. Our Taji-replacements are now leaving Iraq (they were on a 6-month tour), with no casualties. Although I've since learned our surge Brigade has taken some serious casualties.

My thoughts haven't changed. And I'll be able to more fully expound in later postings. Even with the surge working, it remains to be seen what Iraqis are willing to give/have/do towards a functioning multi-party democracy. It is certainly "not in the water" over there. I have never suggested pulling US troops out, except in jest - as a precursor to atomizing the entire country, but I still can't tell you what the end game is. CORRECTION: I can tell you what the notional end-game is, I just can't yet see how to get there. Pulling out is the worst of all answers. I guess the implication of what I'm saying is our presence might be required for the next 50 years or more, and if that is required - so be it.

That is not what any of us would have wished, but it is not the worst of outcomes. (I would also entertain any proposed partition).

I hope you all are well. And thanks for writing!

-Greenery

15 comments:

DNR said...

Welcome back!! And thank you for your service.

Kati said...

Oh wow!!!! Glad to see you made it back state-side & in good health! Definitely nice to see you post again!

russkal said...

Welcome back!

Glad to know you are ok. I had been on a long hiatus myself, and have recently came back posting again because of an injury (weird, huh?)

I'll look forward to your future posts. Stay safe!

DirkStar said...

Welcome back!

Do you have any idea how worried we've been?

I'll get the word out you have returned.

What do you think of the surge?

Is Maliki the wrong horse to back?

Republicans here at home are jumping ship...

Are the reports coming out are saying we have no real hope of succeeding.

Tell us what you think.

I'm glad you are still in one piece.

We were all very worried.

You'd better not go AWOL again.

Aileen said...

Thank goodness all is well. I started reading your blog through Dirk's website and added your blog link to my blog. Then everything went quiet and was hoping you were just catching up with friends and family and nothing worse. Enjoy your trip to England and I look forward to once again reading your blog.

Kat said...

WELCOME BACK! I'm SO glad to see you posting again. (((hugs))) and thank you!

Anonymous said...

Greenery,
I've been reading your blogs and have been worried. I'm so glad you're okay!!!!
Welcome back.
Diva Eva

DirkStar said...

Uh, I thought you were back?

I just finished a new women's sports blog.

Let me know what you think...

http://derbynotes.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

Hey fella,
Good to see you're ok after all this time. Where you off to in the UK?

Agga

Kentucky Brat said...

WOW!! I'm so happy to see you! I'm happy you are ok! and I'm happy to see you are still you... I will enjoy the read.

Have a wonderful and most deserved vacation!

Anonymous said...

Mastin Greene! 33 Years old? Perhaps you are from Myrtle Beach? I cannot imagine there are a lot of Mastin Greenes...it is me Eric Boger!

If this is the Mastin I am thinking about we should catch up...It looks like there is a LOT to catch up on.

hit me up at ericboger at Yahoo.com

E!

Anonymous said...

greenery, where are you?

Kati said...

*Knock Knock* Anybody home???? Dude, we KNOW you're back state-side.... you can't keep hiding from us forever!!!! (Well, technically you COULD, but we hope you won't.)

Kati said...

Just stopping in to wish you a very Blessed Thanksgiving!!!

Kati said...

Merry Christmas, Greenery!!!! Hope you're having a fantastic one!!!!