Another name

It was a bad day on Stryker News as the infighting in Iraq picks up. Staff Sgt. Joseph D. Gamboa, 34 from 1st Squad, 2nd Cav has his name added to the list of those whose sacrifice must not be forgotten. DoD says it was "indirect fire," which probably means he was caught in between people not shooting at him.

I read an article yesterday about an Iraqi family who longs for a strongman like Sadaam Hussein to emerge because although he was a tyrannical despot, he had enough clout to keep everyone in line.

It reminded me something similar happened inside the former Soviet Union when the communist regime relinquished power. People complained because they were no longer given things just because they were citizens.

The process of a people learning to stand on their own, rather than relying on a government to keep things in line and provide for them is a scary thing. I hope that the proliferation of welfare states around the globe (including ours) does not ultimately lead to the type of desperation where we would hope for a maniacal dictator rather than learn to manage our own selves.