Part 2 Of My Interview With 2Slick.

Continuing with 2Slick . Just a reminder. He is a "Former Army Black Hawk Pilot. Deployed to Iraq with the 101st Airborne from Feb '03 to Jan '04 (OIF 1), and Kuwait (with 3rd Army HQ) from Aug '04 to Jan '05."

Do you see any other way we could have fought this war?

I'm certain there were many ways we could have done it. I'm sure there were many ways we could have fought World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, etc. John Kerry and his fellow critics have an unbelievable gift of hindsight- they could have brought down Saddam and installed a perfectly functional Iraqi government without any loss of life. I won't pretend to be that good. I guess I'm just not qualified to be a Democratic Presidential Candidate...

It doesn't matter that there might have been other ways to have gone about it- our forces do the best they can with what they have. Hindsight will ALWAYS yield better solutions. The American public gives way too much credit (and assigns way too much blame) to the suits in Washington. I don't think the typical American citizen knows or appreciates the fact that any decision made by a Pentagon bigwig is going to be based on information/intelligence/assessments forged by a staff of thousands and thousands of military soldiers and officers. There are so many checks and balances in place- at every level of command- that nobody is going to get away with making a ridiculous, bone-headed decision. There are too many commanders that care way too deeply for their soldiers.

What is your personal opinion of Rumsfield? Of Bush?

Rumsfeld is brilliant- he rarely takes the time to defend himself from critics, because he's always too busy fixing the world's problems or visiting wounded soldiers. If he would just take some time to sit in front of a camera and say, "I'm really not such a bad guy," the press would love him. If he would just cheat on his wife and create a huge sex scandal, I think he'd become a "media darling" overnight. Let's hope he never does that.

I did enjoy the Russert interview a few months back- when Rumsfeld blasted Tim (who I like) for jumping on the big-media bandwagon and playing stupid Michael Moorish video cut-and-paste games in an effort to nail him. It was out of character for Rumsfeld to defend himself like that, but he did a great job.

I have nothing but respect for Rumsfeld, and most of the people I served with feel the same way.

Bush is a liberal. Ron Silver (the actor) makes a great argument for this. As does Michael Totten. Yes, I think he's a liberal, but I like him anyway. It's strange how so many people in the world seemed to adore the guy who found safe-haven with an intern and a cigar while millions died and terrorists roamed freely. Even stranger how so many people so despise the guy who takes action against evil in an effort to bring peace and prosperity to whoever wants it. I'll simply never understand that, but then again, what's to understand in this crazy, crazy world of ours?

I'm proud to have served under President Bush's command.

What was the general attitude about the Presidential election while there?

I was in Kuwait during the election. I was surprised at how little people seemed to care. My perception was that just about everyone voted (mostly for Bush), but few people actually paid attention to what the candidates were saying. I felt like a lot of the military people were voting for Bush for the same reason that so many minorities vote for Democrats- because it just seems like the right thing to do. I was definitely surprised by that- but I'm glad they voted for the right guy. No complaints there...

Do you see a real chance for peace in the middle east anytime soon?

"Soon" is such a relative term. I definitely see a chance for peace in the Middle East, but I don't think it will come anytime soon. We can't stop the car bombers who want to blow themselves tomorrow or next month or next year. They will strike if they want to, and they simply cannot be stopped. What we CAN do is continue to work over there and help set the conditions for the car-bombing culture to become extinct. It will happen eventually- as long as we are committed to seeing it through.

How much do you think it helped you personally having access to the internet and blogs?

It was a great way to keep friends and family in the loop without having to send a million emails a day. I also learned so much from reading some of the awesome blogs that I discovered- LGF, Blackfive, Totten, and of course- RightWingSparkle!

How has the transition from the military to the private sector affected you?

It's given me a whole new perspective- cliche, I know. But I can't think of any other way to say it. It's different. I can't believe how much freedom I have. People aren't depending on me. I'm not making gut-wrenching decisions that may affect people's lives. I'm just figuring out new and exciting ways to increase revenue and market share and enjoying lots of time with the love of my life- it's great! I sort of feel like I just finished running a marathon that never ends, and now I'm drinking a cold gatorade, enjoying the scenery, and cheering for the people who are still running...


I'm thinking you deserve it and more 2Slick. From the bottom of my heart I thank you for serving our country. Thank you for risking your life for freedom in this world. Is there any way any of us can ever really show how much it means to us that men like you fight the good fight, who find within themselves a greater purpose that we will never know.

I'm glad you came back 2slick. And for those who didn't, we all should live our lives a little better and with a little more passion in honor of them.

It is because of them and you that we walk free.

God bless you and all who stand to fight at the wall of freedom.