Watching TV.

Wow. That is my main reaction to the first part "Inside 9-11" on the Discovery Channel tonight. It was fascinating to see the path Osama and the rest took to 9-11. Thank goodness the Discovery Channel took pains to not get political with it. I think they tried to stick with just the facts as they happened.

It seems clear that the Clinton administration dropped the ball many many times in not catching Osama or taking the threat seriously. But the early Bush administration didn't take it seriously enough either. The thing is, I'm not sure that taking it seriously could have prevented 9-11. The elaborate scheme was so far beyond anyone's imagination.

The only comfort I can take from it is that we now know how real and dangerous this threat is. We now know how easily it is to recruit Muslim fanatics to do the unspeakable. Not knowing this was our greatest weakness.

After watching "Inside 9-11," I watched another episode of "Over There." I have read the reviews from soldiers on other milblogs and they weren't happy with it overall. But I have to say (and I am speaking as a BIG supporter of the military as anyone who reads this blog knows) that I kind of like the show. It has a lot of soap opera drama, but it doesn't seem to make the soldiers look bad in my opinion. They just seem human and venerable. I am no military expert though, so I can't speak to the details that seem to be bothering the milblogs.

In watching the show, I felt a great tenderness for those who serve so far away from those they love. I also felt a great appreciation for the sacrifice they make and the bravery it takes to make it. I am under no illusion that all soldiers are some kind super hero. Soldiers make mistakes. Some bad people become soldiers. Nothing is perfect. Certainly not in war. But it is my heartfelt belief that most soldiers believe in the same values that I do. And they feel those values are worth fighting for.

I am looking forward to seeing next Sunday's episode. It is about an inbred reporter that the soldiers get pretty ticked at. The only thing that concerns me is having a drama on TV about a war that is happening in real time. Could terrorists watch the show and get ideas or learn something about our military they didn't know before?

I hear that the ratings aren't too good for the show. So it may not last long. But if the goal of the producers were to somehow show our military in a bad light, it just doesn't come off that way. If anything, it should generate sympathy for the families of the soldiers at home and the needs that they have.

At least I hope so.