Although my hiatus was fairly brief, it was packed full of work and worry. Preparations for an ugly court battle consumed all of my time and concentration. That battle was fought and lost on the 4th of July. As such, in our self-absorption, both Mikey and I utterly missed an historic event -- one that would have lifted my spirits somewhat, at a time when they were at their lowest.
Luckily, I have a dedicated and distinguished reader who was kind enough to pass it along. A little late, but no less significant...
Attached are pictures of the "largest re-enlistment ceremony ever held in military history". The ceremony was held July 4, 2008 at Al Faw Palace, Baghdad, Iraq. General Petraeus officiated. It is obvious that all of the young men and women in these photos think that what they are doing is important and they want to continue to be part of it. Somehow this did not make it onto network news broadcasts. This is just the Army reenlistment .... there was also a Marine ceremony, Air Force ceremony and Navy ceremony.

And I will add one (you may have already seen) this is just the 101st guys reenlisting at another of Sadams palaces...

Bob Krumm also offers a detailed account of the event, along with stirring video...
While most Americans probably slept, 1,215 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines raised their right hands and committed to a combined 5,500 years of additional service during the largest reenlistment ceremony in the history of the American military. Beneath a large American flag which dwarfed even the enormous chandelier that Saddam Hussein had built for the Al Faw Palace, members of all services, representing all 50 states took the oath administered by Gen. David Petraeus, Commander of Multi-National Forces Iraq.
For a media, obsessed with casualty counts and timelines, to virtually ignore a reenlistment ceremony 1,215 strong, while engaging in in-depth interviews with enemy snipers and providing prophetic coverage of insurgent attacks is, I think, a stinging indictment of their collective priorities and allegiances. When the deserters get minute-by-minute media coverage of every grievance, while genuine heroes get little more than a footnote, the average citizen becomes the sole source of support and appreciation to those who put themselves in harm's way to preserve our way of life.
That this palace -- one of many -- which used to be a place of murder, degradation, suffering and oppression, is now in use to reaffirm the dedication and determination of a force of individuals who understand and appreciate the price of freedom, is a most eloquent statement on the righteousness of our fight.