- First, credit for any artistic creativity (if someone thinks it exists) goes to Neil Delaney aka " vandalhandle ". He posted his political art seeking reaction to his anti-American hate mongering. So, please give him your praise (OR better yet, a piece of your mind, as you see fit). Here is his link to his creation which served as my inspiration: [link]

- As I told vandalhandle, I am so sick of the anti-US hate speech spewed out in internet blogs?

- Honestly, I am just a regular dude who served 20 years in the US Army. It is so unfair to demonize American soldiers as vile, evil capitalist pig rapist murderers, etc. 99% of US soldiers from Private to General are just regular folks trying to make a difference in the world. The isolated criminal acts are just that...isolated and criminal and the US military has a fair and righteous justice system to punish those few who commit crimes. Most soldiers actually spend their spare time volunteering with orphanages, retirement homes, and helping out wounded veterans, participating in intra-mural sports leagues, etc (domestically and abroad in peacetime and in combat zones).

- I'm speaking from first hand actual experience since I enlisted in 1985 - whatever you hear about US troops, you should really consider the source of whatever hate speech you're getting (there's alway a left slant, a right slant and the truth somewhere in the middle - and in the case of the US military the truth is FAR from the left slant) and show some true wisdom and rise above it and stop perpetuating the smear campaign. Keep in mind over the past 6 years that millions of American troops and contractors and allies have cycled through Iraq and Afghanistan and the stories that get most of the headlines are the handfull of bad apples that undermine the heroic sacrifices that millions are making for the sake of a better tomorrow. Imagine a day when thousands of Islamic extremists won't demand the death penalty for an elementary school teacher that allowed her student to name a cherished teddy bear 'Mohammed' [link] , a tomorrow where an innocent rape victim by 7 ruthless convicted animals won't also get punished with 6 months in jail and 200 slashings even though she's the victim, [link] and a tomorrow when 19 suicidal Islamic fundamentalists (mostly from Saudi - not Afghanistan) won't use hijacked planes filled with fuel and hundreds of innocent passengers as a missile to crash into skyscrapers filled with 50,000 innocent non-combatant civilians. There will be a brighter tomorrow and we'll owe a debt of gratitude the courageous men and women Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines and their allied counterparts.

- Please consider the the remarks of respected intellectual Ben Stein [link] and the infinite wisdom of a true rebel Johnny Cash respected by young and old of all genres of music [link]

Thank you