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Last Thursday I decided that I would read the Rolling Stone article
“The Runaway General” written by Michael Hastings.
This is the story that ultimately got General Stanley McChrystal
head of all NATO forces in Afghanistan fired last week, and it
also brought the White House some much needed cover from the daily
bad news about the disasters oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.
Before I started to read the 6-page article I must confess that
I had some pre-conceived notions about this Rolling Stone news
article. I have always thought that any thing published by Rolling
Stone must have been written by some hippie freelance reporter.
And in this case Michael Hastings is a freelance writer, but I
have no idea if he is a hippie or not. However the article he
wrote was well written and he is some how able to draw a clear
picture of the strategy and tactics that the military is using
in its fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
After I read the lengthy article, it seemed to me that there is
more to it than what meets the eye. Hastings describes McChrystal
as a competent leader who is carrying out the strategy that he
and other high-ranking Generals have endorsed. It is the plan
that the White House chose so that they could win the war, and
bring the troops home. It’s a plan that the troops on the
ground understand and are willing to fight for. So what’s
the problem you might ask?
The troops on the ground say the problem with the plan is the
tactics. They complain that they are being ordered to fight the
enemy with one-armed tied behind their backs. The rules of engagement
are too strict.
Washington is another problem. Some senator fly’s in to
Kabul for a afternoon meeting with some one from the Afghan government
then conducts a scathing press conference at the air port criticizing
some part of the Karzai government. Then gets on a plane to fly
back home so that McChrystal has to pick up the pieces from a
broken deal.
To many ambassadors is another problem. As soon as McChrystal
is about ready to launch a raid or operation onto the battle field,
some ambassador from Washington comes in and makes some kind of
deal with some other 3rd party that screws every thing up.
Afghan president Karzai is another problem. McChrystal has worked
very hard at keeping Karzai in the loop and propping him up so
that he might be able to use his influence to bring about change.
But Karzai is somewhat aloof to the situation on the ground. Some
times he is not even aware when or were battles are being fought.
President Obama’s management style is another problem. He
likes to delegate plenty of authority. He likes to spread it around
to a lot of people. And now he has too many chiefs and not enough
Indians working on the Afghanistan problem. I like pragmatic presidents.
But maybe Mr. Obama is a little too pragmatic.
These are but just a few of the problems with the plan. And Hastings
goes on to name all of the people who screw up the plan in Afghanistan.
4 star General Stanley McChrystal is no dummy, he is a smart guy.
He knew full well what the ramification would be from letting
some freelance hippie writer from the Rolling Stone magazine spend
6 weeks inside his inner circle. He knew what the fall out from
this story would be. He fell on his own sword so that the next
commanding general will have the power and authority to implement
the plan and win the war. Now we will have to wait to see if General
McChrystal’s plan will work.
You can read the whole Rolling Stone article at the website below.
But I do need to warn you, Hastings uses some strong language
so that you get a feel for how the military use the F#%* word.
Viewer discretion is advised.
Summer time in southern Illinois can be very hot. High humidity,
and the strong summer sun will sap the strength from even the
most fit persons. However the human body is a remarkable peace
of bio engineering, and it has multiple mechanisms that work in
concert to keep the core body temperature to a tolerable level.
Sweating is the most effective natural way to combat heat. The
human body can lose more than 3 litters of water per day through
sweating. As long as sweating continues, and we keep replenishing
our body with salt and water people can withstand extremely high
temperatures for long periods of time.
Another means of losing body heat is the dilatation of peripheral
blood vessels. This means that the vessels in the skin get bigger.
More blood can flow near the surface and give of heat (like a
radiator).
Heat Cramps
The first heat injury and the least serious is heat cramps. This
is usually painful spasm of the muscles following strenuous exercise.
The theory is that these cramps are caused by the depletion of
electrolytes (such as sodium) during sweating. The cramps do not
have to occur during hot weather. Everyone will recover from this
with replenishment of the water and electrolytes.
Heat Exhaustion
The most common serious heat injury (and a very serious medical
problem) is heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion occurs when our body’s
mechanisms can no longer cope with the heat, and the body’s
core temperature begins to quickly rise. Symptoms can include
weakness, dizziness, fatigue and fainting. The onset can be sudden
and there can be collapse without warning.
Warning signs are often present! The person stops sweating and
may look ashen-gray. Instead of sweating the skin is cold and
clammy. The pupils may be dilated. Treatment has to be immediate!
Cool the person down and get them fluids ASAP! I.V. fluids would
be preferred. If heat exhaustion isn’t turned around the
patient could take the last step to heat stroke.
Heat Stroke
Heat stroke is a very serious medical problem. Many of these patients
will die. People with predisposing medical problems are at the
most risk. High humidity is often a problem (you can’t give
of as much sweat if the air is already saturated). The same symptoms
as heat exhaustion are seen. There may also be delirium. Still,
the absence of sweating is "the bad sign." Time is very
important. Cool the patient! This means an ice tub bath! Give
the patient fluids! This person will die if his temperature is
not controlled. He should be taken to a hospital immediately.
But, once again, the first priority is to decrease the body temperature.
Managing Heat
The basics are simple and we should all follow them.
1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. When you are first
thirsty, you are already two quarts of fluid low. 2. Keep covered. Bare skin soaks up the heat.
Ventilated clothes are the best for cooling. In North Africa and
the Middle East Desert Bedouin wear long flowing robes to keep
cool. 3. Know the symptoms of heat injuries. 4. Remember that you also loose salt when you
sweat. 5. Alcohol decreases your heat tolerance. Your
fluids are lost in your urine and you don’t have that fluid
to use as sweat (sorry about that fact). 6. Sweating is good. If you stop, you are in
trouble.
The dog days of summer may have come early this
year. That is at least for one pooch that accidentally ran over
his master with a F150 pick up truck. 43-year-old Christopher
Bishop from Ridge Manor Florida was checking his Ford F150 pick
up truck for an oil leak last week. When his dog Tassey ran over
him with a pick up truck.
He had reportedly started up his truck, put the gear into neutral,
and left the door to the cab open while he was under the truck
looking for the oil leak. That is when Bishops bulldog Tassey
noticed the door to the cab was left open and could not resist
the temptation to jump into the open door for a fun truck ride
with his master.
However in all of the excitement this lovable bulldog accidentally
knocked the truck into gear and the truck rolled over the left
side of Bishops body.
Bishop managed to get up, and stop the runaway truck before it
crashed into any thing important. Bishop then went into his home,
laid down, and suffered in pain for several hours before calling
for help.
He was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries that were not
considered life threatening.
