here we go again

Military adventures in the Middle East. I heard on the BBC World Service overnight that the Obama administration is going forward with plans to supply arms to the Syrian rebels.

While I detest the Assad dynasty - Bashar is a pale imitation of his brutal father, but is still brutal - I don't see a good outcome for the U.S. there. Then again, I am by nature a pacifist.

I still think it is funny that I ended up designing electronics for fighting vehicles for a few years. Of course I had briefly worked on some sonar equipment too, but that wasn't active fighting hardware. Abrams tanks and Strykers, on the other hand, are where the metal meets the foe.

Yes, I still chuckle at the thought of an old hippie pacifist like me, who didn't even register for the draft until he got a letter saying "we know that you didn't sign up, do it or else", working on the development and improvement of weapons of war. But it was an interesting and challenging job. I just didn't think about the destructive potential. But when I fell off the wagon and started to hit the bars, I would look for Black Sabbath on the jukebox and start my evening with their song, "War Pigs".

So (yes, Harry Shearer, I said it), in honor of heading off to war again, let's listen to some rock 'n' roll.