Third Way Dispatch

Fighter pilots go through a special kind of training affectionately known as “panic in a can.” In the training, a simulated cockpit is filled with water and spun around, with the occupant trying to escape and come up for air.

One of the most famous fighter pilots to do the “panic in a can” is George W. Bush.

He didn’t get this training during in his lazy, hazy summer days with the Texas Air National Guard, however. He got it as President, when he landed on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in his flight suit to give a speech under the infamous Mission Accomplished banner.

Three years later, the President is still trying to escape and come up for air.

(This arrived at Third Way as a letter from Sean dated 4/19/2006)

Fallujah, Iraq

One of my friends from my home company in New Jersey had a close call about a week ago. He was shot on patrol, but the round went straight through his leg without hitting any bones or arteries. He’s headed home but should be fine. A CNN reporter was on the patrol, so it may have been on the news. I don’t know.

(This arrived at Third Way as a letter from Sean dated 4/13/2006)

Fallujah, Iraq

The last few days have been physically draining. Between running to the rooftops of apartment buildings in pursuit of snipers and conducting long foot patrols in the mid-day heat, being a Marine in Fallujah is a weight-loss program with guaranteed results!

April 20, 2006

Dear Mr. President,

We write to express our shared concern over a profound threat to America’s economic well being: the persistent violation of American intellectual property rights in Chinese markets. We urge you to continue to assure that the protection of American intellectual property from theft, piracy, and counterfeiting receives the attention it warrants. President Hu Jintao’s visit is an opportunity for you to protect America’s economic security by addressing these serious infringements.

Pro-life Democratic Leader Harry Reid and pro-choice Senator Hillary Clinton published an editorial today on their Prevention First Act. It’s a good editorial and a good bill. Why? Because it’s a seminal part of an initiative to reduce the number of abortions in America.

(This arrived at Third Way as a letter from Sean dated 4/6/2006)

Fallujah, Iraq

We’ve been in Fallujah for about a week now. Our work rotation has kept us extremely busy. We rotate between patrolling and conducting operations, standing ready as a quick reaction force, manning observation posts throughout the city, and standing guard post at our FOB. A couple of days ago we conducted a raid on the house of a suspected, big-time weapons smuggler. The raid went off without incident and the suspected gun-runner is now in the custody of the Iraqi authorities. This morning we saw some small arms fire in front of our observation post overlooking one of the main entry points to the city. We all jumped up and reinforced those standing watch but the gunmen ran off quickly after firing a few potshots.