It’s Time To Get Back To Some  Good ol’ Peace In This World

VETERANS DAY HAS COME AND GONE AND there were plenty of memorable ceremonies held around the Valley to tell the Vets how much their service was  and is appreciated.
I think it would be appreciated more, however, if the U.S. would bring the current hostilities to an end and let peace reign supreme once again.
The U.S. has been in a hot war since 2001 with no sign of an end to hostilities. The military, in fact, wants to increase our troop strength in Afghanistan.
How long do we go on policing the world?
The U.S. involvement in Afghanistan goes back to the 1970s, over 30 years. Jimmy Carter pulled us out of the Olympics because of Soviet involvement there. It was unbeknownst to us at the time, but our CIA was funding a fellow named Osama Bin Laden because they thought he was an anti-soviet. Which proves the U.S. will get into bed with anyone if they sell them a smooth song and dance that they want to hear.
Now we’re told to “stay the course.” What course?
Corruption is a way of life for governments in third world nations and we express shock and awe when it is uncovered. We have about as much chance of changing that situation as we do of bringing peace to Israel. Slim and none. And Slim just left town.
We’re protecting the poppy fields of Afghanistan. It’s their major cash crop. Opium and heroin come from poppies.
Right now, we’re protecting the oil interests of the West in Iraq. Must we now protect the illicit drug activities of the West too?
We originally went to Afghanistan to catch and kill Osama bin Laden. In eight years we haven’t even come close. We’re told he’s hiding in Pakistan. So how come we’re in Afghanistan if he isn’t there?
Somebody needs to come up with some good answers to why so much of military and tax dollars are being sent to protect a region that  isn’t going to change no matter how long we stay there.
It’s time to stop the nonsense and get back to civilization. We support our troops and the brave men and women from this area who have gone off to war. But it’s time to get our boys and girls back home.
Then we can celebrate peace at the next Veterans’ Day.
WE HAD A FEW PEOPLE SHOW UP at our door to huff and puff about us not covering a specific event.
Sometimes if just doesn’t work out to be everywhere. We’re familiar with the notion that most people aren’t familiar with the newspaper business on a small scale and the amount of work that goes into getting a newspaper into production. And we try to cover everyone’s event when we can.
But keep in mind that we are human beings too. In most cases, there is no crime against nature committed if we don’t get to an event. You always have the option of taking your own pictures or writing your own story and submitting it.
We’re very user friendly when it comes to information from outside sources. With a majority of people carrying around a cell phone that contains a camera, there’s no reason someone on the scene of an event can’t snap off a couple of quick pictures and send them to us. It’s the best way we know to get something published and avoid being frustrated if we can’t make it.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HOLTVILLE girls volleyball team for advancing to the second round of the CIF playoffs.
It’s not often that a team from a small town like Holtville gets some regional recognition and provides some excitement in the region. It makes the Fall season a lot more interesting when they can put a competitive team on the floor. The Lady Vikings beat Brawley, which was fairly amazing in itself. To get through two CIF rounds wasn’t bad  either.
CONGRATULATIONS ARE ALSO IN ORDER for the Central Union Spartans who won the Bell Game this year.
This rivalry sparks so much interest that even the San Diego Union sent a reporter and camera crew to the game. This is Friday Night Lights in reality.
Both schools await this game every year and judging by the huge crowd in El Centro this year, so does the public. It is real Americana and you won’t find it in a big city either. Both teams were undefeated this year, so the victory was sweet for Central and disappointing for Brawley. But they will have a whole year to plan on winning next year.
Peace to all who attended and keep supporting tradition.