Old Guys Rule!

Haji Abbas!

Recently I was having chai tea with a Colonel from the Iraqi Army. If you have never had Chai, it is the Iraqi equivalent to ice tea only with a lot more sugar and served hot. I have grown quite fond of hot tea. Anyway, when I was introduced with 30 years of experience in law enforcement, he smiled and gave me the name Haji Abbas. The interpreter tells me that Abbas simply means name. Haji, on the other hand, loosely translates to "here Old guys really do rule." The word actually refers to ones wisdom and they do believe that wisdom comes with age. It was a title of honor and I was grateful for his kindness and respect.
I met recently with the local Judges for our area. They certainly looked the part of western judges. They were very friendly and once again my old age came in to play and very much worked for me. They respect our military, but most of these Officers are still young men so when I am there it actually seems to help.
I am so grateful for this experience and the opportunity to serve along side our military, the Iraqi military, the Iraqi Police and the citizens of Iraq. It is a country much improved from times past. I often think of the blood shed in order to make this place the place it is now. It is not completely safe, nor is any American City, but when you see the crowded markets and commerce and government being carried on, it really makes you think about the sacrifice of those that shed their blood for this day. People are walking, playing, going to school and doing business on streets that not that long ago were battle grounds. Evil had taken over, but good overcame and in the end God will have His victory.
God bless you all and God bless our Country