Appalachian Patria

Appalachian Intellectual. To me that means plain thinking. I am A Non Commissioned Officer in the Army Reserves. Let me say...My views expressed here are mine and not those of The U.S. Army, Army Reserve or my fellow brethren in The National Guard. This is entirely Sua Sponte. This is My Thinking. I'm single and in my mid 30's. Politicaly, I'm a Libertarian. (Again, Sua Sponte.I do not represent the Libertarian Party.)I love my native Appalachia, Rock n Roll and...I love God.

Name:
Location: Brevard, North Caroilina

I started blogging for two reasons. I was concerned about the changes to the area I live in, Southern Appalachia and I was about to go to the war. I was in Iraq in 06 and 07 and now Kuwait in 11 and 12. Blogging was a means of documenting my experiences and hoping it would help gain clarity. I don't feel that way about it any more. It's said people write blogs because they are frustrated, that's why people read them too. That makes us sound apocalyptic. Are we? Let it be said, what I say here is of my own thinking. This is entirely Sua Sponte and not an official representation of the U.S. Military or the U.S. Government as a whole.

Sunday, January 22, 2006

Foggy Truces

Osama bin Laden and the Peace of "Whatphalia"
Bin Laden said "they', Al Qauda I'm sure, wouldn't object to a Truce with us in his latest taped Recording. Naturally the Response from Washington is "We don't negotiate with Terrorist". But, hypothetically, let's assume we desired to talk Truce with Al Qauda. Where would such negotiations take place and with whom? Would we just take each others words over taped Recordings? Remember, we are not fighting a State, but the Stateless. What member of Al Qauda would be willing to step out into public to do the talking? My guess is they would use a respected Cleric as a go between(I prefer Liason, that's the Olive Drab in my blood). Most likley the discussion would take place in Iraq, or some place symbolic, like Juresalem.
I would really like to hear what terms they would offer. Al Qauda is very ambigous. It would interest me if they would use parle' as a weapon as the East Asians do. Korea and Vietnam being an example.
Then there is the Renegade issue. What Members would be willing to abide by the Truce? For you "Civil War"(Major misnomer) fans and those familiar with Goergia and Tennessee let's observe the word Chickamauga. A quick note, It's not sure if it's a Cherokee or Creek word*, they often shared place names. But, The Cherokees agreed to a Peace with the Fledgling United States in 1777. That is some of them did. The Warrior Dragging Canoe pulled up stakes and moved further down the Tennessee River below Chickamauga Creek into what's now Northwest Goegia and Alabama. This was known as the Chickamauga Faction. Some Tories and Creeks joined them. Still it was mostly Cherokee Ethnically. They fought on through the Revelution.
Al Zawqari, if he's still alive or not visiting Dysney World, would most likley not agree and strike out on his own. His "Al Qauda in Iraq" is questionable, personally I doubt it's Legitamite Al Qauda. But, I'm not alway's right. With deception playing such a role in our given Conflicts inWest Asia, I doubt any such Truce would last for long. The Stateless tends to splinter.

On A lighter note...
I got darn near lost today. Me? The "Experianced Outdoorsman"? Well, not exactly. I was walking around up on a Mountain I'm less familair with in the Fog and Rain. I had followed old logging roads to a Gap, a Saddle to some. From it I walked up onto a top in the direction I had come. It would be easy, just walk up it and down the Ridge and I would be in the last Gap I had walked through. Well, not really. I couldn't see but maybe 40 yards. I knew I had somehow overshot the ridge that would lead to said Gap. Somewhere there was a "Hidden Ridge", meaning it started somewhere down the slope of a hill. Deer like to travel Ridgelines. So, I took the Ridge back and and followed a Deer Trail I had saw coming up from the side of the Hill. Besides, it couldn't bet too far. In a matter of yards I saw the "Hidden Ridge". And in about 70 yards or so I was back at the said Gap, where I had intended to be. Being foggy like it was I couldn't pay attention to distant land marks, knowing they would be in given directions and certain angles visable. I did pull out my Cell Phone knowing if I had a Southern Exposure I would get a signal on that Mountain. Once, I didn't, meaning the Top was blocking the signal, wich I knew I had walked too far by that time. It was just a confirmation. Then once I was back in the Gap the darn thing was vibrating. Yep, navigate by Cell Signal. Did all of that confuse you? If so it all took place an a 1/2 hour and less than 500 yards, by contour of the Earth.
An odd thing up there. Twice I found where some seasons back someone had dug up the roots of Poplar Tree's that were damaged. Young tree's about 12-15" in Diameter. Damaged by Lighting or broken in ice. The Forest Service I'm sure.

* according to James Mooney in "History, Myth's and Sacred Formula's of The Cherokee's".

You'l be good...
Appalachian Intellectual

7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Reading in my book tonight...were these words of Jamie Fraiser - North Carolina 1767- Drums of Autumn~
"How shall I tell ye what it is, to feel the need of a place? he said softly. "The need of snow beneath my shoon. The breath of the mountains, breathing their own breath in my nostrils as God gave breath to Adam. The scrape of rock under my hand, climbing, and the sight of the lichens on it, enduring in the sun and wind.
~~~
"If I am to live as a man, I must have a mountain.

For historical fiction...sure reminds me of someone. Of course, I am a romantic fool at times.

1:48 AM  
Blogger Hill Billy Rave said...

Well, Janie, It sounds like an interesting book. I agree with the sentimnet so, if it reminds you of me...so be it.
Folks don't have much to say about this post. Agh, so be it.

7:32 PM  
Blogger Lee Ann said...

Very good about the southern exposure and the cellphone signal!
Impressed!

1:43 PM  
Blogger Gun Trash said...

You might find this one interesting, AI - Travels through North & South Carolina, Georgia, East & West Florida Early account of travelling thru Cherokee, Muscogulges (Creek Confederacy), and Chactaws Nations.

4:43 PM  
Blogger Hill Billy Rave said...

Flattering, Murf. DIrty Blonde and thinning on top actually.

Yeah, I know Lee Ann, brilliant. Heck...Well, it worked.

Gunner, the Travles Of William Bartram! LOved the book. Even though he could be ultra romantic in his writings and I would have to wade through a paragraph of Latin names for plants and trees. You get caught in his romantic way of saying things. Interesting to note, when me and Twister hunted above Burning Town a while back we went right over his foot steps. I've been in a violent downpour where Bartram had been in one too. I made note of that when I was at Ft. McClellan. Every Natrualist, Hunter, Historian, and someone intersted in The Southest should read it. I'll check the Web site...In the meantime I have Army Chores tonight. Thanks Gunner.
Darn...8 letters.

6:52 PM  
Blogger sage said...

This comment hasn't got anything to do with your post here--but on an earlier one about bear hunting.

I was having coffee at a diner this morning and this old guy told the story about going bear hunting in the UP (Upper Peninsula) of Michigan back when they had to take the ferry across (they built "the bridge" in 1957). Anyway, he talked about a guy he always hunted with who wore a bear skin jacket. And the guy got lost and sat his gun down beside a tree and climbed it to see if he could figure out where he was at, when another hunter came along and shot him out of the tree. It may be a tall-tale, but the warning is real-don't dress like a bear during bear season, and if you do, don't climb any trees.

9:54 AM  
Blogger Hill Billy Rave said...

Nope, no comb over Murf.

Sage, I don't know if that's true or not, but it darn well sounds funny. Make for a funny movie. I've been up there, it was beautiful. A pretty country.

6:24 PM  

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