The $200 Cup of Beer

My father, who recently returned from his military service in Iraq, told me many stories of the horrors and mistakes that will never be documented or exposed in the mainstream media. Those war stories are not mine to tell. However, I can summarize much of the confusion and chaos that all sides face every day with one particular story: The $200 for a single beer story.

These American solders are young. Many come from poor families with little choice of any other future. Most put even less thought into joining the killing branch of our sweet World oppressive government. They do not understand at their young age what propaganda has been spoon fed to them. They are victims, but not ones I pity.

Anyway these American men are allowed just two glasses of beer while on 'vacation': which means they get to get away from Iraq for a day or so....but not for long and not very far from this war. Their limit is only two glasses of beer- no exception.

My father does not drink alcohol but took up the option to sit down to a meal and one beer, while on one of these 'vacations'. He did not touch his drink. A young American soldier approached him offering $200 (in American money) for his single beer. Now, it could have been very possible that this young soldier was an alcoholic. But for that price, and that amount of begging, one has to imagine that there was a need for this single beer that only that soldier could explain.

When you send young people to fight an illegal and confusing war, it does something to their mind. No one wins. Not the U.S. Not the Iraqi people (a major understatement!!!), not the American families at home or the Iraqi people, who can buy Valium over the counter for a mere 19 cents.

My father said no to this soldier, because if he would have been caught giving a third beer to this young man he would have been punished. Imagine what goes on on all sides to create such fear and despair.