Lindh Admits Guilt to Two Charges
Headline stolen from the Washington Post.
The Post leads with "John Walker Lindh, the suburban American who converted to Islam and later volunteered his services to the Taliban army in Afghanistan, pleaded guilty this morning in federal court in Alexandria to two felonies that will land him in prison for up to 20 years."
With the advent of high technology and its application to the science of warfare, deathtolls are rarely catastrophic. With the exception of the nuclear devices used to end World War II, the 20th and 21st Century battlefields send only paltry thousands to meet their maker. The use of highly trained, mobile, and rediculously equipped special forces to eliminate small and isolated targets further reduces the loss of life and increases the loss of infrastructure. In light of this, it suddenly becomes clear why the media and the government of the United States seems to care about one spoiled child.
If there are only a few thousand dead after months of destruction, and the their is no infrastructure to destroy to halt non-existent military production, then a confused young man who has never engaged in combat can seem to be something to talk about. What eludes me is why this nessecitates a trial.
This goes back to the issue of a 'non-military combatant.' I didn't start out caring one way or another, but I'm beginning to understand the absurdity of this. If the man is a soldier in an army, then it stands to reason he's a military combatant. Seriously. That would make him a POW. Not a terrorist. Further, considering that Lindh was convicted of "willfully supplying services to the Taliban" and "carrying an explosive device while committing a felony", the US gov't is conveintly side-stepping their professed reason for prosecution. Effectively, Lindh has been convicted for showing up to work, and for carrying a grenade in the process of doing so.
What have we learned? The kid's a dork and his head isn't wired straight, just like everyone under the age of 25. Second, despite the fact that its a big world with a lot of people, its getting harder and harder to act like an idiot and expect noone to notice. Further, the US gov't has gotta a lot of time on its hands.
So, America, do your kids a favor and don't let them out of the country and out of your sight until you know they won't do something stupid.
Incidentally, Fox News has a transcript up on their site with the Mother of the child involved in the (for lack of a better term) 'Pledge of Allegiance Incident.' Turns out they're both Christian.
Posted by Ralphie at July 18, 2026 02:04 PM