Desert Storm Quotes

“One is never simply the child of a father and a mother. I was born in 1929 just after Black Thursday, under the sign of Leo and the Crisis. These mythical powers never leave you. They manifest themselves in a certain mode of thought, a mode which smacks of the desert but is nonetheless vital, analytical and solitary - Solar Criticism. Born at the time of the first great crisis of modernity, I hope to live long enough to witness its catastrophic turn at the end of the century (if there is a logic of birth and death, as I believe). I have a friend born of the flight from Paris in 1939. That exodus had rekindled his father's extinguished passions. He is thus the product of an unexpected copulation with History.

The glorious anticipation of summer by springtime gives you the urge to anticipate everything in thought. But it is the anticipation which is the thought itself. It can thus come to us from natural phenomena, from sun and shade.”
― Jean Baudrillard, Cool Memories

“dlaurent
The Ballad of Johnny Jihad (Down Desert Storm Way). ©
c. 2001

During the Gulf War (1990-1991), American Pro-Taliban Jihadist John Philip Walker Lindh was captured while serving with the enemy forces. Here is his tale in song and legend. My nowex at the time did not want me to run to the radio station with this, thought I’d look singularly ridiculii.
The following, 'The Ballad of Johnny Jihad' is sung to the tune of 'The Ballad of Jed Clampett' (1962), commonly known as 'The Beverly Hillbillies' song, the theme tune for the TV show series starring Buddy Ebsen. (Lyrics, Paul Henning, vocals Jerry Scoggins, Lester Flatt; master musicians of the art of the ballad and bluegrass ways, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs).

The Ballad of Johnny Jihad

(Sung) Come and listen to the story of Johnny Jihad,
Who left home and country to study his Islam,
And then one day he was shooting at our troops,
So down through the camp did the government swoop.

(Voice Over): ‘Al Que-da that is, Af-ghani Tali-ban, Terror-ist . . .’

(Sung) Well, the first thing you know ol’ John from ’Frisco roamed,
The lawman said ‘he’s a lad misunderstood very far from home.’
Said, ‘Californee is the place he oughta be,’
So they request his trial be moved to Berkeley . . .

(Voice Over): ‘Liberals that is, group-ies, peace-activists . . .’

Announcer: The Johnny Jihad Show! (Intense bluegrass banjo pickin’ music) . . .

(Sung) Now its time to say goodbye to John and all his kin,
Hope ya don’t think of him as a fightin’ Taliban,
You’re all invited back again to this insanity,
To get yourself a heapin’ helpin’ of this travesty . . .
Johnny Jihad, that’s what they call ’im now
Nice guy; don’t get fooled now, y’hear?

(Voice Over): ‘Lawyerin’ that is, O.J.ism, media-circus . . .’ (Music) . . .

end”
― Douglas M. Laurent