Merced Sun-Star Executive Editor Michael Tharp shares some of his life and Times with the Los Banos Rotary Club.

11/10/09

Michael Tharp, Executive Editor of the Merced Sun-Star was our speaker
this week.

* Grew up in Oklahoma & Kansas.
* Was a Rotary Foundation Fellow. Rotary sent him to UK for a year after
college graduation. He spent most of that year in Wales.
* Covered the Gulf War and current Iraqi War as a war correspondent.
* Was embedded with US infantry units in Iraq.
* Wrote: Ten Lessons Learned from War - Link:
http://blogs.mcclatchydc.com/baghdad/2009/08/ten-lessons-learned-from-war.html
* Mr. Tharp stated that:
* Iraqui citizens see us as "occupiers"
* Standard of living has gone down since we invaded Iraq
* Iraqui Government is more corrupt now than when Saddam was in power
* Europe & Asia see US as imperialists. That the invasion is just a
grab for power and oil.
* No one from Iraq was involved in 9/11
* Then Mr. Tharp spoke a great deal about Afghanistan.
* He thinks it'll take $700Billion, 10 years & 200,000 troops to win
in Afghanistan
* Says that differences between Iraq and Afghanistan are:
Terrain - desert vs mountains, Education - Iraquis educated vs
uneducated Afghans & Internal structure - Central Government vs Afghan
Clans.
* Says that US troops are used brutally in Afghanistan. Home for 6
to 8 months then back to Afghanistan 3 and 4 times
* Says that Afghanistan is near to impossible to conquer. Failures
include Alexander the Great, British & Russia
* Al Quaida hides in Pakistan. If we're to win we'd have to invade
Pakistan.
* In Mr. Tharp's opinion the only reason we're in Afghanistan is
that, that was where Osama Bin Laden planned 9/11.

Meeting notes by S.P

Photography by Charles Guest of Memorable Places Photography
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