Ex-POW Shoshana Johnson to launch ball in Times Sq.

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/breaking_news/story/147169p-129928c.html

This year's special guest for the Times Square countdown to 2004 will be a young woman who was a prisoner of war in Iraq as a U.S. soldier, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Thursday.
Shoshana Johnson, who was shot in the ankles and was held captive for 22 days, was in a war "that was started right across the street from where we are today, on 9-11," Bloomberg told a news conference at a Manhattan hotel facing the World Trade Center site.

He called the 30-year-old former U.S. Army specialist from El Paso, Texas, who has relatives in Brooklyn "the perfect choice to be our New Year's guest." He said she'll push the globe triggering the drop of a 1,070-pound Waterford crystal ball and lead a 60-second countdown to the new year.

Johnson, who was discharged from the Army last week, told New Yorkers: "Thank you for your support of my Army, my armed forces, my fellow soldiers, who were willing to do what is necessary for our freedom, for us to sit back and enjoy such a wonderful New Year's Eve."

She put her life on the line as did many others so I'm glad that this isn't another Viet Nam where we blame the soldiers for a political decision.

Wel, well, well. I bet she's gonna have a lot of fun doing that, too.

*sigh* what is the one night a year that more of us gather together in particular places than any other night, aside from July 4?

God, I hate thinking things like that. It's just more... plausible at 2 AM.

hope she uses aviation snips . . .

to keep the 9/11-Iraq connection up front:
...was in a war "that was started right across the street from where we are today, on 9-11," Bloomberg told a news conference at a Manhattan hotel facing the World Trade Center site.

As to Johnson, good for her. She deserves to be recognized. :)

tying Iraq to the WTC.

I hope she has fun. She is being used.

but glad for her to have the recognition. Wouldn't it have been so much nicer if NY did it with only that in mind. Geez.

for the troops earlier this year.

didn't they once propose Elian Gonzales to lower the ball?

Rudy Giuliani invited him to New York to be a special guest at New Year's. Don't know about the ball.

Try googling "elian gonzalez"+"new year's"; that's where I found the info.

Dear Mayor Bloomberg, I am writing to commend you for inviting Shoshana Johnson to drop the ball in Times Square on New Years Eve. Ms. Johnson, like others captured and/or injured in combat, is a hero who deserves all the recognition and appreciation we Americans can give. However I was puzzled by this comment, attributed to you in the New York Daily News, where you stated that Ms. Johnson was injured in a war that "was started right across the street from where we are today, on 9-11". Ms. Johnson was not injured in Afghanistan, she was injured in Iraq. As I'm sure you know, Iraq had nothing to do with the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01. Maybe you were misquoted or maybe one of your aides made an error. But in this time, as our nation fights two wars, it is important for our leaders not to confuse the American people. Again, thank you for using your office to recognize a hero.

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not that it will do any good

DELIBERATELY trying to tie 9/11 and the WTC to IRAQ. How do we elect such mis-leaders?