Well, we know he fought in the Gulf War.

I was unclear. I meant, is he still in it the Republican Guard, or is he now a civilian? What's his status?

"When you fail, you just don't have what it takes"

I didn't have any problem with his Dad's speech. I'd translate it as something like, "Don't try to be a hero because you'll fail, and you won't be able to take the disappointment of failure. It will crush you because you're not able to walk away from it and forget about it like I am. Taking care of people is too important to you."

I find it interesting how often people seem to say/believe something opposing to their core, on here. Charlie thinks he's a successful musician, though it's clear no one's ever heard of him. Jack doesn't think he has it in him to be a leader. Locke thinks he lives in the "real" world, and Jack's dad thought he could take failure, when it's pretty clear that you don't become an alcoholic (disclaimer: all genetic inclination aside, something of a generalization) because you're handling your life successfully and happily, nor do you blame your children when you're not able to be happy.

One thing that intrigued me was that Shannon (nasty creature, really ought to be shark bait) said she couldn't speak French. On the top of the mountain when it came to the crunch, she did it, but she didn't push herself forward. She doesn't seem to be in competition with anyone other than Boone.* She was aware of a limitation. I'd like them to redeem her, not make her nice, but at least make her interesting. So far, nsm. I'm just hoping that they're not cluesticking us as hard as usual and that there's something better coming.

*edit: Though she did get snippy/competitive with Kate when she said she was going up the mountain too.

"Don't try to be a hero because you'll fail, and you won't be able to take the disappointment of failure. It will crush you because you're not able to walk away from it and forget about it like I am. Taking care of people is too important to you."

See, another part of my confusion was whether he was saying to Jack, you, specifically, don't have what it takes, or he was saying to Jack that if one chooses to be a hero, he may not have what it takes. My initial reaction was the former, and I was all, "Way to be a good, supportive father, dude!" But the latter reading would suggest more of a "Way to keep your son from having a mental breakdown, dude!"

I find it interesting how often people seem to say/believe something opposing to their core, on here.

Ooh. Good one.

Matt and P.-C., polar bear thanks.

Sail, I like your opposites theory. Just want to throw in my $0.02 on Jin. I don't see anything that he's done as being motivated by love. Maybe HE thinks it's love, maybe even Sun thinks it is. But it's not; it's a desire to possess and control. He provides for his wife and cares for her, because she's his possession. He would take care of his horse or his car, too. (I've been in more than one "I love you and I'll take care of you, therefore you must do what I want" relationship. I might have a bias here.) I don't like Jin at all; I don't care how much he wants to protect Sun; wanting to take care of someone is not a good reason to stifle and smother them.

I don't buy it that neither Jin nor Sun can speak a word of English, either. Look at how they're dressed; they're educated people in the professional world, and they were on their way to America, either for a vacation or more likely for business. Am I supposed to believe that such people would not know, or have learned, one single word of English? I lived for a few months in Germany. Before I even went there I learned how to say thank you, please, no, yes, where's the bathroom, excuse me, and sorry, I'm American and I don't speak German. (In fact, I could say "Excuse me, but I don't speak German" with an apparently flawless accent, because people would be startled and think I was joking.) I think Jin has insisted that they not speak English, as a way to keep a barrier between them and the others, and specifically, a way to keep Sun away from anyone else who might help her, and thus make her more dependent on him.

I love the opposite theory SailAweigh, and if that is a theme I think that it will be telegraphed when Shannon starts to be useful. Her inability to get the better of Sawyer could be an early sign of a change in her.

I could really relate to the speech Jack's dad gave him. My own father gives me similar well intentioned advice, but always manages to say it in the most horrifing way possible.

It seemed to me he was saying that it was Jack's nature to try to be a hero, but that everyone, even heroes, one of which he is himself, fails, and Jack wouldn't be able to deal with that failure mentally or emotionally and it would crush him like the bug he was since he would never be the hero his father is, with the proper emotional detachment. His father is batman, only less likeable. Possibly because he was married to Jack's mother instead of being properly buttled.

Um... I kind of liked that scene. Obviously.

She doesn't seem to be in competition with anyone other than Boone

My prediction: she's a professional beauty queen.

Heh. I wouldn't be surprised, Sail.

Ashtareth, I do think Sun thinks he's showing love to Jin. I also agree that he's treating her like property. I can't wait to see next week's episode. The previews were intriguing.

I also agree that he's treating her like property. I can't wait to see next week's episode.

Ditto. That's been made very plain. There was just something in their last couple of exchanges in the latest epsiode that gave me a feeling. Nothing I can put a finger on. So, I'm also waiting for next weeks episode with bated breath.

I meant, is he still in it the Republican Guard, or is he now a civilian? What's his status?

IIRC, the Republican Guard was disbanded after the overthrow of Saddam, so he's not in them any more. Yep: Republican Guard Wiki.

He could have been part of the POWs after the first Gulf War that never went back, although the RG had fewer desertions/captures than the Iraqi regular army.

He didn't says he was part of the "Special" Republican Guard, so he was unlikely to be high in the organization, just good enough not to be regular army.