"Send 'Em To Hell! That is all."
Posted on 03/17/2003 5:28:40 PM PST by MadIvan
The battle flags were unfurled yesterday as the troops who will spearhead an invasion of Iraq gathered in formation at dawn to be told by their commanding officer to prepare for an advance to the border.
Divided into their three companies, each with unit banners held aloft in the early morning breeze, the men from this battalion were promised by their colonel, John W Charlton, that he expected soon "you will all be heroes".
He told them: "You may see enemy units that will fight tremendously hard so don't underestimate them.
"When you go in you take the fight to the enemy.
"You go in there with both barrels and you let them have it. You let them know that they are taking on the US army and you crush them."
The battalion is one of nine from the Third Infantry Division stationed in temporary camps pitched only a short distance from the Iraqi frontier that make up the American front line.
After nine months in Kuwait its soldiers were finally being ordered to complete checks on their weapons and focus their minds on the prospect of war.
Col Charlton described the spectacle likely to greet his men - known throughout the division as "The Dragons" - when the order is given to invade.
"You will see thousands of vehicles attacking. You will see hundreds of aircraft overhead on route to destroy targets in Iraq. You will see Tomahawk missiles flying over us.
"And you will be part of that.
"One day down the road you can look back and say you took part in protecting America, in protecting our allies in the region, and in destroying an evil person who has killed thousands and thousands of his own people."
The men have been briefed about the battle plan. The crews of M1-A1 Abrams tanks have removed the uranium depleted shells from containers and loaded them into their vehicles.
The officers expect they will today receive the order to start uprooting the camp for a move to their forward attack positions.
For the waiting troops there is a sense of relief that finally they can complete their job. Most talk of their pride in being part of a war that they see as making the world a safer place for their families.
The memory of the events of September 11 is still strong.
Again and again one hears that "taking out" Saddam Hussein prevents weapons of mass destruction being placed into the hands of terrorists and thereby helps stop a similar outrage occurring again.
"Why am I here?" says Capt Bill Young producing a photograph of his four-month-old son. "I am doing this for him."
Among the younger soldiers there appears to be some who doubt the morality of the coming war.
While I was walking past one of the mobile mortar units, Pte Gareth Stewart, 20, called me over. He said that he wanted the world to know that not all in the US army support an attack.
"I have no beef with the Iraqis," he said.
"This is Bush's war and I am not alone in thinking that."
Yet, as I walked on afterwards towards the mess hall, his staff sergeant ran up behind me and pressed something into my hand. It was a sticker bearing the logo of the New York Port Authority, the force that policed the World Trade Centre site.
"My brother-in-law works for them," said Sgt Jeff States. "He lost many good friends. When we go north I am going to stick this on the guns so we don't forget what it is we are achieving here."
If I were him, I wouldn't worry about a court martial. I'd worry about surviving the next week.
"Send 'Em To Hell! That is all."
Hey! If you look at the Red/Blue map of United States, most of the counties in the state voted for Bush. It so happens that most of the people live in the coastal cities are also very liberal.
You are putting salt in the wounds of all the conservatives that cannot overcome the highly populated but few liberal cities like San Francisco and L.A..
Be nice to us because one day, the Reagan conservatives will rise again. Gray Davis is gonna ruin California for the Democrats in the years to come with his fiscal mismanagment. :)
Forgive my bad memory but is the Daily Telegraph considered to be on the side of good or is it a member of the dark side?
"I have no beef with the Iraqis," he said.
"This is Bush's war and I am not alone in thinking that."
So what does a Pte get busted down to? Moron? This guy should be preparing for a fight with Sonny Liston....
Anybody have "St. Crispin's Day" handy?
"This is Bush's war and I am not alone in thinking that."
I think we just found the perfect man for the chemical warhead cleanup detail.
I guess I owe you - and all the other CA Freepers - a double sorry.
"I have no beef with the Iraqis," he said.
This is Bush's war and I am not alone in thinking that."
Just then Private Gareth Stewart's sargeant advised him he would be walking in front of the column when it transited the minefield.
We salute Human Shield Gareth Stewart and his Saddam-ass-kissing Army of One.
He may not survive the night after some much needed NCO wall to wall counselling. He's probably wishing he had a beef with the Iraqis after all since it's better than the a$$ kicking he's about to get. My guess is this guy's a shirker. There's always one or two in every unit. If he's got enough time on his hands to not only rationalize this crap but to track down a reporter to whine about it, then he isn't doing the critical job at hand, which is preparing for battle. I'm willing to bet his squad mates have him figured out and will deal with him (again, probably) in their own special way.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.