Lynch Shot Iraqi Soldiers

The Washington Post ^ | April 3, 2003 | Susan Schmidt and Vernon Loeb

[John H K]

Pfc. Jessica Lynch, rescued Tuesday from an Iraqi hospital, fought fiercely and shot several enemy soldiers after Iraqi forces ambushed the Army's 507th Ordnance Maintenance Company, firing her weapon until she ran out of ammunition, U.S. officials said yesterday.

[Ramius]

I just can't imagine running out of ammo - bummer!

Yes, it IS a bummer. Doesn't take too much imagination, either.

[Kevin Curry]

But what if that has been 'their' dream since they were 5 years old?

And what if a person suffering from cerebral palsy has had a lifelong dream to be a firefighter, or blind person to be a airline pilot? Do we place the lives of others at risk just to indulge one person's lifelong dream?

Frontline combat is the ultimate team sport despite the Army's "Army of One" hype. A combat unit is only as strong as its weakest link. And by strength, I mean physical strength, speed, and stamina. Women in general have less strength, speed, and stamina than men and placing them into front-line combat roles will weaken the combat team and place ALL lives at greater risk.

For that matter, most MEN cannot qualify for the more elite combat roles, e.g., SEALs, Special Forces, Rangers etc. Some men have dreamed of being SEALs their whole lives and will NEVER be SEALs for the simple fact that they do not have the necessary strength, speed, mental toughness, and stamina. We don't force the SEALs to take them to just to indulge their narrow self-interest.

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

fought fiercely and shot several enemy soldiers until she ran out of ammunition

I think this will make some of the military planners rethink the policy, or whatever you want to call it, of issuing the "Support" people (mechanics, cooks, clerks, etc) a minimum amount of ammo. They don't get NEARLY the amount of ammo the grunts get.

[patriciaruth]

There are several prayer threads for the military. This is one that started before the war started. Others honor our war dead, and some have paid more attention to the MIA's. Troop Prayer Thread is one.

Link to Fasting and Prayers for our Military

[Timesink]

She's a helluva fighter; give her a raise!

Hell, give her a PROMOTION. She's arguably been through more than any other living American soldier in theater. Let her go home with a little more than just Pfc status.

[flutters]

I have no doubt this woman was raped repeatedly, tortured and they were keeping her alive for their further pleasure. The fact that they didn't even put her on TV with the others showed that they had some very sinister motives.

I heard the doctor may have had a lot to do with keeping her alive.

So, good, I'm glad she fought back. But she's no heroine to me. She's a little girl that shouldn't have been there.

But she was there...fighting for our country. She's a hero in my eyes.

[Ford Fairlane]

If she grew up in the country around guns and knew how to hunt, I can see her doing this

My buddies from W. VA all hunt deer with M1 Carbines & usually make 1st shot kills - hard to do with an M1

If she is from that crowd she knows how to place her shots accurately

[Brad’s Gramma]

God BLESS you, Jessica!!! We are behind you, ALL THE WAY. You make us so proud!!!!!

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

Too bad she probably only had the 9mm Beretta

Naah, she almost certainly had an M16

[bluecollarman]

I think the problem here is that the term Heros and patriots are being expressed as the same thing.

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

Ease up there, Diddle, I'm a former Jar head myself...no one knows Molly better than I do...but everyone is calling her a hero..she is NOT a hero...she is a survivor. The spec ops that went in to get her, and anyone else they hoped to find, were the heros. I have also spent my life after the Corps as a cop. I like female cops, but when the bar fight goes down, I don't want them as my back up...I want Joe and Rick and Bubba...sorry...no women in combat will always be my creed.

At the risk of triggering an endless parade of Prayer Request threads.......... AMEN! One thing I can't stand is labeling EVERYBODY a hero. The studs that went in there are heroes.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

"The female of the species is more deadly than the male."
-- Kipling.

[thatdewd]

LOL, bump.

[JohnnyZ]

Women like her are awesome :)

I want to marry her.

She's 19, I'm only 23 . . . she's a famous soldier who can kick my butt, I'm a civilian actuary . . . heck yeah, it could work!

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

You do know that "Courage Under Fire" was fiction and there was no woman involved in an incident even similar to that during Desert Storm.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Please honor and remember ALL of them - if one is a hero, they all are.

Agreed.

There is also a thread to honor those killed: Names, Stories, and Pictures of the Fallen Heroes of Operation Iraqi Freedom

[Ramius]

But she's no heroine to me.

Well, then stay tuned. I'm sure there will be a suitable number of graves for you to do p1ss on. Enjoy.

[LonghornFreeper]

>>So, good, I'm glad she fought back. But she's no heroine to me. She's a little girl that shouldn't have been there.

If this report turns out to be true, then she is a girl I would be proud to know, and one who could probably kick your sorry armchair general ass. Someone who fought and nearly died for our nation shouldn't be referred to as a "little girl" anymore than any of our brave male soldiers should be referred to as "little boys". Whether you feel women should be on the front line or not, you should get a life and show some respect.

[Lokibob]

But anybody, Man, Woman, or Dolphin that faces down the enemy and fights bravely deserves the bronze star w/v device.

She was in a support unit, not in a combat unit. If you take women out of the support role, you have to eliminate nurses, tanker pilots, crew chiefs, and a hundred other positions.

I frankly don't care one way or the other about the "women in combat" issue, but I truly disagree with those that would keep women out of the military.

Private Lynch did what she was trained to do, and did it bravely. She deserves the bronze star.

[cherry_bomb88]