Skip to comments.
American troops don't like this war; even the name rankles
Virginian-Pilot (Hampton, VA) ^
| 10 April 2003
| Dennis O'Brien embedded with Task Force Tarawa in Iraq
Posted on 04/10/2003 6:09:37 AM PDT by COBOL2Java
SOUTHEASTERN IRAQ -- The Marines of Charlie Company are just now discovering what this conflict is being called, and with all due respect to their commander in chief, they don't think much of the name.
Operation Iraqi Freedom is not going to find its way into many tattoos on the bodies of Charlie Company.
" `Desert Storm' sounded cool, and it wasn't even a war," said Pvt. Stephen Vasko, 21, of Charlotte, N.C. "Then we come in here and get in a real war with these people, and they call it `Operation Iraqi Freedom?' "
And just why do the Marines care so much about the war's official name? Before hearing that President Bush had labeled it Operation Iraqi Freedom, many had planned to get tattoos or other reminders glorifying the conflict.
The Marines also weren't too crazy about the name for the post-9/11 operation -- "Enduring Freedom." That label hasn't found its way onto many mementos -- let alone tattoos -- and has little popularity among the men who fought in it.
The Marines of Charlie Company say they don't expect to be telling their grandchildren or bar buddies about serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Some are convinced the name will be short-lived -- at least among the soldiers.
"Regardless of what they're calling it now, they're still going to call it `Gulf War II' when we get back," said 2nd Lt. Greg Goober, 24, of Boston. "And there will still be a few good T-shirts, like `Ambush Alley' and `I survived An Nas.' "
TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: marines; taskforcetarawa; usmc
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-49 next last
Staff writer Dennis O'Brien is with Task Force Tarawa in Iraq. He has been with the Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based Marines since they left the coast of North Carolina in mid-January. You can reach him at dobrien@pilotonline.com
To: All
"It's Time to Pony Up".
|
|
Donate Here By Secure Server
Or mail checks to FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
or you can use
PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
|
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD-
|
2
posted on
04/10/2003 6:11:01 AM PDT
by
Support Free Republic
(Your support keeps Free Republic going strong!)
To: COBOL2Java
could the title of the article be a little more misleading?
To: COBOL2Java
I was really hoping they were going to call it Operation Hassan Chop.
4
posted on
04/10/2003 6:11:45 AM PDT
by
Timesink
To: COBOL2Java
Surely this is much more important news than this.
To: Future Snake Eater
Irony, man. Irony.
6
posted on
04/10/2003 6:12:35 AM PDT
by
HiTech RedNeck
(A High Tech Redneck and a Software (ahem) Engineer.)
To: Future Snake Eater
could the title of the article be a little more misleading? Yeah, I didn't care for it myself, but I felt I had to go with the title in the newspaper. Some disgruntled Democrat editor's revenge, perhaps?
To: Timesink
LOL!!!
To: COBOL2Java
Gee nothing in the story even suggests what the headline says. There is just a marine that is unhappy with the name. I guess anything to make a lame attempt at negative spin............
To: COBOL2Java
many had planned to get tattoos or other reminders glorifying the conflict How about "Iraq 2003" or something like that. G--- what wimps.
10
posted on
04/10/2003 6:14:18 AM PDT
by
HiTech RedNeck
(A High Tech Redneck and a Software (ahem) Engineer.)
To: COBOL2Java
LOL--we'll have to get Madison Ave on to this for a better name.
Stay away from the needles, fellers, *anyway*.
11
posted on
04/10/2003 6:14:58 AM PDT
by
Mamzelle
To: PeterPrinciple
Surely this is much more important news than this. OTOH, you could say this is good news, if this is all the embedded repoter has to file. I've been following Dennis O'Brien from the beginning and he's quite good. Perhaps one could say that a "slow news day" in Iraq is a good thing?
To: COBOL2Java
I have a feeling such sentiment is limited to small circles. Having said that, however, these brave and capable fighters can call it whatever they want as far as I'm concerned. To the victor goes the naming.....
To: Timesink
I think Operation Serious Consequences would have been ideal.
To: HiTech RedNeck
G--- what wimps. Smile when you say that, Partner...
15
posted on
04/10/2003 6:16:59 AM PDT
by
gridlock
(The Whizzo Chocolate Co. is pleased to announce that Crunchy Frog will soon be available again.)
To: COBOL2Java
In February it was being called Dessert Spring (by the media). Sheesh.
16
posted on
04/10/2003 6:17:24 AM PDT
by
sarasota
To: Timesink
I was really hoping they were going to call it Operation Hassan Chop.
To: Timesink
I was really hoping they were going to call it Operation Hassan Chop.
To: COBOL2Java
OPERATION INFINITE JUSTICE
Ohhhhh... Its not P.C.
19
posted on
04/10/2003 6:19:15 AM PDT
by
Diogenesis
(If you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us.)
To: Future Snake Eater
I had planned to get this headline tattooed on my arm, but now that I see it, I'm really not happy with it.
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-49 next last
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.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson