Iraqi war dog gets to retire with SF handler

USARMY ^ | 05/20/2003 | Staff Sgt. Marcia Triggs

[Gigantor]

"A lot of the guys would tear up,30 years later, talking about the dogs they loved,many of them heroes and then had to abandon."

I wonder if any one of them would stand by and watch their dog die in a fire...what do you think, Texas Eagle?

[Tijeras_Slim]

I think the Arabs are a little surprised at how attached Americans can get to dogs.

The Arabs would do well to learn how Americans respond to true loyalty. But that is probably not in their character.

[Geezerette]

Bea is doing very well for a 12-1/2 year-old lady-dog! I told her ten years ago when I got her that we were "going to grow old together!" She's doing her part!!

g

[Texas Eagle]

I wonder if any one of them would stand by and watch their dog die in a fire...what do you think, Texas Eagle?

Kind of a weird question but I'll tackle it. It would probably depend on the situation. If it was a case where these guys saw a dog in a burning building and there was nobody around to put the fire out, they would probably do whatever was necessary to try to save the dog's life. But, on the other hand, if there were already trained fire fighters on scene addressing the fire, my guess is these guys (who are trained to follow orders) would probably not interfere with the trained firefighters who would wait to make sure it was safe enough to send a fellow trained firefighter in to save the dog. They most certainly wouldn't risk making an already dangerous situation even more dangerous by recklessly breaking a sliding glass door and risk causing a venturi which would cause the fire to burn even hotter than it already was. You may not have noticed this in the story, but as much as those guys loved the dog, they trained it to chase perpetrators!

I'll give you a moment to digest that.

Okay, that's enough time. Has it come to you yet? Or do you need more time?

[SoCal Pubbie]

I'd say there was shame enough to go around.

[Gigantor]

Great! You've changed your tune and admitted your error when you originally accused the guy of causing a 'backdraft." Now it's a 'venturi' - thanks!

Anyway, nice to see you admit you were mistaken.

Too bad you didn't answer my question, but at least you're facing your errors so it's a start! Keep it up.

[Texas Eagle]

Great! You've changed your tune and admitted your error when you originally accused the guy of causing a 'backdraft." Now it's a 'venturi' - thanks!

LOL! There's a major difference? Don't both have to do with airflow?

Too bad you didn't answer my question,

I didn't???? You don't think the following addresses your question:

"If it was a case where these guys saw a dog in a burning building and there was nobody around to put the fire out, they would probably do whatever was necessary to try to save the dog's life. But, on the other hand, if there were already trained fire fighters on scene addressing the fire, my guess is these guys (who are trained to follow orders) would probably not interfere with the trained firefighters who would wait to make sure it was safe enough to send a fellow trained firefighter in to save the dog. They most certainly wouldn't risk making an already dangerous situation even more dangerous by recklessly breaking a sliding glass door and risk causing a venturi which would cause the fire to burn even hotter than it already was. You may not have noticed this in the story, but as much as those guys loved the dog, they trained it to chase perpetrators!"

Oh, by the way. Did you notice that those guys love the dog so much that they intentionally sent it into harm's way? Do you know why? Because as much as they loved the dog, they valued the life of a fellow soldier more than the life of the dog. I would say that puts them in the same mindset as the firefighters.

[geedee]

Why the hell are they EUTHANIZED AT ALL?

That's what I was thinking! I'm betting not many of them meet this fate.

My dad handled dogs in WWII . . . two of them were credited with saving five American lives in a three month period in the Ardennes. One was killed in the Battle of the Bulge. The survivor's great-great-great-great. . . I figure about eight or nine great's but I might've missed one or two . . . great-grandpuppy lies at my feet as I write this. She's eight and a half weeks old. My dad was allowed to bring the last one home and we've kept his blood-line going.

It's a great family tradition that all of us treasure. I've got a large family and our tentacles poke out in a gazillio directions . . . but most of us have an animal tied back to Boom-Dammit! LOL. I swear, that was his name.

[VOA]

The Kurds brought back a malnourished German shepherd who apparently had been
maltreated by the Iraqi army.

Let's recap:
A GERMAN Shepard dog
owned and donated by KURDS
to AMERICANS
to help them liberate IRAQIS

Amazingly, you won't see this saga praised by our home-grown nutburgers who
are always shouting how that ain't just enough DIVERSITY out there...

[VOA]

bump

[Gigantor]

Gigantor: "Too bad you didn't answer my question"

Texas Eagle: "I didn't???? You don't think the following addresses your question:

"If it was a case where these guys saw a dog in a burning building... and there was nobody around to put the fire out, they would probably do whatever was necessary to try to save the dog's life. But, on the other hand, if there were already trained fire fighters on scene addressing the fire, my guess is these guys (who are trained to follow orders) would probably not interfere with the trained firefighters..."

The question I put to you was about 'one of their dogs' not 'a dog' - big difference.

If they saw *their own* dog trapped behind a glass door would they stand there and watch it die, as you said should be done? I don't think they would do that - they would climb up and try to save their dog no matter what.

"Oh, by the way. Did you notice that those guys love the dog so much that they intentionally sent it into harm's way?"

Sure. They and the dogs were both soldiers. Once home after the war and off the batlefield, if they saw their dog trapped in a fire they would try to save it.

I must commend you for showing signs of mellowing out and moving away from your original hearltless stance.

You've not only backed away from your original claim about a 'backdraft,' but you've also stopped saying 'stupid dog.'

There is still hope. I'm proud of you. Keep it up!

[Texas Eagle]

The question I put to you was about 'one of their dogs' not 'a dog' - big difference.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

[HairOfTheDog]

To honor your partner
poems for Working Dogs, K-9's, SAR, WAR, Guide & Assistance Dogs & All Mounted Police Horses

[Gigantor]

After all, the guy in Tennessee saved *his own* dog. You called both him and his dog 'stupid' and expected him to stand by and do nothing but watch his own dog die.

Do you think the soldiers would stand by and watch their own dog die behind the glass patio door? Would they, too, be 'stupid' in your eyes if they saved the dog they love?

[Texas Eagle]

Actually, I called the guy an idiot. But you're right, I did call the dog stupid. If the dog was so smart why didn't it let itself out the door? Besides, other people called the firefighters "cowards" and "p*ssies" and other such names. Why is it okay to call a fellow human being names but I can't call a stupid dog a stupid dog? Seems to me you people have your priorities out of whack.

I believe I answered the other question before but I will be happy to answer it as many times as it takes. I doubt the TRAINED, PROFESSIONAL soldier would interfere with the work of the TRAINED, PROFESSIONAL firefighters on scene. Being a TRAINED, PROFESSIONAL soldier himself, he probably would respect the TRAINED, PROFESSIONAL firefighters on scene.

Let's say the dog belonged to an imbedded reporter. He wouldn't appreciate the reporter taking matters into his or her own hands and deciding for himself or herself just how he or she is going to rescue one of those dogs....excuse me......HIS DOG should it find itself in a precarious position after being sent in to chase a perpetrator, especially when there are TRAINED, PROFESSIONAL soldiers who know best how to assess the risk.

[Gigantor]

"I believe I answered the other question before..."

You haven't had the courage to answer my question, instead you change the question. That is very telling. All I need to know. Thanks!