[BillyBonebrake]

I read and re-read this one and for the life of me I cannot figure out the point he's trying to make. Help me out, Freepers.

[mattdono]

His is a disgruntled soldier that didn't learn the simple lesson of boot camp: to follow orders.

This private is giving all of the armed forces a bad name. And it is a shame. I am sure that the lamestream media will be delighted to see this and will run with it.

If he doesn't want to follow orders, he has two choices: shut his piehole and do the work, or be dishonorably discharged.

[theDentist]

The (alleged) shoplifter is whining "quagmire" and insisting the UN was right all along. He wants to have soldiers complaining publicly about the CiC. Of course, during Somalia, Kosovo, Bosnia he wanted to insure the same soldiers gripes were silenced.

Screw him.

[xtorpedoman]

Hmmmmmmmm
Not really sure of the point, but as a vet, i do know that there are specific ways to handle a grievence within the military.
plastering your complaints all over the media is NOT one of them.

[Herodotus]

I for one am fascinated to learn that we have 33 active duty divisions. Where do we keep all of them? I was only aware of the ten that have been working hard over the past few years to keep us safe.

Maybe he means 33 brigades. But that would suggest that he doesn't know the difference between brigades and divisions. If _that's_ the case...why the hell should we believe anything else in this article, ostensibly about overcommitted forces?

[far sider]

Where's the picture of the soldier giving the middle finger salute to the press?

[Lowell]

I don't believe a soldier wrote that at all. A very clever liberal wrote that and planted it. They are scummy pieces of garbage.

[kevao]

No bias in this article. No, sir.

[armymarinemom]

This was hard to read. The story line seemed to fade in and out.
I keep hearing the press talk about soldier writing home and complaining. We do have a few whiners but most of them just talk about being sick of the heat and missing an easier life. They don't talk about firing their leadership! The press really looks hard for troops wearing long faces to pounce upon for a good story.

[Steve_Seattle]

If people like Reeves had been in charge, we would have lost World War II, the Jews would have been exterminated, and Europe would be a huge fascist dictatorship. And that would be just fine with Reeves.

[SerpentDove]

Somebody call a WAAHmbulance.

[Reagan Man]

Bottom line, the United States military isn't a democratic institution. If any soldier doesn't agree with an order by a superior, that soldier is entitled to use the chain of command to be heard. Otherwise, strict disipline is the order of the day and keeping your mouth shut in public is standard operating procedure.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

He and President Bush overreached in sending 16 of the Army's 33 combat-ready divisions

What the hell does this mean? Does anyone know how long it has been since we had 33 divisions??? We might have 16 Brigades in Iraq if you include the Marines, but the Army doesn't.

[an amused spectator]

I read and re-read this one and for the life of me I cannot figure out the point he's trying to make. Help me out, Freepers.

Certainly. It's a "Spit On The Troops, 2003" hitpiece.

The liberal media can't come right out and call American soldiers "babykillers" (well, most of the liberal media can't), so they've opted for the strategy of gutting military morale and calling the competence of the American military leadership into question.

This strategy necessarily paints the American soldier as either a chump (for believing his "lying" leaders) or a victim of his "incompetent" leaders.

[cyncooper]

Well, I just saw Paul Gigot, just back from Iraq, on Brit Hume's program and he said things are going very well over in Iraq, that people are going about their daily lives and the political system is getting put together and up and running, electricity and water supplies getting steadily better and the vast majority of Iraqis are very, very happy we are there.