Posted on 09/07/2004 4:28:53 PM PDT by Libloather
US soldiers in Iraq say 1,000 death toll meaningless
2 hours, 30 minutes ago
BAQUBA, Iraq (AFP) - The deaths of 1,000 American troops in Iraq since the 2003 invasion to topple Saddam Hussein has only strengthened US resolve to restore security to the strife-torn country, soldiers said.
Dismissing parallels with the 1961-75 war in Vietnam, officers lashed out at the media for playing the grim-reaper over the mounting casualty toll and failing to appreciate the sacrifices made by each soldier.
"It sucks. The newspapers glorify it. Everyday, reporting the numbers going up and up, trying to push a point," said Captain Gregory Wingard, 39, at the 1st Infantry Division's Camp Warhorse near Baquba, north of Baghdad.
"Sad as it is for those 1,000 families and their friends, they're nothing to the number of Iraqis that get killed trying to defend their own families," he added, smoking a cigar with friends under the stars.
"There's one word you have to push back at them. Gettsburg: 63,000 killed in a single day," said Sergeant Kimberly Snow, 35, from Ohio, refering to the US civil war battle.
The conversation turns to a comrade, a Muslim US soldier who was killed in June when a suicide bomber blew up a car outside the north gate of the base.
"I'm nervous, sure, because you don't know. When I lay down on my rack for the first 10 minutes I'm listening for mortars," said Wingard.
The bombs make him "I want to get that bastard."
US patrols are considered combat missions and soldiers have to be prepared to the worst every time they roll out of their bases.
"There's always a fear in the back of your head, but you can't let it take over," said Snow, speaking about the soldiers' biggest scourge -- the improvised explosive device, known as IEDs to the army, or a roadside bomb to civilians.
"The scary thing is its not like facing a normal enemy and you've got a good chance of fighting back. You're just tooling down the road and boom there's an explosion," said National Guard Major Tony Quinn, from North Carolina.
"If 1,000 died today, that'd be pretty significant, but its just another number," said 36-year-old Quinn, who is based along the Iran-Iraqi border.
"Every single soldier knows the risk. You do the best you can with your day and don't think about it. If I was to get killed tomorrow by an IED, I would not regret coming over here," said Captain Michael Adams, 37, from Oregon.
"Six months ago people were afraid of their own shadow. Now I've seen kids playing in the park, farmers are out working. Now they can have a chance at rebuilding their country," he added.
"Obviously when you loose people, its a tragic time. But you don't loose morale. It strengthens your resolve," said Specialist Robert Bybee, 21, deployed in Saddam's hometown of Tikrit.
But for several young soldiers, barely old enough to graduate from college or have a beer in a US bar, the horror of war and the separation from loved ones is wearing thin.
"I'm scared even to take a shower in case they mortar us. I want to go home and be with my wife and start a family," said Specialist Luis Cruz, 21, from Puerto Rico, also based near Baquba.
But none of the soldiers accept any similarities with Vietnam, where tens of thousands of soldiers were killed before the United States finally withdrew.
"Once in a while people make comparisons, but I don't think the majority of soldiers feel there are any similarities," said Quinn.
"We are winning the hearts and minds... It's nothing like Vietnam. We're still missing 60,000, 52,000 were killed. We've had 1,000 soldiers die, how can you make a comparison?" said Wingard.
Whoa. Same happened to us during Desert Storm. Full uniform guy just wanting directions.
What's that all about?
The media must have had their stories all lined up for the 1000th death in Iraq. The stories are all over the place, with the same old tired lines in them.
You'd never know it from reading the commie media in this country.
We love you, troops!!
Thank you for changing the world!!!
Dumb headline. If these deaths are meaningless, why waste our soldiers?
Our soldiers said, "Send me."
I appreciate the military personnel's insertion into the conversation the losses of the Iraqi people fighting for their own country. Goes unsung and it should not be ignored.
Didn't I say Marine deaths, not casualties? And not all casualties? As you say, the numbers are important. Your totals include Army, Navy, Army Air Force, killed and wounded.
Not meaningless as 'lost without purpose', as the headline no doubt hope to convey.
When you fight a war, you have casulties.
The more casulties the enemy inflicts, the more determined one should become to defeat him and assure that those who have died, died not in vain.
John Kerry has reminded us more times of his heroism in Vietnam than true heroes have died in the War on Terror....
Could someone put together a bunch of statistics like these in one post. It would be useful to counter punch my co-workers when they bring up 1000 KIA. Perhaps a list of all the brave service men and women who have graciously given us our freedom throughout American history. It would be much appreciated.
Kerry's "Goat-song" calls 1000 deaths "Tragic"
Tragedy is a form of drama which can be traced as far back as the Greek theatre. The Greek tragedies were originally written and produced for theatrical competitions, and the winning team in the tragic competition would receive a goat to feast on. The word "tragedy" is thus derived from the Greek language word "tragodiai," meaning "goat-songs". Greek tragedy rose out of religious rites and dramatic enactment of tales of the gods in the early Greek religion and mythology. Aristotle theorized that catharsis (emotional cleansing) results from viewing a tragedy and explains why humans enjoy seeing dramatized pain.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
HEY GUYS AND GALS YOU GOT TO GET THIS STORY RIGHT.
WE PASSED THE 1000 DEAD IN THIS WAR THREE YEARS AGO THIS COMING SATURDAY.
Sorry, should have used another source, the answer is just shy of 6000 MARINES killed, look it up.
Yah, I must have been looking at another battle---maybe Tarawa?
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.