Posted on 08/03/2005 4:04:27 AM PDT by leadpenny
Roadside bomb in western Iraq.
Great post. Does he speak for the majority of the soldiers? It seems the raging debate (minus the Left, since their hypocrisy is useless)) is whether we continue on as we have been in order to minimize civilian casualties and foster democracy. Some are saying just take out the enemy by whatever means possible in order to minimize our own casualties. I would think the one's fighting there would know best, since it is their lives on the line.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks he's wrong.
Bring our troops home.....or fight smart and win.
I do not believe we will ever know what the "majority" of our soldier's really think. I only know what those I personally have read or spoken to feel about the mission.
With tears in my eyes and a heart swollen with pride, I listened to one of our finest curse himself over an unintentional, self-inflicted wound that sent him state side. He had VOLUNTEERED for a second tour in Iraq and was furious with himself that he had been so careless. He firmly believes in the mission and the Iraqi people.
I will support our troops AND their mission. The only way this war will turn into Viet Nam, is if "we the people" allow it. I for one, will not allow it to happen AGAIN.
Oh, you're not!!
Yes, the Kurds are our ally. However, this will piss of our NATO ally, Turkey. When we withdraw from Iraq, this would allow the Turks to gobble up Kurdistan. I'm not sure if that's in our best interests.
I appreciate your commitment to 'not letting it happen again'.
Having spent 24 months in the mideast supporting OIF/OEF I think that I have an idea what the troops think or did think as of this spring.
Most hate being away from home for so long and in a place where deprivation is a way of life. But KBR has done a fine job bringing them creature comforts: Gyms and MWR facilities; good meals; housing, showers and latrine facilities and other miscellaneous services. Life there now isn't as rough as it was during DS 1 or during the first phases of this conflict.
The troops like what they've done and what they're doing. They have helped the Iraqis shuck off the bondage of Saddam's tyranny and have birthed a new government; the troops have helps repair or install infrastructure; the troops have verified the horrendous and sadistic feats of brutality that saddam perpetrated on them; and the troops have battled outside forces intent on denying the Iraqis their chance at freedom.
What hurts the troops' morale is any impression that American civilians are weak and won't stick it out. They aren't begging to come home too soon, they're just afraid that the citizens adn government will lose courage and turn them into losers like they did to Viet Nam vets in the 70's.
No, we cannot let that happen again.
Thank you for your personal account of the sentiments of our troops. I have spoken to few compared to you. I also have friends from there and you articulated issues that must be overcome after decades of tyranny.
What hurts the troops' morale is any impression that American civilians are weak and won't stick it out.
This is what matters most!
A number of the so-called "neo-conservatives" actually made public statements in the late 1990s and October of 2000 in which they called upon the Clinton administration to respond forcefully to the embassy bombings and attack on the Cole -- by toppling Saddam Hussein. There was no shred of evidence of any Iraqi involvement in any of these attacks, but the obsession of these neo-cons with a plan of "regime change" in Iraq was so utterly pathological that they didn't have a clue about how serious a threat radical Islam posed to the U.S.
It should come as no surprise that nothing dramatic occurred in the first eight months of 2001 . . . many of these morons ended up working in the Bush administration.
Why don't you go right ahead and do that. Then go through a random search of my posts here on FreeRepublic in the last four years and tell me how "foolish" you think I am.
B@LLS!! You shouldn't have said it. The enemy adapts, and we adapt. Take your Army bias, shove it, and shut the F up discussing tactics on a public board.
After weeks and weeks of attacking the Iraqi military .. suddenly they turn on our guys .. maybe because more and more people are saying WE COULD BE LEAVING BY 2007 - and the terrorists want to extract their pound of flesh before we leave ..??
So much for setting a timetable!
You're totally screw up.
If you use the word "neo-cons" you are a RAT!
If you blame Bush for everything, you are a RAT!
So many people on Free Republic want to call Islam our enemy. The real enemy is the liberal media and they are deserving of the same treatment that we dole out to the insurgents.
The problem with the three state solution is a geopolitical one. Turkey, one of the "moderate" muslim states would object. They have their own kurdish minority "problem" and would not want to have that minority get the notion of breaking off and joining an independent kurdish state.
My local paper also did a story recently on someone who was in Iraq for a second (or third) tour of duty.
nice post. my service was earlier. we never forget the lessons. thanks for your service.
I believe that our soldiers would rather die with a rifle in their hand than in their beds or in the mess hall. But quite frankly, to die in a thin skinned duck vehicle driving down a road is just about as bad.
Wow - you must live in a decent place. It appears to be an exception, rather than a rule, to print anything positive.
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