I suppose we ought to be getting out of Germany and Japan any time now, then.

Farmer_Joe on March 20, 2007 at 10:22 AM

Don’t forget South Korea. Of course, if we hadn’t stayed there backing up our allies for 54 years, the entire Korean peninsula would be poverty-stricken, starving, and suffering under Communism instead of just the northern half. Millions would have died if we’d abandoned our allies there, just as millions did die when the Democrats in Congress abandoned South Vietnam. And now they can’t wait to abandon the Iraqis to another bloodbath.

What the Hell do you expect??? Sure they’re pissed! They were looking forward to going home and are now disappointed!!! Doesn’t mean they thing the job is important!

We used to say its every Sailors right to bitch… when you have to worry is when they stop bitching…

“We just want to get out of here as soon as possible,”

Sounds like every other armed conflict.

I suppose we ought to be getting out of Germany and Japan any time now, then.

Farmer_Joe on March 20, 2007 at 10:22 AM

Heh, yeah and aren’t we still in Kosovo, too? When’s the last time you heard anyone call for bringing our troops home from there!?!

It’s unrealistic to beg the United States to stay forever unless we want colonize Iraq.

I suppose we ought to be getting out of Germany and Japan any time now, then.

I think everyone is missing the reason Allah posted this. The real outrage:

the air in the Humvee, already thick with cigarette smoke
Some of our soldiers are being exposed to second-hand smoke.

eagles5 on March 20, 2007 at 7:51 AM

the byline is…

the air in the Humvee, already thick with cigarette smoke

Some of our soldiers are being exposed to second-hand smoke.

I used to be disgusted, now I’m just amused.

Just sayin…

It’s unrealistic to beg the United States to stay forever unless we want colonize Iraq.

Can you tell us who exactly has called for us to colonize Iraq? Did you hear President Bush when he called for benchmarks that the Iraqi forces would have to provide when he called for the surge? What the hell are you basing your comment on?

We lack the weapons and tactics to defeat this new enemy. They use everything we have and everything that we are, our values, our honor, and even our freedoms to harm us, to harm our nation. Our soldiers die and they cheer. Our soldier prevail and they accuse. They tell lies, false stories made up out of thin air to destroy our morale and cast doubts on our leaders decisions. More and more I see the media as the enemy.

Buzzy on March 20, 2007 at 1:54 AM

Dont worry, in the coming years those who have complicit(sp)
like the media will held to account as will our “fellow Americans” who feel the need to undermine the efforts of those who provide for their freedoms, a day of reckoning will certainly come for them in one form or another.

But the lower ranks were in rebellious mood, especially after publication of a poll on Monday, commissioned by the BBC, ABC News, ARD German TV and USA Today, which showed only 18 percent of those questioned had confidence in US and coalition troops, while 78 percent opposed their presence.

Let’s disect that poll, and try to forget who did the polling.

18 percent questioned had confidence, while 78 percent opposed their presence. This is cleverly worded to give the impression that one stat is related to the other. One has nothing to do with the other. One corresponds to confidence in troops, the other to the presence of troops.

Confidence to do what? Protect Iraqis, defeat the insurgents, train Iraqi troops, kill Sunnis, cleanup Sadr City, destroy Al Qaeda, rebuild infrastructure? Inquiring minds want to know what drove this unfavorable statistic.

Of course they oppose our presence. The only surprise is why wasn’t that number 100%? Even the Iraqis who are glad we are there, who appreciate what we have done, are anxiously awaiting the day we leave their country. It’s not a bad reflection on our troops or their accomplishments.

Polls can always be manipulated for the desired results. Especially polls conducted by the BBC, ABC News, ARD German TV and USA Today.

“We just want to get out of here as soon as possible,” said one vehicle commander in one of his few printable comments

Question, why were our hands ever tied in the first place?

Why were our troops not allowed to kill Sadre years ago?

Why is Gen. P. calling back attack airships and the surge is working?

Why did we give an inch to these Michael Foxrots?

Why don’t we fight the war to win it?

Why did one more American or Coalition troop get “sniped”?

Why are our soldiers kept away from “Victory” while Ted Kennedy takes a crap, and ponders a political victory?

Some on this thread tell me “I go off”, and I do. Usually, when I am at work during the day, I only have time to add humor when I see it, but when I get home, and put my son to bed, I begin to read…….. then my head begins to explode on the perceived idiotic actions our government, and it’s agencies take. Let alone my fellow “citizens”………

But the lower ranks were in rebellious mood, especially after publication of a poll on Monday, commissioned by the BBC, ABC News, ARD German TV and USA Today, which showed only 18 percent of those questioned had confidence in US and coalition troops, while 78 percent opposed their presence.

Cooked polls and propaganda hurt our troops morale not the difficulty of the tasks they face.
Its time for losers like Salaam Ahmed to put up or shut up.There is more to “love of country” than protecting lady’s pumps.Sloth

“We just want to get out of here as soon as possible,” said one vehicle commander in one of his few printable comments.

“It’s because the Iraqi army is so scared that we have to come here to die,” he added, asking not to be named.

Commander of the night operation, Lieutenant Brian Long, said the anger was understandable.

“One of the men has five children, another has three. Another has a boy aged four — he’s missed two of those years. He’ll never get them back,” said Long.

You can almost sense the feeling of hoplessness and wonder if the platoon commander is just speaking the positive as is his job:

“We are starting to make a difference,” he said. “The violence is dropping. We are training Iraqis to take over responsibility for their own security. We are helping them see their future ahead of them. It is in their hands.”

We’re looking at their situation from the outside. You can understand how the troops would feel actually being there. To me, their fear represents the lack of a shared vision – for whatever reason they lack it – reality or otherwise. They are there! We are not!

I’m so proud of them all and want them all to come home safely and in one piece. To me, they ARE America!

“Ninety-five percent of Iraqis are good but five percent are bad. But the 95 percent are too weak to stand up to the five percent.”

Time will tell if he’s right or wrong. Americans fought back on United 93. It would be sad if our expectation of other cultures turns out to be ethnocentricizm. I’ll make up a word if I have to.