War in Iraq, updates/stories Options

[jonathan83]

Post updates and stories here.

This post has been edited by jonathan83: Feb 23 2006, 02:30 AM

[fingercuffs]

I was secretly hoping this thread would disappear with the old forum.

[jonathan83]

Gunmen strike 27 Baghdad mosques, kill imams

Al-Askariya Mosque:
Before

After


This post has been edited by jonathan83: Feb 23 2006, 01:18 AM

[cmac]

i only summed the article, but was that thing real gold?

[impala454]

this is kinda like... just... iraq news right? not realy "War in Iraq"

[jonathan83]

we still have our military over there, still killing terrorists, trying to keep peace, still have deaths everyday. it's still a war as far as i'm concerned.

This post has been edited by jonathan83: Feb 23 2006, 02:20 AM

[impala454]

well yeah i know there's still a war there, but the news posted above doesn't seem to have any americans in there (although i didn't read very thoroughly).

[jonathan83]

yeah it probably doesn't have to do with Americans, but just the stability of Iraq in general. I guess I just wanted a thread for all the iraq stories, instead of one for each thing that happens (unless its major).

[Psykopath]

That mosque attack is fueling the fire for a possible civil war/sectarian violence. Such a thing would most certainly affect US troops then...

[JRockTTU]

yeah it probably doesn't have to do with Americans, but just the stability of Iraq in general. I guess I just wanted a thread for all the iraq stories, instead of one for each thing that happens (unless its major).

I thought that was the point of the NPR forum, to have multiple threads dedicated to News, politics, and religion.

[schwab]

yeah it probably doesn't have to do with Americans, but just the stability of Iraq in general. I guess I just wanted a thread for all the iraq stories, instead of one for each thing that happens (unless its major).

I thought that was the point of the NPR forum, to have multiple threads dedicated to News, politics, and religion.

they all wont go into here, it will go back to the same ways

[James]

yeah it probably doesn't have to do with Americans, but just the stability of Iraq in general. I guess I just wanted a thread for all the iraq stories, instead of one for each thing that happens (unless its major).

I thought that was the point of the NPR forum, to have multiple threads dedicated to News, politics, and religion.

[jonathan83]

yeah it probably doesn't have to do with Americans, but just the stability of Iraq in general. I guess I just wanted a thread for all the iraq stories, instead of one for each thing that happens (unless its major).

I thought that was the point of the NPR forum, to have multiple threads dedicated to News, politics, and religion.

eh we had a thread like this before, so i figured why not.

[jonathan83]

Iraq Implements Curfew to Stem Violence

[woody]

i think after the iraq war started, every other thread in NPR was a new news story about iraq. so it all got pinned at the time for good reason.

This post has been edited by woody: Feb 24 2006, 10:06 AM

[Hartmann]

Just a picture of a friend of mine in the 101.



Me personally, I think a civil war might do the country a little good... Let the insurgents duke it out, intervening only to save lives and maybe take a few pot shots.

[Seussninja]

if by civil war you mean OH GOD AMERICANS PLEASE HELP ihateamericans PLEASE HELP then yes

[schwab]

civil war could either make the country more split that nothing will ever work out or all the insurgents will kill each other off and it will make things easier. i dont know, i dont think it would be that great of an idea....but i dont think we can really control what goes down now.

[Timbo]

Latest Iraq Civilian Body Count: 35119



Timbo

[FORSAKENR320]

as far as the insurgents go, the people that have the best weaponry, training, and urge are gonna win, i think. in this case it means those people already causing the problem. i think that they will all kill each other off, but more of the insurgents are gonna survive than those not prepared.


of course i realise this reflects the exact opposite of most situations occuring in history. very few civil uprises actually result in the actual overthrow and complete change of power, like they are wanting. america's independance from it's mother country is one of the few related topics in which the "rebels" get exactly what they want through force and guerilla warfare. not quite a complete accurate comparison to this situation, but close enough to shed a different perspective.

[celebritygooner]

Me personally, I think a civil war might do the country a little good... Let the insurgents duke it out, intervening only to save lives and maybe take a few pot shots.

A civil war would result in southern Iraq being annexed by Iran and probably rolling up Kuwait in the process, so, no, a little civil war WOULDN'T be a good thing.

[Rocky]

I heard we 'won this one !

USA !

U S A

[Psykopath]

I heard we 'won this one !

USA !

U S A

[Hartmann]

Pic of a HMMV destroyed by an IED outside of Tikrit. From what my friend told me no one was killed but there were some serious injuries.

[pysex]

Latest Iraq Civilian Body Count: 35119



Timbo

good good


now we have several million more to go

[GOB]

istompniggers

[Psykopath]

Lubbock Family Loses Both Sons to War.

[Timbo]

Timbo

[pebkac]

I forgot this thread existed....

[Timbo]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060930/ap_on_.../democrats_iraq

I wonder how they'll assassinate her character; and they will

Timbo

[GOB]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060930/ap_on_.../democrats_iraq

I wonder how they'll assassinate her character; and they will

Timbo

correct me if i'm wrong, but captain is above what, lieutenant?

i'm sure they let all the lowest ranking officers know the major strategic plans and exact reasons why they're doing what they're doing.


she doesn't know shit. she's an angry veteran, and rightly so, but she's only going to get the pity vote (which she knows and is playing to get national media attention). i guarantee she was a republican before she got shot down.

[pebkac]

correct me if i'm wrong, but captain is above what, lieutenant?

i'm sure they let all the lowest ranking officers know the major strategic plans and exact reasons why they're doing what they're doing.


she doesn't know shit. she's an angry veteran, and rightly so, but she's only going to get the pity vote (which she knows and is playing to get national media attention). i guarantee she was a republican before she got shot down.

Damn. Timbo was right. That was quick.

[GOB]

Damn.  Timbo was right.  That was quick.

quick because she's a gimmick for the democratic party.


it's an empty threat that some idiots (timbo, and apparently you) will believe.


how about every wounded veteran run for office? seemed to work for john mccain.

[impala454]

I forgot this thread existed....

heh me too

and on the story... yeah.. i feel bad when people are injured like that, but fuckin A i'm getting sick of the pity party that ensues. when you sign up, you know the risks.

also gettin sick of the political power some of these injured soldiers think they can wield (or the democrats who want to leverage their injury/death to their advantage).

[Timbo]

Damn. Timbo was right. That was quick.

I know, right?

Timbo

[GOB]

[Mommy]

Timb-ho

[Timbo]

God, I'm a hot piece of ass =D

I really am, too, surprisingly =D d

I also wonder why us brown people always do the scrunch-face

Timbo

[Testm0nkey]

same thing as that lieing white POW woman was for the republican party

[GOB]

same thing as that lieing white POW woman was for the republican party

jessica lynch?

if so, exactly my point. she might as well run for office.

[Timbo]

http://www.rubyan.com/politics/2006/09/bus...r_crimes_p.html

Is this true?

Timbo

[impala454]

not sure whether it's true or the implications... but this torturing prisoners bullshit is gettin annoying. the "torture" was akin to some rough hazing. we've got a serious breakdown of priorities if people are spending actual taxpayer dollars & time to attempt to implicate the president for these petty acts.

we get fucking tapes sent to us of reporters getting their fucking heads cut off, and our people are more worried about we treated their prisoners???!?!?

[GOB]

not sure whether it's true or the implications... but this torturing prisoners bullshit is gettin annoying. the "torture" was akin to some rough hazing. we've got a serious breakdown of priorities if people are spending actual taxpayer dollars & time to attempt to implicate the president for these petty acts.

we get fucking tapes sent to us of reporters getting their fucking heads cut off, and our people are more worried about we treated their prisoners???!?!?

YEAH BUT WE BROKE OUTDATED INTERNATIONAL LAW

[Timbo]

Given all the changes in our law over the past 6 years, are we living in a facist country yet?

Timbo

[impala454]

Given all the changes in our law over the past 6 years, are we living in a facist country yet?

Timbo

yeah! we have lots of faces in our country!

oh nm you must have been talking about that extremely over-used i-hate-bush buzzword "fascist"

well... we still have congress... we still have judges... we still have a president... yep, still a democracy.

[Psykopath]

yeah! we have lots of faces in our country!

oh nm you must have been talking about that extremely over-used i-hate-bush buzzword "fascist"

well... we still have congress... we still have judges... we still have a president... yep, still a democracy.

The mere physical structures you mentioned are not what makes a democracy.

They are merely the vehicle in which most democracies operate. The people are the ones behind the wheel. Sometimes, they like to sit in the backseat for a while as others drive. Allowing others to drive can lead to some bad "accidents."

Time for the people behind this democracy to hold the driver(s) responsible this November.

[FORSAKENR320]

if anyone votes for kerry i will cut off their balls and staple them to their forehead

[Spectatrix]

if anyone votes for kerry i will cut off their balls and staple them to their forehead

I don't think any of us are registered in Massachusetts, Brandon...

[Testm0nkey]

not sure whether it's true or the implications... but this torturing prisoners bullshit is gettin annoying.  the "torture" was akin to some rough hazing.  we've got a serious breakdown of priorities if people are spending actual taxpayer dollars & time to attempt to implicate the president for these petty acts. 

we get fucking tapes sent to us of reporters getting their fucking heads cut off, and our people are more worried about we treated their prisoners???!?!?

if i only knew pledging to a sorority would get electrodes taped to my genitals i would have joined!

[Divergent Realit...]

if i only knew pledging to a sorority would get electrodes taped to my genitals i would have joined!

sweet.

[FORSAKENR320]

I don't think any of us are registered in Massachusetts, Brandon...

i'm just saying. that flip-flopper ketchup king should not be in politics.

7 words...

death by pickle-brine

[Spectatrix]

7 words...

death by pickle-brine

That's 4 words.

[Timbo]

http://impeachforpeace.org/evidence/

Impeach For Peace lolhippies

Timbo

[FORSAKENR320]

That's 4 words.

i was expecting someone else to mention it first


thanks for ruining my fun big-tits

[Timbo]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Bush_photomosaic.jpg - that's a lotta 'murkans

[Timbo]

http://www.infowars.com/articles/sept11/po..._gov_on_911.htm

[cupcake]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Bush_photomosaic.jpg - that's a lotta 'murkans

wow what a brilliant website you've found!

tinhat brigade up!

[The Fanatic]

if anyone votes for kerry i will cut off their balls and staple them to their forehead

What about my past voting record?

[chook]

I think this thread had a DNR order, and spivey violated it!!

[FORSAKENR320]

What about my past voting record?

i already punished you. you were once a woman, but voted for kerry. i got you addicted to drugs so you would randomly black out. i then stapled some other guys balls and cock to you, and then brainwashed you into thinking you were a man.


ok yea, that was a little stretched even for me. i got nothin'

[Divergent Realit...]

'new' tools

Before entering a building, troops squirt the plastic goo, which can shoot strands about 10 to 12 feet, across the room. If it falls to the ground, no trip wires. If it hangs in the air, they know they have a problem. The wires are otherwise nearly invisible.

more entertaining than a tricorder.

[Hartmann]

Some of the weirdest things in warfare start because of necessity.

[impala454]

heheh sweet

In other cases of battlefield improvisation in Iraq, U.S. soldiers have bolted scrap metal to Humvees in what has come to be known as "Hillybilly Armor." Medics use tampons to plug bullet holes in the wounded until they can be patched up.

Also, soldiers put condoms and rubber bands around their rifle muzzles to keep out sand. And troops have welded old bulletproof windshields to the tops of Humvees to give gunners extra protection. They have dubbed it "Pope's glass" -- a reference to the barriers that protect the pontiff.

[cupcake]

iraqi police have been compromised...this shit is going downhill.

just a year ago they were fine (rough around the edges, but loyalties were there). I asked my freshly deployed best friend if they were totally compromised, or if it's a regional thing:

Not sure. A truckload of them opened fire on one of our convoys a few days ago. In an IP truck and wearing IP uniforms. Needless to say, they didn't last long. We roll out with .50 cals on all trucks, so there wasn't much left of the truck or the gunmen after it was all over.

IP's can't be trusted. Some of them even taunt us when we're at a few Police stations. One was full of Mahdi militia moonlighting as IPs. We bring SAWs into those stations now, instead of our M4's.

IP's are also stupid. They don't pay attention to what they're doing. I almost lit a truckload of IP's with the .50 cal a few days ago becuase one of them was carelessly pointing his RPG at our convoy as we were passing. Idiot.

As far as the IEDs all over the place, the threat is there, but I've not heard about many going up recently. We get intel assessments every morning when we go to Brigade to put in our mission plans and we see generally 3 or 4 a day in our sector. Something must be going on tonight because theres been non-stop jet traffic flying over us since about 10am. more apaches have been seen as well. Today we were off, so I've not been out of the wire.

I did my 5th mission last night and it was a night mission. Thankfully, it was pretty boring.

We're going to an Iraqi police station tomorrow that's known for its hostility. Should be interesting. They're still mad at us for taking away some weapons they shouldn't have had.

I found a brand new copy of Steinbeck's East of Eden in the free book pile, I just started it, pretty good book.

Oh, and stop worrying DAD.

Rob

[Hartmann]

Good God... do you know what part of Iraq he's in or is that censored?

[cupcake]

baghdad

fallujah I could see. but nope, belly of the beast.

[impala454]

my bro-in-law is getting deployed right after christmas... he's artillery but he's supposed to be going to work with all the big wigs in some building in baghdad. not safe by any means but hopefully safer than anything else.

[GOB]

good toothpastefordinner today

[cupcake]

had a really bad day. 2 VBIED's went off about 50m from my vehicle. We were driving through a market area. Freakin carnage, dude.

None of us were hurt, but damn. never gonna forget this one.

I'm not really worried about my safety. It doesn't really cross my mind to be afraid (is that a bad thing? Does that mean I'm fucked up in the head?) It was just really jarring to see it raining blood and freakin bodyparts everywhere. That's what freaked everyone out. I now know what hell looks like, if there is one.

I just don't understand why they feel the need to do this to each other. I'm really beginning to think that religion is the root of all evil.

[cupcake]

I'm assuming he's talking about this...

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/01/22/...main/index.html

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Bombs in Iraqi marketplaces killed dozens of people Monday in Baghdad and in Khalis, near the northeastern city of Baquba.

At least 88 people were killed and 160 wounded in central Baghdad in a pair of nearly simultaneous car bombings, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said.

Hours later, an explosion ripped through a market in Khalis, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Baghdad -- killing 12 and wounding 29, Iraqi officials said.

The midday bombings in Baghdad's al-Sharqi district targeted civilians in a second-hand market, the site of several earlier attacks. (Watch ambulances rush to help bombing victims )

"Body parts everywhere, many bodies charred; it was horrible," the Interior Ministry official said.

Both car bombs were parked near the market and were detonated by remote control shortly after a driver stepped out of one of the vehicles, leaving its engine running, the official said, citing witnesses.

That car had a large amount of explosives and metal objects, including nails and other shrapnel, to inflict maximum casualties, the official said.

Also in Baghdad, mortar rounds fell on an elementary school in the Abu Dhseir section, killing one woman and wounding eight children.

In addition, a prominent Sunni tribal sheik, Riyadh Hussein al-Ogaidat, was fatally gunned down outside his home in Baghdad's western al-Furat neighborhood, an Interior Ministry official said.

In the nearby Jihad area, mortar rounds exploded in a residential area, wounding four civilians. (Watch what's being done to make new Baghdad security plan work )

[Hartmann]

cupcake, in your opinion, if we look merely at the factions of al-Queda in Iraq and other anti-American groups fighting troops in Iraq, are we better off fighting them there than we would be fighting them here? I am not talking about the Sunni vs. Shia crap, I am talking about the folks targeting the U.S. troops.

I feel that what the Iraq war has done is pulled possible attacks on the U.S. (where it's difficult) into Iraq (where it's easy to grab a gun and take out your vendetta). Granted, the carnage in the country is nothing we'd like to see but when it comes to self preservation, do you think that it's accomplished that somewhat?

Just wondering from a military point of view.

[cupcake]

I see what you're saying...

I don't think I can be very succint, and still be clear in how I answer you...please forgive my stream of consciousness muddle...

let me preface (ONCE AGAIN OH GAWD) that I think we should have used afganistan and perhaps some other lawless country that's prime for breeding muj like somalia as the "battlefield", and kept Iraq a contained for a while til we got our shit straight. right now, AQ is spread pretty globally, and I do think that is the result of the invasion and taking our eye off the prize.

but that is the past. regardless, I think it's very hard after 9/11 for al-queda to get in conus. perhaps I am being naive, but all of al queda is not in iraq, nor do I think they just stopped trying to get us on our soil. I think the simple fact is, they can't. we're not total dumb-dumbs like Lance thinks and we are working to protect ourselves. and I am confident some shit has gone down the likes of which we may not know until a couple decades down the road, if ever.

iraq simply makes it easy for them to wear on our motivation (though in the grand scheme, losing 3000...even 6000 troops is not going to adversely affect America or the military).

at most it leaves a bad taste in our mouth about getting involved elsewhere. the silver lining is that the US mil and coalitions have taken an evolutionary leap in warfighting tactics, equipment, etc that had lied dormant since literally vietnam. when I started playing gunslinger, the only difference in my equipment vs. my father's was the kevlar, A2 instead of the A1 or M14. same comm, same lensatic compass vice GPS, same boots, shitty shelterhalves, seriously everything. also we had the M1, hummers, and radder jets...but infantry wise...same shit.

Iraq has been steroids for our warfighting capabilities.

nowadays, the whole kit you use is totally evolved...in just 4 years. it's incredible and brilliant. tactics? I can't even begin to get into it...much much different.

but the insurgency is not making any grand steps toward our destruction. the real, non insurgency-based al queda still wants to rip down our shit. and I'm certain they are still working towards that.

is Iraq a buffer taking the brunt of their force, thus saving plano from car bombs? I don't think so at all. I believe what's happening in Iraq is nothing more than the natural reaction of an invasion.

if I knew a great way to fix it, I'd let someone know. but I don't.

[Hartmann]

I agree that Afghanistan should have been the containment area, and to a degree, it is. We are still fighting there, so do you think that's been a draw for fighters? "Come to Afghanistan and have your chance to kill Americans" rather than trying to get into the states?

It easy to gain access into both Afghanistan and Iraq and while I do not think that they have completely eliminated our chances for being attacked, I think they have reduced the urgency that the terrorist organizations feel to attack U.S. targets in the states when they can do it on their own turf.

[FORSAKENR320]

well, the difference i see is that while we are over there, we get to attack back.

i posted somewhere on these boards a few thoughts i had about it being beter to fight in someone elses country.



now, i don't know much about military, i admit, but i see a high cycle rate among the troops there, specifically after high combat situations. it makes sense to me, a blooded grunt is worth a damn lot more than a green recruit. (thought this while reading cupcakes post about the upgrades in the equipment) seems like a good opportunity to upgrade our troops into experienced fighters also. how many other of our "friendly" countries can say they have a large amount of combat experienced troops, ready to knock on someone's door and fuck up their Christmas?

[cupcake]

you bring up and interesting point...about salty combat vets. yes it is a great asset.

however, with private contracting paying what it does...and the military offering basically zero incentives to re-up...you lose a lot of seasoned middle management so to speak.

not to mention the toll 2...3 deployments in 4 years takes on a man, physically, mentally, emotionally.

if the mil did something like, 2 deployments, then bam, re-up with a decent bonus (like 20 g's or so), and your choice of noncombat duty for a couple years, like instructor at a school you've attended, that would be a rad start and help immensely. I wanted to go to coronado and be an instructor at scout/swimmers, or coxswain school, but the only guys they were taking were staff NCOs...which is way overkill for that billet. Sgts and Cpls could do that job just fine.

the time away from theater, and the grunt unit period, would help rejuvinate and re-sensitize him, while still maintaining the knowlege base he got from combat.

as opposed to the only real choices right now at the end of marine's enlistment, which are DI or recruiter. most...I'd say 85% of true grunts get out when faced with DI or recruiting duty. fuck that pogue shit.

[impala454]

if the mil did something like, 2 deployments, then bam, re-up with a decent bonus (like 20 g's or so), and your choice of noncombat duty for a couple years, like instructor at a school you've attended, that would be a rad start and help immensely.

maybe this was an isolated case, but this is how it's actually working with my bro-in-law. he's a cap'n in field artillery and did a year in korea, then came home long enough to pop out a kid w/my sister, now he's in iraq until november, but after that (~2 years of deployment) they're giving him the option to go get a masters, then teach at west point for a couple years.

[cupcake]

key word...captain.

officers aren't grunts. they have a totally different pipeline.

strategic leaders focus on that...strategy.

tactical leaders, Cpls and above (enlisted)...rarely get a break.

I'm not complaining. I understand officers and their jobs. I am the son and grandson of a field grade officers. I'm just pointing out that the door kickers don't have such a cush life.

[Mommy]

I think about this war a lot and how sad it is for the guys fighting over there. A lot of them still dont know why they were sent there. When young men and women join the military, they expect that if their life will be endangered that it will be for the safety of our country's well-being. Now, they are putting their lives at risk to protect the same people that are out to hurt them. RIDICULOUS

[GOB]

I think about this war a lot and how sad it is for the guys fighting over there. A lot of them still dont know why they were sent there. When young men and women join the military, they expect that if their life will be endangered that it will be for the safety of our country's well-being. Now, they are putting their lives at risk to protect the same people that are out to hurt them. RIDICULOUS

what i think is awesome is how we have reservists fighting in iraq, yet there are still full-time military personnel doing nothing in germany/japan/uk/guam/hawaii/etc...

granted, they knew what they were getting into when they signed up, but give me a fucking break-- send the real soldiers into battle and let the weekend-warriors take their place on a military base.

[Mommy]

I think its bullshit that some guys are coming up on their 3rd tour in Iraq. I also think its bullshit that even if you retire from the military, you can still be called up. Additionally, I used to think that I wanted to sign up for 4 years in the military to pay for school. HELL NO....the military can extend your duty without asking. In fact, many that are about to embark on their 3rd tour should have been out of the military already

[FORSAKENR320]

reminds me, i think my friend the army paratrooper just finished his 4 yr term, or is about to.... dunno if he is reenlisting or not

[cupcake]

I don't how the reserves work, but the thing they kinda leave out when you enlist for 4 years, or even extend to say 5, is that you have an 8-yr total commitment.

so you serve 4 active, and then EAS (end of active service), at which point you are assigned to a unit in the IRR (inactive ready reserve) for an additional 4 years. serve 6 years, commit 2 more to IRR...etc.

so they can call you up if they need you. before the iraq war, however, it was VERY uncommon to activate an inactive person though.

the only time I dealt with it was while I was at tech. I got a letter stating I had to be in amarillo for some kind of service records update hooyah on a certain date. They said they would pay me my time and grade (6yrs, sgt) for the weekend, so that was a nice check. I made the most of my time in the service, but I sure as fuck was done with the green weenie once I was "done". To say I was annoyed to have to report to some cheesedick reserve pogue-ass unit is an understatement.

but instead of bitching, I made it into a good time...showed up a little high...in civilian clothes. called everyone dude and pogue. I'm sure auditing my SRB they were expecting a bit more polished, gungho guy...but they got me. so I generally made everyone uncomfortable enough so that they left me alone.

fuck the suck

[FORSAKENR320]

I don't how the reserves work, but the thing they kinda leave out when you enlist for 4 years, or even extend to say 5, is that you have an 8-yr total commitment.

so you serve 4 active, and then EAS (end of active service), at which point you are assigned to a unit in the IRR (inactive ready reserve) for an additional 4 years. serve 6 years, commit 2 more to IRR...etc.

so they can call you up if they need you. before the iraq war, however, it was VERY uncommon to activate an inactive person though.

the only time I dealt with it was while I was at tech. I got a letter stating I had to be in amarillo for some kind of service records update hooyah on a certain date. They said they would pay me my time and grade (6yrs, sgt) for the weekend, so that was a nice check. I made the most of my time in the service, but I sure as fuck was done with the green weenie once I was "done". To say I was annoyed to have to report to some cheesedick reserve pogue-ass unit is an understatement.

but instead of bitching, I made it into a good time...showed up a little high...in civilian clothes. called everyone dude and pogue. I'm sure auditing my SRB they were expecting a bit more polished, gungho guy...but they got me. so I generally made everyone uncomfortable enough so that they left me alone.

fuck the suck

old roommate kevin was a marine, had the same thing happen. he just showed up fat. like, went from 185lbs to 305lbs fat. they left him alone too

[Psykopath]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070327/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq

Breaking News:

Senate wants troops out of Iraq in 1 year.

WASHINGTON - Defying a veto threat, the Democratic-controlled Senate narrowly signaled support Tuesday for the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from
Iraq by next March.

Thoughts?

[GOB]

i'm surprised they gave them an entire year

[The Fanatic]

haha, we created a situation we can not win and pulling out will only make the country worse when Iran fills the void that we leave behind. Yay!!!

[The Fanatic]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/04/08/...main/index.html

[Mommy]

Seriously, get our troops out of there.

[Hartmann]

Seriously, get our troops out of there.

Should read: "Kill al-Sadr"

In all seriousness, we should have taken him out long ago.

[Mommy]

Its just to the point where it doesnt seem like there is very much forward progress

[Hartmann]

It was a bloody day in Iraq today: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6586501.stm

9 U.S. soldiers killed in a suicide attack.

[Mommy]

I read a news story yesterday that a US soldier said its a tragedy that our country hangs the flags at half staff for the deaths of the VT students, but does not ever hang the flag at half staff for the deaths of US servicemen. I wish I had the link to the story. I think I read it on yahoo.

[cupcake]

I read a news story yesterday that a US soldier said its a tragedy that our country hangs the flags at half staff for the deaths of the VT students, but does not ever hang the flag at half staff for the deaths of US servicemen. I wish I had the link to the story. I think I read it on yahoo.

I read that too...here it is...

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Army sergeant complained in a rare opinion article that the U.S. flag flew at half-staff last week at the largest U.S. base in Afghanistan for those killed at Virginia Tech but the same honor is not given to fallen U.S. troops here and in Iraq.

In the article issued Monday by the public affairs office at Bagram military base north of Kabul, Sgt. Jim Wilt lamented that his comrades’ deaths have become a mere blip on the TV screen, lacking the “shock factor” to be honored by the Stars and Stripes as the deaths at Virginia Tech were.

“I find it ironic that the flags were flown at half-staff for the young men and women who were killed at VT, yet it is never lowered for the death of a U.S. service member,” Wilt wrote.

He noted that Bagram obeyed President Bush’s order last week that all U.S. flags at federal locations be flown at half-staff through April 22 to honor 32 people killed at Virginia Tech by a 23-year-old student gunman who then killed himself.

“I think it is sad that we do not raise the bases’ flag to half-staff when a member of our own task force dies,” Wilt said.

According to the Defense Department, 315 U.S. service members have died in and around Afghanistan since the U.S.-led offensive that toppled the Taliban regime in late 2001, 198 of them in combat.

NATO’s International Security Assistance Force said that the flags of all its troop-contributing nations are flown at half-staff for about 72 hours after the service member’s death “as a mark of respect when there is an ISAF fatality.”

Sgt. 1st Class Dean Welch, who works with Wilt at the U.S.-led coalition public affairs office, said the essay is a “soldier’s commentary, not the view of the coalition and not the view of the U.S. forces.”

Welch added that such outspoken opinion pieces are rare.

Wilt suggested that flags should fly at half-staff on the base where the fallen service member was working and in the states where they hail from. He said some states do this, but not all of them.

He wrote that the death of a U.S. service member is just as violent as those at the university last week, but it lacks the “shock factor of the Virginia massacre.”

“It is a daily occurrence these days to see X number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq or Afghanistan scrolling across the ticker at the bottom of the TV screen. People have come to expect casualty counts in the nightly news; they don’t expect to see 32 students killed,” he wrote.

“If the flags on our (operating bases) were lowered for just one day after the death of a service member, it would show the people who knew the person that society cared, the American people care.”

Hate to sound like an asshole, but that's not what we do. Troops fight. And troops may die.

College kids go to school. They aren't supposed to die doing that.

One is a tragedy...the other, an inevitability...

[impala454]

I heard on the radio this morning that tony blair is about to start pulling british troops... f'n pansies.

you know we really will all be speaking arabic within the next 20-30 years. I just hope our masters still let us play computer games and drive muscle cars. good luck women, enjoy your rights while you still have em! Ooh, maybe I can get an AK-47 pretty cheap!! Oh and I've always wondered what it's like to fire an RPG!

[Mommy]

I read that too...here it is...



Hate to sound like an asshole, but that's not what we do. Troops fight. And troops may die.

College kids go to school. They aren't supposed to die doing that.

One is a tragedy...the other, an inevitability...

Most of the servicemen are the age of college students. Its sad when anyone that young dies, but I totally agree with you. Those students were in a safe place, not in a war zone. They were killed by one of their own.

[Mommy]

I heard on the radio this morning that tony blair is about to start pulling british troops... f'n pansies.

you know we really will all be speaking arabic within the next 20-30 years. I just hope our masters still let us play computer games and drive muscle cars. good luck women, enjoy your rights while you still have em! Ooh, maybe I can get an AK-47 pretty cheap!!

what the fuck are you talking about? Good, Britain has enough common sense to know that NOTHING is being fixed over there

[cupcake]

Most of the servicemen are the age of college students.

um I know.

I was 19 when I returned from my first deployment. But as one who signs up for it, prepares a last will and testament and power of attorney, has a $200,000 life insurance policy, and trains for it, death is something that is kind of expected. Even as a teenager.

I highly doubt most college kids have prepared wills and life insurance.

that Army Sgt needs to pull his head out of his ass.

we already fly them at half-mast on memorial day. keep it simple.

[Mommy]

I never understood the whole huge life insurance policy thing...unless married or you have kids. My ex was 20 when he got back from Iraq and he had a half million dollar life insurance policy. I mean, yeah we were talking marriage in the future, but Jesus. I guess its nice since the policies are somewhat more affordable for military. Nice way to hook up your family if you die. I guess I would just rather spend the money on something else if I was single and in the military.

[cupcake]

we don't really pay much into it, so it's not a big deal.

it's called SGLI (serviceman's group life insurance..I think) and comes out of your pay automatically every month. but it is a negligible amount...like dollars. I forget, I haven't looked at an LES (paperwork) in a few years.

It's not like you have to write out a monthly check for 150 bucks or something...

in my case the beneficiary was my mommy, and I'm sure she would prefer her son alive, but a few hundred thousand G's would help out I bet.

[Mommy]

damn... military benefits.... so nice.