I had a day off yesterday. Usually, I spend my days off at home because I don’t have a place to go to. We don’t have any amusement place to spend time in after a week of working hard counting how many car bombs exploded and how many people died and whether they were all Sunnis, all Shiites, or mixed. It is sad. Before the war of 2003, we had places to go to, we the youth. Our parents had places to go to, and children had theirs. I remember going back home at 2am, 3am or so. Not always, but I could if I wanted. Although we always complained that we weren’t living like the young people do in the U.A.E., our Weeping Wall, but I miss these days of spending time on the phone with my friends trying to decide where to go. We didn’t feel it then, but we had a luxurious life compared to now! I forgot to tell you that also with coming back home after midnight, I wore shots. Before the war, I spent all summer in shorts. Wherever I went, I wore shorts because otherwise I would fry in hell!
So, for a change, I decided to leave the house yesterday. But to go where? Hmmmm. I called my aunts and cousins and invited them to my aunt’s. A good way to see the rest of the family, hear what they have to say and I may get ideas to write about, and also, I’ll have women in the car with me to spare me the terror I feel when I see checkpoints and the killers manning them. [when you have women in the car, it is always a good chance you don’t get stopped in the street.]
At first, not all my relatives liked the idea because my aunt’s house, to where I invited people, is in Saidiya. Have you heard of that place? Well, it is a Sunni neighborhood in southern Baghdad, where insurgents have announced control two years ago. Therefore, my aunts had to wear head scarf of they wanted to go there, they had to wear skirts and not wear make up. It is a pain in the ass.
It is true that the American forces and the Iraqi government say the control Baghdad, but it is not true that what they say is true!
So, I convinced them all to go. We had a convoy of three cars. To make it interesting and not to forget that I am a journalist, I counted the checkpoints or the road blockages we had on the way. I a 25-minute drive, we stopped and zigzagged in 11 checkpoints and blockages! Plus the traffic policeman, who stopped me for driving an even car license number in an odd day! But that didn’t ruin the day. Other things did!
We arrived to our destination. Of course there was no electricity and no generator to work because there is no gasoline. It was fun. Humid, hot, red eyes, but fun!
The conversation was a typical Iraqi one. “Have you heard about the women who were killed in Amiriya?” one aunt asked. “Yes. I hear they killed them because they didn’t wear head scarf!” a cousin answered. “Omar, don’t wear shorts from now on. Your name is enough to be worried about!” another aunt said. And so on.
A cousin of mine was showing off her new clothes to my other cousins. She bought like, I don’t know, maybe ten sleeveless T-shirts and was very happy to show them. We all laughed, but felt sorry for her. Where would she wear them?! She insisted that wearing them inside the house “wouldn’t be risky!”
“Have you heard about the 7 young men who were killed after leaving a swimming pool last week? They killed them because they wore shorts!”
Taliban is reorganizing in Iraq. And what better place than Iraq to reorganize! Who would stop them? With 11 checkpoints in the way, we were still afraid of the insurgents, Sunni insurgents. With all the soldiers and police in the street, my aunts were looking around fearing that a car would follow us and kill us. Because maybe the insurgents know they don’t wear head scarf and they only wore them now. What a life!
“Now what do you say?” my aunt asked me, referring to that I might be the last Iraqi who is still in favor of the war. “Do you still like what happened in Iraq?”
I wanted to answer her, but I was really hungry. I didn’t want to be deprived of food at 3pm! Also, I didn’t have evidences to back my answer up!
Feeh!
At 11:49 AM, 
a question 24. when you say the taliban is reorganizing do you mean a. are they coming from outside the country? are sunni insurgents using the support of the taliban, joining forces or becoming members of the taliban? are they killing sunni's who are not supportive of the taliban or primarily targeting shites? are sunni's fearful of the taliban way of life or grateful for the support in countering the numbers of the shite. are there factions of shites equaly as dangerous (death squads etc)
is there an awareness of an established preference of the occupation towards sunni or shite
" insurgents"? i always have a difficulty w/the term insurgents towards people fighting in their own country. how do you define an insurgent as opposed to a iraqi patriot.
At 3:40 PM,
Very interesting slice of life. Time was in Washington, when I first moved here 20 years ago, we women had to wear hose at work in the summer. And I even knew of offices where open-toed shoes and sandals were forbidden. It was really sticky. But people kind of just stopped doing it, except for really formal offices. It gets hot here, but nowhere like Baghdad. And, of course, most of the time the a/c works. We still can't wear shorts to work though (but obviously do at home).
At 3:57 PM,
At 8:18 PM,
Uh, Anonymous,
I think Omar was using the word "Taliban" figuratively, i.e., for religious zealots of whatever sect who are trying to foist their strict interpretations of dress codes, etc., on everybody else, and threatening (and sometimes dealing out) death as punishment for "dress code infractions." The Afghan Taliban (meaning "students") are still in Aghanistan (and Pakistan), but trying to make a comeback.
At 8:49 PM,
Does anyone know if any of the politicians in the new government
actually have influence over
the "Iraqi" portion of the insurgency???
I fear that there are still more then 10,000 or so Iraqi who will
NEVER accept the new government
and this will lead to many more years of innocent deaths.
The point being negotiating
over cabinet positions and
taking parliamentary votes while
innocents are still targeted
every day MUST STOP.
If Sunni politicians can not stop the insurgency and Shia politicians can not control retaliatory attacks then the government is useless.
Do Iraqi citizens want more
and larger sweeps to find explosives throughout the cities??
It seems to me from the news that
the bombers come and go at will
without having security services
regularily sweep all neighborhoods
for explosives and weapons of war
Many Many Iraqi police have died
without any mention of how to
search neighborhoods and businesses for explosives
At 9:49 PM,
"I fear that there are still more then 10,000 or so Iraqi who will
NEVER accept the new government"
i'm curious how you come up w/this figure. w/26 million iraqi's 10,000 seems like a fairly small percentage. i'd say if you could get 25 million to accept a puppet government that would be an incredible accomplishment.(if you could call it that)
isn't 10 thousand like .05% of the population? that means for every insurgent we have over 10 troops.
"It seems to me from the news that
the bombers come and go at will"
i don't know, it seems a little more nefarious
more sweeps? what a coincidence you should ask. i read about a month ago rummy's plan is to begin sweeps after the new gov is installed. does it really matter what iraqi's want. do we hear any iraqi's clamoring for sweeps?
what are all those psyops and special forces doing over there? lots of behind the scenes work i suppose.
At 10:34 PM, 
24 Steps to Liberty
Thanks Jon in Maryland..
Guys, when I said Taliban, I meant all those who believe in their strategy, if they have one. All those who believe in their sick ideas and have the same sick mentality.
For those who asked if any Iraqi politicians are connected to insurgency, I say YES. We have high-rank politicians in the current government who are linked to the insurgency. But they are not the problem now. They’ve got what they wanted and are trying to quell their “brothers’” violence. Our problem now is those bastards who got nothing since the fall of Baghdad and are losing support every day after people realized how brutal and hopeless they are [which I predicted in former entries!] and now are trying to push people into houses so even if the government does succeed in its work, people wouldn’t enjoy it and the press, us, wouldn’t be able to report any success.
At 12:28 AM,
At 8:52 AM,
washington post has a fairly scathing article this morning iraq is the republic of fear.
i certainly worry about all the iraqi journalists. take care, please, whatever it takes
And one of America's treasures, Helena Cobban, has more to add to the article mentioned above on the "Republic of Fear"...only she sees the hopeful possibilities with a clarity borne of experience and faith - http://justworldnews.org/archives/001938.html
To define Iraq as a Republic of Fear is over-simplification - there is much reason for hope, and change is in the wind.
At 9:46 PM,
Well, Melissa, I hope you and Helena Cobban are right to feel optimistic, but I think Lebanon is the closest comparison, and it took 15 years for that to end and another 15 to get started on what's still an uncertain new path. Anyway, thanks for the intro to Ms. Cobban. Her comments look interesting and intelligent, so I added her site to my favorites.
I wanted to answer her, but I was really hungry. I didn’t want to be deprived of food at 3pm! Also, I didn’t have evidences to back my answer up!
So were do you stand now ... do you still feel the invasion of Iraq was justified? In economic parlance, has it delivered a return comensurate with the investment in lives, time and money?
At 11:14 AM,
[The Ugly American] "Why do all the nuttiest conspiracy theories come from anonymous people?"
They may be THE nuttiest but there are plenty who post their "names" as well.
Usually it has something to do with a neo-con/military industrial complex conspiracy to invade Iraq for oil...blah, blah, blah.
There is a saying that shows up on a sports blog I read sometimes...
"Before the internet the village idiot stayed in his own village"
Truer words have never been spoken!
At 3:14 PM, Truth About Iraqis
Tex, thumping your breast again?
Iraqi for Iraqis not US military, not US contractors, not US advisors, not Iranians, not Saudis, not Jordanians.
"Before the internet the village idiot stayed in his own village"
Well-said, so stay in your lil zoo and leave the world alone, git? No need to invade and kill women and children now, git?
Oh, yeah, don't start about 911, take it and stuff it. As much as the events of 911 were a tragedy and a despicable crime against humanity as a whole, Iraq had nothing to do with it.
But Iraq has proven that within three years, the US military can become on par with the SS, Stasi, Savak, and what have you.
All the values the US once stood for have now broken down.
Bravo, well done.
At 12:05 AM,
At 7:22 AM,
Slow down there TAI. I wasn't trying to take a shot at you. I don't mind having constructive debates with people - that is why I come hear.
I was simply taking a swipe at those folks who talk of wild eyed conspiracies when it comes to Iraq. The situation there is chaotic enough without throwing in screwball theories.
As for comparing the US Military to the Stazi or SS...that is way over the top. As I have posted previously, some 1 million soldiers have served abroad in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is a shame that the actions of a small percentage of people can tarnish the good work that so many young people have done or are trying to do. At the very least the vast majority of those kids just want to do their job and go home. They have no reason to rampage through Iraq for now reason.
I have read your statements where you talk about the small majority of Muslims and in particular Arabs who are radicals or terrorists. As I am sure you would not want to be judged on their actions so to would I expect you not to pass judgment on all the young people in the US military based on the actions of a few.
At 8:59 AM, Truth About Iraqis
Ahhh, TEX are you beginning to see the light?
"I have read your statements where you talk about the small majority of Muslims and in particular Arabs who are radicals or terrorists. As I am sure you would not want to be judged on their actions so to would I expect you not to pass judgment on all the young people in the US military based on the actions of a few."
At 9:49 AM, Truth About Iraqis
By the way Tex, I don't want you to misunderstand. I think MOST of the US military supports the whole sale killing of Iraqis and it is actually the few that are enlightened enough to realize the difference between right and wrong and that unarmed Iraqi civilians are human beings.
US media is now trying to whitewash what happened. We hear of troops supporting those in Kilo Company saying they "empathize".
Interesting. Imagine someone saying they empathized with Mohammad Atta, for example.
You'd be angry right.
So explain these comments then:
From SignonSanDiego.com:
Three years of breaking down doors and rushing into small, dark rooms where Marines might encounter a man with a gun or a family frozen in terror.
Three years of chasing snipers who shoot and then fade into the crowds.
Three years of seeing buddies dismembered or killed by roadside bombs when their big hope is to go home in one piece.
Awww, we should all feel sorry for them invaders and if they kill Iraqis, awwwww, what a burden they must have been under.
“When a Marine dies, all the emotions come out,” Talley said. “It's like losing your own brother. You know his mother and sister. You've either met them or you know them through the letters they sent, just like you've shared your letters.
“Maybe he has saved your life, and then he is dead.”
No, the Iraqis who just get murdered because of US military anger don't have sisters and can't write letters and don't have mothers and brothers, right? Their deaths are worthless, right?
“A lot of people get a lot more aggressive searching people and places after someone passes away because you might die next,” said Flores, who observed that Marines on their second and third tours tend to handle Iraqi civilians more roughly then they did the first time around.
“After someone is killed, you get real pissed off and frustrated, and you just want the search over with,” said Flores, whose unit lost seven Marines and had 90 wounded during his three tours. “Sometimes you take it out on the people.”
Flores added that misunderstandings can lead to civilians being killed. He said that in several instances, Marines accidentally shot civilians who didn't understand – or defied – calls to leave their homes so Marines could search them.
In other circumstances, nervous or inexperienced Marines burst into houses and began shooting because they were scared, Flores said. This often causes other Marines to use their weapons as well, resulting in unintended deaths.
“The Marines are taught that once the shooting starts ... that house is considered a hostile house and they are to clear it as quickly as possible,” said Flores, who lives in Temple City. “And clearing a room with a hand grenade is the quickest way to do it.”
This is the most-trained military in the world? Sorry, no.
This sounds like a rabble, a militia, poorly disciplined, with utter disregard for human life.
"There is the risk of becoming indifferent to the loss of a human life, as well as bringing dishonor upon ourselves," General Mike Hagee said.
Why would he say that? Why would US forces be pushed through "ethics" training if someone, somewhere realized it was a mistake.
And is this just one incident? Or but one of thousands. Yes, thousands.
At 9:53 AM,
I would never stereotype 1.2 billion Muslims or 300 million Arabs based on the actions of a few. I was simply asking you to extend our young soldiers in Iraq the same courtesy.
Radical Islam is a cancer that exists in all parts of the Muslim world and it will be eradicated primarily by those living in it. Some (if not most) of the most compelling individuals fighting against radical Islam are in the Islamic world.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/22/AR2006052201152.html
http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=2214
These folks are brave indeed and they will eventually succeed. Let us hope the day comes more sooner than later that terror and murder in the name of Islam can elicit the same sort of response as say...danish newspaper cartoons.
At 10:05 AM,
"Awww, we should all feel sorry for them invaders and if they kill Iraqis, awwwww, what a burden they must have been under."
"No, the Iraqis who just get murdered because of US military anger don't have sisters and can't write letters and don't have mothers and brothers, right? Their deaths are worthless, right?"
I don't think any reasonable person would simply dismiss anyone's death as worthless. If they do, shame on them. It is possible to agree that all death is tragic.
If you truly think of the young people of the US military as a marauding horde then there is not much room for debate here.
Your obvious anger is leading to a blind hatred so intense that your capacity for remorse is depressed. I hope for your sake that will change one day.
At 10:31 AM, Truth About Iraqis
Tex: "Your obvious anger is leading to a blind hatred so intense that your capacity for remorse is depressed. I hope for your sake that will change one day."
Really? Please, go read some of the comments on the Yahoo billboards. See what some of the "young" people are saying about the pregnant woman killed yesterday.
Some are saying US soldiers should have stomped on her stomach.
Others said she got what she deserved. Others said "Two for the price of one - two muzzies killed".
Others said that she had a terrorist in the oven.
So, why don't you debate these people? Why don't you ask them where their human compassion is?
Why did you not address their blind hatred?
I am trying to show you how the US media is whitewashing the haditha incident. How so many US commentators are trying to dig up excuses as to why this happened.
So, do you condemn US media for doing that? Do you even criticize them?
You talk about blind hatred?
Fine, why don't you tell that to the father of the Marine who was killed in Haditha. He justified the murders of the families saying terrorists were hiding among women and children.
Why arent you addressing his blind hatred? Is it because he is an American and I am not?
Is it because his blood is different than mine?
Is it because I am a Muslim Arab?
No, seriously, will you condone his "blind hatred"?
And why did you not yell "AMERICA STOP AND CONSIDER ..." when on the eve of the invasion 71% believed Iraq was responsible for 911 and called for payback?
You want debate, then have the courage to acknowledge these things.
How am I to extend any courtesy to an Army of occupation that for three years has rampaged through the country?
Did you forget the Falluja massacre of May 2003 - which really started the resistance movement?
I will respect the US military and some of its members when it convicts and punishes the members of Kilo Company to the full extent of the law.
And then ruthlessly pursues probes of military conduct of every serviceman and woman across the board. No holds barred.
I hope that happens, but ...
Right now we are witnessing cosmetic applications - ethics training, empty statements, yada, yada, yada.
You talk about extending courtesy? Maybe that courtesy should have been extended to the innocent people of Iraq - the two women killed yesterday. The seven civilians killed by US soldiers in Ramadi last week.
The hundreds of civilians killed in Falluja, Tal Afar.
Why is it you did not stand up and demand courtesy for them? All we hear is "they were used as human shields, they are collateral damage, war sucks" and other such escapist ideology to placate the one pulling the trigger.
Were you asleep? Or was it because they were Muslim Arab victims of the righteous US military?
Of course, you can't debate. There is nothing to debate.
Day after day, the truth is being revealed and it becomes harder to lie to oneself.
At 1:15 PM, Truth About Iraqis
But THIS is promising, let us hope they follow through as passionately:
The U.S. military offered condolences on Thursday to relatives of 24 Iraqi civilians killed in Haditha last November in events that are now being investigated as possible murder by Marines.
"We mourn the loss of life. ... it is always very tragic and very unfortunate," U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell told reporters.
"But let me be very clear about one point: The coalition does not and will not tolerate any unethical and criminal behavior."
At 1:50 PM,
tex, you've got blinders on. i have been reading some of the soldiers blogs, they just think all iraqi's are scum and their lives are irrelevant. many of their supporters also.
"At the very least the vast majority of those kids just want to do their job and go home. "
of course they do, but they are for the most part uneducated and stressed out. they have no idea they are just a pon in a game. things are going according to plan
"The plan operates on two essential premises. To survive, Israel must 1) become an imperial regional power, and 2) must effect the division of the whole area into small states by the dissolution of all existing Arab states. Small here will depend on the ethnic or sectarian composition of each state. Consequently, the Zionist hope is that sectarian-based states become Israel's satellites and, ironically, its source of moral legitimation."
"Iraq, rich in oil on the one hand and internally torn on the other, is guaranteed as a candidate for Israel's targets . Its dissolution is even more important for us than that of Syria. Iraq is stronger than Syria. In the short run it is Iraqi power which constitutes the greatest threat to Israel. An Iraqi-Iranian war will tear Iraq apart and cause its downfall at home even before it is able to organize a struggle on a wide front against us. Every kind of inter-Arab confrontation will assist us in the short run and will shorten the way to the more important aim of breaking up Iraq into denominations as in Syria and in Lebanon . In Iraq, a division into provinces along ethnic/religious lines as in Syria during Ottoman times is possible. So, three (or more) states will exist around the three major cities: Basra, Baghdad and Mosul, and Shi'ite areas in the south will separate from the Sunni and Kurdish north. It is possible that the present Iranian-Iraqi confrontation will deepen this polarization."
the violence is necessary for the division of the country. the US soldiers are tools, they don't know why they are there. its going to get worse. there is only so many ways you can spin murder
At 3:06 PM, Truth About Iraqis
Sorry here it is a great BBC vid
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolavconsole/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_4850000/newsid_4859400/bb_wm_4859458.stm
At 3:23 PM,
There you go TAI a group of US soldiers you agree with! I think that is a start.
Those posts from Yahoo are what I was talking about with the "Village Idiot" quote. Before the internet whoever it is that believes horrible things like that would be only one among hundreds. Now those idiots can get online with other idiots from around the country and make themselves feel like they're some big movement. I wouldn't debate them any more than I would try to debate a radical Jihadist.
Maybe I should get on their boards and call them morons, I don't know. I just prefer coming to places like this where most people are at least somewhat reasonable.
As for the media "whitewashing" Hadatha, that is all that we have been hearing about hear in the states.
I would also point out that Anon's comments about the dottering US being pawns in the great Zionist conspiracy is more along the lines of what I was of the conspiracies I was referring to earlier.
At 7:18 PM, Truth About Iraqis
Tex, it's not a start for me. It's a start for them.
Accountability is crucial for any discipline.
Also, check this stuff out:
New massacre claims
And
Seven Marines, sailors face murder charges for death of Iraqi man in April
At 10:00 PM,
"the dottering US being pawns in the great Zionist conspiracy "
you've got to be kidding me! i never said that. try quoting me and not twisting my words. here's what i said " they are for the most part uneducated and stressed out. they have no idea they are just a pon in a game. " i'm talking about the soldiers, the 19 year olds out screwing up the rules of engagement being pawns in the neocon agenda.
the us is hardly a pawn of zionist policy.we're the one's backing them, they are our mini me in the ME, not our pawn. hey, that link was authored by Oded Yinon, an official from the Israeli Foreign Affairs office . if you want to call it a conspiracy, don't call it mine.
"The New York Times published an editorial on November 25, 2003 carrying Leslie Gelb's by-line. He's an influential man who, until recently, presided over the very important Council of Foreign Affairs, a think tank that brings together the CIA, the secretary of state and big shots from U.S. multinational corporations.
Gelb's plan? Replace Iraq with three mini-states: "Kurds in the north, Sunnis in the center and Shiites in the south." The objective? "To put most of its money and troops where they would do the most good quickly -- with the Kurds and Shiites. The United States could extricate most of its forces from the so-called Sunni Triangle, north and west of Baghdad.... American officials could then wait for the troublesome and domineering Sunnis, without oil or oil revenues, to moderate their ambitions or suffer the consequences." In short, starve the central state around Baghdad because the Sunnis have always spearheaded the resistance to U.S. imperialism. "
tex, are you the last person left standing who actually believes all the propaganda the msm hash out? and you're calling me the village idiot? ha! frankly i don't know all the answers, this is one theory floating out there, but here's what i do know, all is not as it seems. we are being fed lies, and we've been fed lies from the beginning of this fiasco. when peoples morals are intact they don't need to lie their way into invasions. you're the fruitcake.
At 10:14 PM,
TAI, iread about ishaqi in march. peter gabriel also produced a video called ides of march, or children of abraham, horrible. i saved this article, wondering when other news sources would pick it up
"The villagers were killed after American troops herded them into a single room of the house"
"75-year-old woman and a 6-month-old infant"
"revealed that all the victims had bullet shots in the head and all bodies were handcuffed."
At 3:09 PM,
At 9:02 AM,
Anon,
You show your absolute ignorance in your posts.
The fact is that the military has a HIGHER education level than the general polulace in the US. That means that chances are the uneducated "pawns" (not spelled "pon" you idiot) you speak of probably have a higher level of education than you.
As for TAI and BT, I am sorry you feel this way. As a soldier that served in Iraq I can assure you that I had only the best intentions and wish you all peace and prosperity in the future. Honestly.
At 12:49 PM,
Anon 9:02 -
A soldier trying to do good in Iraq...bah! According to many on this site you are merely a small minority. Most US soldiers are apparently systematically raping a pilaging the country.
So much so that their actions make the daily horrors committed by the righteous mujahadeen pale in comparison. Why else would they spend so much time obsessing about the crimes committed by coalition soldiers? I mean it's not like the folks the holy warriors kill in one day could even compare to what is no doubt a staggering number of people kidnapped and beheaded by US soldiers.
At 1:18 PM,
"I think MOST of the US military supports the whole sale killing of Iraqis and it is actually the few that are enlightened enough to realize the difference between right and wrong and that unarmed Iraqi civilians are human beings."_____I really think you are wrong about that. It is a small minority who think that way. The ones who never leave the FOBs are the most likely.____Nor do I think that most Iraqis support the wholesale killing of Americans (or of other Iraqis). But there is a minority who think killing Americans is a kind of big game hunting, like shooting lions in Africa in the 19C.
At 2:00 PM,
"You show your absolute ignorance in your posts."
you are so full of yourself, all your bravado will never make you right. oh make that 'absolute ' bravado and absolutely never make you right.
"The fact is that the military has a HIGHER education level than the general polulace in the US. "
does that take into account all the first graders too? they're part of the general populace.so are the 80 yr olds.
the military just lowered its standard for recruitments. people w/mental conditions are not being discharged. i don't need to emphasize what i say w/capitals btw.
face it , if joining the military was not related to class and money we would have college grads, senators children, etc. no one w/brains wants to fight an immoral war. it takes a special kind of idiot to sign up. of course there may be a rare few who do not consider the war immoral and have other options in life, who could get a college education any other way, but not many.otherwise how come recuitment is down?
At 2:49 PM,
Anon,
Once again you show your ignorance. Of course the education levels apply to the appropriate age brackets. That is a typical strawman argument.
Do some research before you continue to make incorrect assumptions. To be an Officer in any branch, you must have a college education. Period. Many soldiers use their Montgomery GI bill or other options to earn BA/S or 2 year degrees, and officers reaching Field Grade must go to graduate school. Sure many do it for the pay raise, but that doesn't change the fact that they are educated. These are facts son.
As for why people join, there are many reasons. College Education, money, not many options available, support a family, or a sense of duty are all reasons.
Oh, and re-up levels are at an all time high and have been for several years (hell, they re-up in theatre). Either the majority of a million soldiers believe in what they are doing (for whatever reason), or you are right. Too bad we are all idiots and you are a genius.
You talk about bravado and arrogance. Listen to yourself. You sit on a high horse and presume to tell someone who lived something how it is. That is the epitome of stupidity and self-emulation. Congrats, you are truly an asshole.
I am glad better men then you still sign up to protect your right to be such a pompous dick. I wouldn't want you near me in combat anyway as all you care about is yourself.
24 steps and everyone else, I am sorry about the rant, but this guy definately got under my skin. Apologies and stay safe.
Rick (previously anon)
TO......Truth about Iraqis :
Cant you even see that the reason American soldiers go bad is because of people exactly like you? How would you like to face someone with your vulgar talent in this vile world? Do you hate yourself so badly that you always have to blame something on an American to make yourself feel better? Is that something physiological you need to work out? You have no compromise and it ails you to say that 1 American might do the right thing. Admit it, your just looking for someone to place the blame on. Go ahead and reply with your common phrase of "stop killing our women and children, get out of Iraq" FYI, its not the Americans who are doing this. Its people like you who cant see the light! Give it a rest! Stop trying to force your terrorist thoughts on others. Whats the ratio? Give us the facts! How many Iraqi's have been killed by a bomb of some sort and how many have been killed by an American Soldier? Tell us where those bombs came from? Im not talking about invasion, rights or all that other stuff you try to change the subject to (your becoming notorious for avoiding direct questions.). Im talking about the facts. I for one am tired of your racial gibbered implements. You sound as if your AL Zawahri's right hand man or maybe you have started your own group the Iraqi Nazi's. Maybe its you that Iraq should fear! You have joined al-Qaida with their insane thoughts! You dont deserve to call Iraq your country!
At 1:32 AM,
don't ever call me son. i'm not your son. i'm probably older than you and i am a woman. call the child salt son, only a child would make those ridiculous insulting statements.
The War They Wanted, The Lies They Needed
"The U.S. must be "imperious, ruthless, and relentless," he argued, until there has been "total surrender" by the Muslim world. "We must keep our fangs bared," he wrote, "we must remind them daily that we Americans are in a rage, and we will not rest until we have avenged our dead, we will not be sated until we have had the blood of every miserable little tyrant in the Middle East, until every leader of every cell of the terror network is dead or locked securely away, and every last drooling anti-Semitic and anti-American mullah, imam, sheikh, and ayatollah is either singing the praises of the United States of America, or pumping gasoline, for a dime a gallon, on an American military base near the Arctic Circle."
"But the most important consequence of the Iraq war is its destabilization of the Middle East. If neoconservatives such as Ledeen and their critics agree on anything, it is that so far there has been only one real winner in the Iraq conflict: the fundamentalist mullahs in Iran. For decades, the two big threats in the Middle East—Iran and Iraq—had counterbalanced each other in a standoff that neutralized both. Yet the Bush administration, despite having declared Iran a member of the Axis of Evil, proceeded to attack its two biggest enemies, Afghanistan and Iraq. "Iran is unquestionably the biggest beneficiary of the war in Iraq," says Milt Bearden."
At 1:46 AM,
"At the very least the vast majority of those kids just want to do their job and go home. "
"of course they do, but they are for the most part uneducated and stressed out. "
you think i'm talking about the boots on the ground here smart ass. you think the guys busting up the place slaughtering women and children are more educated than the average american. you want to take what i obviously siad out of context and apply it to the officers whose feet for the most part never see battle.
i've already listened to all your propaganda spewing from the coward krypt.
we already know the top brass is educated, but they aren't the one's fighting this war. they aren't the one's are they. and anyone who reads the papers knows the military is loosening the requirements for new recruits. and there aren't more of them. so go take your pompous ass somewhere your bs may fly, cause it's sinking like a stone all over the world, taking the US and Iraq down the tubes with it.
btw, that last article lays to rest any illusions about sadam being a threat to america. bigshot, i don't think so, son.
At 3:13 AM,
"I think MOST of the US military supports the whole sale killing of Iraqis and it is actually the few that are enlightened enough to realize the difference between right and wrong and that unarmed Iraqi civilians are human beings."_____I really think you are wrong about that. It is a small minority who think that way. The ones who never leave the FOBs are the most likely.____Nor do I think that most Iraqis support the wholesale killing of Americans (or of other Iraqis). But there is a minority who think killing Americans is a kind of big game hunting, like shooting lions in Africa in the 19C.___What most American troops do support is the killing or capture of Al Qaeda fighters and bombers. I think most Iraqis support that too.
[rick] “Oh, and re-up levels are at an all time high and have been for several years (hell, they re-up in theatre).”
Funny, that’s not what I heard. I heard something different:
A reminder of duplicity in Iraq war
By SHERYL McCARTHY - May 31, 2005 - Times Union
[...] the Army reported lowering its minimum required active duty from 24 to 15 months, the lowest in history, in an attempt to lure hard-to-get recruits. The prospect of dying in Iraq has made recruitment so difficult that the Army expects to have only 10 percent of the 80,000 troops it will need to replace those in Iraq and Afghanistan next year in place by this fall. The Army's desperation to meet its quotas has driven recruiters to sign up people who are mentally ill, who have police records, who use drugs and who can't pass the military aptitude exams without cheating, according to The New York Times.” //end excerpt
But hey, that’s LAST year’s news. Things have probably changed this year, given Rick’s eyewitness testimony, right? Well …
U.S. sends mentally unfit soldiers to Iraq, says report
People's Online Daily - 15 May 2006
“The U.S. military has been dispatching mentally unfit soldiers to Iraq, even as authorities are aware of their illness, the Hartford Courant reported Sunday.
[...]
Some soldiers who committed suicide in 2004 and 2005 were kept on duty despite clear signs of mental distress, sometimes after being prescribed antidepressants with little or no mental health counseling or monitoring, it said.
[...]
The U.S. Army's top mental health expert, Elspeth Ritchie, admitted that some deployment practices, such as sending service members diagnosed with post-traumatic stress syndrome back into combat, have been driven in part by a troop shortage.” //end excerpt
Hmm. So the US is so desperate for troops it sends head cases to Iraq. And then we wonder why massacres such as in Fallujah, Ishaqi, Haditha, Yusufiyah etc happen …
Of course, nobody is accountable for this, as per usual US policy.
[rick] “You sit on a high horse and presume to tell someone who lived something how it is. That is the epitome of stupidity and self-emulation. Congrats, you are truly an asshole.”
Oh, boy, don’t you want to go and tell that to the hordes of Americans that preach over and over to y’all eye-rakis what is happening in their own country. Please, DO go tell them what assholes they are.
Start with Salt, why doncha?
At 7:17 AM, Lynnette in Minnesota
"I for one am tired of your racial gibbered implements. You sound as if your AL Zawahri's right hand man or maybe you have started your own group the Iraqi Nazi's. Maybe its you that Iraq should fear!"
Apparently, along with the summary executions by bullets or sharp knives, it is the insurgents tactics to make Iraqis look like they are not worth fighting for.
That there are no people in Iraq of intelligence or courage.
TAI is fulfilling his roll quite excellently.
At 7:38 AM,
Couple points:
1) Read my comments. Never once have I said anything about how it is over there or told TAI, 24 steps or BT how they should feel. I know what it is like to get up everyday and be in fear for your life and that was only for a year and I was able to at least fight back. Nice try at twisting my words.
2. Re-up is different then recruitment. They are two totally seperate issues, and yes, you are correct; recruitment is down and the standards have been lowered. All I ask is you take into context what the standards were before (they are still high).
3. None of my posts were about the legitamacy of this war. All I stated was that in my experience, the idiot soldiers are doing the best they can. Soldiers can't decide politics, the leaders we as a country elect do. They are human beings doing the best they can.
4. My only issue in this entire thread was directed at one flaming bitch who blantantly attacked soldiers with uneducated and incorrect facts. The men and women I served with from all countries including Iraq were some of the greatest individuals I have ever had the honor of knowing.
I guess it does take a special kind of idiot to run toward something when every fiber of your being screams to run away just to save a friend.
I guess it does take a special kind of idiot to be willing to sacrifice yourself for someone else and truly not care of their race or nationality.
I guess it does take a special kind of idiot to do your job b/c you have integity and it is your duty despite the fact that you have no say in why or where you are told to go.
And I guess it does take a certain kind of idiot to continue to stand a post when arrogant a-holes like anon continue to attack you and go so far as to call you an idiot.
That was my only point. I didn't mean to hijack any thread, and definately wasn't trying to tell anyone living in this hell how to feel. I truly believe Iraq will pull this off, in my personal opinion, because of the quality of the Iraqi people. I may not agree with some of the Iraqi bloggers here, but at least they have passion and experience about what they are speaking.
You, anon, do not and need to go back to the kiddie table, or talk about something you know anything about. And age does not make someone more mature, experience does. Grow up.
At 7:46 AM,
Bottom line Anon is you are so pissed b/c you know deep down that you are wrong and these soldiers (Iraqi's, Americans, Brits, Aussies, Koreans, Japanese, Polish ect.) are all better people than you. I guess you are so smart that little old you can call the entire world idiots. Once again those are the facts son.
24, sorry again.
At 8:21 AM, Truth About Iraqis
Interesting pipsqueaks coming from the racists who seek to have every Iraqi succumb to his knees.
Not going to happen.
1) The US military in Iraq has proven time and again that it is a brutal occupation force.
2) The US military in Iraq has proven time and again that it has little to no disregard of Iraqi civilians. All Iraqis are presumed guilty till they are shot dead. Whether their innocence emerges or not is immaterial to the military juggernaut.
3) The US military has also proven that it is loathe to investigate its own personnel for crimes against humanity.
Consider that senior Marine personnel knew something was wrong a few days after the tragedy of Haditha happened. But they did not fully investigate till Time broke the story wide open.
Had the story of Haditha not taken on political elements, it might have dragged on for quite some time.
4) Justice. This is a universal concept, not a national identity. In America today, we have two groups of people. Those who wish to see justice served in regards to Haditha and the hundreds of other "incidents", and those who believe the US soldiers accused in the Haditha massacres should not be put on trial simply because they are ... US soldiers.
Some, not all, but some of the people who come here and rant on and on about what they (as outsiders) believe is good or bad for my country having never lived there live in fear of admitting they are mistaken, that they have been misled.
So, you will see fiery rhetoric from them. It is directly proportional to how badly things are shaping in Iraq.
The worse it gets, the more they will wave their misguided patriotism on foreign soil.
The more crimes committed by US troops emerge, the more vehement and desperate their arguments will become.
I am sorry. The experiences of a US soldier in Iraq brandishing awesome firepower does not mean he has spent time in Iraq. It means he has been on a military tour of Iraq.
If you really want to understand us, come without your weapons. We will welcome you with open arms. We are known to be a hospitable people. We will share food and tea and talk of sports and things that are common between us.
But walking in with military boot, nah, sorry, that does not mean you understand Iraq or Iraqis. Not at all.
The bottom line remains that this is my country no matter in which light you seek to portray me.
In 10 years from now, the only way you will discuss Iraq is in terms related to how much it has destroyed America's moral and ethical fabric, how much it has lowered America's status in the world.
You will not remember where Mosul is in regards to Baghdad. You will forget city names like Kut or Kufa or Falluja or Ramadi.
But, of course, we Iraqis will not forget but this is our country, our land, our people, our soil, our past, our present and our future.
We did not ask you to invade our country. We did not ask for your soldiers to come to die here. We did not ask them to barge into homes shooting first and ignoring the death they leave in their wake later.
No matter how many people come here to continue to defend US soldiers I would ask you to remember what one Marine general said 10 days ago, he said it is the duty of a marine or soldier to disobey orders if they feel those orders are unlawful.
Apparently, the killing of women and children is being termed lawful? Is it?
The Nazis said they were following orders. The Nazis said war was ugly and civilians die.
These excuses are being used by many now, over and over.
In the days following Hitler's death and during the Allied administration of Germany, many Germans simply refused to believe there were concentration camps run by the Nazis.
They refused to believe that Jews, Gypsies, Slavs were put in gas chambers or had become so emaciated they looked like living, breathing skeletons.
So what did the US Army do? It shuttled thousands of German citizens to the camps. To see first hand the horror. To smell first hand what the German government had done in their names.
And then, the US Army had the most indoctrinated of Nazi supporters help with burial detail so that they themselves could bury the victims of Nazi oppression.
Most of those who continue to cheer the war look away when they are shown pictures of Iraqi children with bullet holes in their heads.
Or the pictures of women clutching their children as they tried to shield them from death - alas, in vain.
Yes, Iraqis want to see Al Qaeda and all the affiliated terrorists wiped out in Iraq.
Yes, Iraqis want ALL the foreign filth out. All.
Foreigners who come to Iraq to help the people, the downtrodden of Iraq are welcome.
Those who come to oppress us and usurp our wealth are not.
24, BT, others and I write and post as we do because we have lost ways to express our pains, our disillusionments, our angers.
We do not post comments to "win" points with silly remarks and asinine quirps.
It's not a game, it's not a joke. It is our lives that are at stake, it is our futures and the future of our children in Iraq that have gone up in the latest explosion, the latest violence.
At 8:24 AM, Truth About Iraqis
Interesting pipsqueaks coming from the racists who seek to have every Iraqi succumb to his knees.
Not going to happen.
1) The US military in Iraq has proven time and again that it is a brutal occupation force.
2) The US military in Iraq has proven time and again that it has little to no disregard of Iraqi civilians. All Iraqis are presumed guilty till they are shot dead. Whether their innocence emerges or not is immaterial to the military juggernaut.
3) The US military has also proven that it is loathe to investigate its own personnel for crimes against humanity.
Consider that senior Marine personnel knew something was wrong a few days after the tragedy of Haditha happened. But they did not fully investigate till Time broke the story wide open.
Had the story of Haditha not taken on political elements, it might have dragged on for quite some time.
4) Justice. This is a universal concept, not a national identity. In America today, we have two groups of people. Those who wish to see justice served in regards to Haditha and the hundreds of other "incidents", and those who believe the US soldiers accused in the Haditha massacres should not be put on trial simply because they are ... US soldiers.
Some, not all, but some of the people who come here and rant on and on about what they (as outsiders) believe is good or bad for my country having never lived there live in fear of admitting they are mistaken, that they have been misled.
So, you will see fiery rhetoric from them. It is directly proportional to how badly things are shaping in Iraq.
The worse it gets, the more they will wave their misguided patriotism on foreign soil.
The more crimes committed by US troops emerge, the more vehement and desperate their arguments will become.
I am sorry. The experiences of a US soldier in Iraq brandishing awesome firepower does not mean he has spent time in Iraq. It means he has been on a military tour of Iraq.
If you really want to understand us, come without your weapons. We will welcome you with open arms. We are known to be a hospitable people. We will share food and tea and talk of sports and things that are common between us.
But walking in with military boot, nah, sorry, that does not mean you understand Iraq or Iraqis. Not at all.
The bottom line remains that this is my country no matter in which light you seek to portray me.
In 10 years from now, the only way you will discuss Iraq is in terms related to how much it has destroyed America's moral and ethical fabric, how much it has lowered America's status in the world.
You will not remember where Mosul is in regards to Baghdad. You will forget city names like Kut or Kufa or Falluja or Ramadi.
But, of course, we Iraqis will not forget but this is our country, our land, our people, our soil, our past, our present and our future.
We did not ask you to invade our country. We did not ask for your soldiers to come to die here. We did not ask them to barge into homes shooting first and ignoring the death they leave in their wake later.
No matter how many people come here to continue to defend US soldiers I would ask you to remember what one Marine general said 10 days ago, he said it is the duty of a marine or soldier to disobey orders if they feel those orders are unlawful.
Apparently, the killing of women and children is being termed lawful? Is it?
The Nazis said they were following orders. The Nazis said war was ugly and civilians die.
These excuses are being used by many now, over and over.
In the days following Hitler's death and during the Allied administration of Germany, many Germans simply refused to believe there were concentration camps run by the Nazis.
They refused to believe that Jews, Gypsies, Slavs were put in gas chambers or had become so emaciated they looked like living, breathing skeletons.
So what did the US Army do? It shuttled thousands of German citizens to the camps. To see first hand the horror. To smell first hand what the German government had done in their names.
And then, the US Army had the most indoctrinated of Nazi supporters help with burial detail so that they themselves could bury the victims of Nazi oppression.
Most of those who continue to cheer the war look away when they are shown pictures of Iraqi children with bullet holes in their heads.
Or the pictures of women clutching their children as they tried to shield them from death - alas, in vain.
Yes, Iraqis want to see Al Qaeda and all the affiliated terrorists wiped out in Iraq.
Yes, Iraqis want ALL the foreign filth out. All.
Foreigners who come to Iraq to help the people, the downtrodden of Iraq are welcome.
Those who come to oppress us and usurp our wealth are not.
24, BT, others and I write and post as we do because we have lost ways to express our pains, our disillusionments, our angers.
We do not post comments to "win" points with silly remarks and asinine quirps.
It's not a game, it's not a joke. It is our lives that are at stake, it is our futures and the future of our children in Iraq that have gone up in the latest explosion, the latest violence.
At 9:59 AM,
nice try anon 7:38
i already corrected your misquoting once w/a copy and paste when you tried twisting my words. you cowardly base an intire thread repeatedly implying that i referred to soldiers as idiots when it is you i called an idiot.
stressed out and uneducated does not an idiot make. i will eat my words if you can copy and paste any proof of your claims but you can't because they aren't there.
your pathetic bravado is all smoke and mirrors.
TAI,24, and all the brave iraqi's who have risk their lives and/or the lives of their families bringing us the truth of iraq, thank you.
i grieve daily for the misery you and all iraqi's face each and every day.
There are now 600 insurgent attacks per week
"This is an Iraqi nightmare, and America seems powerless to stop it. What would you think if you were the parent of one of those dead Iraqi children? You would want the United States, the nation that broke the fragile bonds that once held Iraq together, to act more effectively to control this violence. And you would want Iraq’s so-called government of national unity to behave like one and stop the killers who are devouring the decent people of Iraq. And if neither the Americans nor the Iraqi government could protect your children, you would turn to the militias."
it is unfathomable to me how this disater will resolve itself.the desire of idiots to save face and prioritize the image of oppressors/occupation
over the destruction and condemn victims is beyond decency.
someday i would be so honored to visit my iraqi friends. i have had the honor of hosting some beautiful, thoughful, educated iraqi women at my home. memories i will cherish til my dying day.
so what if i am a flaming bitch. where does one even begin to process the anger generated against the scum who have initiated these atrocities.
this 'creative destruction' crowd should be punished for their war crimes and terrorism.
Bottom line Anon, you are a coward b/c you know deep down that you are wrong and these victims (Iraqi's, Americans, Brits,) blood is on your hands, Once again those are the facts son.
next time you accuse me of calling someone an idiot (the entire world!LOL) copy and paste, coward.
At 10:25 AM,
Anon,
"face it, if joining the military was not realted to class and money we would have college grads, senators children ect. no one w/ brains wants to fight an immoral war. IT TAKES A SPECIAL KIND OF IDIOT TO SIGN UP. of course there may be a rare few..."
End of that discussion.
And my name is Rick and you still go as Anon. Who is the coward?
I do agree with you on one point. These scum, if they did it, should be punished harshly and quickly. They impune the honor of all soldiers and Americans. It is truly disgusting.
And TAI was right about a very important point as well. It is any soldiers duty to disobey an unlawful order. Period.
And he was right that it is not a game and we shouldn't be scoring "points" against each other, so I will leave it with I guess we agree to disagree Anon.
24. Best wishes
Rick
At 6:28 PM,
ok rick i did say that. my name is annie as if that is any qualification for not being a coward!
i would like to caveat that being a soldier in an immoral war does not in and of itself qualify one as being an idiot. to join the military to protect one's country after a terror attack does not qualify one as an idiot. to be dragged back into service from stop loss does not qualify one as an idiot.to be a life long soldier or officer w/a military career does not qualify one as an idiot. to be stressed out, ptsd, battleworn, confused etc does not qualify one as an idiot.
the context of my statement(edited by you), does take on somewhat of a different meaning. the preface
"the military just lowered its standard for recruitments. people w/mental conditions are not being discharged. i don't need to emphasize what i say w/capitals btw."
was intended to direct one to the current circumstances. at the beginning of this war many americans didn't know what we know now because we were being lied to.we were intentionally being decieved because the people who initiated this war knew very well the american people would not approve on an illegal, pre emptive war under the true circumstances.
so, my apologies to all of our military that became swept up in my condemnation.
what i should have said was
"no one w/ brains wants to fight an immoral war. it takes a special kind of idiot to sign up now .
they know it too. thats why they lowered the standards.
At 6:56 PM, Truth About Iraqis
American Hero, no doubt of it:
TACOMA, Washington (Reuters) - A U.S. Army officer said on Wednesday that fighting in the war in Iraq would make him "party to war crimes" and he would not go.
First Lt. Ehren Watada's supporters -- including clergy and a military family group -- said he is the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse to serve in Iraq and risked being court-martialed.
The Pentagon said Watada was among a number of officers and enlisted personnel who have applied for conscientious objector status.
"The wholesale slaughter and mistreatment of the Iraqi people is not only a terrible moral injustice but a contradiction of the Army's own law of land warfare. My participation would make me party to war crimes," said Watada in a taped statement played at a Tacoma news conference.
Whoa--> Watada said his moral and legal obligations were to the U.S. Constitution "not those who would issue unlawful orders."
Watch him get labeled a coward and traitor ... poor guy has a storm coming his way, but I applaud his courage.
At 9:10 PM,
local press
"I feel that we have been lied to and betrayed by this administration," Watada said Tuesday in a telephone interview from Fort Lewis. "It is the duty, the obligation of every soldier, and specifically the officers, to evaluate the legality, the truth behind every order — including the order to go to war."
"It usurps international treaties and conventions that by virtue of the Constitution become American law."
"There has been an outpouring of support in the Puget Sound area," said David Solnit, who works with the anti-war group Courage to Resist. The group and others are helping organize a press conference today in Tacoma to launch the support campaign.
Watada's actions also may become a lightning rod for others in the debate about the Iraq war.
Among the enlisted ranks at Fort Lewis, Sgt. Kevin Benderman is serving a 15-month sentence at a base correctional facility for refusing a second tour of duty in Iraq. Benderman, an Army mechanic for 10 years, served in Iraq in 2003 but refused to board a plane for a return trip in January 2005.
Since the beginning of the war, more than 7,900 members of the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force have deserted, a small fraction of the hundreds of thousands who have served.
After the younger Watada enlisted, he was sent to officer-training school in Georgia. Watada said he supported the war at that time because he believed Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.
"I had my doubts," he said. "But I felt like the president is our leader, and he won't betray our trust, and he would know what he was talking about, and let's give him the benefit of the doubt." Over the past year, his feeling changed as he read up on the war and became convinced that there was "intentional manipulation of intelligence" by the Bush administration.
In January, Watada told his commanders that he believed that the war was unlawful, and therefore, so were his deployment orders. He did not, however, consider himself a conscientious objector, since he was willing to fight in wars that were justified, legal and in defense of the nation.
yeah, they definitely aren't all idiots
At 10:10 PM,
At 12:07 AM,
At 12:23 AM, Truth About Iraqis
BUT, I hope this does not deter or divert attention from the HADITHA MASSACRE.
That investigation MUST continue. And those responsible for killing Iraqi civilians must be punished.
This changes nothing about Haditha, Hamdaniya and dozens of other Iraqi towns where Iraqi civilians have been slaughtered.
TAI –
You’ve not left much for us to say.
Your post pretty much covered it all.
And I agree that Watada is what a REAL hero looks like. Somebody who can use his head and has the guts to stand up for what he believes in despite the consequences he will face. He could have so easily avoided trouble by stfu and deploying to Iraq like all the other sheep. Instead he chose a path true to himself and the constitution he signed up to protect. Salute!
[lynnette] “Apparently, along with the summary executions by bullets or sharp knives, it is the insurgents tactics to make Iraqis look like they are not worth fighting for.”
Shucks, Lynnette, don’t be so modest.
We all know the role that the US had in setting up the FPS death squads.
And we all know the role that Negroponte, Steele and Casteel played in training, arming and funding the Interior Ministry which is involved in the ‘secret’ operation of the death squads.
Come now, somebody has to take credit for the wholesale starving, beating and drilling to death of Iraqis! Step right up and take your credit for setting up the death squads. After all, the Sunnis “have to pay the price” for supporting the Resistance, right?
That is what defence department spokesmen said, right?
[kryptonite] “They blow up two of our buildings...we destroy two of their countries. I'd call it even.”
Ah, I see that Kryptonite is here to grace us with his thoughtful commentary again. Cool, according to Kryptonite logic, the next time a Mexican tries to stiff me, I’ll shoot 10 Americans and call it even. I mean, hey, they’re all from the same continent, right? And grossly overreacting is in order, right?
Gotta love the “Kryptonite logic”.
And then you wonder why Iraqis hate your guts.
PS - 12:07 anonymous - I had a similar reply for K, but somehow managed to keep it in ... this time. The man is what you say.
At 7:11 AM,
"And then you wonder why Iraqis hate your guts."
No need to wonder. It's all laid out pretty clear here by TAI, BT, and 24. Personally, I consider it a compliment. Unfortunately, I don't think you understand why we hate you...oh well - I get to sit here in my nice comfortable house in America while you bastards plot how to blow up some street market. What a fun life you must live!
At 7:20 AM, Lynnette in Minnesota
"2) The US military in Iraq has proven time and again that it has little to no disregard of Iraqi civilians." TAI
Excerpt from an interview with Sunshine (whom many of you know) an Iraqi girl living in Mosul.
"Mister Ghost - Were the American Soldiers civil and polite?
Sunshine: In the first inspection one of them was rude, but in the second time they were all polite.
Mister Ghost - Can you describe to us what an inspection is like?
Sunshine: Well, when we see some tanks "panzers" in the neighborhood, then we know that we might have an inspection and sometimes the soldiers suddenly enter the house! We all stay in one room or outside the house, the soldiers ask us if we have guns or any weapons, two or three soldiers stay with us and the others inspect the house, I like to talk with the soldiers and try to leave a good impression.
Mister Ghost - How did your other family members react to the soldier’s presence?
Sunshine: All my family members cooperate with the soldiers. But some of the relatives feel nervous & uncomfortable and others don't. Few days ago my relatives had a home inspection, their boys played basketball with the soldiers and had a nice time."
A nice time? Hmmm......
"Foreigners who come to Iraq to help the people, the downtrodden of Iraq are welcome." TAI
Indeed?
Haditha, May 2005:
"A few days ago, just after dark, the insurgent slime set up an ambush from a hospital in Hadithah. Howdy and I just arrived to provide overwatch for a company sweeping through that area on both sides of the Euphrates river responding to an earlier attack. Suddenly the night sky lit up with a bright flash just as we happened to be turning away from the city. We turned back immediately and saw an enormous mushroom cloud caused by a suicide slimeball slamming an explosive laden vehicle into a Humvee carrying 3 Marines and 1 Navy corpsman.
A firefight erupted. Insurgents hiding in a hospital and nearby palm grove began shooting at the Marines and firing multiple RPG’s. The Marines immediately responded with fire from .50 cal’s and a variety of other weapons. The fight was intense with stuff flying in all directions. We were cleared hot to engage the enemy, but there was no way for us to do that since they were too intermingled with the Marines. Our only contact with anybody on-scene was with a very overwhelmed and understandably shook-up fellow fighting for his life and others. Frustration and anger mounted as we watched the firefight progress. Things were much more complex than can really be described here. The weapons on our attack chopper are devastating - if we were to engage, there was a very high probability that we would kill our own Marines. So we were forced to watch the carnage and screen for additional suicide vehicles bringing more death to the scene.
As the long night progressed, a meched-up reinforcement platoon eventually arrived to extract the 7 wounded and 4 angels – our term for KIA’s - as well as drag the disabled and destroyed vehicles away. We try not to leave anything behind that could be used for trophy’s – certainly not any bodies. While this was going on, the scumbags set the hospital on fire, further endangering the lives of the 40 patients within. Incredibly, the Marines entered the hospital and began clearing it, killing one insurgent and capturing another. Additionally, they rescued all the patients in the wing that was burning."
Now I don't know about you, but personally, I think that using a hospital as an ambush site and then setting it on fire, doesn't show much regard for the people of Iraq.
And note it was the Marines who ended up helping those civilians.
"They blow up two of our buildings..." Kryptonite
I think you forgot the Pentagon. That makes 3 and of course, all of the people on the planes.
"Come now, somebody has to take credit for the wholesale starving, beating and drilling to death of Iraqis!" Bruno
Certainly. But it has always been difficult to get Iraqis to face up to their responsibility.
At 7:25 AM,
Zarqawi's dead. Congratulations, I hope this helps.
As much as this is good news I am sure the conspiracy theorists will have a field day. I notice Bruno has already made a "fridge" comment.
Who knows what affect this will have. If for no other reason than him being some sort of hero for the jihadists, it is good news he is dead.
At 8:30 AM,
Lynnette in Minnesota,
Thanks for that post, its great to have something positive in all this ngativity. All the good done in Iraq seems to be overlooked, only the bad seems to surface.
Truth about Iraqis said...
"Zarqawi dead? US sources say yes. Check your news, people.
If so, then good, we can be rid of the so-called Zarqawi terror.
No more speeches against Shia, Sunni, or anyone else.
Now get bin Laden.
COULD THIS BE A SLIGHT GLIMPS OF HIS SOFT SIDE? MAYBE HE JUST DIDNT REALIZE THAT IN ORDER TO GET BIN LADEN, AMERICANS WOULD PROBABLY BE IN IRAQ LONGER.
At 12:36 PM, Truth About Iraqis
Why is it when people have no argument they make things up? Seriously.
Blew two buildings up? And then the poor fool is corrected "no, it was three buildings".
Bravo. And what exactly does that have to do with Iraq? What does that have to do with us Iraqis?
Or am I still hearing what 71% of Americans believed when this illegal war was launched: That the invasion of Iraq and the killing of Iraqis is payback for 911?
Iraq had nothing to do with 911. No Iraqi had anything to do with 911.
Iraq had nothing to do with Al Qaeda.
Surprisingly, the Al Qaeda affiliate Ansar al Sunna operated in the ONLY area OUTSIDE the Saddam-Baathist government prior to the invasion.
You know that don't you? Ansar al Sunna worked in the northern regions of Iraqi Kurdistan, near the Zagros Mountains bordering Iran.
You knew, of course, that this territory was controlled by the two Kurdish groups which were ALLIED with the US. Right? You knew that already.
And isn't it funny how Ansar Al Sunna had limited power and influence and was limited to its northern regions until the illegal invasion of Iraq (termed as the war on terror) saw that terrorist group and others swell throughout Iraq?
War on terror helped spread terrorism in Iraq. That is undeniable.
And you also knew that Bin Laden is NOT in Iraq, never was, and never will be. He has nothing to do with Iraq.
He has used the deaths of 1.7 million Iraqis under the US-inspired-and-enforced sanctions for his own purposes. He has used the invasion of Iraq to keep himself in the limelight.
And he is in Pakistan, wait, isn't that also an ALLY in the war on terror?
And the Saudis on the planes? Oh, wait Saudi Arabia is an ally of the US, isn't it?
And why did the Saudi defence minister cancel his trip to the Pentagon the night before the building was struck?
Ah ...
So, now, please, don't make asinine statements. The presence of US troops in Iraq does not help you catch Bin Laden. Nice try, though, but it won't fly on the Iraqis.
Might help you beat your chests and life the self-deluding lifestyle, though.
I also want you to consider that Zarqawi and the US military enjoyed a symbiotic relationship.
No, US occupation and Zarqawi would be a weasel, nothing more, one who speaks with poor Arabic grammar. But the US occupation gave him a bogeyman. And he was the bogeyman for the US military.
Justifying its presence in Iraq.
It is amazing some of the ignorance that is being spread. One website claims he is the most hated Iraqi in the world. How novel.
But can anything else be expected from the pro-war crowd?
And we all know it.
Now, here is an idea. You really want to help the Iraqi people?
Go after Muqtada. Clean the streets of his murderous rabble.
Come on, you know there was no Muqtada in Iraq prior to the illegal US invasion, don't you?
You know he was based in (shhh ...) Iran. You know he was indoctrinated in Iran.
And just like Zarqawi was captured and released by the previous Jaafari government (in error, or was it because he hadn't finished fomenting sectarian war), Muqtada was surrounded by US troops, but alas, he was not taken out.
Why? Hell, yo. We just told you of symbiotic relationships. Muqtada is needed by the US military to spread terror, black-clad murderers who attack mosques, ride around in pick up trucks, form death squads and terrorize the country.
Without all this chaos, would there really be a need for US troops?
So, go after Muqtada, "take him out" and help Iraq become stable and peaceful.
Or does Muqtada still have a few more cards to play before his role is over?
At 12:56 PM, Lynnette in Minnesota
"Ansar al Sunna worked in the northern regions of Iraqi Kurdistan, near the Zagros Mountains bordering Iran."
Saddam's little gift to the Kurds. Don't say he never gave them anything.
"And isn't it funny how Ansar Al Sunna had limited power and influence and was limited to its northern regions...?"
They knew enough not to bite the hand that fed them.
"Go after Muqtada. Clean the streets of his murderous rabble."
Sheesh, do we have to do everything? What happened to that Iraqi independence?
At 4:11 PM,
"Blew two buildings up? And then the poor fool is corrected "no, it was three buildings""...LOL. You have quite an intellect TAI. So which third country should we go after? Iran? Syria? Somalia? Well, the Pentagon wasn't exactly "blown up" - it's still right there in Crystal City.
"And you also knew that Bin Laden is NOT in Iraq, never was, and never will be. He has nothing to do with Iraq." Of course not - what fool thinks bin laden was iraqi? he's from saudi arabia, and pissed that The Kingdom allowed US troops on "muslim land" to protect kuwait and saudi arabia from iraq.
No, being in Iraq doesn't help us catch bin laden, but it sure strikes a blow at your fanatical arab nationalism, which is just as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than muslim radicalism.
Go after Sadr? Yea, right. After the way we've been treated by you, you really think we want to try to help you anymore? Sorry, dude, you're out of favors. Long live Sadr - may he reap another 1000 years of hopelessness in your wasteland country. Eat what you cook, TAI - just like Zarqawi...But I'm sure you'll get your revenge someday - like Vietnam right?
At 4:21 PM, Truth About Iraqis
Yes, I see, failing to argue the points again the pro-war, racist, Islamophobic tribe run around in circles.
Lynnette, I thought you wanted peace in Iraq? I thought you said the US' job was to secure the country.
So, why is going after Muqtada so shocking for you? You let him in, did you not? And when you had him in your sights, was it not the pro-US occupation government that barked in your direction telling you not to kill him?
Aha ...
Iraqi independence? Really? Where do you see that. You shoot someone in the feet and tell him to dance.
Typical. Keep talking, hon. You're really good at proving my point.
When will you have something substantial to say?
At 4:31 PM, Truth About Iraqis
Well, am glad you think you were treated badly. I am not in the habit of being kind to a brutal occupation. No one is.
I will treat you kindly when the last US soldiers leaves Iraq. Then you will have to ask again if you can visit.
I also would like to thank Kryptonite for speaking far more betrayingly than others. At least you do not mask your hatred for Iraqis.
You wear it proudly. Keep doing so.
But consider you give a bad name to many fine Americans who have far more class.
Also, I would remind you that Iran, Syria and Somalia had nothing to do with 911 or anyone who died on that day or any building that came down that day.
It is revealing that you speak of Somalia. One may wonder why you decided to write of Somalia.
It betrays your swaying to and fro as the media orders you to. See, Somalia is hot news now again, isn't it?
Except, Somalia has had no government in nearly 15 years. It was led by a warlord and now the US is supporting warlords.
The government (still in exile) or at least some are confined to Puntland where there is an actual police academy trying to train recruits (men and women) to increase security in the country.
Of course, that has all gone to hell.
Out of curiosity, have you been to any of these three countries you so wantonly seek the destruction of?
No? Sigh, well that is unfortunate.
But, please, do acknowledge that before the illegal US invasion of my country Zarqawi would have been tortured to death and killed by the Mukhabarat.
As would Muqtada. There was no room for this kind of religious mumbo-jumbo back then.
Keep talking, keep commenting. You only reveal pitiful belligerence.
At 9:03 PM,
"But, please, do acknowledge that before the illegal US invasion of my country Zarqawi would have been tortured to death and killed by the Mukhabarat. As would Muqtada. There was no room for this kind of religious mumbo-jumbo back then."
Ah yes, the good ol' days when Saddam would torture anyone he didn't like.
Yep, TAI, you're right. I hate all Iraqis - every single one of them. Especially those that actually want to make Iraq a free, peaceloving nation. Unfortunately for me, there are only about 10 of those guys to hate. God, I wish there were more peaceloving Iraqis to hate. Good thing most Iraqis are like you, TAI! Otherwise, god forbid, we'd have peace. And I hate peace...I want more war (foam is on my mouth)!!!
Now repeat after me, TAI, so everyone can hear - Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, Iran had nothing to do with 9/11, Somalia had nothing to do with 9/11...That's too bad - you and the other radicals in those countries all seem to share the same irrational hatred for the US. Makes it easy for us to get confused.
But that's neither here nor there - WAR, WAR, WAR, WAR, WAR!!!!
The Abu Zarqawi Hour
"The show originally piloted in 2003, and found a regular place in the Pentagon Channel's prime-time lineup in February 2004, replacing the widely panned sitcom Mission Accomplished , now in syndicated reruns on Fox News.
The Abu Zarqawi Hour debuted to generally favorable reviews, with New York Times critic Dexter Filkins praising the show for its "imaginative" storytelling and "gritty" realism. However, ratings declined sharply in 2005, with many viewers complaining that the show's episodes, which frequently featured the death and/or capture of Zarqawi's closest lieutenants, had become repetitive and unimaginative.
clip
Over the next few weeks, insiders say, Pentagon Channel executives determined that while the Zarqawi show still had a dedicated following of hardcore fans who would swallow any plot device, no matter how ludicrous, the series no longer made commercial or artistic sense. It was also believed that a spectacular and upbeat finale might lure viewers away from Haditha , the controversial docudrama now airing on the rival Reality Network.
[kryptonite] “No, being in Iraq doesn't help us catch bin laden, but it sure strikes a blow at your fanatical arab nationalism, which is just as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than muslim radicalism.”
Kryptonite the dribbling moron strikes again. Kryppie, dear, if the Soviet Union had invaded the USA, would that make you feel MORE nationalistic or LESS nationalistic? Think hard, now, before you answer.
[TAI] “I also would like to thank Kryptonite for speaking far more betrayingly than others. At least you do not mask your hatred for Iraqis.”
Yep, now we know where he comes from. He was tripping all over his own feet before, when he was trying to simultaneously support the US invasion and feign concern for Iraqi lives. Pity, he’s not nearly so amusing to shove around now as when he was trying to balance two opposing views at once.
I’m also starting to get more than a little disillusioned with Al Sadr. I used to have hopes that his mass movement would prove to be a potent ally against the Americans, as in 2004. Unfortunately he seems to have lost his nationalism in favour of sectarian power grabbing and religiously based bullying. I can only hope that he comes round if the US hits Iran, that’s all.
Lynnette –
Your stirring accounts of US bravery aside, you do realise of course that I could bring up many incidents where US troops have bravely occupied hospitals themselves and used them as firebases, or used Iraqi schools as bases from which to kill Iraqi civilians? It’s good to hear that some US soldiers can behave themselves, unlike the ones that murdered Zeydun, shot at Truth Teller and ran Raed off the road.
At 6:58 AM,
"if the Soviet Union had invaded the USA, would that make you feel MORE nationalistic or LESS nationalistic?"
Silly, silly bruno - that all depends on the circumstances of the invasion. if the US was in the state that Iraq was in, and the Soviet Union was a democracy, i would of course HELP THE SOVIETS..."nationalism" wouldn't really enter my mind.
But, then again, i'm not a brainwashed retard like you and TAI.
also, do you really believe fanatical arab nationalism began with the US invasion of Iraq? the US has been dealing with this problem for years - long before 9/11, embassy bombings in africa, the cole bombings, the first bombing of the world trade center, and iraq's invasion of kuwait.
[kryptonite] “if the US was in the state that Iraq was in, and the Soviet Union was a democracy, i would of course HELP THE SOVIETS”
But the US IS in a state of chaos right NOW. Your democracy is shot. The courts are packed with neo-nazi far rightists. Your government spends its time trying to find new ways to spy on the citizens. It spends its time justifying torture. It spends its time quashing dissent. America is clearly being overrun by neo-nazis. Not to mention the gays, Christians and those civil rights people. It’s a mess. Immigrants are taking over.
So, I assume you agree that if the EU, say, invaded, and overthrew your tyrant (who has like 30% support) and set up a proper constitutional democracy for Americans along the lines of Australia, say – you would support them fully?
[kryptonite] “also, do you really believe fanatical arab nationalism began with the US invasion of Iraq?”
Of course not. It started earlier than that, what with the creation of Israel and all. Resistance to the US specifically began with the stationing of US troops in Saudi Arabia, the unconditional US support of Israel, the bombardment of Lebanon and the rest of your interfering tactics. I mean, let’s take Iran as a prime example, waaay back in 1953. When Iran wanted a fair price for its oil, the US and Britain overthrew the democracy and instituted the brutal rule of the Shah.
Now, all of a sudden, Americans wonder “why they hate us?” You guys are dumber than shit if you don’t know “why they hate you”.
At 8:59 PM,
First, to the anonymous talking about reading some of the US soldier's blogs. How do you know they are really US soldier blogs? A 14 year old in Africa could be writing them. We all saw this when the famous blogger that was supposed to have been in the US army and he was uncovered and proven not to have ever been in the US army.
Secondly, I would like to apologize to all Iraqis for our invasion of your country. Obviously, the western and eastern worlds do not think anything alike. I do think Saddam was a danger to not only the US, but to his neighbors. He did try to assassinate one of our presidents. I would just like for you to ask yourselves, if the shoe were on the other foot and Arab Muslims had the power the US has and the US president tried to have an Arab Muslim leader assassinated, what do you think would happen to the US? I think we all know that the US would no longer exist. Well, I take that back. If the Arab Muslims had the power the US has, there would not be a USA in the first place because the Arab Muslims would have to rule every country with Islam.
Thirdly, even though our gov. does not say this, I do believe Saddam was involved in the 9/11 attacks on the USA. He was involved in the first failed WTC attacks, some of his top men met with some of bin Laden's top men, he had terrorist training camps in Iraq, and there was enough evidence to convict Saddam of being involved in 9/11 in a court of law in the USA. Plus, other countries had intelligence that Saddam wanted to attack the USA. All of that is enough for me to find him guilty.
However, had most Americans known Iraqis could have cared less about fighting for their freedom and were just fine living under Saddam, I am positive most of us would not have been for this war. Just because we would fight to our deaths for our freedom doesn't mean the rest of the world feels that way. But when there is no contact with that world, most people try to relate to how they would feel if they were in the other people's position because that is all you have to go on. And almost all Americans would rather die than give up their freedom.
Lastly, I can assure you the majority of our troops care very much about the Iraqi people, even though many of them are very young. Most of the ones lucky enough to come home will have mental problems because they had to kill people. In the type of war that this is, there is just no way to keep from killing civilians, too. And I am 100% certain the so-called insurgents do hide behind women and children because I have many friends who have been over there and I know would not lie to me. Every soldiers has said it and I have seen pictures of the Palestinians doing this very thing. Well, all I can say is that I can certainly understand Saddam and what all he did to the Iraqi people if this is the attitude most Iraqis have. I suppose being a brutal, evil dictator was the only way he could accomplish peace in that country. Maybe that's why almost all Muslim countries end up with dictators.
So, if we could take us going into Iraq back, we would. We can't do that now. So Iraqis have two choices. You can get on the side of the police, the new Iraqi army and, yes, the coalition troops and fight like hell for your freedom and your country and stand up to the insurgents/terrorists, or you can sit there and all get these horrible hate-filled attitudes, eventually driving the coalition troops out of Iraq and you can live in a Taliban-style country. With attitudes like "truth about Iraqis", which is who I am really talking about here, there's no way Iraq will ever win against these terrorists. And Tex was right, judging all of our soldiers for what a few have done is exactly like us judging every Muslim as being a terrorist. And don't sit there and expect anyone fighting these terrorists who hide behind civilians to never accidently kill civilians, but for God's sake, put the blame on the people who are hiding behind them and do not mimic most of the rest of the Muslim world who blame EVERYTHING on everyone else. This is a surefire way to become nothing but losers. I thought Iraqis were smarter than most of the rest of the Muslim world. Now, get out there and fight for your country and your freedom, or go cover up from head to toe and be prepared to never watch TV again or listen to a radio, use a computer, or even play a game of cards. Sometimes things have to get worse before they can get better.
Oh! C’mon Omar… We still have places to go to and meet friends and relatives. How come you forgot the FUNERALS?! I’ve just come from one. Man! All my friends were there. What a luxury!!!!