Paratrooper down, Apache down.. Why are our troops dying in Iraq?

http://www.militarycity.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=696

PARATROOPER DOWN, APACHE DOWN: WHY ARE OUR TROOPS DYING IN IRAQ?

Another paratrooper was killed this week in Iraq by an RPG missile; An Apache helicopter also shot down; A soldier in tears after seeing a small Iraqi child injured by American cluster bombs on the front page of the New York Times; Resistance and hostile fire from the people of Iraq who simply want independence to live free from foreign colonialist rule. These outcomes are the product of our war upon and occupation of Iraq, sold to us deceptively, the American people, as a war that needed to be fought because of fear from false threats posed by Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) which did once existed but were eliminated long ago by UN Weapons Inspections teams with the help of Americans like the credible Scott Ritter.

Much like in the last decade when Army Rangers were sent to their untimely deaths in Somalia, so now Marines and Army Paratroopers and other military personnel are dying in Iraq. What is the difference between these two conflicts? Some would say the differences are many, but in the eyes of single paratrooper dying in a foreign land under hostile fire, the difference is negligible. Why have our troops been sent to their untimely deaths in an unjust war against a nation that posed no threat to us? WHY? WHY ARE WE IN ANOTHER VIETNAM STYLE QUAGMIRE, MR. BUSH? WHY DO OUR TROOPS CONTINUE TO DIE IN IRAQ? WHY ARE WE THERE? WHY DO WE FIGHT THIS WAR? I reject your claim that the war is over, Mr. Bush. I think you are wrong, sir. I think the war and the Occupation of Iraq have only just begun and I reserve the right as an American citizen to protest against this unjust war we are waging in Iraq. Why are we in Iraq fighting and dying in this needless war? Why are we fighting this war at all?

Granted, I don’t know the name of the paratrooper who fell, but as an ex-US Army paratrooper myself, but I share in the great brotherhood of men and women who put their knees to the breeze and I demand an answer from our government as to why my fellow paratroopers are needlessly giving their lives in a foreign land that never posed any threat to us. While it may be comforting to King George AWOL the First that the Iraqi people are now “free” to shop at Bechtel for their future water supply and Texaco for their oil needs, while other more vicious and conveniently ignored conflicts rage such as the slaughterhouse in the Congo, I question the rationale for sending our brave troops into harm’s way in the first place.

Even if WMD are eventually found which now seems highly unlikely, I contend that because Iraq never used them against our troops in battle, the entire logic that determined Iraq to be a threat in the first place is flawed or was a lie. (The CATO institute does a nice job on analyzing the case of the missing WMD’s in relation to how they were never used against US troops, see http://www.cato.org/dailys/06-02-03.html for details). Iraq was never a threat, were they Mr. Bush and you knew it didn’t you? Their only crime was being born atop a vast oilfield wasn’t it, sir and you knew that too, didn’t you?


snip....much more.. This guy is PISSED !!!!

Warner (R), Rockefeller (D) et al, and they were quoted in Stripes last week (I no longer have the URL) that they had heard rumors of low morale in Iraq, but they didn't witness it, so they don't believe morale is low.

However, letters like these continue to be printed, a bold move on the part of the soldiers to publish such views, which are likely widespread.

I was sorry to see Democratic senators with their blinders on while in Iraq, though they did say they felt we were in there for the long haul, a realistic statement, but one not likely to boost the morale of the 3rd ID.

http://estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=16393

1st BCT has done its part

As a member of the 1st Brigade Combat Team and the 3rd Infantry Division, I can honestly say that it’s time to bring us home from Iraq. We’ve accomplished our mission and then some. Now we’re once again the spearhead, but for peacekeeping. I’m fully aware that 1st BCT has not been in the area for as long as other units. But we all took part in combat, and now many of us are finding it hard to deal with the locals and each other.

As a leader, I’m finding it even harder to keep morale up due to rumors of return dates and false information. Now we’re being told that we could be here until September. And if we do go home before then, we can expect a trip to Egypt at the end of this year.

I think a lot of people will side with me when I say that we need to have some well-earned time with our families and loved ones. Taking care of soldiers is an aspect of our jobs as leaders that some have forgotten about.

This shouldn’t sound like I’m complaining. Rather, I’m voicing my opinion as to what I’m seeing. Morale is at an all-time low and some commanders are trying to fool themselves. It’s time to get us home.

Staff Sgt. Robert Gasman
Iraq

An empire is by definition a long term commitment. Especially to the legionaries.

:)..

Probably lots of folks here already belong..:)

So its like restaurants and veterans organizations combined?

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On the original topic:
http://www.counterpunch.org/goff07032003.html

mostly older soldiers hang out there..:)

occupy, put bases in,,,,what?

And he signed his name and rank.Going public and putting his career on the line for his men...why do I have such great regard for this guy?

according to Bush, incidents of this kind are "isolated", and the Iraqi people "love us" for occupying their land. I mean, after all, the mission was accomplished, don'cha know.</sarcasm>

I sure hope that Dubya doesn't try to tell the families of these soldiers that the "heavy fighting is over" like he told the rest of us during his ridiculous photo op from the USS Lincoln. I can't be certain, but I'm relatively sure that they might not take to kindly to being told "Mission Accomplished"; particularly after viewing the flag-draped coffin carrying their loved one.

Man this guy's gotta go.

are Freepers , so they do not want to hear what he has to say..

I guess the war will not be so much "fun" for them when they start knowing people who died there..

People were not really that worked up about VietNam, until people THEY knew started to have sons killed there..

If Liberia is rumored to be a multi year operation, and we still have forces in Afghanistan and Iraq and who knows where else, that "draft" talk will start up, and his rating will tank..

People who have 13 year olds should be very scared.. He laready more or less said that we will ALWAYS be at war with "terra-ism"..