[Rhodes22-list] Political:Off to Iraq

[Brad Haslett]

Bill,

What's wrong with us having a mercenary military?  Isn't that where the
Swiss Army knife came from?  These 'kids' may be getting a re-enlistment
bonus but would they return to the "sandbox" for money if they didn't
believe in their mission?  Go to -

http://www.milblogging.com/

Pick some at random from Iraq and read the soldiers account of their
experience and observations in their own words.

I hate this war Bill, but I don't want to be forced to send my daughter to
China (that wonderful world of political freedom) so she can wear a skirt
twenty years from now if she chooses.

I'm off to find a fuel pump and a coffee maker.  Solve this for me, will ya!

Brad

On 10/25/06, Bill Effros <bill at effros.com> wrote:
>
> Brad,
>
> As Philip well knows, the Army is paying huge reenlistment bonuses.  In
> fact, I believe Philip was one of the recipients.
>
> I have no problem with that, but let's not confuse a mercenary army with
> a patriotic army.
>
> Bill Effros
>
> 3drecon at comcast.net wrote:
> > Brad,
> >     The point Ron made about the soldier casualties is a common
> complaint.  What they cannot explain is why the reenlistment and extension
> rate is higher for those who have gone to the "sandbox" than in the general
> population.  Everyone, (I say again) Everyone, in the military to-day is a
> volunteer.  No one, at this point in time, can say they didn't expect to go
> to war (that might have been an argument in 2001 but not now, an argument
> for which I have little sympathy.  The military is not here for social
> benefit but for fighting).
> >
> > LTC Philip Esteban
> >
> > -------------- Original message --------------
> > From: "Brad Haslett" <flybrad at gmail.com>
> >
> >
> >> Common leftest screed (thank-you Bill) , I've read your post twice Ron
> and
> >> still can't find any new ideas.
> >>
> >> As to North Korea, I believe it was the "negotiations" and appeasement
> of
> >> the previous administration that got us into this mess. How should we
> >> respond? We have roughly 30,000 of our own troops in harms way on the
> >> border (been there since the 50's) plus several million South Koreans.
> The
> >> North can lob 5000 conventional shells at once and we have to figure
> out
> >> which one contains the nuke. Yes indeed, what a mess. Our best hope
> there
> >> is help from China. More troops on the ground would only mean more
> troops
> >> killed in the first day. We should think twice about allowing a similar
> >> situation with another rouge nation developing again, hence our
> invasion of
> >> Iraq. After all, regime change was the official policy of the Clinton
> >> administration. Let me repeat this one more time - the authorization to
> >> invade Iraq was approved by the Congress. Of course some will say for
> >> political reasons they were duped, but they had access to the same
> >> intel - politics as usual.
> >>
> >> How many Iraqi citizens were killed by Saddam? A hell of a lot more
> than
> >> by our invasion. How many more will be killed if we leave. John Kerry
> >> estimated less than 300,000 in Vietnam. He was only off by 3 million.
> >>
> >> What do you think we should do Ron, pull out and declare victory? Well,
> if
> >> so, why quit at half-measures. Let's disband the TSA and eliminate the
> long
> >> line at the airports. After all, we have no enemies from the crazy
> fringe
> >> of the Islamic world, right? Let's kiss and make up with the French so
> >> they'll come to our side and bravely fight, just as they are in their
> own
> >> country right now. Ah yes, those wonderful allies we pissed off. Please
> >> remind me who we offended that weren't trading goods with Saddam.
> Germany,
> >> nope! Russia, nope! China, silly question! I forget, help me here, who
> >> are these allies again?
> >>
> >> This war is ugly, they all are. We went for the right reasons. What we
> are
> >> seeing now is not unlike Tet in Vietnam. We won that remember, and then
> >> gave the enemy time to regroup at the peace table. Indeed, history can
> be a
> >> bitch.
> >>
> >> Brad
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On 10/24/06, Ronald Lipton wrote:
> >>
> >>> New idea? Better ideas?
> >>>
> >>> - Did I think invading Iraq was a good idea? NO
> >>> Were there weapons of mass distruction - NO
> >>> Were there real terrorist bases - NO
> >>> Did we give any thought to the internal politics? NO
> >>> Did we alienate our allies by our arrogance? YES.
> >>> Have we crippled our volunteer forces by throwing
> >>> away lives in a worse than useless situation?
> >>>
> >>> How many soldiers have been killed? (~2900)
> >>> Maimed - many more
> >>> How many Iraqi civilians?
> >>> How many of their families blame the US and will take up terrorism?
> >>>
> >>> We have been weakened to the point that we can't
> >>> effectively respond to real threats from N. Korea.
> >>> God what a mess.
> >>>
> >>> I don't see any real thought given to actions which gravely
> >>> affect the US and the rest of the world.
> >>>
> >>> I don't want to see this country continue to be run by a group
> >>> of idiots and ideologues who seem to be completely disconnected
> >>> from reality. If soldiers are put in harms way there should be a
> >>> good reason. I see nothing but negative consequences.
> >>>
> >>> Do I have better Ideas? It's like asking someone pushed out
> >>> of a window - how to get back up there?
> >>> Is there any path out of this mess - you tell me, but I believe that
> >>> this is the most disastrous administration in the history of this
> >>> country. Nero probably did a worse job for Rome.
> >>>
> >>> Ron
> >>> On Oct 23, 2006, at 10:42 PM, Brad Haslett wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> Bob,
> >>>>
> >>>> Thanks for the post. There are letters like this quite often on the
> >>>> milblogs I frequent. Also, I have a co-worker with a Marine son in
> >>>> Iraq who
> >>>> forwards updates from time to time. This may be a SHOCK to the
> >>>> lefties in
> >>>> the world but our military is all volunteer and for the most part
> very
> >>>> motivated. The reaction you got on the list was predictable and not
> >>>> unlike
> >>>> the reactions from the usual suspects anytime something that doesn't
> >>>> fit
> >>>> their perceptions gets published. They get the New York times version
> >>>> of
> >>>> reality everyday from someone who's never been out of the Green Zone
> >>>> and
> >>>> believe that, but gawd forbid they listen to the wisdom of a common
> >>>> foot-soldier. No one likes this war, or any war for that matter, but
> >>>> this
> >>>> kid in the letter pretty much nailed it. We fight them there now or
> >>>> here
> >>>> later. Did you see on the news this evening that youths are burning
> >>>> buses
> >>>> in France? Nope? What kind of youths? Of course the French can't say
> >>>> it. Radical Islamists! Keep your head in the sand folks. This ain't
> >>>> goin'
> >>>> away anytime soon. We can argue about the methods or the chosen
> >>>> battlefield
> >>>> but the war declared by them a long time ago. What was our first
> >>>> reaction? Wear sweaters!
> >>>>
> >>>> Here's what really pisses me off. Where are the new ideas? All I
> >>>> hear this
> >>>> election cycle is let's tuck tail and run, then hope for the best. Is
> >>>> this
> >>>> a strategy? Criticism and disagreement is one thing - attempting
> >>>> dialogue
> >>>> with, or worse, ignoring enemies who want to cut your head off is
> >>>> stupid. Oh
> >>>> I forget, cutting off heads is only for old time's sake, until they
> >>>> can get
> >>>> their WMD programs running again.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Brad
> >>>>
> >>>> On 10/23/06, Bob Keller wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>> Got this from my brother and wanted to pass it on.
> >>>>> Bob
> >>>>>
> >>>>> This is from a co-worker at HP who's son left for Iraq today. This
> >>>>> comes
> >>>>>
> >>>> to
> >>>>
> >>>>> me directly from his Dad. I will be getting periodic updates from
> him
> >>>>> and
> >>>>> will forward. I will take the last name off so as to protect his
> >>>>> privacy,
> >>>>> but forward on, because these brave troops need our continued
> support
> >>>>> and
> >>>>> prayers.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Bill
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Everyone,
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Well after months and months of yakking about it the day is finally
> >>>>> here?well almost here, just have to go to sleep tonight (we'll see
> >>>>> about
> >>>>> that) and it'll be here tomorrow. I'm sure pretty much everyone is
> >>>>> wondering what I'm thinking right now, what are my feelings, and all
> >>>>> that
> >>>>> other stuff?I guess I'm going to be super-cool and spill it for you,
> >>>>> just
> >>>>> because I'm that awesome. :c)
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I'm ready to get going, and I have been ready since my last visit to
> >>>>> Colorado?sitting around here this last week or so is just awful,
> >>>>> waiting
> >>>>>
> >>>> is
> >>>>
> >>>>> never fun?gives you too much time to think, and a lot of the time
> >>>>> thinking
> >>>>> gets you in trouble. I am ready to wage this war against
> >>>>> militant-Islam,
> >>>>> because it is something that absolutely has to be done. Some look at
> >>>>> Iraq
> >>>>> and just see Saddam and WMD and that MY BOSS was wrong to go in
> there
> >>>>> (btw
> >>>>> we found enough WMD to kill everyone in Baghdad, but I guess you
> >>>>> didn't
> >>>>>
> >>>> hear
> >>>>
> >>>>> or read about that anywhere, ask me if you really want details?oh,
> and
> >>>>> Saddam really was a horrible asshole?pardon my language to both my
> >>>>> grandmothers?), but it is well past that point?Iraq is the line in
> the
> >>>>>
> >>>> sand
> >>>>
> >>>>> between civilized nations and Islamic fascism, because whether you
> >>>>> want to
> >>>>> believe it or not, there are a large group of people out there who
> >>>>> want
> >>>>>
> >>>> you
> >>>>
> >>>>> and everyone else dead unless you convert to their way of thinking.
> >>>>> The
> >>>>> great thing about Iraq is that all these idiots have decided it is a
> >>>>> lot
> >>>>> easier to fight us there than it is to come to the United States and
> >>>>> fight
> >>>>> you?which I am fine with, because I'm going to be so horribly well
> >>>>> armed
> >>>>>
> >>>> and
> >>>>
> >>>>> armored that I welcome their best shot at destroying everything I
> have
> >>>>> dedicated my life to defend.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> While I'm gone I encourage all of you to live it up for me?I can't
> do
> >>>>> it,
> >>>>>
> >>>> so
> >>>>
> >>>>> you all should do it double for me?take those extra few days off of
> >>>>> work,
> >>>>> take that trip, try for that double on your dirt bike, fish that run
> >>>>> one
> >>>>> more time, let your kid stay up that extra 15 minutes, stay in the
> >>>>> duck-blind 15 more minutes after you think the birds have stopped
> >>>>> flying,
> >>>>> drink that extra drink?I think you get the idea?everyone has that
> >>>>> area in
> >>>>> their life where they can indulge, so I encourage you all to do it
> >>>>> for me.
> >>>>> The only thing that I am worried about going into Iraq is letting my
> >>>>> guys
> >>>>> down, letting all of you down, and letting my country down; and I
> can
> >>>>> tell
> >>>>> you with all of my heart that it is NOT in my intention to do any of
> >>>>> those
> >>>>> things. I promise you all that I will be careful, but at the same
> >>>>> time I
> >>>>> promise that I will kick the ever-living CRAP out of anyone that
> >>>>> presents
> >>>>>
> >>>> a
> >>>>
> >>>>> threat to me or you...they WILL die, and they'll do it before I do.
> >>>>> This
> >>>>> war is the most important war that has been fought since WW2,
> easily,
> >>>>> if
> >>>>>
> >>>> not
> >>>>
> >>>>> more so. The things that we do tomorrow and in the next five years
> >>>>> will
> >>>>> shape the world as we know it for centuries to come?if we leave Iraq
> >>>>>
> >>>> before
> >>>>
> >>>>> we win the fight then all of the western world is in danger, just
> >>>>> remember
> >>>>> that?and I will elaborate on that fact in the future. So happy
> >>>>> trails to
> >>>>> all of you, and I will frequently be in touch, just say a 'lil
> prayer
> >>>>> for
> >>>>>
> >>>> me
> >>>>
> >>>>> and I'll do alright.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> God Bless and Love,
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Matt
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Matthew
> >>>>>
> >>>>> 1st Cavalry Division, Ft. Hood TX
> >>>>>
> >>>>> _________________________________________________________________
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> >>>>
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