Sgt home from afganhistan gives opinion

[Gaffer]

I thought this was interesting and really says it like it is.

http://www.blackfive.net/main/

Things that I am tired of in this war:

I am tired of Democrats saying they are patriotic and then insulting my commander in chief and the way he goes about his job.

I am tired of Democrats who tell me they support me, the soldier on the ground, and then tell me the best plan to win this war is with a “phased redeployment” (liberal-speak for retreat) out of the combat zone to someplace like Okinawa.

I am tired of the Democrats whining for months on T.V., in the New York Times, and in the House and Senate that we need more troops to win the war in Iraq, and then when my Commander in Chief plans to do just that, they say that is the wrong plan, it won’t work, and we need a “new direction.”

I am tired of every Battalion Sergeant Major and Command Sergeant Major I see over here being more concerned about whether or not I am wearing my uniform in the “spot on,” most garrison-like manner; instead of asking me whether or not I am getting the equipment I need to win the fight, the support I need from my chain of command, or if the chow tastes good.

I am tired of junior and senior officers continually doubting the technical expertise of junior enlisted soldiers who are trained far better to do the jobs they are trained for than these officers believe.

I am tired of senior officers and commanders who fight this war with more of an eye on the media than on the enemy, who desperately needs killing.

I am tired of the decisions of Sergeants and Privates made in the heat of battle being scrutinized by lawyers who were not there and will never really know the state of mind of the young soldiers who were there and what is asked of them in order to survive.

I am tired of CNN claiming that they are showing “news,” with videotape sent to them by terrorists, of my comrades being shot at by snipers, but refusing to show what happens when we build a school, pave a road, hand out food and water to children, or open a water treatment plant.

I am tired of following the enemy with drones that have cameras, and then dropping bombs that sometimes kill civilians; because we could do a better job of killing the right people by sending a man with a high powered rifle instead.

I am tired of the thousands of people in the rear who claim that they are working hard to support me when I see them with their mochas and their PX Bags walking down the street, in the middle of the day, nowhere near their workspaces.

I am tired of Code Pink, Daily Kos, Al-Jazzera, CNN, Reuters, the Associated Press, ABC, NBC, CBS, the ACLU, and CAIR thinking that they somehow get to have a vote in how we blast, shoot and kill these animals who would seek to subdue us and destroy us.

I am tired of people like Meredith Vieria from NBC asking oxygen thieves like Senator Chuck Hagel questions like “Senator, at this point, do you think we are fighting and dying for nothing?” Meredith might not get it, but soldiers do know the difference between fighting and dying for something and fighting and dying for nothing.

I am tired of hearing multiple stories from both combat theaters about snipers begging to do their jobs while commanders worry about how the media might portray the possible casualties and what might happen to their career.

I am tired of hearing that the Battalion Tactical Operations Center got a new plasma screen monitor for daily briefings, but rifle scope rings for sniper rifles, extra magazines, and necessary field gear were disapproved by the unit supply system.

I am tired of out of touch general officers, senators, congressmen and defense officials who think that giving me some more heavy body armor to wear is helping me stay alive. Speed is life in combat and wearing 55 to 90 pounds of gear for 12 to 20 hours a day puts me at a great tactical disadvantage to the idiot, mindless terrorist who is wearing no armor at all and carrying an AK-47 and a pistol.

I am tired of soldiers who are stationed in places like Kuwait and who are well away from any actual combat getting Hostile Fire/Imminent Danger Pay and the Combat Zone Tax Exclusion when they live on a base that has a McDonald’s, a Pizza Hut, a Subway, a Baskin Robbins, an internet café, 2 coffee shops and street lights.

I am tired of senior officers and commanders who take it out and "measure" every time they want to have a piece of the action with their helicopters or their artillery; instead of putting their egos aside and using their equipment to support the grunt on the ground.

I am tired of senior officers and commanders who are too afraid for their careers to tell the truth about what they need to win this war to their bosses so that the soldiers can get on with kicking the ass of these animals.

I am tired of Rules of Engagement being made by JAG lawyers and not Combat Commanders. We are not playing Hopscotch over here. There is no 2nd place trophy either. I think that if the enemy knew some rough treatment and some deprivation was at hand for them, instead of prayer rugs, special diets and free Korans; this might help get their terrorist minds “right.”

I am tired of seeing Active Duty Army and Marine units being extended past their original redeployment dates, when there are National Guard Units that have yet to deploy to a combat zone in the last 40 years.

I am tired of hearing soldiers who are stationed in safe places talk about how hard their life is.

I am tired of seeing Infantry Soldiers conducting what amounts to “SWAT” raids and performing the US Army’s version of “CSI Iraq” and doing things like filling out forms for evidence when they could be better used to hunt and kill the enemy.

I am tired of senior officers and commanders who look first in their planning for how many casualties we might take, instead of how many enemy casualties we might inflict.

I am tired of begging to be turned loose so that this war can be over.

Those of us who fight this war want to win it and go home to their families. Prolonging it with attempts to do things like collect “evidence” or present whiz bang briefings on a new plasma screen TV is wasteful and ultimately, dulls the edge of our Infantry soldiers who are trained to kill people and break things, not necessarily in that order.

We are not in Iraq and Afghanistan to build nations. We are there to kill our enemies. We make the work of the State Department easier by the results we achieve.

It is only possible to defeat an enemy who kills indiscriminately by utterly destroying him. He cannot be made to yield or surrender. He will fight to the death by the hundreds to kill only one or two of us.

And so far, all of our “games” have been “away games,” and I don’t know about the ignorant, treasonous Democrats and the completely insane radical leftists and their thoughts on the matter, but I would like to keep our road game schedule.

So let’s get it done. Until the fight is won and there is no more fight left.

[Hagbard Celine]

I thought this was interesting and really says it like it is.

http://www.blackfive.net/main/

Things that I am tired of in this war:

I am tired of Democrats saying they are patriotic and then insulting my commander in chief and the way he goes about his job.

I am tired of Democrats who tell me they support me, the soldier on the ground, and then tell me the best plan to win this war is with a “phased redeployment” (liberal-speak for retreat) out of the combat zone to someplace like Okinawa.

I am tired of the Democrats whining for months on T.V., in the New York Times, and in the House and Senate that we need more troops to win the war in Iraq, and then when my Commander in Chief plans to do just that, they say that is the wrong plan, it won’t work, and we need a “new direction.”

I am tired of every Battalion Sergeant Major and Command Sergeant Major I see over here being more concerned about whether or not I am wearing my uniform in the “spot on,” most garrison-like manner; instead of asking me whether or not I am getting the equipment I need to win the fight, the support I need from my chain of command, or if the chow tastes good.

I am tired of junior and senior officers continually doubting the technical expertise of junior enlisted soldiers who are trained far better to do the jobs they are trained for than these officers believe.

I am tired of senior officers and commanders who fight this war with more of an eye on the media than on the enemy, who desperately needs killing.

I am tired of the decisions of Sergeants and Privates made in the heat of battle being scrutinized by lawyers who were not there and will never really know the state of mind of the young soldiers who were there and what is asked of them in order to survive.

I am tired of CNN claiming that they are showing “news,” with videotape sent to them by terrorists, of my comrades being shot at by snipers, but refusing to show what happens when we build a school, pave a road, hand out food and water to children, or open a water treatment plant.

I am tired of following the enemy with drones that have cameras, and then dropping bombs that sometimes kill civilians; because we could do a better job of killing the right people by sending a man with a high powered rifle instead.

I am tired of the thousands of people in the rear who claim that they are working hard to support me when I see them with their mochas and their PX Bags walking down the street, in the middle of the day, nowhere near their workspaces.

I am tired of Code Pink, Daily Kos, Al-Jazzera, CNN, Reuters, the Associated Press, ABC, NBC, CBS, the ACLU, and CAIR thinking that they somehow get to have a vote in how we blast, shoot and kill these animals who would seek to subdue us and destroy us.

I am tired of people like Meredith Vieria from NBC asking oxygen thieves like Senator Chuck Hagel questions like “Senator, at this point, do you think we are fighting and dying for nothing?” Meredith might not get it, but soldiers do know the difference between fighting and dying for something and fighting and dying for nothing.

I am tired of hearing multiple stories from both combat theaters about snipers begging to do their jobs while commanders worry about how the media might portray the possible casualties and what might happen to their career.

I am tired of hearing that the Battalion Tactical Operations Center got a new plasma screen monitor for daily briefings, but rifle scope rings for sniper rifles, extra magazines, and necessary field gear were disapproved by the unit supply system.

I am tired of out of touch general officers, senators, congressmen and defense officials who think that giving me some more heavy body armor to wear is helping me stay alive. Speed is life in combat and wearing 55 to 90 pounds of gear for 12 to 20 hours a day puts me at a great tactical disadvantage to the idiot, mindless terrorist who is wearing no armor at all and carrying an AK-47 and a pistol.

I am tired of soldiers who are stationed in places like Kuwait and who are well away from any actual combat getting Hostile Fire/Imminent Danger Pay and the Combat Zone Tax Exclusion when they live on a base that has a McDonald’s, a Pizza Hut, a Subway, a Baskin Robbins, an internet café, 2 coffee shops and street lights.

I am tired of senior officers and commanders who take it out and "measure" every time they want to have a piece of the action with their helicopters or their artillery; instead of putting their egos aside and using their equipment to support the grunt on the ground.

I am tired of senior officers and commanders who are too afraid for their careers to tell the truth about what they need to win this war to their bosses so that the soldiers can get on with kicking the ass of these animals.

I am tired of Rules of Engagement being made by JAG lawyers and not Combat Commanders. We are not playing Hopscotch over here. There is no 2nd place trophy either. I think that if the enemy knew some rough treatment and some deprivation was at hand for them, instead of prayer rugs, special diets and free Korans; this might help get their terrorist minds “right.”

I am tired of seeing Active Duty Army and Marine units being extended past their original redeployment dates, when there are National Guard Units that have yet to deploy to a combat zone in the last 40 years.

I am tired of hearing soldiers who are stationed in safe places talk about how hard their life is.

I am tired of seeing Infantry Soldiers conducting what amounts to “SWAT” raids and performing the US Army’s version of “CSI Iraq” and doing things like filling out forms for evidence when they could be better used to hunt and kill the enemy.

I am tired of senior officers and commanders who look first in their planning for how many casualties we might take, instead of how many enemy casualties we might inflict.

I am tired of begging to be turned loose so that this war can be over.

Those of us who fight this war want to win it and go home to their families. Prolonging it with attempts to do things like collect “evidence” or present whiz bang briefings on a new plasma screen TV is wasteful and ultimately, dulls the edge of our Infantry soldiers who are trained to kill people and break things, not necessarily in that order.

We are not in Iraq and Afghanistan to build nations. We are there to kill our enemies. We make the work of the State Department easier by the results we achieve.

It is only possible to defeat an enemy who kills indiscriminately by utterly destroying him. He cannot be made to yield or surrender. He will fight to the death by the hundreds to kill only one or two of us.

And so far, all of our “games” have been “away games,” and I don’t know about the ignorant, treasonous Democrats and the completely insane radical leftists and their thoughts on the matter, but I would like to keep our road game schedule.

So let’s get it done. Until the fight is won and there is no more fight left.

Hmm. I saw some bitching about democrats and then some technical, self-righteous military gobblety-gook about what a badass this guy thinks he is for doing his job. Odd though that I didn't see anything in there about this guy being tired of seeing caskets with US flags draped over them being sent home on cargo planes. Or about him being tired of Republicans continually supporting administrative policies that have resulted in more of those caskets being shipped home than was necessary. Funny he calls the president his "commander in chief" as if the moniker alone should be enough to command respect. Well it isn't. When your policies have failed as miserably as this president's have, US citizens and most importantly, US military personnel should be the first to wake up and say "Gee, maybe something's amiss. Maybe this guy is either stupid or doesn't have my best interests at heart."

You might-as-well have wiped your ass with the flag and splattered it onto your computer monitor. The gist would've been the same. So you're a Republican. I could tell from your militaristic avatar. You didn't have to beat the horse any more. It was already dead!

[Gaffer]

His primary beef was with the suits and lawyers running war. And the democrats trying to control what the military does and run the war like they did in Vietnam.

Are you against the war in Afganistan? you know the one that gets ignored by the media because we went in to get al queda and doesn't play well with their efforts to make Bush look bad. The war that has been going on longer than iraq.

More flag draped caskets are coming back and will come back because the islamists watch our news reports and know they can manipulate the thinking of Americans like yourself.

Nope, I'm not a republican, I'm an independent conservative athiest. And a combat veteran, so don't even go there that I don't know what's going on over there and am sitting here safe making comments about the war.

The Sergeant did make a point that something is amiss. He stated that there were too many suits and lawyers calling the shots over there. I agree. The troops and the officers shouldn't have to worry about how their action will be percieved, after the fact, by some lawyer.

[jillian]

His primary beef was with the suits and lawyers running war. And the democrats trying to control what the military does and run the war like they did in Vietnam.

Are you against the war in Afganistan? you know the one that gets ignored by the media because we went in to get al queda and doesn't play well with their efforts to make Bush look bad. The war that has been going on longer than iraq.

More flag draped caskets are coming back and will come back because the islamists watch our news reports and know they can manipulate the thinking of Americans like yourself.

Nope, I'm not a republican, I'm an independent conservative athiest. And a combat veteran, so don't even go there that I don't know what's going on over there and am sitting here safe making comments about the war.

The Sergeant did make a point that something is amiss. He stated that there were too many suits and lawyers calling the shots over there. I agree. The troops and the officers shouldn't have to worry about how their action will be percieved, after the fact, by some lawyer.

Funny... that's not even close to what I read on IAVA.org the Iraq/Afghanistan Vets site. They seem to be far more troubled by other things. Like lack of supplies. Lack of facilities on their return. Long waits for psychiatric treatment for soldiers returning with Post-Traumatic Stress, etc.

Veterans Feel Left Out, Ignored in Bush Speech
January 24, 2007 10:31 AM

Dana Hughes Reports:

It's not what President Bush said but what he left out of his State of the Union address that has outraged a major veteran's group, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

In his nearly one-hour State of the Union address, President Bush never mentioned the 1.6 million veterans the war has already produced, while repeatedly asking the American public and Congress to support his plan to send 20,000 more troops to Iraq.

"For the second year in a row, the president chose to mention the troops only really as a prop for his policies and ignored that these folks are coming home as new veterans," says Paul Rieckhoff, the executive director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and an Iraq war veteran himself.

The lack of a mention shows "veterans aren't a priority for the Bush administration," says Rieckhoff.

Rieckhoff says, in his view, it's irresponsible for Bush to talk about increasing troops in the ongoing war without addressing shortcomings in health care and economic benefits that now plague an overburdened Veterans Affairs Administration.

"It might not be politically palpable for him, but he's got to talk about how he's gonna deal with folks with no arms, folks who've been paralyzed, folks who're at Walter Reed and also the folks who've come home and are facing their second and third deployment," says Rieckhoff.

Rieckhoff also says addressing the issue of returning veterans is not only the right thing to do but also critical to recruitment and morale. "It sends a bad message to young people if they don't hear that Americans take care of their veterans," he says. "It's going to make them reluctant to join, and it's going to ultimately endanger our national security."

A spokesperson for the White House told ABC News, "The president regularly expresses his strong support for America's veterans and his commitment to insuring they receive the support they've earned," and to expect a large increase for the Veteran's Department in the president's proposed 2008 budget.

http://iava.org/index.php?option=com...351&Itemid=116

[Gunny]

Funny... that's not even close to what I read on IAVA.org the Iraq/Afghanistan Vets site. They seem to be far more troubled by other things. Like lack of supplies. Lack of facilities on their return. Long waits for psychiatric treatment for soldiers returning with Post-Traumatic Stress, etc.



http://iava.org/index.php?option=com...351&Itemid=116

Well, I can hardly wait to see what the Dem's are going to do for the Vets. Matter of fact, I didn't notice a concern for disabled vets anywhere in Pelosi's 100 Hour Paper Drill.

The issue of VA benefits is jsut like the issue of illegal immigration when it comes to Dems pointing fingers at Republicans ... the pot calling the kettle black.

[Gaffer]

The VA and its facilities have nothing to do with the post I made from the Sergeant.

Ever been to a VA hospital? Its socialized medicine on a small scale. Its a good subject to discuss but prefer to do that in another thread.

[jillian]

The VA and its facilities have nothing to do with the post I made from the Sergeant.

Ever been to a VA hospital? Its socialized medicine on a small scale. Its a good subject to discuss but prefer to do that in another thread.

It does in the sense that your guy says he is tired of people insinuating that *his* CinC is doing a horrific job. I merely pointed out Reikoff's opinion, and apparently he speaks for a good number of Iraq and Afghanistan vets, that it is irresponsible for the CinC to talk about more troops when he can't take care of the ones he has.

You think troops should have to get their own medical care when they've lost limbs in the service of their country? Also, a good portion of this country was built on the GI Bill after WWII. And I don't think we're any the worse for wear for it.

[Gaffer]

It does in the sense that your guy says he is tired of people insinuating that *his* CinC is doing a horrific job. I merely pointed out Reikoff's opinion, and apparently he speaks for a good number of Iraq and Afghanistan vets, that it is irresponsible for the CinC to talk about more troops when he can't take care of the ones he has.

You think troops should have to get their own medical care when they've lost limbs in the service of their country? Also, a good portion of this country was built on the GI Bill after WWII. And I don't think we're any the worse for wear for it.

I definately don't think the troops should have to get their own medical care. I am very familiar with the VA benifits which have been getting better over the recent years. I use the VA myself. Went to college on the GI bill and bought my first house with a VA guaranteed loan. The VA has improved greatly under Bush and I expect it will continue.

The CinC makes decisions based on strategies presented to him. If those strategies are wrong or things go bad he must look at new or changed strategies. That doesn't make him a horrific leader. Most strategies need to be upgraded daily. The Sergeant is griping about people who condem, when they really have no clue of what is happening either tactically or strategically.

[jillian]

I definately don't think the troops should have to get their own medical care. I am very familiar with the VA benifits which have been getting better over the recent years. I use the VA myself. Went to college on the GI bill and bought my first house with a VA guaranteed loan. The VA has improved greatly under Bush and I expect it will continue.

Have facilities improved? Or have they just had to service more people because of the service people returning from Iraq? I'd like to see something credible which supports it. I'm not saying you're wrong, but the statement isn't what appears to be the case based on IAVA's information.

The CinC makes decisions based on strategies presented to him. If those strategies are wrong or things go bad he must look at new or changed strategies. That doesn't make him a horrific leader. Most strategies need to be upgraded daily. The Sergeant is griping about people who condem, when they really have no clue of what is happening either tactically or strategically.

It makes him a horrific leader when he pursues a failed agenda and refuses to listen to anyone who doesn't parrot his already made up mind. I agree that most strategies need to be updated frequently, which is what Bush hasn't done. As for the sarge, he's certainly entitled to his opinion, but I think not criticizing what most of us seem to believe is a misuse of brave young lives, goes against common sense.

Military people are mission driven. That's their job. It's the job of the CinC AND the civilians who send them to battle to define the mission.

[Gaffer]

Well Jill the wounded returning from iraq and afgan are a drop in the bucket for the VA. And they do not get picked up by the VA until they are discharged. The system is better. The quality of care has improved tremendously. Especially with more facilities being opened. Remember the VA can be used by ALL veterans. So the numbers of those taking advantage of the help are going to vary.

[Gunny]

The VA and its facilities have nothing to do with the post I made from the Sergeant.

Ever been to a VA hospital? Its socialized medicine on a small scale. Its a good subject to discuss but prefer to do that in another thread.

Yeah, but I can't find much wrong with what the Sgt has to say. His gripes pretty-much mirror my own.

Unfortunately for the Sgt, and anyone else with the same general viewpoint, pragmatism takes a back seat to political ass-kissing and an agenda-driven media.

I CAN however find fault with someone spouting the party rhetoric concerning the VA.

[TheStripey1]

Afghanistan... isn't that the place where Osama Bin Laden was supposedly holed up? what ever happened to bush's edict...

Wanted Dead or Alive?

How come we cut and ran from there to attack a country that had nothing to do with 9/11? Had the 160,000 troops currently in or scheduled to be in Iraq had been sent to Afghanistan we might have actually CAUGHT Osama Bin Laden instead of what we have done now...

Emboldened Iran...

Good job, george...

NOT!!!

[TheStripey1]

and obtw.... Re: the sarge's post... he's welcome to his opinion... I just don't share it...

but I bet you guessed that by now...

[Gunny]

Have facilities improved? Or have they just had to service more people because of the service people returning from Iraq? I'd like to see something credible which supports it. I'm not saying you're wrong, but the statement isn't what appears to be the case based on IAVA's information.

We have a brand new VA facility. And as Gaffer mentioned, the VA doesn't get these people until they are released from their branch of service.

In case you missed it, Billary was here this past week for the opening of a brand-new, state-of-the art rehab facility at Brooke Army Medical Center for vets returning with disabling wounds.



It makes him a horrific leader when he pursues a failed agenda and refuses to listen to anyone who doesn't parrot his already made up mind. I agree that most strategies need to be updated frequently, which is what Bush hasn't done. As for the sarge, he's certainly entitled to his opinion, but I think not criticizing what most of us seem to believe is a misuse of brave young lives, goes against common sense.

Military people are mission driven. That's their job. It's the job of the CinC AND the civilians who send them to battle to define the mission.

Really? You libs bitched for how many years Bush needed to send more troops. Now he's sending more. You're against that. Firmly supports my opinion that no matter what decision he makes, it will be the wrong one to you lefties, and you're more than willing to reverse course in the middle of the dance to make it so.

It may be the job of the civilians and the CinC to define the mission, but it is amateurish interference for them to tell professionals in the field how to get it done.

"Sarge" is a disprespectful term.

You're criticizing what he's doing, and he's dishing it back. You call the Iraq War an "illegal" war, or Bush's War, not our war. There's no united front, and you want to hide behind your right to free speech as an excuse. Undermining the mission and morale goes a lot more against common sense than knowing when and how to voice disagreement.

[Gunny]

Afghanistan... isn't that the place where Osama Bin Laden was supposedly holed up? what ever happened to bush's edict...

Wanted Dead or Alive?

How come we cut and ran from there to attack a country that had nothing to do with 9/11? Had the 160,000 troops currently in or scheduled to be in Iraq had been sent to Afghanistan we might have actually CAUGHT Osama Bin Laden instead of what we have done now...

Emboldened Iran...

Good job, george...

NOT!!!

Who's cut and run from Afghanistan? Last I heard, the remnants of the Taliban and AQ are holed up in caves while the country enjoys a modicum of freedom.

But if crossed the Pakisatan border without permission, people of your ilk would be screaming your lungs out about that.