I am hesitant to post this, but will. This guy was my partner at work, and my friend. We spent a lot of time together, and I miss him a lot. A damned fine guy.
I was going to respond to a post here to me:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2848632And a fine thread it is. But I wanted to start a new thread with the conversation I am having with one of my engineers who is on the front lines.
I changed my name and his here.
For the record: My friend is black and immigrated here. I cannot say much more than that as I want to protect his identity.
The Straight Story says:
yo
The Straight Story says:
question for you
My
[email protected] says:
yes
The Straight Story says:
what do you think we should do in Iraq now
My
[email protected] says:
dude we should have more people there from the start
The Straight Story says:
true
The Straight Story says:
but do you think we should just leave?
The Straight Story says:
or stay and help them?
My
[email protected] says:
i think we should leave what can a infantry guy do there? we are traing to kill
The Straight Story says:
do you think more will die if we leave or less
My
[email protected] says:
i believe we are doing too much
My
[email protected] says:
i think we need more people for a short time after than then we should leave
My
[email protected] says:
reading all the reports here i get a clear picture of whats going on in here
The Straight Story says:
I am discussing this online: My take, we helped make the mess and need to clean it up, but I also see where us being there may not help (or it may help and save lives). You being on the front lines (as it were) can you see any reason for us to stay or should we get the hell out asap?
My
[email protected] says:
i agree
The Straight Story says:
I guess I am asking - if we leave, will more die then if we stay?
My
[email protected] says:
if we leave we will save more us lifes but there will be more of their if dead
My
[email protected] says:
is like a race war over there man
My
[email protected] says:
it really is
The Straight Story says:
I am not out there risking my life like you are so I wanted your opinion
My
[email protected] says:
and the sad thing about it we cant even tell how is how
The Straight Story says:
who is who ya mean?
My
[email protected] says:
here in afgan is a different story
My
[email protected] says:
yeah
The Straight Story says:
so what would you recommend on both fronts (afghanistan and Iraq)?
My
[email protected] says:
stay in afghanistan and kick ass, we have a better chances of completing the mission here but we dont have enough people here. Iraq is a civil war. if we stay we are going to have more guys kill, but if we dontt they are going to kill more people
My
[email protected] says:
dealing with people in afgan is like dealing with the mob
My
[email protected] says:
the only way to can kill the mob is by actually killing it
My
[email protected] says:
there has been allot of progress here
My
[email protected] says:
is just that we dont have enough people to cover a whole country
My
[email protected] says:
for every 10 miles there 3 of us
My
[email protected] says:
not even close
The Straight Story says:
so would you say, pull people out of Iraq and send them there?
The Straight Story says:
and are you really looking for osama
My
[email protected] says:
if we leave iraq is going to look like we just kick their butt and fuck up their home and did nothing else
The Straight Story says:
true
My
[email protected] says:
we have a few guys looking for him, but nothing serious is like if they run into him kill him other than that continute your mission
The Straight Story says:
and what is our mission there now anyway? hell, I am confused about it all!
My
[email protected] says:
nothing going to change if we get him
The Straight Story says:
I just want you back here
My
[email protected] says:
to hell the afgan people
The Straight Story says:
why do you say that?
My
[email protected] says:
dude we would build a school and 3 weeks llater the taliban kill the teacher
The Straight Story says:
damn
My
[email protected] says:
the news does not say that
My
[email protected] says:
there so many stories
The Straight Story says:
so who are you fighting now anyway???
The Straight Story says:
the taliban, osama, war lords?
My
[email protected] says:
one day we where on a convoy and we had a video camera on the vechicle in front of us and it got hit by a ide
My
[email protected] says:
the guy die
My
[email protected] says:
See people here expect us to give them job
My
[email protected] says:
well their were no jobs before
The Straight Story says:
what seems to be the major issue as you see it?
My
[email protected] says:
we have to give them stuff for them not to set ied on the road
My
[email protected] says:
money
The Straight Story says:
?
The Straight Story says:
I don't get it
My
[email protected] says:
people will change sides to the group that helps them
My
[email protected] says:
if the taliban gives them 10 they will plan a ied
My
[email protected] says:
if we give them 20 they will not
My
[email protected] says:
dude these people live in mud houses'
My
[email protected] says:
they are like 50 years back
The Straight Story says:
what do they want there???
My
[email protected] says:
they want want every human wants
My
[email protected] says:
the ability to secure a job
My
[email protected] says
family
My
[email protected] says:
feed their family
My
[email protected] says:
the same stuff
The Straight Story says:
let me ask you this - are you helping them, or do they see you as hindering them in their quest? And how much does religion play a role?
My
[email protected] says:
we try to kill their weed fields but we are not replacing it with anything else
My
[email protected] says:
dude they want us here
My
[email protected] says:
we give them so much money
My
[email protected] says:
their is a little religion but they want america here
My
[email protected] says:
we give them money but they will not pay their people
My
[email protected] says:
is crazy
My
[email protected] says:
is like 10% wants to control 90
The Straight Story says:
so what do YOU think we should do, you are on the front line - what is it the people there want?
My
[email protected] says:
the goverment is crazy and not truefull
My
[email protected] says:
we should bring the troops here to afgan. FINISH THE JOB.
My
[email protected] says:
the people want our help
My
[email protected] says:
do you know that we spend less money in afgan thatn any war in history
The Straight Story says:
no
The Straight Story says:
Just do me a favor man, stay safe. I miss ya.
My
[email protected] says:
we have man
My
[email protected] says:
i will man
The Straight Story says:
I will stay online all week , check in as you can. I worry about you a lot.
The Straight Story says:
The wife was asking about you tonight
The Straight Story says:
wanted to make sure you were ok
My
[email protected] says:
our deep discussion about everything working at night. I am in a safe zone right now. is like a city.
My
[email protected] says:
but we get attack every other day during the summer
The Straight Story says:
I miss our nights together
My
[email protected] says:
they dont do much fighting during the winter
The Straight Story says:
we got a lot to catch up on
My
[email protected] says:
yes, i have to get ready for work. Dude we work 7 days 13 hours here
The Straight Story says:
well, just stay safe for me ok, and I will be here if ya need someone to talk to, and you have my cell number right?
My
[email protected] says:
yes thanks. see you later
The Straight Story says:
later buddy, and call if you need me
My
[email protected] says:
whats the number i will call you in a hour
(waiting on him to call me)
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