Can someone tell me what our soldiers think they're doing in Iraq?

[babylonsister]

Do they 'really' believe this can be resolved? Or is it their job, and they will do whatever it takes?
I do wonder.

[Fredda Weinberg]

1. I find that most people prefer not to think too deeply. They do what

must be done.

[grasswire]

2. Bah (eom)

[liberalmuse]

3. Soldiers just do their mission.

I imagine they don't have time to think about anything much other than how to stay alive another day.

[babylonsister]

7. Except for those that question it, like LT Watada. nr

[Just-plain-Kathy]

4. I have a neighbor whose daughter dropped out of West Point right before the war.

My neighbor defends the war. She knows a lot of kids fighting there, along with some who were killed. She says they're there to liberate the Iraqi people.

[gateley]

10. To liberate from WHOM? Saddam's long gone. nt

[babylonsister]

17. Why did she drop out? nt

[Just-plain-Kathy]

32. I never asked this woman why her daughter dropped out. I thought her reason might...

...have been personal. ...If I were closer to her I might have asked. ...She's a real Bushbot.

[mark414]

5. i am of military age (22) and have had a few friends over there

in both Iraq and Afghanistan. of all of them, only one still adamantly supports the President and his "mission."

the rest? they've told me they don't think about it. one of my buddies put it this way, "right or wrong, i'm stuck there, and so my job is to keep my friends from getting killed."

another friend spent too much time dwelling on it. he supported the war initially cause he bought into the lies and then realized that he was betrayed. he became so demoralized he nearly put a bullet in his head before somebody put a couple in him and sent him home (still alive, thankfully).

the opinions are all over the place, but mostly i'm sure they ignore the politics and just do what they're told.

[babylonsister]

11. Thanks so much for sharing. I'll bet opinions are all over the place.

And I know about people in the military; it's sacred! And then...

[LibertyorDeath]

6. They signed up

to do what they're fucking told
and not to question senior officers...

First thing into Baghdad we Guard the fucking Oil Ministry

Go it... Good.....

[emilyg]

9. Got it.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

8. many of them thought it would be a quick invasion and straight back home

they didn't realize it would be a 'peace keeping' mission.

[Breeze54]

25. The majority of Americans thought it would be a cake walk, not just soldiers.

:eyes:

[TahitiNut]

12. "Their's not to reason why, Their's but to do and die:" (Tennyson)

Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)
The Charge of the Light Brigade

I
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
`Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!' he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

II
`Forward, the Light Brigade!'
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Some one had blunder'd:
Their's not to make reply,
Their's not to reason why,
Their's but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

III
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.

IV
Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre-stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.

V
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.

VI
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!


Many read this and assume it glorifies battle. It doesn't.

[babylonsister]

14. Thank you a bunch. I remember that. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. And it hasn't changed

one bit

[alittlelark]

13. They are soldiers.... they have been through 'basic training'

ie - brainwashing that killing is OK (that is hard to do - humans, well 98%, do not do that naturally). Their natural responses are most often overridden by the responses they have been brainwashed into.

Many fully understand the futility.... Imagine their predicament! OMFG.



They will do what they are told to do for the sake of their compatriots.



Is this F'ed up or what?????

[emilyg]

20. If you don't like killing - don't enlist.

[HughBeaumont]

23. Often times, they have no other options.

It's not like there are factory jobs . . . or even many white collar jobs, for that matter, that they can apply for without going to college.

Somehow, I think the "Free Trade" BS of shipping manufacturing, Automotive and other blue collar industries overseas that started happening in the late 70s/early 80s, exacerbated in the 90s and has become commonplace in the 2000's had a possible alterior motive: to give HS grads that didn't want to go to college only one other option rather than the work force, so The Government could avoid having politically suicidal and unpopular drafts?

Think about it.

[Toots]

30. What is the "Spirit of the Bayonet"?

"TO KILL" This is drilled into a new recruit over and over again...BooYah!!!

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Protecting their budy in the fox hole next to them

hard to understand for most civies, but soldiers are doing what they do in every war. Protect each other's back and come home.

They don't make policy

[TahitiNut]

18. I don't know why folks don't understand that.

It's damned near all a person can do in those circumstances, fer krissakes! :grr:

[Breeze54]

27. Thank You!!

I'm so tired of this bs, too, of lumping all that have been ordered to Iraq as being brainless killers!

What a fucking load of crap!! :grr:

[provis99]

19. if all you're fighting for is your buddies,

that pretty much demonstrates a lack of belief in any "Great Cause". In which case, why the fuck are we in Iraq?

[flordehinojos]

21. "defending the homeland" ... so we won't have to defend it here. that is what they think they are

doing in iraq. however, many of them know a lot better!

[shadowknows69]

22. Protecting their fellow soldiers

[Toots]

24. "Ours is not to wonder why, ours is but to do or die"

One of the very first things taught to a new recruit..You do not question your leaders..Period..

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

26. Following orders and doing things that reasonable people wouldn't do.

And, I'm not even talking about the killing. Just everyday life in the military is downright insane.

"If it's natural to kill, how come men have to go into training to learn how?" Joan Baez

[MiniMe]

28. I think that some signed on right after 9-11 when patriotism was running high

That is what Pat Tillman did. They may have bought into Afghanistan, but the war drums weren't beating for Iraq yet, at least publicly.

[KharmaTrain]

29. Visit A VA Hospital

Most now have a ward or two set aside for returning Vets. These people are all but forgotten. Bring a book and some food (Candy Bars or Patries are very much welcome). Many hospitals welcome a visit and the vets are glad to see someone from "the outside".

Then ask...you'll hear plenty!

Cheers...

:hi:

[stray cat]

31. Trying to keep themselves and their buddies alive mostly