Recently President George W. Bush stated that “difficult choices and
additional sacrifices lie ahead.” As a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi
Freedom, I take it extremely personal that our Commander and Chief
casually speaks of sacrifice when it is not shared equally through out
our country.

Many of the soldiers that I fought beside in the Middle-East have
returned on multiple deployments to the combat zone, some of them
totalling over three years of combined war experience. Zogby’s poll last
year proved that only a quarter of the troops in Iraq are there on their
first tour of duty, half of the current troops are on their second
deployment and the remaining twenty-five percent have gone three times
or more.

The same minority of Americans are paying the burden of the wars in
Afghanistan and Iraq. Only one half of one percent of Americans serve in
the US military today. That is the least amount in the last century.
With so few in the Armed Forces and the demand so great if “additional
sacrifices” are to made it will be my friends and fellow service members
that will be the men and woman on the front line.

When the President was asked how Americans would sacrifice he replied
that “they are standing in longer lines at the airport.” When we went to
war in Europe and the Pacific during the Second World War it was
apparent in every small town in this nation that there was sacrifice by
each and every American. People rationed, donated, worked harder for
less and sometimes went without. Today soldiers return from war to news
reports of a new coffee shop opening around the corner, an animal being
born in the zoo, and shoppers being trampled over for a video game. They
stand in long lines at the airport to listen to passengers grumble about
the wait and wonder to themselves if America even realizes a war going
on.

If we are a country engaged in a war of necessity than shouldn't a
greater portion of our democracy invest more time and energy or at least
concern and attention toward the war our military is waging? And if we
are not going to maintain a larger more distributed sacrifice because a
huge majority of our citizens don’t believe we are on a proper course
then shouldn’t we have an elected leadership that represents those views
and pulls the troops out?

Certainly we could have a more defined purpose with attainable goals our
commanders can work toward. When the administration speaks of success or
failure in Iraq it seems unclear to everyone what that entails. We are
asked to swallow ideological ramblings to justify a continued sacrifice.
I would rather have our foreign policy based on tactical and factual
reasoning than a pep rally that abuses America’s patriotism, values and
sense of courage. Haven’t we been lied to enough by our own government
to have not grown wise to the repetitive talking points?

I hear President Bush claim that “The enemies of liberty” are attempting
to foment sectarian violence because they “hate freedom.” From what I
can tell on the ground the people in a civil struggle are fighting
because they fear a lack of freedom. Two sects battle because of
mistrust and polarized sides encouraged by US occupation. These are not
people that hate Americans because we are free, they hate us because we
occupy their country with our military and neglect their people in favor
of profit and exploitation of their resources.

The Department of Defense predicts Al-Qaeda makes up less than five
percent of the insurgency in Iraq and they are less desired in the
country by the majority of Iraqis than the US military. Why does the
President continue to make claims that Iraq will become a terrorist
training ground and a haven for extremists? It clearly seems to distract
Americans away from the truth and attempts to intimidate us into
continuing the war, even expanding it.

Perhaps we should consider all the evidence before weighing in on
backing any politician who can not speak beyond threats and propaganda?
I want to hear my leaders speak of concrete solutions to the escalating
war in the Middle-East. I would like to see leaders that represent the
will of our democracy’s majority. Let’s put our military’s capacity, to
continue and expand this war, on the table before we enter into a debate
about the next phase in the war in Iraq.

I found that posted ona web site!
http://ftssoldier.blogspot.com/

good post Fanta...I concur completely

Name: E-4 Mafia
Location: Sunni Triangle, IQ
This website is privately operated and is designed to provide personal
information, views and commentary about the authors experiences in Iraq
and elsewhere. The images depicted and opinions expressed on this
website are solely those of the author and contributors and not those of
any agency of the United States Government, expressly including, but not
limited to, the Department of Defense, the United States Army, or the
United States Army Reserve. The site is not designed, authorized,
sanctioned, or affiliated, by or with, any agency of the United States
Government, expressly including, but not limited to, the Department of
Defense, the United States Army, or the United States Army Reserve.
Users accept and agree to this disclaimer in the use of any information
accessed in this websit

only 1/2 of 1%,, fasinating

This should be required reading (and objective understanding) before
anyone makes a half baked claim to either,

... 'bring our soldiers home now!!!'

or,

... 'support a 'win at all cost' campaign!!!'

Neither claims stand a 'reality check'.

The solution to the current mess does not reside in shortsightedness,
personal opinions, 'beliefs', propaganda, hidden-agendi, together with
'macho' claims on one side, or emotion driven claims on the other side.
And yet, that is the basis upon which the lives of brave men and women
(only 1/2 of 1% of all Americans) were committed and continue to be
committed in this war.

It is urgent that people here, put their petty partisan bickering
aside, and start gathering, exchanging and collating information and
facts (like that suggsted here by fanta46).

It's all about understanding the competing perceptions of legitimate
realities of factions of people 'involved' in their own situation OVER
THERE, and how complex the clash is with the US intervention naively
trying to deliver and install the 'gift' of freedom, 'their way'.

my view is there is no saveing irac no matter what we do, so bring our
people home, let them all blow each outher up if they want to.

Did you check out the web page voil?
Interesting stuff, he is not the only soldier with an opinon!
There are more stories, and poetry too!

Fanta,

Haven't visited the 'web' page yet, but will do so soon.

Will get back to you shortly.

Very rich premise!

Just finished '... The sure cure for Boredom' (or complacency as you
pointed earlier).

Conversation between a volonteer soldier and his father intelligently
exploring the 'draft' as a means to end the 'war' in Iraq! Invoking a
different kind of WAR! A war AGAINST complacency!!!

It's easy to scream out '...WIN THIS WAR AT ALL COSTS!' when you're
sitting in front of your TV watching some 'reality TV' show, ... so
disconnected from reality!!!

Easy, when all those sitting in front of their TV only worry about what
lake...,
their 'mother' of all muscle boat, hauled by their 'mother' of all SUV,
... going to pollute next!!!

Americans, young and old, are 'cheering' for a win in Iraq (those who
do) in exactly the same manner they're cheering for their 'team' to
bring the cup home. Totally disconnected from the reality of
'REALITY'!!! Reality has become a show on TV. War, as discusting as
this may seem, is just another TV special you watch with friends and a
case of beer!

The draft would shift reality smack HOME!!! A son, a daughter, a cousin,
a neighbor, a friend, a real loved face, instead of that anonymous 1/2
of 1% whose faces are just like those faces you see in ... movies!!!

As long as fewer than 1% of American are the only AMERICANS directly
involved in fighting this war, AMERICA IS NOT INVOLVED!!! It's
cheering, and it's drinking beer.

When a son or a daughter of an otherwise 'WASP' Wall-Mart shopping, SUV
driving, lake vacationning, and REALITY SHOW watching middle-class
family, comes to the kitchen table with an open letter in his or her
hands, to annouce that they've been called to serve, maybe then America
will truly get invovled. Maybe then America will ask WHY it should
fight this war, and SACRIFICE THEIR LOVED ONES? Maybe then America will
call our wreckless politicians, Republicans and Democrats, to account?
Maybe FACED WITH the draft, America will turn the TV off, take to the
streets and shout ENOUGH bs FROM WASHINGTON!!!

must read for everyone. This not propaganda. This mostly from Iraq
soldiers still serving volontarily, and speaking, with serenity,
wisdom, and true commitment to this contry. This is not bashing this or
bashing that. It truly inspires to raise the bar on the fundamental
questions no one is asking, and facing reality other the show on TV.

Very much of an eye opener. Unless you go there, you can't get more of a
first hand and balanced account of the situation in Iraq. Shifts every
cell in your body from 'Bleecher's Referee' and 'Backseat Driver' to
'... do you mean MY SON/DAUGHTER!!!'

Mr. V....u r still alive and still very political

A wise man he is too! More people should check out the site. It is by
soldiers to tell their stories not a government sponsered or bias web
site just REALITY!!! Straight from the horses mouth. Not one soldiers
tale but many, and some interesting poetry as well!

Fanta, Voil,.....I couldn't have said it better myself! Great
post!

Hello Lily38,

If you concur with these observations, check out another great
'fanta46' post:
'Iraqi President Seeks Arab Support', also in 'current news and events'.

Give us your thoughts on that one.


See you there!

Recently returned from the al anbar province (ramadi) for the unknowing,
I can speak some on this subject.

As a sergeant that is a combat medic with a scout/sniper team I had the
pleasure or discomfort however you want to look at it to see and feel
war fist hand.

I am proud to be in the 1/2 of 1 percent and truely DO NOT wish to see
men or women in the service who do not want to be there. Those types of
people bring down moral, and inevitably disrupt the battle rythm which
could lead to more deaths.

additionally, I do not care if america is sitting around biting their
nails eagerly awaiting our return. We volunteered for this, for the most
part the men that I work with our in line with the same way of thinking.
Just leave us alone (congress) and let us do our job. hell, we'd be done
already if we didnt have to go about it being all PC. Politics is what
happens before the battle is fought, if politics fail then we go in and
do what we do.

Dont get me wrong, for those of you who say we appreciate us, well
thanks. If you dont then, thanks as well. it shows our diversity, i
wouldn want any pretenscious support.

I hear in the words of the e-4 mafia, a growing concern of not knowing
whats next, or whats expected of them. Unfortunately that happens
frequently, lower enlisted are not given reasons, ony orders that to
them may not seem logical at the time. Many do not understand when
talking to them about the hardships faced when fight a counter
insurgency operation. But that leads to a whole new thread and a can of
worms that I do not have the time to address, and a full knowledge of
understanding myself, so let this be what I wrap up with,
I have no problems doing what we're doing. Ive seen it work, and Ive
seen it fail, given enough time to succeed then we will bring order to a
country that is torn from years of abuse, forged thru years of tiranical
rules. I have been blessed in that Ive made it back to the states, but
only to refit both physically and mentally, I will be going back and
look forward to continued success.

doc

good post doc

all i have spoken to say very close to saying the same thing

and i have spoken to several

and yes a war should be fought be soldiers not politians

once the politians send in the soldiers

they should step back out of the way

because their innerferance cost more lives on both sides

thanks to all those who serve

Spoke to a Brit soldier who had just finished 18 months in Basra.

They all resent being there, right the way up to General Staff.

They follow orders, but they are in no way supportive of my country's
spinless attitude to telling the Bush administration to take a hike!

But then I guess we need the oil too.

ok real fast question Belushi, and it is one i ask everyone who has
talked to a soldier somewhere. You have tlaked to his soldier, I do not
doubt it. However, how do you know that he speaks for everyone there
like you claimed? You dont. He comes home bitter and upset, for
whtaever reason it does not matter, and decides to state his opinion as
the general opinion. It happens all the time, and way too often. I am
sorry my friend, but I will never take the owrd of one person as the
word of an entire group.

Interesting post fanta! personally I believe that dead beat parents
should be made to enlist and serve. It would be a win win situation for
the parents struggling to support our children. Also with the prisons
packed to capacity and more needing built perhaps its time to throw them
out there on the battleline as well. Just my thoughts!

oh I agree Barbie, I agree 100%. We (USA) used to have such a program
in effect, where judges were able to offer the choice to someone in
front of them to avoid jail/prison if they chose to go into service.
This was an option for the teenage delinquit, the habitual shoplifter,
all the lessor, non-violent crimes. And personally, it was a great
option because the majority of the time, the person would leave service
a lot more mature and productive towards society than they went in.
I wish it was still a legal option for judges to offer.