Iraq vets - How is this war ever going to end, and should it?  Did you see sleazy political stuff there?
452985
I am a vet of the first Iraq war. I do not think that this is ever going to end.
1071934
Abu Gharib ... ooooh scary, dogs barked at me, someone put underwear on my head, a woman pointed at me and laughed.  Big deal.\n\nGuantanamo ... tell me, what happened there.  FACTS, not the NewsWeek/60 Minutes lies.  Air conditioned rooms, 3 hots and a cot, meals made specially for them.  WOW that's real torture.\n\nHaditha ... you don't know what happened there, I don't know what happened.  All we know is that there has been an investigation, all of the Marines were given thumbs up on a job well done.  No soldier is being charged with anything.\n\nOK now let's look at the guys we are fighting:\n-using women/children as bombs\n-beheadings, kidnappings, REAL torture, rape\n-blowing up anything and everything with IEDs\n-these guys would kill you, your family, and everyone you know if you gave them half a chance\n\nSo before you want to wring your hands and shout THOSE POOR PEOPLE.  Look at the facts before you dump on Pres Bush and our marines and demand we leave.
309023
Maybe I have a unique perspective from those that have posted so far considering that I am one of the "troops" and a veteran of the current conflict.  From my own viewpoint it is discouraging to hear all the anti-Bush/anti-war rhetoric--not because I support him/it personally, but because it belittles what we are doing over there.  Can you imagine what it would be like to be in a combat zone and know that your fellow citizens think that what you are doing is pointless, worthless, and/or "illegal"?  It is more than a little disheartening.\n\nAs for what I do: I correspond with a number of my fellow service members who are in Iraq and Afghanistan, I wear a Support Our Troops bracelet 24/7 to remind myself at all times of the sacrifices made by those in uniform, and I strive to educate those that I come in contact with about how not supporting the war that we are fighting hurts almost as much as being called "babykiller".
259931
Thanks for the site!!\n\nFor all my Christian friends, I voted on the GW Bush job rating.  Somehow all those other people voted with me that our little Christian Prez doesn´t cut the mustard anymore.\n\nToday also blogged that Saddam had to tell his top generals that he didn´t have WMD so that he couldn´t destroy the Americans while they were still unloading.\n\nOnly he and Bush Jr. knew for sure that he wouldn´t be using non-existant WMD.  Maybe, Cheney and James Dobson.  His generals and Condi were expecting to see mushroom clouds.\n\nthanks again
730331
I really appreciate your sentiment for it is what we were all brought up to believe is good about this country.  But may  I suggest that this is not a war.  It is an occupation by the United States of another country.  We were told that the people of Iraq were being held in oppression by the horrible dictator Saddam Hussein, and that they would be throwing flowers at our troops for setting them free, we would be welcomed with open arms.  Why do you suppose we have had to stay for three years, fighting door to door with citizens who desperately wanted us to enter their country and set them free?  If our policy was so concerned about their human rights, why are they fighting us to the death?  I offer this thought for discussion, for it sounds to me like we were not told the truth about what we are doing there, and the Iraqi people have made it very clear with the sacrifice of the own blood, that they do not like what we are doing?  If we were oppressed by a dictator and someone came in to set us free out of the goodness of their heart, would we fight them door to door for doing so?  I think not.
988211
Was he the same moron who signed up just so he can get a free education?  Anybody who joins the military and later says "it wasn't supposed to be like this" is a moron!.  What did you think it was supposed to be like?  Rambo movies?  bang bang, bad guys are dead, good guys come home and all the hot chicks throw themselves at them?  I actually do blame the military for not knocking sense into these kids before they join, to make them realize that this is NOT a game.\nI would never join the military because I'm intelligent enough to hate having a moron tell me what to do all the time, but what is going on in Iraq is normal and part of a war.  Too bad the bad guys have so many rights and privildges (like posting their questions here).
795219
I'm not jumping on the democratic mind frame. However I am having some serious questions about just how much the Iraqis them self want change. I know people that are in Iraq right now. During Ramadan the Iraqi soldiers did not get paid. So they just packed up and left the base. Leaving our guys to have a skeleton crew trying to hold the base down. This makes me wonder if our guys are giving their lives for Iraqis that are only in it for the money. Well than maybe I do need to take another look.
1143001
To early to tell who will fill the vacuum, but I'm ecstatic. One more monster dead, let our troops keep going and finish this war.  Way to go guys!\n\nWoo hoo!!!
925734
war?  were not at war  were liberators and our soldiers are bring peice ...peices of body's ...can't imagine why it aint working i was telling a coworker how much i wanted to help her as i hit her i'n the face .....this was a lame attemt at humor ....it is tragic what happened i really did believe there were chemical weapons i remember buying tape and plastic to save my self .....about as effective as duck and cover under your desk for atomic bombs....there will be no america at the rate were going....fewma, katrina , 911, no moral copass ,,, did you know that different sects of buhdist monks (they meditate 5 hours at a time thats concentration,)they have been known to see into future , ...they see nothing past 2012!!!.... heard same about nostradomus.....we by know means have this world figureed out ....in the words of dr. phil "HOWS THAT WORKING FOR YOU"?
909984
Hey brother I'm back, many of my latest questions have been removed already.\n\nProgress in Iraq!? The Quagmire in Iraq is indicitve of the complete and utter failure that is the criminal bush administration. Many senseless deaths all around under the guise of fighting terrorism, it's obscene. There has been no progress at all under BUSHCO's reign of terror and only the "thickest" of NEOCONS still support him. It will take a little while for our newly elected friends to pull us out but it will happen.\n\nhttp://www.politicalclothing.com/pix/bc2004.jpg
1102041
I am a Vietnam veteran and this month I voted for the first time as a registered Democrat. I used to be a Libertarian but no longer can I sit on the sidelines saying both parties are evil. \n\nThe resolution passed says that we have to "stay the course in Iraq" or all the US lives we have lost there will have died in vain. That is like a gambler saying "I have to keep putting down bets or all the money I have lost so far will be lost in vain." \n\nIn truth, it is the Republican congress saying that THEY don't want to be like Johnson and Nixon and get blamed for losing Iraq like the aforementioned Presidents got tagged for losing Vietnam. In both cases, the war is not winnable. We went into Iraq on cooked up intelligence. There were no weapons of mass destruction. None. Sadam had already used them on his own people. We sold him the gas. We saw when he used it. There was no uranium and the Republicans knew that. That is why they outed Valerie Plame.\n\nAnd get this, somebody, please: Iraq had nothing at all to do with 9-11. Nothing. The guys flying the planes were mostly Saudiis. OK? Despite the waving the bloody shirt about 9-11, Iraq had nothing to do with it. Oh, that is so criminal to do. It is truly like yelling fire in a crowded theater.\n\nWe or our kids or grandkids will look back on this era and shudder. I hope we can look back on this era. I hope the history of this era will be open and not sealed away.
590284
Beleive in Bush? What is it, a new religion? Are you a freaking idiot, or what? I am guessing the former, and not the latter. I am not planning on arguing politics with someone that can't see past their mamma's teet, but this is the way it is - No one care about Islam because of what the idiots believe. If you haven't been downrange, if you haven't met the Iraqis and spent time with them, then you don't have a right to draw an oppionion. For all of you losers, that hide behind your F-'in computer screen talking about how this is all Bush's fault, and how American soldiers are 'killing innocent people', get off your fat lazy rears and go do what our soldiers are doing. Lazy disgraceful bums! No wonder Iraqis hate us so much. Who wouldn't hate a nation of disgusting fat, slobby people that think what they are TOLD to think, without actually know what the hell they are talking about!!! You are a bunch of disgusting, dispictable, lazy, arrogant mamma's boys! GET A FREAKING LIFE, LOSERRRRRSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
594321
Everyone who is answering that the war is going terrible needs to talk one-on-one with a servicemember who has been there. IF you do, you will most likely find:\n\n* The "war" is going very well. Most Iraqis want us there to finish the job of helping them get on their feet and then leave.\n* Most Iraqis have always been and still remain friendly to the American military. Kids still want to touch our hands. People still smile and wave at us. Most have a kind word to us and the United States and make an attempt to communicate their gratitude in broken English.\n* Americans are doing wonderful things in Iraq. We are building schools, roads and infrastructure. We are training Iraqi Police (the IPs) and Iraqi military. These projects allow Iraqis to stand on their own two feet and govern themselves.\n* The democratically elected, constitutionally backed Iraqi government is in charge and running the show. It only took 3 years to accomplish. By contrast, Germany took 4 years and Japan took 7 years to take over governing themselves.\n* The "insurgency" is NOT what the media leads you to believe. I use quotes around "insurgency" because, by definition, an insurgency would be one led by Iraqis. The truth is that 95% of all "insurgents" ARE NOT Iraqi. They are Saudi, Egyptian, Jordanian, Syrian, Somalian, Iranian ... just about anything BUT Iraqis.\n* The "inusrgency" is being orchestrated by the Iranian government. The Iranians have the most to gain by keeping Iraq unstable. As long as Iraq is unstable, no one will seriously look at Iran and its nuclear weapons program. And with almost 200,000 Americans to Iran's east and west, Iran is mighty damn nervous right now.\n* The vast majority of Americans in Iraq - conservatice or liberal, Republican or Democrat - believe in the mission in Iraq and believe it is the right thing to do. Their opinions are based on events they see every day with their own eyes ... NOT what they have seen on CNN.\n\nYou can believe what you want. Believe CNN or believe the words of our servicemen and women who have been there. But have an open mind.\n\nEDIT: Rena - Conservatively, 500,000 American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have rotated through Iraq since the end of major hostilities. Approximately 2400 have died there - and about 1/6th of those were non-combat related. Divide 2400 / 500,000 and you get 0.0048 - or less than 1/2 of 1% chance of dying in Iraq. This is - BY FAR - the safest war in terms of KIA's that the United States has ever been involved in. You really should talk to several servicemembers before you dismiss a mission we believe in so easily.\n\nEDIT: Manuel Sarmiento - You said:\n\n"War implies that both parties are at even. USA just went and crushed Iraq."\n\nTell that to the Poles, the Czechs, the Austrians, the French and the Belgians who were crushed by Hitler in the beginning of World War II. Tell that to the Kuwaitis who were crushed by Hussein in 1989. Tell that to the Muslims who were slaughtered by Milosevic in the early 1990s. I doubt any one of them would agree with your absurd statement. War DOES NOT imply both sides are even. War implies two governments are fighting with two militaries - nothing more, nothing less.\n\n"Now, because Hussein is a bad person, does that justify to kill thousands of innocent iraquies?"\n\nNo, but I think it justifies the liberation of 25,000,000 Iraqis. In EVERY war, unfortunately, innocent people are hurt and killed. The main difference between the United States and other countries' militaries is that we do not TARGET innocent non-combatants. In fact, we PROSECUTE and JAIL military members who intentionally do so. 'Nuff said.\n\n"Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 but now, it's just natural that iraq people enroll to damage USA, the country that, on their perception, crushed Iraq."\n\nSee my statement above on how Iraqis really feel about Americ
1115567
Thank you. I didn't know that. As the wife of a serving British Army Officer I often get the impression that the opposite is the case. Some of the bizarrely Gung-ho statements don't help. I mean what on Earth does 'Ladies and gentlemen, we got him' say to a watching World? or, a recently aired interview with an American Soldier serving in Iraq who referred to 'zapping' Iraqis. We joined you in making a terrible mistake. I have been deprived of my husband for a year in the last three whilst he served on two Operational Tours, and a 27 year old friend mourns her husband. There were, and are, no WMD and all we can do now is to try to help clear up the terrible mess we made and hope that our UN Allies, the French & the Germans will forgive us. I don't suppose the people of Iraq ever will. You are right. It's not your fault. It's your Government's fault and my Government's fault and the only way we can truly protest (although as a Senior Army Officer's wife, I have marched against this war) is at the polling booth.
490736
to start with my heart goes out to all that have lost love ones in Iraq.\nmy husband is in the Australian navy and has gone to Iraq,\nthe sleepless night that i had while he was away was not worth it at all.\ni want the truth at why we are there also,\ni feel that this is a war for power from the USA government\n(GET OVER IT) none of your children, grandchildren are sent to fight so why should we send ours to fight your war of madness,\n\nwhat will you really have if you win????, \nwill it ever be over ??????\nhow many more of our husband, fathers, children, grandchildren must die for your power trip??????
756467
One really powerful primary source about Iraq and Afghanistan is the Sandbox blog on the Doonesbury website.  Every day there are a couple posts by soldiers involved over there.  There is a range of content, but it gives you the sense that there really are good people working hard to improve the lives of Iraqis even though there is also a lot of disastrous stuff happening.  It might open their eyes a little.  I think they'll find glimpses of the good side there, regardless of their politics.
738922
Still some around here. Do try and not be TOO stupid, what passed for moderates in the last election are just tools of the far left. The Dems trotted out psuedo-moderates to get the Socialist left into positions of leadership. Pelosi as Speaker and 3rd in line to the Presidency? COME ON, a real moderate victory there...and Murtha, Chair of the Armed Services Committee. I'm a retired Marine, and my son is currently an active duty Marine in Iraq. To think that this guy, who has broken faith with his former brothers in the Corps, will control the purse strings that provide the things that keep our troops out of body bags in Iraq (little things like body armor etc...) until we can get out of there gives me more than a moment of pause. Yeah, you go ahead and believe that tripe buddy, the moderates did not win a damn thing.