Some injured GIs decide to stay in Iraq

[deadparrot]

MAHMOUDIYA, Iraq - Parallel scars running down 1st Sgt. Rick Skidis' calf tell the story of how he nearly lost his leg when a roadside bomb blew through the door of his armored Humvee.

The blast shredded muscle, ligament and tendon, leaving Skidis in a daze as medics and fellow soldiers rushed to help him. Skidis remembers little of that day last November except someone warning him that when he woke, his foot might be gone.

After five months and six surgeries, the foot remains intact but causes Skidis haunting numbness and searing pain caused by nerve damage.

Skidis, 36, of Sullivan, Ill., fought through the surgeries and therapy to return in April to Iraq, conducting the same type of patrols that nearly killed him.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060610/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_wounded_at_war

[Jersey Ginny]

1. They stay to take care of their buddies

They come back home and it is like there is no acknowledgement of the war . . . just tax cuts and debate of stupid amendments while they try to keep themselves and their buddies alive in Iraq. I'd probably go back too rather than being home in a clueless country (by design).

[Redstone]

2. That's the only purpose they can find. Excuse me while I go and weep.

Those poor dumb young sons of bitches. I was one of them, once.

Redstone

[atreides1]

5. Exactly, it is the only purpose they have

[Bigmack]

9. The only family, too...

You've been through so much together, your platoon/squad are the only people you can relate to. Mom is in another galaxy... your civilian friends are clueless.... the world doesn't relate at all. A job on the outside selling shoes or whatever can't compare to the sense of being alive with your friends/brothers after a particularly shitty op. Hate it and love it at the same time.

[Posteritatis]

14. When you get down to it

That's the only purpose any soldier really has in war, at least on the thin end of the wedge. Pick an army anytime in the last four thousand years, I'll bet you the pilot, rifleman, pikeman, legionary, phalangite or charioteer was in it - once he was in it - for the wellbeing of the guy next to him much more than he was in it for the official reasons for the war.

I'm not sure if that's such a bad thing in and of itself. I respect the mindset, even though I've only been in a position to feel small twinges of it myself. I'm much less worried about a few hundred thousand soldiers whose main concerns are the other guys in their squad than I am about a few hundred thousand soldiers who really do believe they're on a crusade to save the world by destroying insert-worldview-here. (I imagine the number of soldiers who say that, or even say that and think they believe it, is smaller than the number who really really do think that way.)

[saigon68]

3. Or they can come home, and really get pissed off like Tim McVeigh

[goclark]

6. Where had Timmy McVeigh been in the service?

That is a piece of the puzzle I didn't know about --

[closeupready]

7. I believe Persian Gulf 1.

eom

[goclark]

12. So he may have met some Muslims?

Wasn't he seen around Okla. with someone that appeared to be Middle Eastern?

[closeupready]

30. Yes. There was a journalist who did some research into that.

It's pretty interesting, and the transcripts of eyewitness testimony from the trial are interesting reading.

[saigon68]

26. Got a few medals for bravery too.

Then along came Waco and Janet Reno and he kind of "Lost It"

more

http://racetraitor.org/lifeanddeath.html

[goclark]

33. Could WACO have been an excuse

for his working with the Muslim "terrorists" at that time?

I have always felt that there was way more to the story than his rage over WACO.

Why in the world was he spotted with a Middle Eastern man that has yet to be identified?

The pieces don't fit to me.

[saigon68]

43. Its another unsolved mystery

[No Passaran]

38. 82nd Airborne

He was a 12B (Combat Eng). The same MOS as the sniper psychotic John Muhammed.

[Jeanette in FL]

47. From the opening statement at his trial

excerpt:

During this service in the military, he earned one of
our highest awards, the Bronze Star. He also earned the Army
Commendation medal with an upgrade for valor. He received the
Army Commendation medal, two Army Achievement medals, and
several others. In fact, his unit was chosen to be the inner
perimeter guard at the site where General Schwarzkopf and his
opposite number in the Iraqi army arranged the terms of the
armistice that ended the war.
After the war, he returned to the United States. He
came back initially to go into the special forces. He had been
accepted into it, but he had been in the desert for several
months, had lost a considerable amount of weight and frankly
physically wasn't up to it; so he and a friend of his who came

back with him and joined on the same day dropped out the second
day, because they knew they weren't cut out for his physically.
He went back to Fort Riley, stayed in the service and then
eventually got out, went into the reserves in New York, and
then went to work at some of the places that I have suggested
to you here.

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/mcveigh/defenseopen.html

[atreides1]

4. They can't stop it, they can only slow it down

The entire country isn't clueless, just those blind supporters of this administration, the rubber stamp Republicans, and the media who love sucking Bush a##.

They can't keep their buddies alive, because when it's your time, it's your time. and nothing that anyone tries to do will stop it. If they want to keep their buddies alive then they need to start here at home. Because as long as Bush Co and the Republican are in charge his buddies, his troops will continue to come home with pieces missing or in flag draped coffins.

And the longer he and others continue to believe in the fairy tale that they've been told, the longer that the death and wounds will go on.

[rocktivity]

29. DING DING DING! Jersey Ginny, you're our grand prize winner!

...I'd probably go back too rather than being home in a clueless country...

And think of how much worse it feels to realize that THEY were the clueless ones--that their service has less to do with protecting freedom than with being hired muscle (cheap hired muscle compared to the mercenaries) for a commander-in-chump whose real foot soldiers are his financial backers, and whose own military record has more gaps in it than Britney Spears' wardrobe. To top it off, as soldiers, they can't even complain about it!

A patriot is a terrible thing to waste, too.

:headbang:
rocknation (fellow Jersey girl)

[No Passaran]

37. he's a 1SG

I can see why he would want to stay back with his soldiers. He is after all a fater of the unit.

It's actually weird seeing a 1SG on a patrol. Never happened in the two years I spent in Iraq. Maybe we just had some lazy ones or that unit is really, really stretched thin.

[dysfunctional press]

8. if they want to go back- more power to them.

it just means that many less new victims.

they must make the kool-aid a lot stronger in the military.

[Thickasabrick]

11. I ran into a guy in the airport. Waiting between planes we

chatted. He had been in the service several years and even though he would come home occasionally, he hadn't seen his wife or kids in over 18 months. I expressed my dismay and concern and his comment was, "oh they understand - I'm doing my part to protect our freedoms and way of life".

It's like they brainwash this phrase into them. I held my tongue and did not share my thoughts that Saddam or the Iraqis were never a threat to my personal liberties or freedoms. The only threat I see to those would be the current US regime. I just smiled and told him to take care of himself. I think he was expecting me to thank him for what he was doing - I just couldn't.

Was that wrong?

[Johng333]

15. Yes it was wrong

Regardless of your belief in the validity of the war, the people who serve with honor do so for this country, not this administration.

I am often shocked how partisan politcs blinds people to the service being provided by others. These men and women do not serve a political party, they do not serve an agenda, they serve a nation.

A soldier does not get to choose the war, a soldier does not get to decide if war is the best option, a soldier agrees that he/she will fulfill their duty.


Shame on you. Shame, shame, shame.

[Thickasabrick]

19. Perhaps you are right, I could have thanked him.....but I'm not

grateful kids who have not been told the truth are signing up to be cannon fodder in an illegal war....so it would have been a lie.

[Johng333]

22. Would it be a lie to thank him for his principles?

Again, its not about the war, it is about men and women saying that I believe in America and I want to be of service to my country.

They may not want to be in Iraq, they may think the war was not a good idea, but they will serve because that service does not get to choose. They will choose with their votes.

Thank you for your dedication to our country. Compare it to voting. Do you have more respect for someone who takes the time to vote, or somone who agrees with your view point but won't cast a ballot. Which one embodies the spirit of America?


I respect your right to your opinion. I choose to support the troops and thank people willing to work for a belief in America.

[Thickasabrick]

34. Me thanking him for his principles would have been somewhat

"cheesy" in light of the airport setting and him being a perfect stranger but....whatever. Many people joined specifically to aid in the war in Iraq because they swallowed the 9/11 - Saddam connection hook, line and sinker. Who could blame them? It was an astounding display of modern day propaganda.....Goebbels would have been proud.

We don't teach our children in school that Goebbels philosophy is alive and well in the 21st century.

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.” Joseph Goebbels

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

35. A lot of them are there because of college.

The biggest reason my friend signed up was a shitload of college loans and having a hard time finding a decent job after graduation. He's very, very liberal and doesn't think we're accomplishing any good over there. He also told me that lots of soldiers feel the same way he does. Especially the educated ones.

[Thickasabrick]

42. Most of my friends in the guard signed up literally to be weekend

warriors for the money. They never imagined they would become parties to invading oil rich defenseless countries.

[No Passaran]

39. wow

He swallowed it along with almost all of the Democrats you keep voting for. Next time you see a soldier coming home in his uniform, thank him or if you're in the bar with him at the airport buy him a drink. It's the least you can do.

[Thickasabrick]

41. Refresh my memory. What democrat believed Saddam and

9/11 were connected? We all believed the WMD story, hard not to when the Secretary of State made that case before the UN.

[saracat]

31. But a soldier does get to choose what he believes.

And we are not protecting our country or fighting for freedom by being in Iraq. And he doesn't have to choose to believe we are.

[arewenotdemo]

46. I totally disagree

or should we all just be good Germans, too?

[Sydnie]

17. No, you weren't wrong

You stopped at saying what was really on your mind. No need to go there, I agree.

You have NOTHING to be ashamed about or to question yourself about concerning this encounter.

[Thickasabrick]

18. Thanks Sydnie n/t

[Johng333]

23. I agree - there is no shame in the question

You have a right to your opinion.

I feel differently. If my opinion offended you I apologize. I feel strongly on the subject and do not mean to shove my views on others.
It is a point close to my heart.

[Kailassa]

10. It's just propaganda to convince other troops

that they have no right to leave Iraq, ever.

It's getting harder and harder to enlist replacements, and besides, the fewer soldiers return alive, the fewer stories escape.

When a story provides the government with propaganda, you have to be sceptical. Skidis could be too dumb to know any better, or he might not have anything in America to "come home" too, or he might have had unimaginable pressure on him to agree to returning.

[jwirr]

13. When your time is short they count it against you if you take sick

leave. In Korea my uncle was wounded when he had 15 days to go. If he had went to the hospital they would not have counted that time so he volunteered to retrieve the property of the dead and send it to the nok until his 15 days were up.

[Johng333]

16. I thought people supported the troops not the war - guess that was false

I am completely disheartened by the posts here. What happened to we support the troops not the war? They are doing what they believe is a service for this country. They are sacrificing. Would it hurt to say thank you for the effort and salute them?

Do we want the troops home because we care about them or because we care more about a politcal agenda?

When Clinton fouled up in Somolia and pulled the troops out too early after denying them the armour they needed, the results were catastrophic and had a huge effect in inspiring the Islmaic terrorists from 1993 through today.

I don't have to like the president, I don't have to like the administration, I don't have to like the foriegn policy, I don't have to believe in the war - when you start mocking the people who serve only because they believe in our country without care about politics, that crosses a line.

[bling bling]

20. People here have nothing to prove to you.

Don't be disheartened, not that you really are. The people here who support the troops don't need you to remind them why. They do so regardless of you. The people here who don't support the troops do so regardless of any of us.

But whatever. Go ahead -- go back to whatever other discussion board you came from, and gather all your friends to paint us all with a big broad anti-troop brush using this thread as an example. What else is new? Yawn.

Have fun.

[Johng333]

21. Who are all of us?

I was disheartened by this thread. How did this become an indictment of this entire forum? I would never cast a broad stroke. If my sentiment toward the men and women who serves offends you, I can live with that, I hope you can as well.

It would be narrow minded to cast aspersions upon an entire group of people based on the statements of a few. I stand by my message. This thread disheartens me. This forum does not.

Nor would I want people to stop expressing views whether I agree or not. It is not only key American belief in freedom of speech, I believe it should be a key human value to better understand each other.

I hope you will agree.

[bling bling]

24. Did you happen to read your headline, much less your own post?

"I thought people supported the troops not the war -- I guess that was false."

That's a pretty broad brush against "people", and it sure looks like your throwing the accusation at this forum because so far I see possibly 2 posts on this thread that could be construed as not supportive of the troops. Maybe you should have responded directly to those posts that disheartened you.

[Johng333]

25. People as in those who posted - I see where you made your mistake

I see how you made your mistake. No harm done. If I was for some insane reason to address the entire forum, I would make that clear.

When I discuss a topic it is within the content of that thread. If not I make point out the broader spectrum.

I can see how your assumptions mislead you. All is well, no harm no foul.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Pastiche423]

32. Please explain EXACTLY

what the troops are during for the betterment of this country.

TIA

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

36. Most of us here do support the troops.

If you spent enough time on the board, you would realize that most of us support the troops completely. Don't slam us all for the posts of a few. I've marched for peace in NYC with DUers and we all supported the troops.

[Proud_Feminist4Peace]

27. Whatever....

They coulda left with their pride intact and they choose to stay. Idiots! They have no business being there.

[No Passaran]

40. and what is it you do

for this country. yes the was is not right but he has a responsibility to his friends.

I stood in the formation of 800 when my bn commander told us to go ahead and just fight to keep each other alive and to bring each other home alive to our wives and children. He basically acknowledged that the whole war was bs, but we had no choice but to support each other.

You're what's wrong with this party.

[Proud_Feminist4Peace]

44. You don't even know me

To say I am what is wrong with this country. And what I do for it is protest the illegal war and hoping that people will come to their senses just how immoral war is. Glad to see you came back in one piece and I really do mean it. Thousands of others weren't so lucky.

[Veronica.Franco]

45. These guys want the right to be a HOORAH ...

This may be the most some of them ever accomplish in their lives and they don't want to miss it ... not for a moment ... as horrid as war is they FEEL so alive ... they are "where it is happening" in their minds ... It makes no sense to most of us to allow our minds and bodies to be abused in this way ... but this is what they want ... and this is precisely why the military has to watched closely by saner minds ... some of these young men who are injured now won't understand the price they've paid until they're much older ... THEN they'll get that they were used in a war built on lies and they will pay for it for the rest of their lives ... Recently, there was a Vietnam Vet that went over the edge ... lost it completely ... the idea that these guys have been over there for so long is pushing all of his buttons and he just lost it ... paranoid, delusional, lost, and a complete recluse ... these young guys hearts are in the right place ... they want to be there for their buddies ... they just don't GET that they never should have been put through this to begin with ...

Heaven help us all ...