Marines Vent Frustration in Western Iraq

[fishface]

By FISNIK ABRASHI
Associated Press Writer

October 19, 2004, 2:58 AM EDT

QAIM, Iraq -- The sound of the Black Hawk medical helicopter is an ominous sign for the Marines patrolling this forgotten western corner of Iraq that borders Syria. It means that one of them is seriously wounded or killed by their elusive enemy.

The sound of roaring engine, shattering evening calm, gets immediately followed up with a quick whisper among the troops, trying to find out who it was -- this time.

At this Marine base, at the far west of the restless Anbar province only miles from the Syrian border, the news spreads quickly.

"We are losing guys left and right," says Cpl. Cody King, 20, of Phoenix, not hiding his anger. "All we are doing around here is getting blown up."

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-iraq-war-in-the-west,0,3853284.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

[necso]

1. "We are losing guys left and right,"

says Cpl. Cody King, 20, of Phoenix, not hiding his anger. "All we are doing around here is getting blown up."

Sounds about right.

[LynnTheDem]

2. Yeah but LOOK at all that nasty WMD found in Iraq!

Ok, so NONE was found. ZERO. ZILCH. NONE.

And Iraq had nothing to do with 911.

And no ties to al Qaeda or any other international terrorist organization.

And there was no need for any "humanitarian intervention".

And 98% of the Iraqi people view the US as occupiers and not liberators.

But Saddam and Poland and the USA were taking KICKBACKS from the UN oil for food program!!! Or so says Iranian spy Ahmed "thanks suckers!" Chalabi. Although he has the only "documentation" on the topic. And refuses to even show this "documentation" to anyone, bushCartel included.

But still, it's so WORTH getting blown up for that! That's why the warmongering rightwingnuts are joining the military in DROVES!

[fishface]

3. Speaking of 'chickenhawks'

Posted on Wed, Sep. 01, 2004


Young Republicans support Iraq war, but not all are willing to join the fight

By Adam Smeltz

Knight Ridder Newspapers



NEW YORK - Young Republicans gathered here for their party's national convention are united in applauding the war in Iraq, supporting the U.S. troops there and calling the U.S. mission a noble cause.


But there's no such unanimity when they're asked a more personal question: Would you be willing to put on the uniform and go to fight in Iraq?


In more than a dozen interviews, Republicans in their teens and 20s offered a range of answers. Some have friends in the military in Iraq and are considering enlisting; others said they can better support the war by working politically in the United States; and still others said they think the military doesn't need them because the U.S. presence in Iraq is sufficient.


"Frankly, I want to be a politician. I'd like to survive to see that," said Vivian Lee, 17, a war supporter visiting the convention from Los Angeles,

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/9556221.htm

[saigon68]

4. And getting killed in droves.

Losing legs in droves.

Getting screwed for compensation from the VA in droves.

[UpInArms]

12. well, if "kickbacks" are the new standard

I guess we need to blow up the Greenberg family -

Marsh and McClellan
ACE
AIG

only they called their scheme PSAs (Participating Service Agreements)

http://www.newsday.com/business/local/newyork/ny-bzinsu194011518oct19,0,4945221.story?coll=ny-nybusiness-headlines

The issue broke into the headlines Thursday when Spitzer charged Manhattan-based Marsh, the world's biggest insurance broker, with orchestrating a scheme with some of the nation's most prestigious insurers to cheat business customers by fooling them with a phony bidding process into believing that insurers were competing for their business. Already, three people from two of the participating insurance companies have been arrested and pleaded guilty, with Spitzer promising more to come.

Starting and commencing the destruction of an entire country based on flawed logic and faulty premises can never have a good outcome - rosy scenarios are fools' ways of changing justifications to cover up the guilt that should be assessed upon themselves.

[donkeyotay]

17. I know! That's why there's not even any talk of a draft

"But still, it's so WORTH getting blown up for that! That's why the warmongering rightwingnuts are joining the military in DROVES!"

That group of folks that called us traitors and commies for opposing this war, have all said, "My bad!" and signed up! Thank God we don't need a draft of the unwilling.

[Judi Lynn]

5. They are as safely insulated from the effects of the war(s)

as were _Bush and Cheney. Nothing in their lives is at risk. The war is something "over there," and it neither threatens nor saddens them.

Yet they're the ones who demand more and more blood and suffering. Lives are gone, survivors badly scarred, and altered forever. I just don't get it. They demand, others provide. Damned ugly.

[izzie]

6. Odd that those people in Iraq will die for what they believe but----

the war lovers in this country are only willing to send others to die for what they believe. And even harder to believe is most of the people in the USA seem to think this is fine and are willing to put back in office the very man that made such a mess. Who could really think that 140000 men from the USA in Iraq are really keeping them safe from anything. I just do not get it.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

11. "Most of the people"?? Are you getting your info from the media?...

The media wants us to believe that a majority of Americans want to keep the Chimp in the White House...are you swallowing this line of bull?

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. I don't remember hearing about 4 Marines KIA

on Sept 3rd in western Iraq?

I'd have to google to be sure, but it makes you wonder how many other KIA's we don't hear about?

[DoYouEverWonder]

8. I can't find any reports about this incident with 4 Marines KIA

in Iraq on Sept 3rd? Zero, nada, nothing.

Does anyone else remember hearing about this or have a link to any other story where this was reported?

[FLSurfer]

9. There is 4 marine deaths listed

In the Iraq coalition casualty count on Sept 3rd.

http://icasualties.org/oif/

they were killed in the same province as this story.
Could be the same ones.

Its terrible, the sadness I felt while typing those words.
I'm truly sorry for the families.

[truthisfreedom]

10. newsday, huh? bush, bush, bush. you stupid turd. BRING 'EM ON.

schmuck.

[TacticalPeek]

13. The Wild West

In recent months, Marine fatalities have exceeded Army deaths -- even though the Army has at least three times as many troops in Iraq.

...

"After you lose so many Marines, you just keep fighting to stay alive," says King, the son of a Vietnam veteran.

But for some of the Marines, lack of armor, few vehicles and too restrictive rules of engagement are partly to blame.

"We need more armor, more vehicles and more bodies," says King.

...

"All we are doing is getting Americans killed and we cannot do much about it," says King. The other marines in the room nod in approval.



My son fights from al Qaim. Just let me say that this article is a mild version of that scene. I'd pay to see some of the brass hats who were sugar-coating the supply situation on TV yesterday go to al Qaim and make those remarks in front of these guys. Let them crawl along a nameless road at night in a thin-skinned humvee. Let them loose 15-30 pounds from eating nothing but MRE's for months.

And thank you to this reporter, Fisnik Abrashi, for having the nerve to get to the area and report.

[wickywom]

14. I'm pretty sure

that's where a friend of my husband is ...

He mentioned in an email to his mom that he had only a sidearm left for protection...

[JohnyCanuck]

15. Dubya sends the gyrenes his thanks for a job well done.

[Supersedeas]

16. "Mission Accomplish" and so hard but minor work to do???

[young_at_heart]

18. Maybe they'll finally stop buying the Bush Doctrine!

Liberating Iraq has lost it's charm (since the WMD cannot be "used" any longer).

[TacticalPeek]

19. Kick.

:kick:

[Zerex71]

20. Remember "Seward's Folly"?

This one is going to be renamed "Bush's Folly".

[Nordic]

21. oh yes, it will go down in history as the biggest debacle of the USA

And we have Bush to thank for it.

And our media.

And people will wonder: Why didn't the American people stop it?

Thanks, y'all!! I'm so proud!

[fishface]

22. But Sewards Folly was a coup for this country.

Bush's is an albotross around our neck.