Confused OIF Veteran

[No Passaran]

I guess this is a right thread for this.

This just doesn't add up. When I was over there (March - Aug), none of this was happening to my unit. I used to walk around without a kevlar and prot-vest around Al-Rasheed, soccer stadium, Fallujah. Was it their fear of 3rd Infantry Division that kept them quiet because as soon as we left, all hell broke lose.

Now every day I turn on the TV, someone is getting killed, wounded, car explosions. I used to sit on top of a HUMMV and totally relaxed would cross the river and go downtown for a steak sandwich and some ice (possibly a vcd or two).

We need to go back and figure out where everything went wrong. How did Iraqis go from being friendly and in my opinion one of the most hospitable people on this planet to this!

[eleny]

1. What is "OIF"

[OldSoldier]

11. OIF = Operation Iraqi Freedom

AKA "Operation Iraqi Liberation."

Bush's name for the war because it sounds better than Operation Steal Iraq's Oil.

[SensibleCenterist]

2. Dude

What went wrong is we went in there in the first place without strong international backing. That idea of all these happy Iraqis being grateful Saddam was gone was never anything more than a circle jerk between Wolfowitz, Cheney, and Rumsfeld.

[No Passaran]

5. ok

I was and still am against this war. So that being said, I know from my own experience in dealing with Iraqis that they were genuinly happy that Saddam was gone. So that's not the reason. There has to be something else.

[wildwww2]

9. Imagine USA was invaded by whoever and they took out our evil

leader. Liberating us from his non-vote counting freaking ass. But then instead of leaving us liberated to do what we wanted to. They decide to stay and set up our government the way that they wanted it. And steal our natural resourses while they were at it. I`d be sniping those invading bastards one by one and you or someone like you would be helping me. It don`t get no simpler than that. We did not need to be meddling there in Iraq when Rayguns and Poppy Bu$h helped Saddam aquire his wealth and power. And we do not belong there now.
Peace
Wildman
Al Gore is My President

[mikehiggins]

3. Nationalism

OIF is Operation Iraqi Freedom

As to why our guys are getting shot at, we're there too long, and the Iraqi's are starting to wonder if we are ever going to leave. Where is the IF part of OIF?

Right now its probably still only a small number of folks pulling the triggers, probably some of the out-of-towners and some of the ex-Republican Guard survivors.

The longer we're there, though, the more people are going to resent it. ANd the improved electricity and phones will just make it easier to coordinate hits on our people.

The attack on that hotel was an open slap in the face. Those rockets had Wolfowitz's name written on them. If they had all fired, the body count would have been much higher. As it was, reports say only six of fifteen fired. How much longer will luck like that hold?

[eleny]

6. Thanks Mike...

I must be too fuzzy tonight. It just didn't click. Now I feel like a jackass! Thanks for posting.

[RapidCreek]

10. Yea....well it's probably the relatives and families

of the 5 to 8 thousand Iraqi civilains that our boys killed, as well. Frankly if I was an Iraqi and some fucker from another country invaded mine, for what ever reason, and killed my family, whether by accident or on purpose...he'd better be ready to die...whether or not I was a fan of Hussien, would really make no difference.

RC

[Catholic Sensation]

4. according to the news

little militia movements and guerrila fighters were killing one or two americans a day since V-I ("Victory" over Iraq) day, May 1. In fact like the first ten days of July at least one person was killed every day in Iraq from hostile fire.

[cally]

7. I think you raised an important question

Is it because Saddam's forces regrouped or did Al Queada regroup in Iraq. Maybe the Iraqi's got angered at the occupying force. I don't know but it is important to figure out why.

[not systems]

8. Lots of time has passed...

no elections in sight. A lot of people without
jobs and security. Many people have been victims
of crime like robbery, rape, and kidnapping.

The US forces have run dragnet operations that have
alienated many. People may have friends or familly
killed in the invasion.

It appears that we are dismantling their economy and
opening it up for 100% foreign ownership.

Any and all of these things combined with the just
becoming tired of seeing americans speaking an alien
language in your hometown and hoping they don't kill
you by accident.

I think we would react the same way to a paternalistic
ocupation by people from a different culture.