Montana soldier describes duty in Iraq as a nightmare

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2003/11/29/build/state/40-iraq-complaint.inc

Neither the Pentagon nor the news media are giving the American public an accurate picture of the situation in Iraq, which is "a nightmare," says a soldier who is about to go back.

"It's nothing like what the people back home have been hearing," Army Sgt. Michael Badgley Jr. said. "They're saying the war's over. The war's not over. Now, it's more of a guerrilla war."

But despite the problems and the mixups and poor troop morale, allied forces seem to be accomplishing some great things, he said.

"The waste and frustration, everything that goes on over there, it's just a nightmare," Badgley said.

<snip>

Badgley's main job is to be a mechanic, but he was designated a .50-caliber machine gun operator. "That distinction allows me to go out on all the convoys, so I'm on the road a lot," he added.

"Actual combat where I'm shooting, no. Combat where they're shooting the compound or mortaring the compound or (rocket-propelled grenading) the compound, yes," he said.

[Tinoire]

1. Poor kid

He sounds as if he wants to believe but knows too much to really believe.

Badgley said he hears about humanitarian projects the United States and its allies are doing, but in his seven months in Iraq he hasn't seen a single food or water distribution point set up or a school being constructed.

[wtmusic]

2. Someone's going to get a talking to

for not lying.

God get us out of there.

[maggrwaggr]

3. what's really f**ked up about this article:

The third or so line down reads:

<<But despite the problems and the mixups and poor troop morale, allied forces seem to be accomplishing some great things, he said. >>

Yet nowhere in the article is a quote to back this up. Everything the guy says is negative. So why is this line in there?

[IndianaGreen]

4. I think the line was added by an editor

Our press is resembling a totalitarian press more and more each day.

Look at all the happy news we get from Iraq everyday.

It is obvious that it is a canned sentence that was inserted into the text:

"It's nothing like what the people back home have been hearing," Army Sgt. Michael Badgley Jr. said. "They're saying the war's over. The war's not over. Now, it's more of a guerrilla war."

But despite the problems and the mixups and poor troop morale, allied forces seem to be accomplishing some great things, he said.

"The waste and frustration, everything that goes on over there, it's just a nightmare," Badgley said.

[wtmusic]

5. I noticed that too

and I see shit like that all the time. Fucking incredible.