Tycho
03-25-2003, 12:00 AM
I hope this thread doesn't get closed. The topic's not about whether we should be over there. The fact is we are, and now we better win.
Unfortunately, American soldiers (support engineers mostly) who were ambushed near the Euphrates River, have been taken prisoner. Amongst them, a 30-year old woman, and 4 men, ranging in their 20's to very early 30's.
A tape of Iraqi interrogators interviewing our guys as their POWs leaked out, and one guy was hurt so bad, they had to help him up to make him give his statement. They also showed images of at least 4 American bodies, together.
This has really bothered me. I know war is never bloodless, and the Iraqi Republican Guard is not going down without a good fight. But I feel guilty for not being over there, myself. Because I had an open-chest surgery when I was 11 years old, I have been told I can never serve. I've been disqualified by the Marine Corps, the Navy, and the AirForce. (and my father was a decorated Navy destroyer Commander during the Cuban Missle Crisis, and during the middle years of Vietnam). Oh, and I'm in great shape, and with a little work, I could pass their physical training without cause for alarm.
But meanwhile, other Americans are sacraficing themselves for their service to our country, while living with the horrors of war:
A British-ally strafing jet fighter was hit by our anti-missle patriot missle, causing at least one British family grief, and one of our missle teams' guys to lose sleep over this for the rest of their lives.
A confused Muslem soldier on our side (a US Army Sgt.) tossed a grenade into the sleeping tent of our own soldiers in Kuwait, because of his own inability to do his duty, and settle his inner turmoils with his own religious convictions (which do not condone what he did). At least one US soldier was killed by one of our own, and many more were wounded.
Our boys are facing heavier, and heavier fire as they approach Bagdad. They are now about 100 miles (less than the distance from San Diego to LA). Sadam Hussein is still alive and barking orders and defiant to the last, wanting to cause us more grief.
We may or may not have discovered one of his chemical weapons labs.
They definitely have missle capability, but their conventional forces are proving to be tough.
Our guys are from like age 17 to 35 for the most part - the age of most of us who are priviledged enough to be sitting posting and reading stuff here. They are scared. Many of them, including the guy who turned traitor, didn't sign up thinking they'd actually be going to war. You could think about how you'd feel about all your life's plans being put on hold, to see how long you last being in uncomfortable situations, that leave you paranoid, all for only one reason: to get to Baghdad.
And of course, if Saddam is gambling that he can look like "the good guy" by not unleashing any chemical weapons he might have, he'll wait until he's sure that he's going to lose the war (he's obviously too delusional to face reality now) and then as a last resort, he'll release the chemical stuff (if he's really got any) when our guys are in too close, and he has nothing to lose.
I really hope we can fight our way in and rescue our POWs or the Navy Seals or Army Rangers can do something at nighttime or whatever (ahead of our main invasion force) and get our guys they have prisoner out of there.
I don't think Saddam is going to respect the Geneva Accords that govern the rules of war. I doubt Iraq even signed those, or they wouldn't be accused of harboring chemical weapons anyway.
Throughout history, there have been rules of war, but it was the Western World that drafted them and embraced them, from the early English-French-American conflicts. Germany didn't obey them until after Hitler was off the scene. Japan ignored them by attacking hospitals, even military hospitals, at Pearl Harbor.
I don't think any fundamentalist, religious warriors would obey them either. The Bible does not have rules of war - it says specifically not to make war! "Thou shall not kill." But anyway, the way any religious document reads is always dependant upon who is interpreting it. I'm sure any Iraqi Bible says exactly whatever Saddam Hussein wants it to say.
I just had to get this off my chest, because I'm really concerned for our troops.
Unfortunately, American soldiers (support engineers mostly) who were ambushed near the Euphrates River, have been taken prisoner. Amongst them, a 30-year old woman, and 4 men, ranging in their 20's to very early 30's.
A tape of Iraqi interrogators interviewing our guys as their POWs leaked out, and one guy was hurt so bad, they had to help him up to make him give his statement. They also showed images of at least 4 American bodies, together.
This has really bothered me. I know war is never bloodless, and the Iraqi Republican Guard is not going down without a good fight. But I feel guilty for not being over there, myself. Because I had an open-chest surgery when I was 11 years old, I have been told I can never serve. I've been disqualified by the Marine Corps, the Navy, and the AirForce. (and my father was a decorated Navy destroyer Commander during the Cuban Missle Crisis, and during the middle years of Vietnam). Oh, and I'm in great shape, and with a little work, I could pass their physical training without cause for alarm.
But meanwhile, other Americans are sacraficing themselves for their service to our country, while living with the horrors of war:
A British-ally strafing jet fighter was hit by our anti-missle patriot missle, causing at least one British family grief, and one of our missle teams' guys to lose sleep over this for the rest of their lives.
A confused Muslem soldier on our side (a US Army Sgt.) tossed a grenade into the sleeping tent of our own soldiers in Kuwait, because of his own inability to do his duty, and settle his inner turmoils with his own religious convictions (which do not condone what he did). At least one US soldier was killed by one of our own, and many more were wounded.
Our boys are facing heavier, and heavier fire as they approach Bagdad. They are now about 100 miles (less than the distance from San Diego to LA). Sadam Hussein is still alive and barking orders and defiant to the last, wanting to cause us more grief.
We may or may not have discovered one of his chemical weapons labs.
They definitely have missle capability, but their conventional forces are proving to be tough.
Our guys are from like age 17 to 35 for the most part - the age of most of us who are priviledged enough to be sitting posting and reading stuff here. They are scared. Many of them, including the guy who turned traitor, didn't sign up thinking they'd actually be going to war. You could think about how you'd feel about all your life's plans being put on hold, to see how long you last being in uncomfortable situations, that leave you paranoid, all for only one reason: to get to Baghdad.
And of course, if Saddam is gambling that he can look like "the good guy" by not unleashing any chemical weapons he might have, he'll wait until he's sure that he's going to lose the war (he's obviously too delusional to face reality now) and then as a last resort, he'll release the chemical stuff (if he's really got any) when our guys are in too close, and he has nothing to lose.
I really hope we can fight our way in and rescue our POWs or the Navy Seals or Army Rangers can do something at nighttime or whatever (ahead of our main invasion force) and get our guys they have prisoner out of there.
I don't think Saddam is going to respect the Geneva Accords that govern the rules of war. I doubt Iraq even signed those, or they wouldn't be accused of harboring chemical weapons anyway.
Throughout history, there have been rules of war, but it was the Western World that drafted them and embraced them, from the early English-French-American conflicts. Germany didn't obey them until after Hitler was off the scene. Japan ignored them by attacking hospitals, even military hospitals, at Pearl Harbor.
I don't think any fundamentalist, religious warriors would obey them either. The Bible does not have rules of war - it says specifically not to make war! "Thou shall not kill." But anyway, the way any religious document reads is always dependant upon who is interpreting it. I'm sure any Iraqi Bible says exactly whatever Saddam Hussein wants it to say.
I just had to get this off my chest, because I'm really concerned for our troops.