"The Secret Letter from Iraq"

[psili]

I don't create posts often and don't know if this Time.com article was posted, but wanted to post a link to it with a quick quote. It's an article reprinting a letter written to family from a Marine in Iraq. When I read it, I felt... well... just felt... regardless of my feeling about the war.

Just wanted to share.

http://www.time.com/time/world/artic...3658-1,00.html

Best Chuck Norris Moment ? 13 May. Bad Guys arrived at the government center in a small town to kidnap the mayor, since they have a problem with any form of government that does not include regular beheadings and women wearing burqahs. There were seven of them. As they brought the mayor out to put him in a pick-up truck to take him off to be beheaded (on video, as usual), one of the Bad Guys put down his machine gun so that he could tie the mayor's hands. The mayor took the opportunity to pick up the machine gun and drill five of the Bad Guys. The other two ran away. One of the dead Bad Guys was on our top twenty wanted list. Like they say, you can't fight City Hall.

[Lazonby]

Sweet. The only good jihadi is a dead jihadi. Death to Islam.

[Dvae]

Originally Posted by psili

I don't create posts often and don't know if this Time.com article was posted, but wanted to post a link to it with a quick quote. It's an article reprinting a letter written to family from a Marine in Iraq. When I read it, I felt... well... just felt... regardless of my feeling about the war.

Just wanted to share.

http://www.time.com/time/world/artic...3658-1,00.html

I won't hold my breath that very many around here will even bother to click the link and read the entire letter.
Even if they do the response is predictable.

[stickyfingerz]

Originally Posted by Dvae

I won't hold my breath that very many around here will even bother to click the link and read the entire letter.
Even if they do the response is predictable.

I read all three pages. That is all.

[psili]

Originally Posted by Dvae

I won't hold my breath that very many around here will even bother to click the link and read the entire letter.
Even if they do the response is predictable.

Guess I'm a big pussy.
Case in point, some Friday mornings when "Story Corps" comes on the radio while driving to work I get teary eyed.

I suck.

[MaddCaz]

?!?!????!??!?!?!?!

[DaddyHalbucks]

Good letter. I wish more Americans stood behind our troops.

[Splum]

American soldiers kick ass, that is all.

[interracialtoons]

Get teary eyed next time you vote.

[tony286]

you can stand behind the troops and be against the war. This is a myth created by the right, true love of the troops means you want them safe and not getting killed for stay the course bullshit. Also W talks a good game about the troops but how they really feel is shown in vet benefits being cut, lack of body armor I could go on.

[psili]

Originally Posted by tony404

you can stand behind the troops and be against the war. This is a myth created by the right, true love of the troops means you want them safe and not getting killed for stay the course bullshit. Also W talks a good game about the troops but how they really feel is shown in vet benefits being cut, lack of body armor I could go on.

I have my own feelings about the war / politics / US military / population control / immigration / blah blah blah. We all do, hopefully. Everyone should have an opinion, regardless of what that "opinion" is.

In regard to that letter, I felt some empathy for that poor fucker who wanted to serve his country in honor and has ended up having twisted feelings in the pursuit of his desires. That's all. Just a little empathy caused me to make a post; an action I seldom do. *shrug*

[pocketkangaroo]

It's sad because the government makes you feel like the soldiers aren't real people. They refer to our soldiers dying as "just a number" or a "comma". They don't realize that each one of these soldiers has a family and life in the US. I am so ashamed of our government.

[uno]

Originally Posted by tony404

you can stand behind the troops and be against the war. This is a myth created by the right, true love of the troops means you want them safe and not getting killed for stay the course bullshit. Also W talks a good game about the troops but how they really feel is shown in vet benefits being cut, lack of body armor I could go on.

I've always been anti-war(this one anyway), and my brother in law spent time in Iraq and Kosovo. I'd love for someone to come up to me and say that I don't support our troops.

I don't blame the people doing what their job is doing. My gf's sister is in boot camp right now and her husband is a vet from several wars. They don't all agree with what we're doing, but they have to do as told. One of the purposes of boot camp is to take away any free will and turn you into someone who can kill on command, no matter how distasteful, unethical.

[Martin3]

Great letter

This one made me laff

"Greatest Vindication ? Stocking up on outrageous quantities of Diet Coke from the chow hall in spite of the derision from my men on such hoarding, then having a 122mm rocket blast apart the giant shipping container that held all of the soda for the chow hall. Yep, you can't buy experience."

[interracialtoons]

Originally Posted by uno

One of the purposes of boot camp is to take away any free will and turn you into someone who can kill on command, no matter how distasteful, unethical.

Not exactly. I'm former army. You are actually taught to disobey an unlawful/unethical order.

That's why you can't claim you were just following orders when you engage in unlawful combat activities.

If the Captain orders you to shoot the prisoners in the head and you do it then you have no defense in a court martial. Ask LT Calley.
http://www.vietnamwar.com/mylai.htm

[I LOVE Little Brown Asses]

"Most Surreal Moment ? Watching Marines arrive at my detention facility and unload a truck load of flex-cuffed midgets. 26 to be exact. We had put the word out earlier in the day to the Marines in Fallujah that we were looking for Bad Guy X, who was described as a midget. Little did I know that Fallujah was home to a small community of midgets......"

[uno]

Originally Posted by interracialtoons

Not exactly. I'm former army. You are actually taught to disobey an unlawful/unethical order.

That's why you can't claim you were just following orders when you engage in unlawful combat activities.

If the Captain orders you to shoot the prisoners in the head and you do it then you have no defense in a court martial. Ask LT Calley.
http://www.vietnamwar.com/mylai.htm

I know what they say officially and what they say behind the curtain. I'm sure you realize they are very different very often.

[MaddCaz]

secrets arent good

[E$_manager]

any secret sooner or later will come out.

[psili]

Originally Posted by MaddCaz

secrets arent good

There's no "secret".
Just thought the article might touch some people and bring back a little empathy to this planet.
That's all.

[marketsmart]

Originally Posted by MaddCaz

?!?!????!??!?!?!?!

you need to fix your post bot mr.

[pocketkangaroo]

Originally Posted by psili

There's no "secret".
Just thought the article might touch some people and bring back a little empathy to this planet.
That's all.

He hasn't made a post on the boards over 6 words, I wouldn't worry about what he has to say, just looking for views.