Why No Exit Dates

[Annie]

This mainly



Whenever I see United Nations I get leary. In theory it sounds good and sounds exactly like what's needed.

Yeah, wouldn't rely on UN, as the post states, the backing wasn't there that was expected, we have to make due with ourselves, UK, AU, and the Eastern European allies.

 

[zigomanis18]

Hey you jumped in and as a taxpaying American and moderator on this board i'll tell you any damn thing I want. And yes I served numbnuts but I sure as hell didn't criticize my commanding officers.

Damn man you bought the left's propoganda hook, line and sinker...sad.

You are exactly what the the crazy left wing thrives on pal! Just look at the way you answered! Please tell me you are not a representative of the right wing, because if you are, you are one total embarrassment!

For all you flag waivers that are questioning me, you can believe what you want about me, because it justifies the your position. But the fact is I AM a commissioned officer, have served in the Infantry for most of my career, and laugh at your pathetic assumptions about me being "pencil pushing geek". Very amusing.

As for the poster who said I am "criticizing the president" so what, I don't live in a communist country..do you? I am not belittling him, heck , I voted for the guy! But I can't stand "blind Obedience". We went thru that sh-t in Vietnam and all it got us was thousands of dead BRAVE soldiers and very little if anything to show for it. My criticism of George Buash is not a liberal one. Fox news, a conservative channel, has had segments where many top generals have questioned the tactics of the war. It's nothing new people, and it is NOT rebellious. If anything, it brings a full perspective of everything.

I have attempted to explain myself in a calm manner and all I am getting for responses are right wing nut jobs taking pot shots at me just because I don't fully agree with their point of view.

You can do better than this gentlemen!

 

[Bonnie]

You are exactly what the the crazy left wing thrives on pal! Just look at the way you answered! Please tell me you are not a representative of the right wing, because if you are, you are one total embarrassment!

For all you flag waivers that are questioning me, you can believe what you want about me, because it justifies the your position. But the fact is I AM a commissioned officer, have served in the Infantry for most of my career, and laugh at your pathetic assumptions about me being "pencil pushing geek". Very amusing.

As for the poster who said I am "criticizing the president" so what, I don't live in a communist country..do you? I am not belittling him, heck , I voted for the guy! But I can't stand "blind Obedience". We went thru that sh-t in Vietnam and all it got us was thousands of dead BRAVE soldiers and very little if anything to show for it. My criticism of George Buash is not a liberal one. Fox news, a conservative channel, has had segments where many top generals have questioned the tactics of the war. It's nothing new people, and it is NOT rebellious. If anything, it brings a full perspective of everything.

I have attempted to explain myself in a calm manner and all I am getting for responses are right wing nut jobs taking pot shots at me just because I don't fully agree with their point of view.

You can do better than this gentlemen!

In any war throughout history there are always ways to fight and win better and to second guess after the fact. Im sure Bush and his Generals have made some errors but given the whole I would say they have done fairly well with circumstances at hand. My problems are not with the criticisms coming from honest thought provoking learned people who really want to make a difference, but rather those who are ONLY interested in bringing President Bush down politically at the peril of our country and our service people in harms way. Unless any of these people are actually sitting in Bush's war room and are privy to all the intelligence gathered then maybe they should rethink their positions or at least make an attmept to examine their own motivations.

 

[Annie]

You are exactly what the the crazy left wing thrives on pal! Just look at the way you answered! Please tell me you are not a representative of the right wing, because if you are, you are one total embarrassment!

For all you flag waivers that are questioning me, you can believe what you want about me, because it justifies the your position. But the fact is I AM a commissioned officer, have served in the Infantry for most of my career, and laugh at your pathetic assumptions about me being "pencil pushing geek". Very amusing.

As for the poster who said I am "criticizing the president" so what, I don't live in a communist country..do you? I am not belittling him, heck , I voted for the guy! But I can't stand "blind Obedience". We went thru that sh-t in Vietnam and all it got us was thousands of dead BRAVE soldiers and very little if anything to show for it. My criticism of George Buash is not a liberal one. Fox news, a conservative channel, has had segments where many top generals have questioned the tactics of the war. It's nothing new people, and it is NOT rebellious. If anything, it brings a full perspective of everything.

I have attempted to explain myself in a calm manner and all I am getting for responses are right wing nut jobs taking pot shots at me just because I don't fully agree with their point of view.

You can do better than this gentlemen!

No disrespect meant asshat, but what about an answer?

Again, do you think we should just pull out? Give them a date to hold out for? What?

Tell this to Mr. Bush who never went anywhere.

yeah, you are criticizing with MSM/DNC talking points.

I have seen the full tilt panic the administration is putting of recrutiers to the point where recruiting is becoming a flat out evil venture. We all have heard about the recent recruiting scandal.

Like this? http://www.usmessageboard.com/forums/showpost.php?p=295693&postcount=16

Ya know Zingo, seems like the 'guys' have you pretty well figured out.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

You are exactly what the the crazy left wing thrives on pal! Just look at the way you answered! Please tell me you are not a representative of the right wing, because if you are, you are one total embarrassment!

For all you flag waivers that are questioning me, you can believe what you want about me, because it justifies the your position. But the fact is I AM a commissioned officer, have served in the Infantry for most of my career, and laugh at your pathetic assumptions about me being "pencil pushing geek". Very amusing.

As for the poster who said I am "criticizing the president" so what, I don't live in a communist country..do you? I am not belittling him, heck , I voted for the guy! But I can't stand "blind Obedience". We went thru that sh-t in Vietnam and all it got us was thousands of dead BRAVE soldiers and very little if anything to show for it. My criticism of George Buash is not a liberal one. Fox news, a conservative channel, has had segments where many top generals have questioned the tactics of the war. It's nothing new people, and it is NOT rebellious. If anything, it brings a full perspective of everything.

I have attempted to explain myself in a calm manner and all I am getting for responses are right wing nut jobs taking pot shots at me just because I don't fully agree with their point of view.

You can do better than this gentlemen!

I think you're lying ziggy. If you were really military you would realize the premature pullout in 'nam was a mistake and resulted in MILLIONS of deaths, and and a premature pullout in IRAQ would have the same result. either you're not military or you just can't learn.

 

[OCA]

You are exactly what the the crazy left wing thrives on pal! Just look at the way you answered! Please tell me you are not a representative of the right wing, because if you are, you are one total embarrassment!

LOL!

"I wanna come home, I don't want my 3rd tour, i'd rather go home and sleep under the protection the grunts are giving me".

Commissioned Officer, just as I figured....an office twinkie.

 

[Bonnie]

I remember seeing films of the fall of Saigon when our copters were leaving and Vietnamese were hanging on to the helicopter railings and falling to their deaths as the choppers gained altitude because they couldn't stand the idea of living under communism. 50 thousand service people died for nothing

What a sad waste of human life if we pull out soon before the Iraqis can hold their own.

 

[zigomanis18]

Actually I was the one to give you the moniker of a pencil pushing geek, creative eh?

So, you are better than the next guy for you so called service? what is your point? this thread was about exit dates and you claimed a hit and run job was the way to go. That's just plain stupidity and most know it, nothing more than a waste of the invasion.

Like the guy behind the wheel of a car it's just as easy to be tough behind the keyboard. You served, so what! want sympathy, go to mammas want there boys home.com or some other shit like that. Wanna discuss the issues then don't think you have any kind of upper hand becasue of your service, youre first claim already proved you to be nothing more than a maggot!

Once again, you are making yourself out to be nothing but a right wing nut job. You have not even tried to understand what I am trying to say because your mind is one way. I am not doubting the war, and I am not a liberal. I am NOT looking for anything for myself, if you actually attempted to understand my posts, my concern is for the troops there now. And, if you think I am the only soldier who feels like I do, YOU, my friend are living with your head in the sand.

There is a SERIOUS recruting shortage and I will tell you why that is. For one, crazy comments like " we are in the 3rd year of a 10 year plan" is laughable at best. You might as well say there IS no plan for end to this. No one can predict 7 years out. 7 years might as well be 17 years. Keep in mind that our "war p[lan" always seems to change...which frustrates the military brass AND affects the recruiting effort. Mr. Bush HIMSELF said before this started that "we will not be in Iraq for very long". Now, how does one interpret that. What is "very Long" to you, me OR him ( Bush ). When he made that comment I don't think most thought he meant 10 years. My point is alot of soldiers in the military now are starting to not believe what is said out of washington because it has changed many times in the last three years. No stability, low recruitments. That's fact pal, not conjecture.

Another thing, mr. "hardcore" right winger, in speaking with most soldiers, most have little problem going to war! It's just that it is not "war" we are actually engaging in but another "police action". This is NOT appealing to most potential recruits. For one. believe it or not, soldiers are actually safer during actual war! That is because one is always on the offensive rather than the defensive like they are now.

And you say that most vietnam vets keep their mouth shut and accept things as they are? Well, maybe the ones YOU have talked to but I have come across MANY proud vets and they are VERY fearful this will drag out like Vietnam did and have no desire to have another generation of messed up soldiers. One soldier from that ERA straight up told me that we should learn from the past, not let it repeat itself again!

Hey look, I hope everything turns out alright. But I know the enemy we are fighting and 10 years is nothing to them considering they have been doing this for thousands of years.

Not to mention the enormous amounts of money we are spending on Iraq. That is another issue that we eventually bite us in the a--. Unlike other wars, this one is not generating plentiful jobs. things are different now, and many economist are in agreement that a long occupation ( or whatever you want to call it ) is going to be VERY bad for us economically.

If you guys are so "gung ho" on this, please explain to me why the administration has done next to NOTHING to secure our borders against possible terrorists. CONSERVATIVES as well as moderate liberals are puzzled as to why the president is sitting on his hands. Bill Oreilly, ( I am sure you know who this is) has been a strong Bush supporter yet is VERY vocal about this lack of effort.

As for an exit strategy, I know it won't happen soon. I knew that before this all started. Let's just hope gentlemen that 10 years down the line we are not 2nd guessing ourselves because soldiers lives are nothing to play with.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

Once again, you are making yourself out to be nothing but a right wing nut job. You have not even tried to understand what I am trying to say because your mind is one way. I am not doubting the war, and I am not a liberal. I am NOT looking for anything for myself, if you actually attempted to understand my posts, my concern is for the troops there now. And, if you think I am the only soldier who feels like I do, YOU, my friend are living with your head in the sand.

There is a SERIOUS recruting shortage and I will tell you why that is. For one, crazy comments like " we are in the 3rd year of a 10 year plan" is laughable at best. You might as well say there IS no plan for end to this. No one can predict 7 years out. 7 years might as well be 17 years. Keep in mind that our "war p[lan" always seems to change...which frustrates the military brass AND affects the recruiting effort. Mr. Bush HIMSELF said before this started that "we will not be in Iraq for very long". Now, how does one interpret that. What is "very Long" to you, me OR him ( Bush ). When he made that comment I don't think most thought he meant 10 years. My point is alot of soldiers in the military now are starting to not believe what is said out of washington because it has changed many times in the last three years. No stability, low recruitments. That's fact pal, not conjecture.

Another thing, mr. "hardcore" right winger, in speaking with most soldiers, most have little problem going to war! It's just that it is not "war" we are actually engaging in but another "police action". This is NOT appealing to most potential recruits. For one. believe it or not, soldiers are actually safer during actual war! That is because one is always on the offensive rather than the defensive like they are now.

And you say that most vietnam vets keep their mouth shut and accept things as they are? Well, maybe the ones YOU have talked to but I have come across MANY proud vets and they are VERY fearful this will drag out like Vietnam did and have no desire to have another generation of messed up soldiers. One soldier from that ERA straight up told me that we should learn from the past, not let it repeat itself again!

Hey look, I hope everything turns out alright. But I know the enemy we are fighting and 10 years is nothing to them considering they have been doing this for thousands of years.

Not to mention the enormous amounts of money we are spending on Iraq. That is another issue that we eventually bite us in the a--. Unlike other wars, this one is not generating plentiful jobs. things are different now, and many economist are in agreement that a long occupation ( or whatever you want to call it ) is going to be VERY bad for us economically.

If you guys are so "gung ho" on this, please explain to me why the administration has done next to NOTHING to secure our borders against possible terrorists. CONSERVATIVES as well as moderate liberals are puzzled as to why the president is sitting on his hands. Bill Oreilly, ( I am sure you know who this is) has been a strong Bush supporter yet is VERY vocal about this lack of effort.

As for an exit strategy, I know it won't happen soon. I knew that before this all started. Let's just hope gentlemen that 10 years down the line we are not 2nd guessing ourselves because soldiers lives are nothing to play with.

You're a liar ziggy. Only hardcore libs type this much to say so little. I'm sure the left has identified our site as the one most threatening to their ascension, so they send nubs like you to try to do battle. you suck though.

 

[Stephanie]

You're a liar ziggy. Only hardcore libs type this much to say so little. I'm sure the left has identified our site as the one most threatening to their ascension, so they send nubs like you to try to do battle. you suck though.

And lately they seem to be coming more frequently. But here's what I say to them- BRING IT ON, YOU'LL BE :firing:

 

[Annie]

Once again, you are making yourself out to be nothing but a right wing nut job. You have not even tried to understand what I am trying to say because your mind is one way. I am not doubting the war, and I am not a liberal. I am NOT looking for anything for myself, if you actually attempted to understand my posts, my concern is for the troops there now. And, if you think I am the only soldier who feels like I do, YOU, my friend are living with your head in the sand.

There is a SERIOUS recruting shortage and I will tell you why that is. For one, crazy comments like " we are in the 3rd year of a 10 year plan" is laughable at best. You might as well say there IS no plan for end to this. No one can predict 7 years out. 7 years might as well be 17 years. Keep in mind that our "war p[lan" always seems to change...which frustrates the military brass AND affects the recruiting effort. Mr. Bush HIMSELF said before this started that "we will not be in Iraq for very long". Now, how does one interpret that. What is "very Long" to you, me OR him ( Bush ). When he made that comment I don't think most thought he meant 10 years. My point is alot of soldiers in the military now are starting to not believe what is said out of washington because it has changed many times in the last three years. No stability, low recruitments. That's fact pal, not conjecture.

Another thing, mr. "hardcore" right winger, in speaking with most soldiers, most have little problem going to war! It's just that it is not "war" we are actually engaging in but another "police action". This is NOT appealing to most potential recruits. For one. believe it or not, soldiers are actually safer during actual war! That is because one is always on the offensive rather than the defensive like they are now.

And you say that most vietnam vets keep their mouth shut and accept things as they are? Well, maybe the ones YOU have talked to but I have come across MANY proud vets and they are VERY fearful this will drag out like Vietnam did and have no desire to have another generation of messed up soldiers. One soldier from that ERA straight up told me that we should learn from the past, not let it repeat itself again!

Hey look, I hope everything turns out alright. But I know the enemy we are fighting and 10 years is nothing to them considering they have been doing this for thousands of years.

Not to mention the enormous amounts of money we are spending on Iraq. That is another issue that we eventually bite us in the a--. Unlike other wars, this one is not generating plentiful jobs. things are different now, and many economist are in agreement that a long occupation ( or whatever you want to call it ) is going to be VERY bad for us economically.

If you guys are so "gung ho" on this, please explain to me why the administration has done next to NOTHING to secure our borders against possible terrorists. CONSERVATIVES as well as moderate liberals are puzzled as to why the president is sitting on his hands. Bill Oreilly, ( I am sure you know who this is) has been a strong Bush supporter yet is VERY vocal about this lack of effort.

As for an exit strategy, I know it won't happen soon. I knew that before this all started. Let's just hope gentlemen that 10 years down the line we are not 2nd guessing ourselves because soldiers lives are nothing to play with.

Asshat was too good a name for you, Ziggy. You have proven to be a wannabe, probably failed out?

There are criticisms to be made, but you have failed to make them. Instead you act as a poser and discredit those that serve.

 

[IControlThePast]

Sounds like time for a change. Would somebody answer my question?

I'm not for setting an exit date, but by using the logic in this article we will leave after a certain goal is accomplished, which is assumed to be ridding Iraq of Terrorists or decreasing the amount of Terrorists there to the point where the Iraqi government can fight for itself. By the same logic the Terrorists would just lay low until it seemed we reached our goal, and then go all out on attacks just like they would the day after we left if we established a time scale. So my question is, why do you think they will do this only for a time scale instead of just waiting for us to pull most of our troops out before attacking?

 

[zigomanis18]

I think you're lying ziggy. If you were really military you would realize the premature pullout in 'nam was a mistake and resulted in MILLIONS of deaths, and and a premature pullout in IRAQ would have the same result. either you're not military or you just can't learn.

You've Gotta be KIDDING ME! We were in that country for the better part of 15 years! How friggin long did you expect us to keep losing our troops lives for a country that NEVER appreciated us!

Bill O'reilly of fox news flat out called Lyndon Baines Johnson a "war Criminal" because of all the troops that died at his ignorant hands.


Yeah, i'm MAKING up the fact that i'm in the military. What a bunch of ignorant fools you all are!

Another thing I take offense to and many troops nowadays would. "Sir Evil" who decided to call me a "pencil pushing geek" is insulting many fine soldiers over there as we speak. Every Marine, Soldier, Sailor, and Airman serving there are brave superior men and women. There is NO such thing as a "geek" in country. If ANYONE needs to be questioned, it's him! This is not 15 years ago. Anyone that has been in country knows that the Combat support elements are in JUST as much danger as the combat elements...in some cases such as the 88M truck drivers...even MORE danger! I would like to show him a few "pencil pushing geeks" that have served there and tell them that to their face!

I expected this rambling ignorance from liberals, not conservatives! All I attempted to offer was a different perspective sprinkled in with facts and this is the type of ridiculous responses I get! Cmon for God's sakes, show some class!

 

[zigomanis18]

Sounds like time for a change. Would somebody answer my question?

Thank you! Someone with some sense!

 

[zigomanis18]

Asshat was too good a name for you, Ziggy. You have proven to be a wannabe, probably failed out?

There are criticisms to be made, but you have failed to make them. Instead you act as a poser and discredit those that serve.

I'm discrediting soldiers? After reading my full post, this is what you get out of this? Wow!


Let me ask you ...Have you been in the military miss know it all?
Because if have not, you have NO right criticizing me...NO RIGHT!
I will NEVER discredit my soldiers.. I would die for them. No where in my posts have I EVER dissed soldiers. If anything, I think of them to much!
I have failed to make criticisms? What the hell do you think I have been doing? And I have attempted to do it a diplomatic way!

I see the REAL deal here. I don't agree with all of you so I am automatically a lying scumbag. Let me tell you something. I am NOT a liberal, and never will be, but if I were, I would have a field day with this one sided ignorance!

 

[zigomanis18]

Asshat was too good a name for you, Ziggy. You have proven to be a wannabe, probably failed out?

There are criticisms to be made, but you have failed to make them. Instead you act as a poser and discredit those that serve.

Oh yeah, and another thing. You say that I have not answered your question. Well, I did on the other forum. My answer to you was, and still IS the following:

I am not the one to determine how an exit plan would be constructed. That is for the administration + the top Generals to decide. Unlike some of you on this forum, I don't pretend to know it all. I did say that I feel that the longer we stay, the lower the troop moral will be. The top Reserve General in December already told the administration the the reserve forces are broken and stretched out too thin and cannot continue at this pace. THIS IS FACT LADY! WHY does this type of comment bother all of you? Is it because it breaks down your little one sided view of the situation? I have not told one LIE or conjectural statement in any of my posts. I have just reiterated facts and yet you all attack me personally! I am just trying to show you another side to all of this because I am involved in my commands Mobilization activiy. I am sorry if it is NOT what you all want to hear...Tough sh-t!

OK lady, now YOUR turn. How about YOU attempting to comment on the issues I brought up?

I never thought I would hear conservatives lower themselves to the liberal mode! At first, I attempted to be cordial on my posts. Now, this horseh-t is starting to piss me off! :firing:

 

[rtwngAvngr]

You've Gotta be KIDDING ME! We were in that country for the better part of 15 years! How friggin long did you expect us to keep losing our troops lives for a country that NEVER appreciated us!

Bill O'reilly of fox news flat out called Lyndon Baines Johnson a "war Criminal" because of all the troops that died at his ignorant hands.


Yeah, i'm MAKING up the fact that i'm in the military. What a bunch of ignorant fools you all are!

Another thing I take offense to and many troops nowadays would. "Sir Evil" who decided to call me a "pencil pushing geek" is insulting many fine soldiers over there as we speak. Every Marine, Soldier, Sailor, and Airman serving there are brave superior men and women. There is NO such thing as a "geek" in country. If ANYONE needs to be questioned, it's him! This is not 15 years ago. Anyone that has been in country knows that the Combat support elements are in JUST as much danger as the combat elements...in some cases such as the 88M truck drivers...even MORE danger! I would like to show him a few "pencil pushing geeks" that have served there and tell them that to their face!

I expected this rambling ignorance from liberals, not conservatives! All I attempted to offer was a different perspective sprinkled in with facts and this is the type of ridiculous responses I get! Cmon for God's sakes, show some class!

Millions were massacred by the commies when we left. this is the truth. When you say "the country" never appreciated us there, who were you referring to?

You're a shit-sucking nimrod.

 

[Annie]

I'm discrediting soldiers? After reading my full post, this is what you get out of this? Wow!


Let me ask you ...Have you been in the military miss know it all?
Because if have not, you have NO right criticizing me...NO RIGHT!
I will NEVER discredit my soldiers.. I would die for them. No where in my posts have I EVER dissed soldiers. If anything, I think of them to(sic) much!
I have failed to make criticisms? What the hell do you think I have been doing? And I have attempted to do it a diplomatic way! failing miserably, but I guess you try. It's really impossible to see you're criticism other than your personal complaints, if true.

I see the REAL deal here. I don't agree with all of you so I am automatically a lying scumbag. Let me tell you something. I am NOT a liberal, and never will be, but if I were, I would have a field day with this one sided ignorance! We could care less if you are liberal, conservative, libertarian, blue goat. IF you sounded like real military, we would at minimum treat you with some respect. In reality, you are a du'er poser.

 

[Gunny]

Thak you for your arrogance gentlemen, but there is NO need for it. I will be there in October for the third time, I have done 21 years and counting of honorable service, and so therefore I CAN talk. I simply cannot stand those who say " you joined so suck it up" Tell that to brave vietnam soldiers who are shell shocked for NOTHING! Tell this to Mr. Bush who never went anywhere. It is easy for those staying at home to wave the flag and talk sh-t, because most who do have never gonme to war. Now Gunny, I'm sure you probably have, so I give you an alibi, but many others on this post have not and therefore should not be telling ME what I SHOULD DO!


I have seen many reserve soldiers I serve with lives destroyed because of extended deployments and lies told to them by their military superiors. I have seen the full tilt panic the administration is putting of recrutiers to the point where recruiting is becoming a flat out evil venture. We all have heard about the recent recruiting scandal. Well, I can tell you that many of us really don't blame the recrutiers because they are burdened with so much pressure and degridation from their superiors that they will do anything to get numbers and keep the heat off their back. IT didn't have to be this way had the planning for this war had been better. But, I have already gone into that in another post. All I can say is shame on Mr. Rumsfeld for ignoring General Shinseski's advice prior to the invasion of Iraq. Now, because of faulty planning, of which many top military brass will admit to if not on the record but off it, the full brunt ( as always ) and the full payment is once again taken by the troops. And, because the american troops are the BEST in the world, we will take it I assure you that much. But forgive me for speaking out because I see alot of corruption on the "other side" and I speak out ONLY because I love my troops and feel they are often the "giunea pig" for washington's screw-ups.

The last thing I want to hear is some country music buffon belting out schmoozy lame patriotic songs when they haven't and never will go anywhere!

21 years and counting!

21 years huh? I had assumed from your post you were some 18 years old kid who got more than what he bargained. You had to have reenlisted at least 3 times to get to 21. Even if you were fooled the first time, there are no excuses after that.

I have to wonder if you display such an attitude in front of your troops. I had my bitches about the Corps. Usually started when I opened my eyes in the morning. But I did NOT bitch in front of my troops, and I damned sure would rather choke and die than bitch to a bunch of civilians.

I feel I have the right to say suck it up because I have eight deployments under my belt. One was supposed to be for 6 months and turned into a war and 368 days before I saw CONUS again. SO yeah, you caould say I been there done that.

Leaving a job unfinished is incomprehensible to me. Instead of complaining about the administration for inconveniencing your personal life, why don't you complain about those who keep the administration and military hamstrung so they don't dare do what needs to be done to end this insurgency/terrorist/murdering scumbag BS?

Seems to me you got the wrong target in your scope.

 

[Gunny]

You are exactly what the the crazy left wing thrives on pal! Just look at the way you answered! Please tell me you are not a representative of the right wing, because if you are, you are one total embarrassment!

For all you flag waivers that are questioning me, you can believe what you want about me, because it justifies the your position. But the fact is I AM a commissioned officer, have served in the Infantry for most of my career, and laugh at your pathetic assumptions about me being "pencil pushing geek". Very amusing.

As for the poster who said I am "criticizing the president" so what, I don't live in a communist country..do you? I am not belittling him, heck , I voted for the guy! But I can't stand "blind Obedience". We went thru that sh-t in Vietnam and all it got us was thousands of dead BRAVE soldiers and very little if anything to show for it. My criticism of George Buash is not a liberal one. Fox news, a conservative channel, has had segments where many top generals have questioned the tactics of the war. It's nothing new people, and it is NOT rebellious. If anything, it brings a full perspective of everything.

I have attempted to explain myself in a calm manner and all I am getting for responses are right wing nut jobs taking pot shots at me just because I don't fully agree with their point of view.

You can do better than this gentlemen!

Commissioned officer and a grunt, huh? You're past 20, so you have to be at least a Major.

I can agree with you believing invading Iraq was/is not worth the outcome. Many of us said back in 91 the minute we took out Saddam all the religious loonies would be turned loose and Iraq was a threat to then become another Islamic state.

And yes, I personally would have handled the invasion a bit differently in that I would have kept the Sunnis and Shia pinned where they were and let the Iraqi gov't handle them WHEN they could do it.

So yeah, politics jacked up strategy a bit.

The correlation to Vietnam exists only if we as a Nation quit before the job is finished.

I personally never allowed myself the luxury you appear to allow yourself in indulging my disagreement with higher powers. I voiced my complaint, then carried on.

If at any time I thought I could not have done that, I'd have gotten out. You should know all too well that even handed a crappy mission, you STILL have to carry it out to the best of your ability, and pissing over decisions made long ago isn't going to make it any easier.

Your troops are going to be looking to YOU to set an example. Hope you're setting the right one. Your misery can be your troops' misery if you allow it.