gotterdamerung

Double post

I already served 8 years for less money than that, AND I initially came over here for less than 4K a month. I think it's important to experience the world rather than let it be dictated to us by Fox News. My initial assignments were dangerous and poorly supported. It was very wild west over here a year ago, but I think overall less dangerous than now. Later, I had a high level US official ask me one time why I came over here. I turned around looked him in the eye and said "I came here to bang heads with Arabs". Does that answer your questions? A need to understand firsthand, and a strong desire to settle a score. And sure, a lot of that G&C shit was lost on me a long long time ago. Idealism is something for the young and naive. I understand the bullshit, but I've chosen this path for personal reasons. Saudi will eventually fall, but I doubt the US will be the root cause of it. I think we have just seen the veil of foreign policy pulled back for the time being and everyone is shocked by what's been going on behind the curtains. I for one am tired. 14 months of this shit and it's just getting more dangerous every day.

Most of these people are underpaid and live at or near the poverty level. I think you don't fully comprehend what it is you are reading when you look at irrelevant DATA. http://www.dfas.mil/money/milpay/pay/2004paytable.pdf So an E5 (sergeant) with SIX years time in service makes a little over 2K a MONTH base pay. This is the same guy who might work 7 days a week/ 24 hours a day in conditions far harsher than the toughest expedition. Cold, wet, hungry, tired. Hot, sick, homesick. In danger constantly, or bored out of their minds. Week after week, day after day. Subjected to rules and regulations that would drive a prison inmate to murder. But hey wirlwind. You've got it all figured out from where you're at. I shit on you.

What a loser. Move to Saudi Arabia if you're so bummed out on living in a Christian nation.

Gary Trudeau has offered $10k to anyone with proof of Bush's military service. So far no one's come forward. I consider selfserving and manipulative unavoidables trait in a politician - which is the worst of the accusations against Kerry. Avoiding service and shirking duty, the allegations laden against Bush, are worse IMHO. Kerry and Bush both suck ass. If this is the best our country can produce then we are on a downward spiral. Let's invade Canada.

AlpineK is a shill for the democratic party. Don't expect a real debate.

YEAH! Smoke a pole C4K

I see you assume I was talking to you. Peasant.

Whatever you say A$$HOLEpuppy.

Yeah Beck. You mean spirited ass clown!

This is exactly what I am talking about. You are trying to tell ME about something I know a hellava lot more about that ANYONE on this board. Soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan DO NOT pay taxes. Contractors who spend even one day less than 330 days out of country and more than 35 days in the US pay their full tax rate. The tax cutoff is 89K tax free if the criteria are met. There are other criteria to meet as well, but this is the meat and potatoes of it. Not many contractors are meeting this criteria and the ones making the big bucks are few and far between.

My point is that there are so many intangibles that you miss out on it's baffling. Frankly, you are going to get a similar response, and some a whole lot more vehemently from other veterans of this war. It's all about armchair quarterbacking for the most part. I could read some books and some news articles on law, quote rhetoric, state opinions to you all day long. Some of it might even be valid. However, in the end I can't take a thing away from the actual day to day courtroom experience that is your reality. Vis a Vis the Iraq War.

I'm sure if every American kid had access to great mountains and rivers like Washingtonians do then they might seek their thrills elsewhere. Yeah, I pay taxes. Just like every other American out there does. If you wanna bitch about not paying taxes call the DEA and ask them to step up the efforts to eradicate the billions of dollars of greenbacks lost to the drug trade. Call the FBI and ask them to fight harder against the white slave trade. Don't fuck with people who take incoming rounds every day with the purpose of making sure your kids don't have to do this kind of shit in the future. About the only people who in the end will qualify for the tax break is going to be the soldiers who have to stay for a full 365 day tour. It was created with them in mind and they deserve it.

The tax laws are applied evenly. If you had stayed out of country 330 days out of the year you would have qualified for the tax exclusion.

Who are you to be calling anybody a fool? Especially if someone had the balls to stand up and come over here to begin with. Soldiers get plenty for the risks they take. there is a lot more to it then money. Ever heard of comradery? A sense of doing a job well and accomplishing a vital task as a team? Some come for the buzz, the travel, whatever their reason yhey volunteered. Some of them several times over, and they understand the risks they take. Quit trying to play the boo-hoo card because it's B.S. If you're really all bent over it then vote for a tax increase and better pay for the military profession. I doubt you're really losing sleep over the Iraq war. You're simply venting on the internet for the hell of it. I lose lots of sleep over the Iraq war. You're opinion, as far as time away from your family, carries no weight in my mind.