gotterdamerung

Truckdrivers work about 14-16 hours a day and they DON'T make 100 an hour. No one here does. A lot of those estimates are inflated and the risk is YOUR LIFE, LIMBS, KIDNAPPING, TORTURE. Iraqi's who work for US companies make very good money for THEIR country and not many Iraqi's pull security for these types of operations. Here in Iraq $7.00 a day is considered a good wage. I wonder how people who have never spent time away from home, family, friends, and in perfect safety all their lives can comment on these matters. It baffles me. Furthermore, firefighters are typically overpaid and underworked for what they do wherever they are. I see them spending more time in Starbucks hitting on housewives than working in the station. $90k for being over here doesn't seem too far off base for the hardship of being deployed for 12 months.

Well this thread certainly IS NOT about obscure british climbers who are into buggering other men if that's what you're asking. Nice troll.

Likewise, I'm sure sitting in a smoked out haze in British Columbia marks you as a political consultant. The point being is that when you've seen conditions in certain countries with your own eyes, interacted with the people, consulted with members of the government or military it tends to open your eyes about the realities of life in those places. No illusions here.

This unit was reactivated in 1968. Parent lineage was The Merrill's Marauders of the Burma campaign. This unit is now the link between the composite unit of WW2 and the modern 75th Inf Reg (ABN). L co 75th infantry served under the command of the 101st ABN in Vietnam. I read several books written by a former member of this unit. The last time I was in D.C. I went to the Museum of Natural History. In a glass case was a handwritten letter left at the wall by a member of that unit and a black beret with the old I CORPS LRRP symbol as a flash. I recognized the names he wrote about in the letter from the books I had read. The letter and the beret were one of the many tokens left at the base of the wall for friends lost in Vietnam. L Co LRRP was deactivated in late 1971. “Whom shall I send and who will go for us? Here am I, send me.” Scourge....

Dru as usual your lack of foreign travel to any of those countries plugs you as uninformed book worm with an opinion. When you make it to Burma (I've been there) or Pakistan (will be going there soon) let me know and then let me know how you feel the country might be better governed.

Wow, snoboy...your wit and wisdom continue to make me wonder just what you're smoking on a day to day basis. I'm applying this logic to YOU since YOU made an inference. Now I know that's a big word there burn out, but I am guessing you can read a dictionary at least. Shoo fly don't bother me anymore. Hunter Thompson lives in Colorado. He must be cool. I am Lono....

Serving in peacetime and serving in combat repeatedly over a period of a year or years is far far different than serving in peacetime. Likewise serving in wartime in a rear area unit and serving in a combat unit are another thing altogether. Don't expect to be getting many bozo buttons from me either way.

It's my guess that 99% of the posters who continually berate Bush for having admitted to snorting cocaine are the same people who smoke dope every day and never served even one second in ANY branch of service. Even long enough to not show up. The point is moot and your criticisms sound more like hypocrisy.

The question is "How many HMMV's has Al Jazeera contributed to destroying along with the men inside of them?"

I know. I like it that way. You're all such burn outs I can't help it. LOSER.

Foraker THINKS he's the coolest thing since Glasnost. What a tool. Blow me pussy.

Have you naysayers been smoking your liberal crack pipe in bed again? Gee...how many CNN camera people were invited for front row seats at the latest and greatest massacre of civilians? How many FOX news cameras were rolling at the latest kidnapping of westerners or people trying to make an honest living driving a truck? How many CBS news teams covered the last beheading? Wake up.

I have no problem with journalism that disagrees with my point of view whatsoever. I do find issue with journalism that sensationalizes and creates acts of violence against young soldiers and civilians deployed by your elected leaders to foreign countries. If a poll were taken here by people on the ground they would tell you that one of the first indicators of a violent act about to occur or a ramdom murder would be an Al Jazeera newsman standing by. It adds up to something that reaks of something less than journalism. It adds up to complacency to murder. The incident that sealed the coffin on them was that they were cleverly positioned for some first hand shots of Christian Churches being blown to bits along with people, children, women.\ Arlen are you saying that someone like Hitler should have avoided the death penalty because it's barbaric?

You're a fool if you don't believe that Al Jazeera is more than a news source. They instigate and create news rather than cover it. In unclassified intel there have been instances where Al Jazeera reporters were implicated in several hostile actions against the US.

Al_Jazeera incites criminal behavior

If I had been there I would have helped you man. Sorry you had to deal with some lame ass shit like that. Drive on.

Bela Spraykosi's dead...I'm dead...I'm dead

I would like to say that I haven't read one word of this thread besides the title, but I too am angry like Greg. In a show of solidarity I will post on this thread and express my disdain for lame thread lockin' mofos.

OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHKKKKKAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!! skeet,skeet,skeet

I don't feel better. I just wanted to talk about Chappele show. Instead I have to contain my mounting disdain for Foraker and his assclown antics.

I think you are wrong, and I think trying to make connections between Vietnam and Iraq is counter productive. Reliable intelligence not acted on quickly enough. WMD in the bottom of the Tigris or in Syria. Greenpeace complaining about draining the Tigris to look for said weapons. Lack of public support for an escalation of the conflict into neighboring middle eastern countries. Election year politics. Fickle support for a serious conflict with long lasting ramifications. Uneducated water walkers. It's like Kurtz said. "If I had ten divisions of those men, this war would be over in 3 months".

Hey Alpinfox Glad to see you're keeping it real. The problem is that in this culture they really respect a strong arm. It is the kind of culture that would fawn over Arnold Schwarzenegger and laugh at Frederick Nicole. Subtleties are often overlooked (with the exception of deceptive intrigue) and overt shows of force are recognized. Furthermore, My answer spawns from conversations with Iraqi's indigenous to Iraq. Not effete intellectuals speculating from 10,000 miles away connected to the area only via proxy new sources. To restore order there has to be a baseline. Negotiating with people who's sole aim is to derail a society based on sound principals is in effect suicide. In order for elections to take place there must be a strong/stable interim government. We stand in place to put that before them. Then let them take it where it will go with free and open elections. Not car bombings and the murder of every element whatever faction disagrees with.

In reality, subduing the Arabs with massive force is the solution. This is what Saddam understood and why he stayed in power for so long. This is what they know and something they comment on frequently. Why is the US so soft on the insurgents? Politics...

Give me a break. I'm sure that during your career as a software engineer you've dealt with TONS of terse life threatening situations. Get a clue. Dealing with that shit is just the norm. Nothing to break my routine, and get all worked up. However, damn your annoying. I think you're just setting yourself up as the anti gotterdamerung poster boy. Personally I think you're just pissed because you're model underachiever.

Wonderful oversimplification, your views make sense to me now! Try reading between the lines sometimes. I think sometimes talking in baby talk might make sense to some of the posters on this website. Good night. Thanks for the debate. Enjoy the clean, cool air there.