gotterdamerung

Having written or read many awards I would have to tell you that in some cases an award should be considered a work of aggrandized non-fiction. It has often been stated that the standard in which people were granted awards in WW2 was much higher than in Vietnam. Hell, I've heard tale of Bronze Stars here in Iraq being awarded nominally as end of tour ribbons.

I prefer to be a Hawk over a Dove. Our stature in the world would sharply increase if we would remove politics from our foreign policy regarding Iraq and simply get down to the business of wiping out the insurgency ruthlessly and without regard to world opinion. The world is like a bunch of sheep. When the wolves walk among them they become restless and begin to push the weaker ones into the path of the slaughter. It is the senseless dying of Americans every day because of shallow American committment that irks me more than anything. Kerry will eventually have as much blood on his hands as Bush and Cheney and the initiative will be lost forever.

I believe that Kerry will follow a program of systematic appeasement that in the long run will only harm us more. In the short term it will appear to be favorable because the Arab world will revert to it's duplicitous behavior. Groups like HAMAS, HIZbALLA, AL Qaeda, will continue to forment dischord amongst the Arabs through their vehicle of Zionism and systematic murders of westerners. The thing I don't understand is a westerners hatred of Israel. For one thing they are also a sovereign nation that has been subjected to a long history of Arab attacks and hatred. They have conquered land in open combat and feel little or no need to return it to the people who attacked them. They have followed an amazing policy of restraint because frankly they have the military capability to reduce Palestine to dust. Having done an intense study of Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran during the past 14 months I would say that invading Iraq was a pretty damned sharp move. Play Risk sometime. Maybe it will make sense then.

This is the Swan Song of many soldiers. It is a hard life on friends and families. It brings out a cynicism that time doesn't seem to fade. It is one of those things that outsiders will never understand. It is a burden and an honor at the same time. He should be proud no matter what. He has earned my respect even though I've never met him.

Not every man that serves in combat is a hero and not every man that chooses not to is a coward. Kerry feels that the 4 months he doddered through his command somehow give him voice. The average infantry private in Vietnam probably had more common sense than that man. Bush was a son of privelege without a doubt, and Cheney certainly has some things to answer for. If this is your line of reasoning though shouldn't we simply ask every congressman, senator, ambassador, political lackey to sign their own sons and daughters up for combat duty as a prerequsite for their leadership? Is there any real answer? Maybe our political system is a failing experiment as time goes on. Maybe this is the way it is, was, and always will be. My gut feeling tells me Kerry is a loser and no amount of intellectualizing can change that. At any rate thanks for the conversations and opinions. I'm going to get some sleep. The days are getting longer and longer as time goes by.

Domestic politics seem far and away from me here man. I think the genie is out of the bottle (Radical Islam) and I am going to vote for the man who most represents our interests of banging heads with them at all costs. If another 9/11 happens (and it will) I am sure it will really bake all your noodles when and if Kerry gets in office. His response will be aenemic at best.

Kerry is not the right man for the job. Simply put. You all defend him because you have no one else to stand for you. I am not really defending Bush, but I am putting it out that Kerry is a liar, a coward, and someone I will serve under.

I understand that Seattle is not exactly like everywhere else in the world. I understand that the climbing community in general is a subculture made up of a lot of people that would prefer to not invest themselves in anything that detracts from their drugs of choice. Talking politics on the internet is a far cry from investing yourself in the real world beyond the emerald city. Ironically enough they call this the emerald city as well. Only we take mortar and rocket fire and my morning commute is a UH60 ride. HL SEC and Iraq are completely intertwined. I don't think it's Christian fundamentalists who are trying to kill us. I didn't grow up in Washington and I am glad I didn't. I come from a conservative state, and most of my friends are from the south. Your brother is one voice in a crowd and there are certainly those that won't vote for Bush in the end, but the majority certainly will. I am sure there are reasons why he feels the way he does and honestly I understand quite well. Glad he is home safe.

I just got done carrying 2 dead bodies out of a mortared Suburban. You can kiss my sense of humor pussy.

Issues are issues and if a presidential candidate wants to try to raise his military service as a sign of his character then he deserves to be judged by that information he presents. In Kerry's case his career in the military was a flop, his subsequent actions brought great discredit to his service. His current attempt to play up those things out like he has an edge because of his service are true indications of his character. Quite frankly I believe the guy would do ANYTHING to become president including selling out his own integrity. No one in the servive wants him or his purple hearts running anything. The biggest issue on the plate is Iraq and Kerry will damn each and every person serving in Iraq right now with his politics.

I'm just giving it back for the shit you started when you hijacked this thread with your penis pulling posts. You're the person who seems to have BIG issues. Not me. If I did, I wouldn't still be posting here after seeing my name in lights on this board at least 20 times. You are quite honestly a rank amateur. Blow away now lint ball...

Foraker, were you always gay or was that a choice made for you in prison?

Does this answer your question?

A'm Rick James BITCH

Did you qualify for the Golden Spoon badge?

DISCLAIMER: Previous response was from someone who's never served a day in their own life, but wanna try and make it out like they "really" know what's up. Maybe you missed the point. What do I care?

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Is that girl in the background wearing "Guess" jeans? I thought those went out in the 80's...

Why make excuses? Be honest. This was my approach when I quit MS. "Thanks for allowing me to work here in your cyber saltmine, but I quit. I'm going ice climbing."

Amusing picture. However the soldier is not American, the little kid is not Iraqi, and the book is a complete piece of anti Westernism trash written by someone with an agenda. For your information the Iraqi's are DAMNED pleased we are here, have high hopes for their future, and would probably spit in this guys face if they could read what he wrote. About 5% of the population, a combination of Iranian Shiite's, and Arab pyscho's are causing all the problems in Iraq. Israel shows a lot of restraint against nut jobs like HAMAS and HIZBALLAH that violate every agreement that they can barely agree upon to begin with. Face it..we'd be better off without a lot of these people and their bullshit.

uuummmm...no....

Images from the 8th day of creation. Date palm forest in central Iraq.

This is one of 3 statues that were torn down off a palace. The statue was so hot it was impossible to climb it without gloves.

Hey Arlen!

I don't watch the news . I make the news YOU watch.