9 Comments so far

1. MA_Matriarch February 13th, 2007 1:58 pm

   Here are people who were under dire circumstances prior to the invasion. They had been under strict sanctions for 13 years! 13 bloody years. Basically, they didn’t have a pot to p*ss in or a window to throw it out of when they were invaded. They were extremely vulnerable. Over a half a million children died by 1996 and that weasel of a president thought he could walk into that country and just take over their oil industry. He even planned to pay for the war by doing just that. See: http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/27c/index-bgbdb.html

   Now here it is FOUR YEARS LATER and Bush has NOT succeeded. Why, because he underestimated their will. He figured he could step right on in and control it. Then he wonders why another country might be assisting their efforts while he continues on the path of destruction to break their will? It is pure insanity.

2. blessthebeasts February 13th, 2007 6:34 pm

   It is disgusting and disgraceful that our government continues to play political games that just result in more death, destruction and suffering in Iraq. How can anyone think this will ever improve the situation? We need to get out of there immediately, help with reconstruction with no strings attached, and beg the Iraqi people for their forgiveness for what we have done. I don’t really expect them to, though.

3. Uncle Buck February 14th, 2007 10:55 am

   Fixing Iraq isn’t Bush’s concern. This is death for dollars. The title of this article would better read, “More Troops, More Money.”

4. ezeflyer February 14th, 2007 1:49 pm

   Jared Diamond’s study results on why some societies failed and others survived can be explained quite simply: Failed societies chose unlimited growth over sustainability.

   China is checking its population growth and growth of extreme wealth and power concentration. The west is not. Which has the best chances of survival?

5. hcocdr February 14th, 2007 2:19 pm

   Diyala Province, Iraq- Last week Troopers of the First Squadron 278th Regimental Combat Team were assigned to patrol Iraqi villages several miles off the main roads of the Diyala Province, Northeast of Baghdad on the border with Iran.
   As the patrol pulled into one of the villages, in every direction people begin to emerge from the homes and buildings there. The Patrol Leader realized that the up-armored hummers they were driving were surrounded by the Iraqi Nationals. No matter which way the Patrol Leader looked the encirclement tightened.
   However, no shots were fried. This was because the people doing the encircling were Iraqi Children, armed only with the biggest smiles you have ever seen. The ground in that area was dry and as hard as concrete with sharp jagged rocks scattered all over. Sheep and goats were in the rusty chain linked pens that were connected to the front door and side walls of most of the dwellings scattered about the village, in no geometrical order. Keeping the animals close at night protects them from the wild predators that roam the flats.

   Chickens and lambs strut in and out of the dirt floor homes as if they were the keepers and not the kept. Farming is the only life these Iraqi families know.

   Wires are strung loosely along crooked concrete poles that lead out into the desert and to parts unknown. What is known is that no power flows through those wires to the small single light bubs in each of the homes that have the lines connected to them.

   We are greeted by the village elder with a smile and a hand shake and touch of his hand over his heart which was a sign of respect in his language. He welcomed us as if we were a long lost brother or son that has just returned. The children barefoot, excitedly run over those sharp stones and hard ground as if it were carpet.

   With few Aid Relief Agencies or Non-Governmental Organizations in the area, the Troopers of the 278th Regimental Combat Team of the Tennessee Army National Guard have taken it upon themselves to aid the people of Iraq. They have asked family members and friends to stop sending care packages for the troops and start sending packages to help the people here. The National Guardsmen are experts at this type of work.
   While in the military conflicts of the recent past, the National Guard Units were not utilized in combat missions to the extent they have been in this war, hardly a year has gone by back home, without a unit being mobilized for a flood, fire, tornado, snow storm, hurricane, or other natural disaster. They are accustomed to working with and acting as aid and relief agencies and getting the people the help they need to recover.
   With the military training, the Troopers make their own safety and security.
   One of the Patrol Leaders opened the back of a medical vehicle and pulled from it several boxes of children’s shoes that were donated by a shoe company and families back home in the United States.
   The Troopers were handing candy to the Iraqi Children to the point that their little hands could hold no more, as they stood in line to hold their tiny foot up to the bottoms of a new pair of shoes to see if they fit.

   One little boy about 3 years old put down his candy and while putting on his new blue Power Ranger Velcro shoes, a small goat grabbed a piece of candy and ran off, with several other goats chasing after him. The little boy did not seem to mind the candy thief as he fastened the Velcro. He began stepping around the troopers lifting his feet as high as he could. Almost falling, it looked as if he was tiring to kiss them as he walked.

   “The Department of Electricity came a few days ago and took our electrical transformer”, the elder told us. “It had not worked for several months. We hope they will bring it back soon”, he said. The patrol leader told him that we would check on that when we returned to our base.

   He pointed to a construction project going on a few hundred yards from their village and when complete, will produce concrete and employ most of the young men of the village. He was happy for that.

   Iraq has problems in a lot of areas and in this area there were problems in the months following the fall of Saddam, however, the solders have not gone away. They come back to the villages again and again and each time they make the children happy with clothes, books, candy or a new soccer ball. When their children are smiling how can anyone ever be mad at the soldiers?

   The Troopers do what they say they are going to do. They take things into their own hands to get done that what needs to be done. The elders of the village are surprised at this and the young are learning from the soldiers to do the same. But, it takes time to learn to take the initiative and to do things for yourself when all your life, you have not been allowed to do that. The Troopers here are setting an example and it’s spreading across Iraq.

   Soon other parts of Iraq are going to evolve and the people are also going to be surprised at the works of the US Troops, but I think it will be the World that gets the biggest surprise of all. A safe and free Iraq.

   After visiting five villages that day, the convoy pulls back onto the base and the Non-commissioned officer in charge, asked the command center at the gate, if anyone had the phone number or e-mail address to the Department of Electricity.

6. lophat February 14th, 2007 10:58 pm

   Opinion is that all hell will break loose once GWB does another “Mission Accomplished” performance, and announces after four years that Bagdad “is finally secured” with the “augmentation” of 2l,000 additional troops in Bagdad. This, following a military blunder announcing that a huge sweep was to take place, allowing the insurgents to sneak away to fight another day. The reportedly low resistance seems to be a replay of Viet Nam guerilla tactics by the insurgents: “When the enemy is strong, withdraw, & regroup”….. no wonder GWB’s support by the “Coalition Of The Willing” has been crumbling to less than l5,000 troops, and this certainly does not bode well. What a price to pay!

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8. bnraxovykyxi December 10th, 2007 4:41 am

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9. bnwanycykatu December 26th, 2007 7:56 pm

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