So what does it do for the troops when George W Bush shows up in Iraq, or when a lesser politician shows up? Does it annoy you? Does it insprire you? Do you guys even care, or notice that they are there?

 

 

I don't think anybody even notices when he shows up. I didn't even know he was here until I read about it online.

Also regarding your last last post...

 

Frederick the Great said "He who defends everything defends nothing".

 

That rang SOOOOOOOOOO true to me when I read it. Very well played!

Your last post was interesting... do you think that is a lot of why we are having so much trouble over there (the group that took your place aren't really in it to calm things down like your unit...).

 

 

Honestly, I don't know why they replaced us in our old sector. We had that place pretty well locked down in the time we were there and then these chumps come in and now everythings all messed up. Kind of annoying if you ask me.

NUKE, who do you like out of the candidates running for the GOP nomination?

Honestly, I don't know why they replaced us in our old sector. We had that place pretty well locked down in the time we were there and then these chumps come in and now everythings all messed up. Kind of annoying if you ask me.

 

That was a common complaint in Viet Nam. That and seemingly trying to hold territory at all cost, then walking away without a fight, days or weeks later.

NUKE, who do you like out of the candidates running for the GOP nomination?

 

 

Without having done a lot of looking over of the candidates, I like Fred Thompson the most of the bunch. The rest of the field are too unknown or have too much baggage. I may change my tune later but as of now, Thompson is my guy.

Without having done a lot of looking over of the candidates, I like Fred Thompson the most of the bunch. The rest of the field are too unknown or have too much baggage. I may change my tune later but as of now, Thompson is my guy.

You know he really wasn't a prosecutor in New York

Nuke, reading your post, what is the logical progression if the US troops keep seeing the Iraqis doing nothing to help themselves? i.e. sitting around watching MTV? Resentment? I can't quite phrase the question correctly. What tangible changes in behavior would we see in US forces 3 months, a year, or God forbid 4 years from now if the Iraqis continue down this path?

Nuke, reading your post, what is the logical progression if the US troops keep seeing the Iraqis doing nothing to help themselves? i.e. sitting around watching MTV? Resentment? I can't quite phrase the question correctly. What tangible changes in behavior would we see in US forces 3 months, a year, or God forbid 4 years from now if the Iraqis continue down this path?

 

 

I don't know. The behavior of U.S. forces wouldn't change much because we're always going to be professionals about it. I will say that there's already a great deal of resentment from us directed at the Iraqi security forces.

Hey Nuke, is there any way to tell where all of those weapons came from in your last post? Just wondering if you can look at something and say, "This was a British made such and such that came from Switzerland." (I'm just throwing some names of countries out there). Or, is it impossible to tell where they came from?

Hey Nuke, is there any way to tell where all of those weapons came from in your last post? Just wondering if you can look at something and say, "This was a British made such and such that came from Switzerland." (I'm just throwing some names of countries out there). Or, is it impossible to tell where they came from?

 

 

It's REALLY difficult to figure out where this stuff came from. If it was crated and marked ( like so much stuff I found when I was there in 2003 ) then it would be that easy. This stuff, however, had no markings of any kind. Iraq was, and to a large extent still is, a massive weapons bazzar.

It's REALLY difficult to figure out where this stuff came from. If it was crated and marked ( like so much stuff I found when I was there in 2003 ) then it would be that easy. This stuff, however, had no markings of any kind. Iraq was, and to a large extent still is, a massive weapons bazzar.

 

Sidebar:

 

Rent Deal of a Century with Chevy Chase, funny stuff, basically mirrors this.

He goes on and on with this wanna-be tough guy facade, but in reality he is totally worthless and lazy when it comes to doing his job out in sector. Well, we finally managed to get this guy s***canned. You see, he has this bad habit of treating our night missions as his personal nap time.

typical government employee

Nuke!!! Hope to hear from you soon bud. Ive been reading things on the EPP's that have been really threatening our troops, wanted to know if you had any interaction with insurgents using those weapons

Nuke!!! Hope to hear from you soon bud. Ive been reading things on the EPP's that have been really threatening our troops, wanted to know if you had any interaction with insurgents using those weapons

 

 

Fortunately, my unit has not been hit by any of those devices. I knock on wood for that one as I've seen the photos of what they are capable of doing. Actually, things have been VERY quiet in our area lately. We've been all over it in the last few months arresting several dozen insurgents and finding a whole mess of weapons cache's. With us having a 24 hour presence in the area, the bad guys don't even have room to breathe.

What access to information about the war do you have? For example, newspapers, tv, radio, etc.

What access to information about the war do you have? For example, newspapers, tv, radio, etc.

 

 

I have full internet access at a cost to me of 50 a month. There's some local here on our base who is really cleaning up from running it but I have no problem with that as it allows me to stay in touch for the same price I was paying for the net back home. This being the case, I can read any of the news websites I choose, stay up to date with sports, trade stocks.......whatever. That's a far cry from the 1st time I was over here when I was jostling to get close to the shortwave radio someone brought to listen to BBC.

I have full internet access at a cost to me of 50 a month. There's some local here on our base who is really cleaning up from running it but I have no problem with that as it allows me to stay in touch for the same price I was paying for the net back home. This being the case, I can read any of the news websites I choose, stay up to date with sports, trade stocks.......whatever. That's a far cry from the 1st time I was over here when I was jostling to get close to the shortwave radio someone brought to listen to BBC.

 

Any additional information beyond what civilians receive?

Any additional information beyond what civilians receive?

 

 

There's quite a bit that the government doesn't share with the press both good and bad.

There's quite a bit that the government doesn't share with the press both good and bad.

 

Just wondering if and how they share it with y'all.

Hey Nuke, with the stories starting to creep out of Iraq about violence being way down, as well as servicemen and civilian deaths, what do you guys feel is the reason? Is it better direction from up top? A new strategy? The surge? I have even heard a conspiracy that the US is getting Iran to back down behind closed doors, and they are going to use that in exchange for ignoring Irans nuclear plant. Any thoughts?

Hey Nuke, with the stories starting to creep out of Iraq about violence being way down, as well as servicemen and civilian deaths, what do you guys feel is the reason? Is it better direction from up top? A new strategy? The surge? I have even heard a conspiracy that the US is getting Iran to back down behind closed doors, and they are going to use that in exchange for ignoring Irans nuclear plant. Any thoughts?

 

 

Violence IS way down. Lately, it's been so quiet and peaceful in our sector it's not even funny and that seems to be the word across the city and beyond. I think the surge has a lot to do with it, though, as with all these extra guys around the bad guys don't even have room to breathe, let alone plan and execute attacks. Will this continue once they start drawing down? I think yes. Thing of it is, I think there is always going to be a hard core of islamo-fascist fighters in this country, but the "swing voters" so to speak, are going toward the U.S. and supporting the government. I think they're tired of all the killing and want some stability in their lives.

 

As for Iran, I haven't heard any rumors like the one you described. Personally, I hope that the sanctions work and it's really interesting to see the negative effect they have on the Iranian economy and for their civilian morale.

Reading the news in any big city, shootings, knifing, killing, theft, assault, how much of what we are seeing is the run of the mill, third world big city violence that wouldn't be reported if the US military wasn't right there?

Reading the news in any big city, shootings, knifing, killing, theft, assault, how much of what we are seeing is the run of the mill, third world big city violence that wouldn't be reported if the US military wasn't right there?

 

 

You see, the funny thing is that a lot of that sort of thing gets labeled sectarian crime and thusly is somehow the military's problem when it would happen anyway.

You see, the funny thing is that a lot of that sort of thing gets labeled sectarian crime and thusly is somehow the military's problem when it would happen anyway.

 

Which is why I was thinking if we applied "success" factoring in this stuff, what American city would pass? The law enforcement aspect to me seems like a huge misdirection of our attention. Seems unfair to our military.