[DMCForum] Intel on Iraq. Where do you get it, really?

["James Wallen" <james.a.wallen@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Okay, so I just caught up on all the posts from the last few days as 
I'[ve been busy with school.  It is just too funny (and irritating) 
to hear all the garbage about Iraq.  Insider info...I WAS THERE.  
Believe me, I know what's up.

Innocent civilians?  Uh, sure.  From what I saw, there weren't many 
innocent civilians killed, by OUR soldiers.  MANY were killed or 
wounded when we (coalition soldiers) were fired on or attacked by 
Iraqi soldiers (or whatever is left of them).  If you're holding a 
weapon, your GUILTY.  Information was put out (quite well in fact) 
not to fire weapons around soldiers, and to generally use your head.

The torture of innocents?  I saw evidence of it, but nothing live 
thank God.  How about Saddam cutting off water supply to villages 
and destroying irrigation systems for the farmland in the south of 
Iraq?  Did anyone hear about this?  My unit ran over 400 missions in 
the An Nasiriyah area bringing food, water and medical supplies to 
villages in that area and the hospitals in the city itself.  My unit 
crossed the border April 5th, 2003, about a week and a half after 
the war started.  When we got to An Nasiriyah, the hospitals had 
little or no supplies, schools weren't open and there was no power, 
water or ANYTHING for these people to survive on.  Over the next few 
months we got the power stations up and running, started installing 
REAL plumbing in villages, got the hospitals, schools and businesses 
back up and running, and GREATLY improved the standard of living as 
it was BEFORE the U.S. got there.

Tell me about what you actually saw about how wrong it is to be 
there and I'll tell you about being cheered as we rolled into cities 
and villages helping the Iraqi people.  I'll tell you about how the 
soldiers were actually treated in that horrible ambush in An 
Nasiriyah last March.  I'll tell you about the SOCCER FIELD where 
our soldiers were buried in shallow graves by their killers.  I'll 
tell you about 140 degree heat and pain like you've never known.  
Why, because they needed help.  

The United States has become the wealthiest, most powerful nation in 
the world.  We really don't have the choice anymore if we are going 
to help out those countries in need.  It's become our responsibilty 
to help those that can't help themselves.  We do have the choice to 
pick our fights strategically.  Korea isn't over.  It's been going 
on for 50 years.  Kosovo?  Still there.  Bosnia?  Still there.  
Notice a trend?

Since when do the terrorists not have fighter planes...since they 
buried them in the desert maybe?  No lasers?  Uh, got news for you 
buddy.  They do.  Oh yeah, they've got night vision too.  Not many, 
and not as advanced as ours, but still pretty damn good.  To be 
honest, my $3000 set of NVG's weren't as fantastic as they're made 
out to be.  Range isn't that great, nor is depth perception, but you 
learn to deal with that.  

Wanna talk about weapons?  They're damn good about IED's.  We didn't 
roll out on missions until the sun came up because you can spot them 
much better during the day, and the nuts are all out at night 
setting them up.  Being that first convoy or mission in the morning 
isn't that great.  Ever seen an up-armored Humvee opened up like a 
can of sardines and killing a soldier inside?  I have.  Not pretty.  
Seen an innocent man burned on over 95% of his body because he was 
working his embassy when it was bombed?  Not pretty.  Bet you didn't 
see that on the news.  How about all the innocent civilians that 
were blown up because they happened to be in the area when a suicide 
bomber hit or an IED intended for coalition forces hit a civilian 
vehicle?  Never hear much about that.  Good old press, nothing but 
negative.  Did you hear about the missiles, RPG's, mortars and small 
arms fire that Abu Ghraib prison took 3-4 times a week?  NO.  How 
about the soldiers injured during some of the riots?  I know one of 
them.  

Just recently started releasing busloads of prisoners?  Right!  You 
CLEARLY know NOTHING of what really has been going on!  I can 
PERSONALLY vouch that we've been releasing prisoners since September 
on 2003!  I KNOW it's been longer than that!  I still can't go into 
much detail, but on any given day there were 15-20 prisoners 
released.  The greatest load I personally escorted was about 75.  
This was way back in January.  It wasn't busses either.  Know what a 
Deuce & 1/2 is?  Imagine standing room only on 2 of them with 
cheering happy guys surrounded by 3 humvees of soldiers protecting 
THEM.  We drove to our dropoff location, they got off and many 
family members were there to meet them.  


<SNIP>  Calling the lost troops 'unnecessary' is irreverent and 
grossly
unpatriotic.  They gave their lives in pursuits to protect the rest 
of
us.  <SNIP>

Thanks Jim.

Abu Ghraib, the scariest 5-6 months of my life.  12 hour days, 
mortar attacks 3-4 times a week, and nothing to do but duck and 
cover.  That's life.  Sure you might die, but if you heard the 
explosion...you're still alive.  After 12 months and a week in Iraq, 
I'm SO happy to be home.  Now I pray for my brother to come home 
too.  It's a dirty ugly job, but who's going to do it?  I lost a 
year of my life in the desert and I'll never get it back.  I know in 
my heart that what I did was good, and I helped people.  Talk all 
the crap you want.  If you weren't there and you don't have anything 
constructive to say, then quit crying.  I'm proud that I had the 
chance to save countless lives in Iraq and protect our country (even 
if it's effects aren't immediate) and our way of life.  I'm now 
enjoying the rights that many of us seem to take for granted.

Back to hunting for my black interior, 5 spd, gas flap hood equipped 
D, and lurking the forum.

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