An Iraq Tale Vol. 11: ( Five Years Ago)

Hope to find you still in good spirit, you have displayed the professional attitude one should expect of an American soldier. I think you have said it best that you have a job to do.
My wife is headed in your direction. She should arrive in Balad soon. do you have any knowledge of that place?

"matter whether you are a person at home protesting the war, or sending care packages or "

OR? it can also be AND !

Thank you for what you and our other faitful USA military are doing. We appreciate it so much. You all are in our prayers.

Why is our troops over there? Because they are protecting us!! Thank you very much troops!

Rob---Thank you for your service, your courage and strength. And to all the Moms' and Dads', sisters and brothers, Grandparents who have a loved one serving in Iraq--I am sure there are many prayers being said across America for their safe return. The Troops are doing their job and have done their job from day one. But I will be voting for the candidate who will bring this war to an end and bring these very brave men and women home. I agree with Jimy--this war was wrong from the get-go---we have invited more terrorists-and put Iran and North Korea up in arms wondering if maybe they are next. Think about it we preemptively attacked another country--Iraq did not attack us. Do you honestly believe the so-called war on terrorism can be won? After 9/11, most of the world was with us, giving us support after this horrific attack on our soil--if we had only stayed in Afghanistan and put our troops at our borders, all ports of entry and airports --maybe we would have captured or killed Bin Laden and the terrorists who were the ones responsible for 9/11. If only.........President Bush is the worst President in my lifetime so far--not only are we in what seems to be an endless war ---costing lives of our troops and innocent Iraqi people--Americans are paying the price at home also--losing homes, jobs, gas & oil prices, food, health insurance---Bin Laden is sitting in a hole somewhere laughing his butt off --watching while America goes bankrupt. Just being the President of the United States does not automatically give you respect as some people believe--in my book he/she has to earn and deserve the respect as anyone else. This President does not have mine. Lets' be real here--this war needs to come to an end---we cannot afford anymore lives--we also cannot afford to fund this war--we have our own issues here at home. We need a President who is in reality and sees this and acts upon it. God Bless the Troops and God Bless America!!

Very interesting to see the first hand view. Only time will tell and I'm afraid America wants the quick fix--if the press was around during the revolutionary war we might still be British subjects. As a parent of an active service person it is painful to watch as our troops give so much and I am not sure the sacrifice is understood. God bless our troops.

This young man contends that it is not important that he weigh whether it is "right or wrong" that he is in Iraq occupying another nation after we criminally invaded based upon lies and deceit. He is very simply wrong. No, I do not appreciate the so called "service" of ignorant citizens who serve in criminal wars. In Southeast Asia, more than three million human beings perished directly or indirectly as a result of our criminal invasion, most of whom were civilians. In Iraq, more than one million will have died before this criminal fiasco is concluded. Why did it happen? Young, ignorant men volunteered and took orders from criminals. George Bush, Adolph Hitler, will we ever learn? I am proud of my adult children who have refused to "serve" the criminal agenda of the U.S., Britain and Israel. I am a professional and educated man who recognizes the responsibility to ascertain the facts and truth, and this soldier is simply another piece of equipment who has abandoned his morality and conscience. He is not and has never been protecting me. He is jeopardizing the citizens of the U.S. by his continuing provocations.

My father served 2 wars (W2-k) and still he was a good man with 12 children. God Loved him and I know he loves you.

PS. Tell the Iraqi people "I Love Them" and I'm sure many others do, and to Bin Laden that I only wish to hear the truth behind it all before I pass judgement on any of this, so to you I send my LOVE also.

Love then peace G.

You are the best and bravest we have, and deserve the total support of the American people, which YOU HAVE. Any comments you make about our military should have nothing to do with politics. You have the most difficult and important job in our country , and I want you to know how thankfull the rest of us are.

You are the best and bravest we have, and deserve the total support of the American people, which YOU HAVE. Any comments you make about our military should have nothing to do with politics. You have the most difficult and important job in our country , and I want you to know how thankfull the rest of us are.

dear rob,

my husband is a soldier and has been twice to iraq and once to afghanistan. he was injured on his last tour but is eager to go back so he can continue to aid in iraq's progression as a democratic, peaceful, self-supported and self-governed nation.

i couldn't be prouder of him and his fellow service men and women.

thank you.

....

Rob,
I read your column today for the first time and it brought me to tears. My husband was in the Army and served in Iraq twice. Like you he volunteered to go the second time on a special MiTT team. He was only 4 months from coming home when he was shot and killed by sniper fire. My husband Thomas is, was and always will be a hero to me. Reading your words made me feel like Thomas was sending them. He was an amazing soldier who made me extremely proud. He felt like you and thought like you. I will print your story and save it to share with the four children Thomas left behind. Thank you for your selfless service, you too are an hero to be honored and respected.
Sincerely,
Leslie

These are the kind of soilders that make me proud to be an American. They not only do what there country has asked of them, they go one better. Because it's the right thing to do. God bless him and all who have and are serving. They all have loved ones that they left behind to do this for us and the Iragis. History will be the judge but, it's like I tell my children. " We make the best choices we can as we go through life, but not all of them are the right ones. But life is not a video game, there is no do over".

Right on Dude!
I am a Vet, my thoughts and prayers are with you and all of our brothers and sisters, no matter where you are.

My first policy decision is to piss Russia off. Wow that must make her feel like hot stuff. Of course we need all the enemies we can get so we can keep Americans constantly afraid so they will continue to ignore bad governmental policies and corruption.

You are in my heart always. My son has been in Iraq since April. Words cannot explain how proud I am of you and all military. You are all our sons and daughters. God bless you and stay safe.

You are in my heart always. My son has been in Iraq since April. Words cannot express how proud I am of you. You are all our sons and daughters. God bless you and please stay safe.

My dad is in Kuwait right now...there's not a single day that i don't pray for him to come home safely.  I am proud of him and all of the soldiers, but i'm scared.  I just want him to come home.

Thanks for all you do to keep our country safe. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Rob-

I just read your article while browsing my military feed via MSNBC....I am sorry I did not notice this sooner....as you appear to be on my list of friends....I have been a member of NV for merely a month and have primarily focused my energy on liberal discussions/debates....I have learned the reality of a division far greather than most will accept or agree with....On the most part, if a person does not agree with a liberal author/debate....the person will experience a significant number of collapsed comments.....

So, until I get kicked off of NV....LOL....I am going to try extremely hard to focus my energy on a Conservative Movement which consists of mostly 30-Somethings who are tired of being censored/hushed/guilted into being "policitally correct"...I will ignore the bait of those who do not have our interest in mind, but otherwise have the opposite agenda/motivation.

I was also viewing the LONG list/picture/bio of soldiers who have given their lives since the beginning of this "cause"......it hurt/stung/caused a bit of uncertainty in my heart.....I havent heard from a close friend who just left for his third tour to Iraq in the beginning of November and I thought of him and his family as well---------In conclusion, it gave me further clarity on the direction I will fight for this country NOT to go.......

Best Regards  

It is Christmas Day here in Iraq.  My unit has been given a few days of downtime before we resume our convoy duty.  I will not argue the right or wrong of being here but I have been fortunate to see many positive changes in the past eight months here in Iraq. 

My thoughts naturally drift to home missing friends and family, but I am proud of my service here and of what good we've accomplished.  It is a shame that our media doesn't report it.

I'm a Marine(1993-1997) and I was deployed to Somalia right out of basic. That was an eye-opening experience for me. It was then that I saw the folly of US military interventionism, and the devastating consequences to innocent civilians it always brings about. The US always claims to be fighting for "freedom" and "defending democracy". People get too wrapped up in ideals and emotions, and romanticize war as some heroic deed. It's a crock. How any American can actually believe that the Iraq war  was necessary, or that it has to do with freedom and security for US citizens is far beyond my comprehension. Everyone, including those of you who are foolish enough to still be serving in Iraq, know good and well that there are no WMD's, like we were told  there were. There are no real terrorists in Iraq. Sadly, most US troops wouldn't know a terrorist if they got kicked in the nuts by one. All US troops know is what the Army tells them. That's how it works in the military. I lost heart in this war as soon as I knew that US Marines and soldiers had murdered unarmed civilians(FREQUENTLY) in Iraq. There is absolutely no excuse for attacking people who never attacked us. There are Iraqi children who are orphans because of our military's actions.

They'll never grow up to love Americans for the so-called "freedoms" we 've brought to them. Would any of you have love for the country that slaughtered your parents, friends, and neighbors. These are the children who will grow up to become the "insurgents" that the military demonizes. The female suicide bombers are the widowed Iraqi women, who've had their families gunned down at US checkpoints, by some trigger-happy, gun-lovin redneck (which the Army and Marines are chock full of). This is a war of complete American ignorance. No rebuilt school, or reopened market will erase the atrocities committed by our servicemen and women against the Iraqi people. We were wrong to invade and occupy, period. I doubt that they appreciate anything that we've done so far over there. For all of you claiming that its the "liberal media"(whatever the hell that is) making us look bad, please post something indicating all the supposed "good" we have done for the Iraqis? I dare any of you.

Only the sick-minded, ingnorant, and cowardly support this warcrime in Iraq.Freedom and Democracy my ass.

Rob,

Looking through the posts, I don't see anything very recent from you. I hope and pray you are well and better yet, done with your tour and safe and sound back stateside. Like you, I don't know whether this war is right or wrong- as you said history will decide that...but, I am a vet too...and we both know it's not our call to make...we just do the job the best we can and get home in one piece. I am proud of you and all of your brothers and sisters over there. Take good care of yourself bro...keep your head down and keep your rifle clean.

oooh rah!

My husband is serving in Afghanistan. Our prayers and thoughts are with you come home safe!