I think it important to take a minute and speak to you of some of the conversations I have had with returning Iraqi Veterans of the National Guard.
These young men were in on the rush to Baghdad and the months following.
Their stories are very interesting but the main question I put to each of them was "Do you have hard feelings toward Bush and was the war necessary"?

The 100% answer was no hard feelings toward Bush and the war was necessary.
When asked what their reply would be to anyone saying we should never have gone to Iraq?
One 24 year old sumed it up with a statement to the fact that the person asking the question had obviously not been there.
He stated that the appaling conditions that the Iraqi people had been living in,especially Southern Iraq, and the improvement now made it worthwhile.

I thanked each of these young men for their service and bravery.

The interesting thing is that in our conversations not one brought up weapons of mass destruction or the lack of finding them.

Each was proud to having been a part of freeing a people from a terrible dictator.

Therefore my personal conclusion is that those that bring up weapons of mass destruction (lack of finding them yet) are armchair critics that in no way equal the metal of the men I have been priviledged to speak to in the last few days.

I salute the men and women who are serving this country honorably.

I know a lot of guys that were there and are there now. they say pretty much the same thing. its funny how I always see these anti war soldiers being interviewed on the news, they must seek them out. no bias here :rolleyes:

I wonder if any of these guys made it into Michael Moore's new film?

Someone should do a documentary on the positive side of things going on in Iraq and the good our soldiers are doing.

Dan -- GREAT post!! :thumbs:

They seek them out because controversy sells newspapers.

these guys are not trained to know the truth, they are trained to know what they are told and to do it !!! period ! when your home, or should i say, if you make it home, you wont say much bad. put them on a lie detector....i hate to say that, but i know those guys had to question this. i just recently talked to a returned soldier....i asked him what he thought, after i commended him, he said, man, i just did what i was asked to do.....and i asked him did he think it was worth it, he said, man, i just did what i was asked to do.....so you have a mixed bag...there are old wwII vets that just today said that this war was a very bad idea, and most were republicans..........armchair quarterbacks have no idea whats in the hearts of these men, but death scares ANYONE !!

korg, You are as full of shit as a Christmas turkey.
I work with three of these guys. They are as capable as anyone of telling the truth.
They would have no reason what-so-ever of not to be honest with me.
And why do you call them "these guys", who the hell do you think you are? These men would DIE in combat tomorrow for your ass
and you call them "liars" and "these guys".
Some of "you people" make me so damn mad I could bite a damn ten penny nail in half!!

I faced death many times I know what its like. I am no armchair quarterback. I'v been there buddy!!!

The reply from a true hero is always"I just did what I had to do" they do not want special attention for a heroic job well done!!

Originally posted by Dan Fussell
korg, You are as full of shit as a Christmas turkey.
I work with three of these guys. They are as capable as anyone of telling the truth.
They would have no reason what-so-ever of not to be honest with me.
And why do you call them "these guys", who the hell do you think you are? These men would DIE in combat tomorrow for your ass
and you call them "liars" and "these guys".
Some of "you people" make me so damn mad I could bite a damn ten penny nail in half!!

I faced death many times I know what its like. I am no armchair quarterback. I'v been there buddy!!!

The reply from a true hero is always"I just did what I had to do" they do not want special attention for a heroic job well done!! you STUPID FUCK ! READ IT AGAIN.....I NEVER SAID THEY WERE LIARS, I SAID THEY WERENT EVEN TOLD THE WHOLE TRUTH......READ IT AGAIN ASSHOLE !!!

Originally posted by Dan Fussell
korg, You are as full of shit as a Christmas turkey.
I work with three of these guys. They are as capable as anyone of telling the truth.
They would have no reason what-so-ever of not to be honest with me.
And why do you call them "these guys", who the hell do you think you are? These men would DIE in combat tomorrow for your ass
and you call them "liars" and "these guys".
Some of "you people" make me so damn mad I could bite a damn ten penny nail in half!!

I faced death many times I know what its like. I am no armchair quarterback. I'v been there buddy!!!

The reply from a true hero is always"I just did what I had to do" they do not want special attention for a heroic job well done!! AND WHAT I MEANT ABOUT THE LIE DETECTORS IS THAT THEIR TRUE FEELINGS ABOUT HOW THEY FELT ABOUT BEING THERE WOULD COME OUT....NOT ONE TIME DID I CALL THESE GUYS LIARS, I WAS JUST SAYING THAT THEY DONT LIKE TO TALK NEGATIVELY ABOUT THEIR SERVICE WHETHER THEY AGREE OR NOT !!!!! DUMB ASS.. !

Originally posted by Dan Fussell
korg, You are as full of shit as a Christmas turkey.
I work with three of these guys. They are as capable as anyone of telling the truth.
They would have no reason what-so-ever of not to be honest with me.
And why do you call them "these guys", who the hell do you think you are? These men would DIE in combat tomorrow for your ass
and you call them "liars" and "these guys".
Some of "you people" make me so damn mad I could bite a damn ten penny nail in half!!

I faced death many times I know what its like. I am no armchair quarterback. I'v been there buddy!!!

The reply from a true hero is always"I just did what I had to do" they do not want special attention for a heroic job well done!! YOU ARE AN IGNORANT ASS DAN.....WHATS THAT YOU PEOPLE REMARK...........AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THESE GUYS, I HAVE JUST AS MUCH RESPECT FOR THEM AS YOU DUMB ASS....JERK. I WAS MERELY SAYING THAT THE POWERS THAT BE ARE NOT BEING TOTALLY HONEST WITH THEM. WANNA YELL ABOUT SOMETHING, YELL ABOUT THAT......STUPID SHIT....YOU PEOPLE MAKE ME SICK !!

Korg let me put it this way, we all have doubts about pulling the trigger on another living human being. I did but I knew that if I didnt I would die. Yes death scares most people, but to be honest after awhile the fear is replaced by what would appear to others as a death wish.
I am not speaking for Dan as my experience with this was much more limited than Dans.
When a Vet says that he just did what he was told, what he is saying most likely is two fold, one, he doesnt want to call attention to what he did, two, the ghosts may still be so fresh that he is afraid to speak their names.
I know that I have hard time still to speak of what I did, hell I was Navy we didnt do these things normally.
To challenge the passions of a combat vet will bring out either a passion or rage. I am sure that 90% of the Vets believd in what they were doing and I am sure that the 10% who didnt have no ck or combat action.

Originally posted by Travh20
its funny how I always see these anti war soldiers being interviewed on the news, they must seek them out. no bias here :rolleyes:

Blame the media! Blame the media! It's liberal, evil, and it is bias!

Trav, please, get a better argunment then "blame the media", or "what what about Clinton!"

Originally posted by Overdose
Blame the media! Blame the media! It's liberal, evil, and it is bias!

Trav, please, get a better argunment then "blame the media", or "what what about Clinton!"
Even the media says its leberal look at their poll among journalist.
By the way some of the media, like O'reilly is close to middle but the rest is either hard right or hard left. Did you here Mike Wallace, from the most liberal of all CBS, he was suppossed to be talking about WWII at the Memorial and he was criticizing the war in Iraq.

Originally posted by Beirut_Veteran
I salute the men and women who are serving this country honorably. i totally agree with this statement....but beirut, that wasnt what this guy was saying....but i did know he was glad to be home......i was responding to a post that was saying that these guys were all a go for what they were doing....i have a brother over there right now. he spent a lot of time in afganistan, and was slated to come home. he and his unit were sent to iraq and they were not happy about it. all i was saying is that these guys are not trained to talk badly about their duties. but if you put some of them on a lie detector, you'll find that alot of them would have rather been home, and alot didnt agree with being there. but thats the job they chose and they do it without question....just like my brother. i wasnt calling the soldiers liars like dan was saying. how come no one tells him not to hurl insults like you guys told me ? but anyway. and my "these guys " statement was not to be disrespectful. but his "you people" statement was ! i love what the soldiers do for this country. but i dont think their oath should be used for lies like this war......THATS MY OPINION !

Korg, I understand his passion, I let mine out last night. I am not favoring him over you or anyone. I may appear biased and I probably am when it comes to asking one or the other to chill. I apologize for that but it is the nature of the beast.
This is a tough time for most Veterans, memories are brought out, ghosts are being dealt with, actions forgotten or at least buried are being brought back to the top. So I can sympathize with Dan, sorry not trying to offend you.
As for your view I disagree, I was against or role in Beirut and spoke loudly, I was never censored, as a matter of fact we were urged to speak to the media and an author, Eric Hammel.
The soldiers in the majority probably do feel that they have done a good thing by freeing the Iraqi people, even the UN Human Rights council said that today. They do not view themselves as bad guys nor do a large number view the war as unjust. Remember they may not have seen all the news we did, but they also saw stuff we never did. I am sure the ones who stood at the mass graves of the people killed by Hussein are proud of their accomplishment.
I can say that when I came back from Beirut and most of the people I knew only heard about the terrorist attack but never heard of the constant combat we were in since the first of August 83.
SO there are things you never heard about Iraq, people who were glad we came and took Hussein out and those that helped our efforts.
I believe that if most were truly upset about what they did they would speak out. Look did an oath stop Kerry or other Vietnam vets from speaking out? No and we were a more conservative country back then.

It is not important for the young soldier out there walking point to consider the world-wide political considerations of the activity he is involved in. He's got to be concerned with the training he's had, the weapon he's carrying and those other soldiers all around him. That soldier is following the orders of those duly appointed above him. He just doesn't have the time to really think about how it might appear to folks elsewhere.

yeah....i hear ya man.....much respect beirut

Though I may disagree and agrue with every veteran on this site, I respect you wholly for the service you have contributed to our country.

Thank you!