I need to hear from Veterans from the Iraqi occupiation.?

Question

Is there anything you soldiers can tell us, as people, about your expierence in Iraq that can help us understand what is really going on in the Middle East. Our president says one thing the government says another. The Media says one thing, reality shows, another. I feel one way, strongly and my neighbor feels another. Most say Peace, the powers that be say War.
What Is It All About, And What Was It Like In Iraq ? Thank You !

Answer 1

well my husband was over there for 13 months and he says that we could have had it done a long time ago if not for horrible leadership. he also says that while the media blasts bush (i am no supporter believe me and nethier is he) and said we never should have went because nothing was there. he says they did find things he saw them with his own eyes. also the benifits when they come back are greatly lacking. therefore he did not re-enlist when his time was up because the government is treating our boys very badly. someone needs to stand up for them I could tell you stories that would break your heart.

Answer 2

Ok, I'm speaking for my bf, who is asleep right now, but he was there for 13 months and I know about what he tells me. Some of it is not PC, so excuse me...this is how he feels.

He says that the men there are lazy and sit around while the women work in the fields all day. He's shown me pics. He feels that many of the men like it like that...they'd rather not work. He did meet some who did, but the majority don't want or are too ignorant (due to years of oppresion) know what a better life will take. They are used to the status quo.

Many live in squallor and actually poo on the floor inside their houses (at least they do in Khaldiyah and Habiniyah).

Most of the people they are fighting there weren't Iraqi's but foreigners who can very easily get throught the porous borders.

He says we should pull out and we shouldn't have been there in the first place.

Needless to say, he didn't re-enlist.

Answer 3

In general the troops see what we are doing over there and feel that we are doing the right thing.

The news media is more interested in giving you what sells instead of the truth.

I served in Iraq during the first election. I was most impressed with the fact that most of the Iraqi people want a representative government and want to leave behind the baggage of their past.

Now the Iraqi people have a government they elected themselves. The terrorists are attempting to terrorize the Iraqi people into accepting a dictatorship with themselves in charge.

The problem for you is that you have to choose a side: do you support the Iraqi people or the terrorists? (You cannot oppose what we are trying to achieve over there without supporting the terrorists.)

Answer 4

My husband was there 2 times. He don't like to talk about it so much. He is sleeping not well and some how the communication stop too. I know, it was very bad. I remember the one thing, he told me about the one soldier he donated blood for him. This soldier didn't make it. So something like that I guess it's me st up. They do their job but some of them suffering very badly. I hope not everybody ignoring what's really going on out there.

Answer 5

First off its not an occupation lets just get that our of the way. First mission get rid of Saddam and his regime. 2nd set up an orgainzed government. Dont listen to our government both dems and republicans the majority of them now are just trying to position themselves for 2008. When we finally beat the Brits how long did it take for us to set up our government not too long ( my history knowledge is bad) now think about Iraq. They've been under a dictator who ruled with fear, he had spys in every corner of his land from your fellow employee to your brother. People would disappear in the night your daughter would go to a party and come home the next day with a brand on her because she was kidnapped by one of Saddams sons and raped and you couldn't do anything about it. Now picture all of that gone and you have freedom. Caos and just to through some more fun in there you have multiple terroists organizations who want to seize control of that rich land, from Hamaz, Al Quada, the Palistinian Liberation Orgainziation they all are working together to take that land and resources. Some of the people that live there are ignorant as can be but you can't help that, but we can save the ones who want to be free we can save those surrounding countries from have a giant terrorist state with major resource at there hand. People say we should pull out, if we do the ones who can't defend themselves will be slaughtered, people say we should not send more troops in but yet they say we support the troops, how can you support the troops but not give them re enforcements when they ask for them answer me that. Those people want to be free so bad that they've risked their lives to go vote when we can't even get 80% of US citizens to get out and vote. The reason you hear about all the killings is becuase it makes the liberals money and the rightys money, people don't see what progress we've made over there because the people who own and run the media either don't care about the schools that are being built or the infastructure that is being peiced together or they acutally do but they think that is not news worthy but a dumb blond prostitute who dies because she's an idot well now thats news worthy. What a joke. They say there was no WMDs there may not have been but he did have them at one time, look in the book of world records saddam is in there. He also had 8 years under Clinton to hide them, but there is evidence that he did have WMDs maybe we wasn't able to fire them but he had the material. No matter what people say we did the right thing to go over there. And I'd go over there again if the'd call me. I've listened to the media on both sides and the ones who seem to be on the correct track for how the majority of us Marines, soldiers, airmen, and squids feel are Bill Oreilly and Sean Hannity. And if you haven't figured it our by now, I am not a republican or a democrate. I am an American by birth and a Marine by grace of God.

Answer 6

Well...I was responsible for the security and the training of the Iraq National Guard (ING) and Force Protection Service (FPS). I can tell you that as far as the locals living inside Iraq, they wanted us there for protection. From small children to villagers. Within time it was clear to me and other comrades, including senior levels, that the local nationals did not trust their own security forces. Intel would sometimes come in warning us of certain individuals in the ING belonging to or networking with the insurgency. A few times, we discovered that ING were loosing their badges (ID Cards to enter the base). It wasn't until later, after those troops being reassigned to other locations or missing that their badges would turn up in raids or on the bodies of suspected insurgents. I believe recently, the media reported on insurgents disguising themselves in police uniforms. One night I will never forget as it hurt me was when me and another soldier heard a transmission over our coms that a suspicious vehicle was proceeding to our location. The report was being made to our higher net, not us. We, of course observed more carefully. I had night vision optics and my partner chambered his weapon and scanned our sector. Our higher net touched base with me. I responded that I couldn't operate the radio at the moment and requested radio silence. It finally appeared to my partner. The truck appeared to have a weapon mount on the bed of the truck and was traveling with its lights off. This was very very strange. I said a very short prayer and radioed in my salute (report) to my higher net. I knew we would not be receiving support so short of the time. The vehicle was about 300 meters to our 12. It was driving slow so we lied down on the ground and prepared ourselves for the fight. Right behind it, about a minute later we spotted lights from what appeared to be a MP unit with a turret mounting. We quickly radioed a situation report and gave our locations again as we were in line of fire had this vehicle been friendly. Our higher net reported back saying it was QRF (quick reaction force) and hold fire. The QRF team casted a powerful light beam on them,passed them from the side and ordered them to stop. Everything took place about 150 meters at our 8. Once the passengers were searched and detained, me and my partner rose and proceeded towards them. In front of the truck laid 5 men who claimed to be ING conducting a night patrol. I didn't make any close observations of these men as I only wanted to talk with our guys. One of the Soldiers was telling me that he didn't believe them because they didn't carry ID, they had only street clothes on and the ammo in the back of the truck did not coincide with the weapon that had mounted. While he was telling me this, one of the detainees called my name. He was a "friend" who worked with me sometimes on entry control and some detainee processing details for cross training. He wanted me to vouch for him and the rest of his shady crew. It was later revealed that this group was ING, but they were selling ammunition to insurgents for cash. Their major had been reporting that their ammunition inventories were becoming short every month. This solved everything. The ING responsible was rumored to have been released, but later killed by death squads, possibly to keep him quiet. So there's part of my experience. I can also tell you that Sunnis were less cooperative in working with the Shia. If I had to go back and raid a village, I would want to go with a Shia. By the way, our presence there is not an occupation. South Korea is an occupation. I would pray that we can someday come home and bring all our eagles back home for good like me. I hurt for them everyday.

Answer 7

Seriously. Soldiers dont know why we are there anymore than your average person. We just do what we are told. All we can do is describe the conditions there, which are pretty bad, of course.

Answer 8

And if we did, do you think someone would there tell.? well maybe.

Answer 9

My heaqd is gonna explode!

Answer 10

Its not an occupation dipstick!