What are the troops actually DOING in Iraq on a day-to-day basis?

Question

Obviously, there aren't really any "missions" like there would have been in WWII, so what are they doing over there? Just making patrol runs? Waiting to get attacked by some insurgent? How can we justify having our troops over there serving as policemen in the middle of a civil war? It's just mind-boggling to me. Bring these brave men and women home!!

Answer 1

With all due respect, our troops are doing almost nothing in Iraq. They mainly patrol the same baghdad neighborhoods over and over, waiting to get shot by insurgents or some random "martyr" with a gun or bombs strapped to their chest. One member said that our troops capture and hold villages in order to gain territory; we do, but as soon as the town is considered "all clear" we leave, and the terrorists return to the town as if nothing happened. What the Bushies don't understand is that we're not fighting a uniformed enemy in Iraq as in conventional warfare. We are fighting guerilla fighters, and whenever the U.S brings too much "heat" to an area, the fighters disarm and blend into the background with the civilians, returning to normal once we leave the area. When we fight in Iraq, every time we kill an insurgent 10 rise to take his place, much like the Vietnam war.This is why the situation in Iraq is hopeless. I don't want the USA to lose, hell I'd be glad if we won this thing tomorrow and the soldiers got to leave. But then again, I don't want our troops killed over some pointless conflict to boost oil prices either.

Answer 2

1.No. But you have to be willing to put your life on the line. And not just for the conflicts you agree on. You have to be willing to take orders even when you may not see their purpose. That's the difference between Conservatives and Liberals. Conservatives will follow orders and make changes afterwards. Liberals will find excuses for doing nothing and blame the whole thing on the conservatives. 2. And by what convoluted logic do Conservatives become adulterers for being critical of Clinton. 3. Sure can. I know the combat is a scary place and mistakes are made and unless the act is intentional and thought about before it's a mistake nothing more. Even Abu Ghraib was nothing. I've seen worse at a frat hazing. Have you sent anything to the troops to help support them?? 4. Cindy is a nut. Why should anyone pay attention to Cindy when they ignore how about 6000 other parents feel about their loss? Pat's family were misinformed. And that was bad. But if you want to really see what bad was, go back to my generation and see how LIBERALS treated my generation when they were coming back from Nam. 5. And it was a Democrat Congress and a Democrat President that was responsible for what was happening in Nam.

Answer 3

On the risk of sounding unpatriotic, when I'm actually a hawk as far as REAL
use of the military goes --- they're probably doing many of the same things we did in Viet Nam: daily missions supporting each other and saving each
other's lives and some or many innocent civilians, while knowing they aren't
being allowed to "win" and never were expected to win. They're worried about the family at home and some about getting killed or maimed and some about
their men. They're seeing first hand how politicians of both parties eloquently
expond on issues and so does the media, but none are with them killing
terrorists nor giving them a green light to obliterate cities as they nicely act
as sweet targets on a different government's soil -- just as they were ordered
to be before the nice new government existed. They're counting days to DEROS [depart/return (from) Overseas]. They are being professionally meticulous when given a mission and a real fight. They're asking themselves questions like -- If they come from Falujah and we know it, why haven't we
blown it away? Or the Pakistani Mtns? And they're practicing masking and
unmasking for chlorine gas while the "leaders" in Washington in BOTH
parties discuss campaign strategies etc. and how not to offend any other
country and especially moslem countries. Oh, I forgot. some are bleeding,
screaming, dying, and looking at their friends guts or burned body. Why did
you bother to ask? And yes, let's bring them home in ONE piece and use
military might when really needed, then USE THE HELL OUT OF IT --
deadly, stealthily, quickly, and devastatingly......then come back home.
We could replace them with 4 diplomats, 4 journalists, and 4 politicians.
They could be called the Dirty Dozen and solve all the world's problems
while they were there.

Answer 4

It is obvious that it is mind boggling to you. Do you think democracy was brought to Iraq by the military doing "patrol runs" only? They do have missions where they going & clean an area & protect it afterwards. What do you think they did in WWII - they picked a town or area & swept it clean from enemy & them left behind some to hold it. Evil has been wiped out the same way for most wars & evil in US has opposed the troops the same way.
They are not waiting except for supplies & support from the cowards who will not go but have a "better" plan. Saying it is a civil war does not make it so - I will trust the leaders, both military & civil, who get classified information.

Answer 5

Patrols, paperwork, interviews, guard duty, training, mess duty. Excepting the patrols and guard duty pretty much the same ole stuff in a heightened enviorment.

Answer 6

There training more iraqi soldiers! protecting the innocent iraqi civilians! and avenging the deaths of their fallen comrades! and showing the world america won't back down from a war when the going gets rough!!!

Answer 7

collecting hazard pay i hope
too many marines whinning about pay so war had to start so pay would go up. bring your boys home you seem to be an occupying force like the nazis were prior to WW2.

Answer 8

Dying.

Answer 9

Getting shot at, bombed, threatened.

Answer 10

They are trying to stay alive......