How tired are our troops? Would Red Bull be helpful??? Maybe the DRAFT??

Question

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2147052,00.html

Exhaustion and combat stress are besieging US troops in Iraq as they battle with a new type of warfare. Some even rely on "Red Bull" to get through the day. As desertions and absences increase, the military is struggling to cope with the crisis!!!

Mel:
Red Bull isn't my idea! read the article..

Answer 1

I think what Bush has done to our troops is going to be one of the legacy,s of the republican party.I had no idea it was like that,,fox news did not tell me,,,ABC did not say anything like that.if that article is true,it means much.The troops are tired ,red bull will only give the wings to insomnia,the damn draft is needed now,hell I will say the draft was needed 2-years ago.makes sense.chow ,,freepress

Answer 2

As a Soldier myself I can tell you that 20 hour days are not uncommon in Iraq. Caffinated drinks (we had "Monster" a lot in my experience) are a US Army staple.

The thing is it's all part of the territory. When you go down range you know that's what's coming, and that's what we train to do.

The big concern amongst most us Soldiers is not the long hard days while you're there, you just do it. It's the legnth of deployments. 15 months is now standard, many Joes get stuck down there for even longer because there is no one to replace them. When you come back, youve been gone so long, you have nothing to come home to. I ost a long term girlfriend due to adventures in the Army, but that's nothing compared to others. Several guys I know have come home to marriages that don't work anymore and children that don't recognize them.

We're all (most of us) more than ready and willing to go serve, but the never ending trend of increasing the legnth of combat tours is what's frightening. Soldiers can't have lives if they're never around to live them. You begin to wonder what's the point?

On the other hand, you look back at history, at like the WWII guys who went off in boats, not planes, to a war sometimes for several years without coming home. And that was before they had the luxery of weekly morale phone calls and reasonably reliable mail service. And that's inspiring.

So what's the answer? I don't know. We're not done there yet, and most Soldiers want to stick aound until we finish the job. A draft is a bad idea. I don't want to be in the combat zone with someone who doesn't want to be there. The modern Army is so specialized that you can't just take someone and throw them into a position anyways, it requires a lot of long term training. A professional highly trained Army is superior to a conscription force - even if it had more numbers. And a draft is against the principles we're really trying stand for - personal freedom.

If I was the guy in charge (and what I'm going to say is happening some) I would divert US efforts from securing Iraq (not totally, of course), and emphasize on training the Iraqis to be competent enough to secure themselves. I've seen a little of it, and in some cases they're doing a great job. We need more of that, because you're right - we Soldiers are exhausted.

Answer 3

The idea of a draft should not be tied to the current quagmire in Iraq. We can have a reasonable debate as to whether or not a draft is a good idea, but it should not be AFTER our troops are in battle.

Our troops are being forced to serve longer tours under hellish conditions. Some troops have been told they were going home (even standing in line to get on the plane) only to be sent back to the front lines. The entire fiasco has been mismanaged from the start and more troops won't solve the crisis. Leadership would solve the crisis but that seems to be eerily absent on both sides of the aisle in Washington.

Answer 4

Your question is full of baseless conjecture and could best be defined as propaganda. I am in the Army and have been for 9 years now. That piece of "news" you are propagating is probably closer to fiction than the latest Harry Potter book.

Furthermore, people drink red bull and jaegermiester at the bar. I guess they can't go on either and should dessert he bar.

BTW, dessertions are down as compared to almost every other conflict in recent history.

It makes me so mad to see crap like this.

Answer 5

They are given orders and follow them, the sad part is the big wigs in charge or leading them blind. We shouldn't frown upon our soldiers, but the fact there being force to patrol a uncivilized country and be put in daily danger because they don't' want change and they don't' want American Soldiers there. What would be helpful, bring them home battalion by battalion let Iraq figuring thing out themselves, we know they can't but let them be there problem, and let our soldiers rest up and then protect our boarders.

Answer 6

Bring them back home. I am sick and tired of hearing about Iraq every damn time I turn on the TV, that is the reason I never watch TV hardly anymore. Its Iraq this Iraq that, Bush this Bush that. Republican this Republican that, Democrat this, Democrat that. I am tired of hearing it all. They need to pull out the troops and everyone of the gov't officials fired and start from scratch and NO SPOON FED FAMILY POLITICIANS...GET A WORKING MAN, BLUE COLLAR WORKER IN THERE FOR A CHANGE NOT SOME GREEDY PIECES OF TRASH LIKE THEY ALL ARE!!!

THERE I SAID MY 2 CENTS WORTH...TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT!!!

Answer 7

I think attempting to impose a Draft is a great idea.

I say "attempting" because it would cause a revolt in the US -- but that may be just want it takes to break through the apathy and disinterest that have entombed so many people.

Answer 8

There is a volunteer army! They know what was in store get real this lopsided war should have never begun, We need a withdrawal let the Arabs fight there own civil war.

Answer 9

My son is in his 4th tour.Yes they are damn tired but i have not heard of desertions or absences.Where would they go over there.if you mean here then they should be punished accordingly. As for red Bull i will ignore that remark.
As far as the draft i am against it.i don't want the ones made to fight being anywhere around my son.

Answer 10

Ironic an Army sent on BULL shite reasons, drinks red bull.