In Anbar province, change of course rankles many U.S. soldiers

[Cocoa]

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/news/world/9199276.htm

RAMADI, Iraq - (KRT) - Scaling back the military and political goals in Iraq's Anbar province has hurt the morale of many U.S. soldiers stationed there, and some have begun to question openly not only their mission, but also the leaders who sent them to Iraq in the first place.

<snip>

Asked whether most Americans have an idea of how bad the security situation is in Ramadi, Sgt. Maj. John Jones said recently that he was annoyed every time he heard analysis about Iraq from politicians and journalists on TV.

"When people come over here, where do they stay? In the Green Zone. I call it the Safe Zone," he said, referring to the secure area in Baghdad where the government is housed. "They miss the full picture."


<snip>


"I don't have any idea of what we're trying to do out here. I don't know what the (goal) is, and I don't think our commanders do either," he said. "I feel deceived personally. I don't trust anything (Defense Secretary Donald) Rumsfeld says, and I think (Deputy Defense Secretary Paul) Wolfowitz is even dirtier."

more...

[lucky777]

1. I wish we had more news like this; it's been so quiet from Iraq

Esp reports from across the country outside Baghdad. If everything is so great, why not send reporters out?

[Barrett808]

7. Try my Iraq Front News

News from Iraq, updated daily.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IraqFrontNews
Subscribe: [e-mail]

<shameless_plug/>

[meisje]

2. myrtlebeachonline.com?

[Rose Siding]

5. It's a Knight Ridder piece

They're one of the biggest news services.

[Ripley]

3. What in the hell are they doing over there?

I mean seriously. They can't all be building bases. Are they just standing around their tents smoking cigarettes all day long?

How many are there, and why would Kerry want to send more?

[daleo]

4. More echoes of Viet Nam

"I don't have any idea of what we're trying to do out here. I don't know what the (goal) is, and I don't think our commanders do either..."

[Barrett808]

8. Just like the Do Lung bridge. "You're on your own, captain."

"You're on your own, captain. You wanna go on?

Like this bridge: We build it every night. Charlie

blows it right back up again. Just so the generals can

say the road's open. Think about it. Who cares?" -- Chief

http://www.iccc.cc.ia.us/humanities/ApocalypseNowScript.html

[daleo]

9. This one works too

WILLARD

"Who's the commanding officer here ?"



SOLDIER

"Ain't you ?

[Barrett808]

10. "What are the charges?"

So many choice observations. I watched the Redux cut four times last summer when it was on cable. Amazing how newly relevant it is.

[izzie]

6. Why are we there any how? What are we doing?

Looks like one big mess and we can not even keep the oil going out.Nice that all these corp. can rebuild with tax money every thing the army, with tax payers money, blows up. But is that a reason?If you wish to spend tax payers money we would do better sending our own people to college with our tax money. That is known to come back hundreds of times over in tax money when the people have a better income.

[Halliburton]

11. But people are getting married and going shopping...

in Shite neighborhoods in Baghdad. Gotta love that corporate media who abetted the Bush Admin. in delivering pro-war propaganda that scared the American people. Now they are trying to make the war look like it was worth it, so they don't have to take heat from the American people.