Among Troops, Growing Doubts About Mission

[fishface]

Posted 7/22/2004 10:38:00 PM

"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. " "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."



RAMADI, Iraq - 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.

It’s not just buck privates. Several sergeants - the backbone of the enlisted military - said they felt the same way.

Instead of neighborhood patrols, most of the convoys that leave the bases in Ramadi these days are on their way to guard main roads and the government building downtown. There are also observations posts throughout the city, where soldiers sit and watch, waiting for something to happen.

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/newsArticle.asp?id=1806

[G_j]

1. thanks

quite a telling article. What a mess.


Will Pitt's interview with Marine Corporal Michael Hoffman fits the same picture.
http://www.truthout.org/dnc04.shtml
(down the page a bit)

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Yep

And those who think that the military people blindly agreed with the garbage Bush was selling at the time of the invasion need to read Will's interview-the sergeant who told his troops the reason for invading was oil, plain and simple, was saying the same thing we protestors were saying on the streets.

[Cheesehead]

3. Interview with a returned Iraq vet by local alternative paper

Not precisely on the topic, but an eye-opening summary of life in the occupation force.


http://www.valleyscene.com/cover.html

edited to add the link (duh!)

[mopaul]

4. they callously use the patriotism of young men & women for profit

they soullessly send off our sons and daughters, many of whom enlisted right after 9-11 in a swirl of patriotism, and they toss their corpses aside and hide their coffins.

when the military itself starts to figure out how badly they've been fucked, it's over for bush