Last night I met two young Marines going to Iraq

[Kansas Wyatt]

I was at a yuppie biker bar in the KC Metro area (Fuel), which I have recently become a regular at. As with my nickname, I do dress the part when I go out and do look like I stepped out of the movie Tombstone. So these two kids (still looked like teenagers) in the Marine Reserves from a small southern Missouri town immediately identified with me, because they said they were closely tied to the Amish, so they were comfortable with my clothing, boots, and hat. All country is hard to find in the KC Metro area and people shy away from it here, but that just isn't me.

I am at a loss today, because all I can think about them is sadness and what a damn waste. I swear, these kids were perfect gentlemen and would be the cream of America's crop. Even though they were getting very drunk, they were still very polite, respectful, and perfect gentlemen. Moving around the bar, we bumped into each other several times and they were having a very good time. Later in the evening, I walked up on them when they were buying beers. I noticed they were counting how much money they had left, which wasn't much, because they were about out. I stepped up and told the bartender to give them their money back and told her that I would be paying for it. I paid with a twenty, and when she brought the change back, I shoved it into the hands of the most sober one. They were both so thankful and acted like it meant the world to them to keep the night going, and I was willing to make sure they could keep going as long as they could. I told them if they needed more, to come back, but they never did, since it was getting close to closing time.

Anyway, I cannot get over this eerie feeling I have today about them and that something terrible is going to happen to them. How fucking politicians and policy makers in the position to change this fraudulent war can sit there and sacrifice these young men or any of our young men and women, is a plague on this country and our citizens.

Even though these Marines will never read this, I do wish them God speed on a safe return.

[EFerrari]

1. Bless your heart, KW.

:(

[acmavm]

2. My gosh, that is the saddest thing I've read on here today. Poor babies.

Poor, poor babies.

I hope they don't come to harm. I hope they don't become jaded and cruel.

Poor babies.

[poverlay]

3. I'm proud of them and you . I know you don't want to hear it, but thanks for that...n/t

[xchrom]

4. blessed god return them in safety and health to their families. amen. n/t

[Benhurst]

5. Recommended #1

:kick:

[Yael]

6. Recommended

Thanks for sharing.

[monmouth]

7. You are a great member of the human race....

[Octafish]

8. Thank you, Kansas Wyatt. NT

[SpiralHawk]

9. "Too bad. Smirk, smirk, smirk." - Commander AWOL

"Guess they couldn't figure out how to wiggle out of service, like me and my sidekick, Dickie 'Five Military Deferments' Cheney, and Rush, and Bill O'Reilly, and Sean Hannity and all the other ignoble republicon chickenhawks. So let me articulate the republicon war profiteer Talking Point for these young soldiers: 'Too bad about you Little People.' Smirk, smirk, smirk."

- Commander AWOL

[opihimoimoi]

10. The Odds are they will be fine...not even a scratch...but PTS might be a possibility more than

a fatality....

We all hope for their safe return....

Bush and his daughters should be in Baghdad..cleaning toilets and serving food....for a year...

[Alpharetta]

11. that money you gave them -- cab fare?

Anyway, I cannot get over this eerie feeling I have today about them and that something terrible is going to happen to them.

I had an eerie feeling too -- about drunk kids who couldn't afford a cab home.

[Kansas Wyatt]

12. They were with other Marines in a group.

Leaving for Iraq the following day from KC, and they did not drive to the bar. It is not uncommon at this bar for small chauffeured buses to drop off and pick people up, since a convention center is nearby.

And if they had needed more to keep drinking and keep their party going, I would have given it to them. There are some unspoken customs in this country that do need to be honored.

The eerie feeling was about the meat-grinder and insanity they are being thrown into, and a sixth sense telling me one is not going to be okay and the other will be scarred for life.

[Marrah_G]

13. When my brothers (reserve) batillion left they were all staying at one hotel

My mom said he had to leave dinner with them early to get back to the hotel and clear the sailors out of the bar so they could actually get some sleep. I think it was very good that they could have their last party and not have to worry about driving.

[Alpharetta]

22. It was nice of you

Considering the amount of liquor "some guy I know" mailed to my brother in law in Iraq, I'm not really one to preach about the dangers of alcohol anyway.

I know that eerie feeling you're talking about. I have a bad feeling about 2 boys from our neighborhood. They've both been in convoys that got hit by IED's and they've both been injured and rejoined their units.

My brother-in-law made it back fine but his unit lost one pilot.

[noamnety]

14. buying more drinks for very drunk people

:(

That didn't sit too well with me in general.

[gaspee]

15. yeah

I was thinking that too.

I was also thinking that anyone that young who is just going to Iraq right now is doing it with eyes wide open.

[Marrah_G]

16. No harm in letting them have one last good time

They are heading to a sand box devoid of alcohol, women, and any real form of entertainment. I would have bought the round for them also.

[noamnety]

18. A gesture of support is always nice

but it doesn't need to be one that enables destructive behavior.

[Marrah_G]

19. That's assuming it was destructive

I don't assume someone getting drunk the night before they go off to war to be destructive. I consider it pretty normal.

[noamnety]

21. not sure the two terms are mutually exclusive. (nt)

[Kansas Wyatt]

17. They were not falling down throwing up drunk.

They were having a good time getting very drunk, and short on money, not wanting their night to end yet.

[NeedleCast]

20. No good deed goes unpunished

or at least without someone bitching about it.

I say good on you for buying them a drink. I would have done the same.

[file83]

30. You need to get out more often.

These kids are going to war, ready to die for their country, and you are worried about a gentleman buying the young men a drink?

Get a life.

[noamnety]

32. I just have seen an awful lot of people in the military

with a pattern of trying to cure stress with substance abuse. It doesn't usually work out too well.

[Phrogman]

23. The "cream of America's crop", get em' drunk, give em' their gun and..

send em' to the people that can't wait to kill em.

For no fucking reason that any body can explain.

Yeaaaaaaa, USA'ans!

[Phrogman]

24. Oh, I forgot......

Yew-ess-aay, Yew-ess-aay, Yew-ess-aay!

[file83]

31. Note to Phrogman: Please don't post at the DU when you are drunk.

It's kind of embarrassing.

[Kansas Wyatt]

25. WTF are you talking about, besides spouting your blow-hole off?

Nothing in this entire thread had anything to do with what you have just ranted about.

And, judging by your misdirected outburst of hate, you would NOT make a pimple on these two Marines' asses.

[Phrogman]

26. Spare me the dramatics, they're KIDS, with pimples and girlfriends

and so many folks blow smoke up their asses that they're "warriors"....

They're kids used to eating at McDonalds and shopping at the mall and eating very good food approved by the USDA.

They're fixing to step off into a hellhole of poverty, death and despair like they've never imagined possible on the same planet.

Give the kids a break and quit lying to them.

[Kansas Wyatt]

27. You are out of your pond and ignorant too.

Apparently you did not read the part that they were closely tied to the Amish, meaning that is exactly where they were from and had the credentials to back it up. You haven't a clue what that means at all. Spare me your bullshit, because you do not know what the hell you are talking about, since you never met them and obviously do not know anything about these guys.

You actually get off on what they are facing, and at no point did I ever lie to them about anything. So since you think I am a liar for some damn reason, go fuck yourself trolling toad boy, and keep your hatred and twisted thoughts to yourself.

[JVS]

28. Demon Beer, how could you?!?!?!

Seriously though, it was good of you to be good to them.

[Cabcere]

29. I hope they'll be okay.

We buried one of my young Marine friends five months ago yesterday...the wounds are still deep and the scars slow to heal. God knows we don't need to lose any more of our nation's finest. :cry: :hug: Sending thoughts, prayers, & good vibes their way...and yours, too. :hug:

[nealmhughes]

33. It will take them 10 if not 12 hours to get to Frankfurt, then God only knows how long to get to

Iraq after that. I remember all the sendoffs from Bradley Airport to Prestwick and they were not done sober. But I was quite sober by the time I got to Scotland.

But no one ever bought me a drink, except in Halifax where a guy who had been in the Polish Army and made it somehow to Canada afterwards after serving in the Free Polish Troops in the UK and the ETO.

But I was just a punk ass sailor!

Mighty nice of you to give them another round. It does mean a lot to them.

[ForrestGump]

34. I meet a lot of Marines here in Las Vegas

and I've had similar experiences in that they're invariably among the most polite and respectful people (even when pretty rowdy) on the Strip. Generous, too, far out of proportion to the paltry sums they're paid. Some of the Marines I've met here rate among the most articulate Americans I've ever met, too. Almost all are between tours in Iraq. I hate that they have to go back there, and that their lives are so meaningless to those overstuffed scum who run this whole show.