Iraq: “No one understands why we are here and what our mission is,”

[bigtree]

September 3, 2006
Soldiers’ Stories

Endurance Meets Doubt in Iraq

By MICHAEL R. GORDON

HIT, Iraq -- SOON after Specialist Michael Potocki was shot and killed in June, the soldiers in his platoon agreed on their goal for the months ahead: to survive and make it home alive.

The loss of a comrade hit the platoon hard, as Sgt. Ryan Kahlor, 22, noted in an emotional letter to his parents in San Diego.

“The world keeps turning and so does the fighting in Iraq,” he wrote. “Yesterday, my soldier and friend was shot and killed. ...He is the first one in our platoon to be killed. His death has started an uproar of emotions in the platoon.”

“No one understands why we are here and what our mission is,” Sergeant Kahlor added. “This war is lost. We aren’t helping these people. We are just dying and getting injured.”

“We are here for each other to make it home,” said Sergeant Poetsch. “That’s what our motto is. After Potocki went down we sat the platoon down and talked about that even if you don’t believe in what is going on, at least we fight for each other. That is how we are going with it now.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/03/weekinreview/03gordon.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref=middleeast&pagewanted=print

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. Any comment on this from the RW bastards that started this war?

I didn't think so.......................

[ellenfl]

8. yeah . . . 'the liberal media is only reporting

the bad news. morale is high, the troops believe in our fight to bring democracy to iraq and the moon is made of green cheese.'

how's that. did i get the talking points right?

ellen fl

[PresidentWar]

2. It's the Third Crusade - don't you listen to your Fuhrer?

Led by George The Chickenhearted....far from the front lines of course.

[magellan]

3. But I thought morale was high?

[bigtree]

4. reminds of 'nam

[magellan]

5. I don't remember much of 'nam

Apart from a few memories of soldiers exiting helicopters in rice paddies on the tv news, I was too young. But I imagine the propaganda went a lot like this on GOP.com (from 11/2005):

Marine In Iraq Says Morale Is High, But Troops Dismayed By MSM Coverage

The Washington Times (11/22) runs a field report from an anonymous Marine, relayed through his father, a retired marine, “According to , morale among our guys is very high. They not only believe they are winning, but that they are winning decisively. They are stunned and dismayed by what they see in the American press, whom they almost universally view as against them. The embedded reporters are despised and distrusted. They are inflicting casualties at a rate of 20-1 and then see s*** like ‘Are we losing in Iraq?’ on television and the print media. For the most part, they are satisfied with their equipment, food and leadership.”

:puke:

[bigtree]

6. I was young too. My recollections are anecdotal

but, it mirrors the accounts from soldiers stranded in that war as leaders went back and forth in Washington.

[ellenfl]

9. ?

They are inflicting casualties at a rate of 20-1

now THERE'S something to be proud of.

ellen fl

[enough]

7. k&r

[shadowknows69]

10. I've heard this, and it confirms the perfection of our military training

The "band of brothers" mentality is so powerful that even soldiers who could get out of the Army reinlist to stay with their unit. I've met a few who have told me this.

[Recursion]

11. Getting out was the hardest decision I made

And I do think about the guys I left, often.