NCO in Iraq: "I'd like to punch (Rumsfeld) in the gut..."

[Rose Siding]

The Army says troop morale remains high....Capt. John Grauer, the 4-23's chaplain, describes the scene when the order came down: "There was a rush of soldiers trying to get on the phone to call home. Some literally threw up when they heard the news. Some were extremely angry ... Some went to sleep for a couple of days, hoping maybe it was all a bad dream."...

...As things stand, many 4-23 members say the sweeps are no more than a temporary fix. Some argue that the aim is only to make Iraq look good before the Nov. 7 U.S. elections—"fighting for the House of Representatives," as Sgt. Brian Patton describes it.

Meanwhile, families are falling apart. Back in Alaska, one 4-23 wife has a suicidal child in the hospital; another suffered an ectopic pregnancy and had to beg her husband's commander to let him come home to care for her. Another wife attempted suicide. Her husband was sent home, but his career, the other wives say, is over. Gossip is running wild: who drinks too much, who has a compulsive-gambling problem, whose kids are left untended.
...
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld got a taste of this rage and frustration in August when he met with family members of the 172nd at Fort Wainwright, near Fairbanks, Alaska. In a video of the meeting obtained by NEWSWEEK, one woman asked him why the 172nd was spending most of its time clearing houses, instead of patrolling the streets in the relative safety of the big armored vehicles. "My husband hasn't set foot in his Stryker since he arrived in Baghdad," she said. "Over 90 percent of the house clearings are being handled by the Iraqis," Rumsfeld responded, whereupon women in the audience began shouting "No!" and "That's not true!" Flummoxed, Rumsfeld shot back, "No? What do you mean? Don't say 'No,' that's what I've been told. It's the task of the Iraqis to go through the buildings."

The 4-23's soldiers say they, not the Iraqis, do 95 percent of the searches. "I'd like to punch (Rumsfeld) in the gut," says one seasoned NCO on his second Iraq tour. "He treats us like we're not human. He acts like he's not destroying families."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14757928/site/newsweek/page/3/

[sabra]

1. kick

:kick:

[eccles12]

2. I just saw the graying haired old farts walking away from the 9/11 ceremon

I thought to myself, these are the old-fart bastards who send other peoples' children off to war while they sit at home moving stocks around and designing a more fascist state.

[xchrom]

3. k&r

[lpbk2713]

4. "Don't say 'No,' that's what I've been told."

That's how it works.



Rummy tells his commanders in the field what he wants to hear and most respond dutifully if they know what's good for them.

[genie_weenie]

5. Oh this got posted again, huh?

Not like it will generate any more comments than the last time.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2099855&mesg_id=2100165

All the DU seems interested in at the moment is preserving the Clinton legacy and bad mouthing ABC/Disney instead of the Men & Women suffering and dying in Iraq today...

[roguevalley]

10. this brigade is in bad shape up here. some person posted that they

deserved this since he said they all voted for him. must be nice to be God and know all things.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

11. Yes, how wonderful it would be to have that skill.

You better be careful, otherwise you might be accused as being "full of hate." You know, for supporting the troops and all.

[roguevalley]

14. the brigade is a sad vessel right now.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

15. Yeah, I get to talk to my friend in that bridgade regularly on AIM.

He's so depressed and is everyone else around him. Most of his family & friends are in NJ, but even so we want him in Alaska over Iraq. He was going to get a month in NJ on leave, before heading to Alaska and I just can't believe that he's stuck over there until at least January now. And it's his 2nd tour.

[genie_weenie]

12. Yeah, Joey "Liberal" made that obscene post.

He must be happy those men are dying. After all they "deserve" it.

But remember that was Joey "Liberal"...

I'm glad you pointed out his utter stupidity.

[roguevalley]

13. Whoopsie. Thanks, honey. I thought I had it under the right post.

MY BAD!!!

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

16. Why are you full of hate?

:sarcasm:

[bobbolink]

17. "some" say the same about poor people -- "they deserve what they get,

because they vote RW". :grr:

"Some" on DU just like to be ugly.

"Some" on DU are just *LIKE* the RW.

Sorry this was said to you. I know how it feels. I know you will understand how it also feels to have it said about us poor folk.

Some days I just wanna give up.

[meganmonkey]

18. I made up a game called "Hide the Threads about the Bullshit onTV"

Some nights, after you hide the threads about the bullshit on TV, there's pretty much nothing left in GD.

:shrug:

Kick and recommend :patriot:

[yellerpup]

6. K&R

"fighting for the House of Representatives." Rumsfeld has to be a sociopath to deny reality the way he does. Worse than incompetent! :kick:

[Jensen]

7. I think the Soldiers are starting to revolt against all this BS....

yes sir....HELL NO SIR!:patriot:

[SammyWinstonJack]

8. k & r

[usregimechange]

9. Even the military are turning on these guys.

[meganmonkey]

19. Kick....

for the morning after the madness. Maybe there's room for this now :shrug: