A special thanks goes out to list member George Kivett. George, your
package was the first to reach the real front lines for our guys in Iraq.
You will be getting a personal notice soon. I am pleased to report our
guys are glad to be getting the help. They are living in a very decent
area, although it is what is considered hostile forward area. It's well
protected and they are getting good food and good supplies. Life for them
is generally pretty good, except when they have to release a terrorist.
(see story below).
OT....please stop right here if you are sensitive. These are political
opinions/observations from in country:
The guerilla war has suddenly become increasingly difficult to fight thanks
to liberal politicians and their military butt kissing counterparts,
meddling in our ground combat tactics. This time they are forcing "combat
soldiers in a war zone" to produce the same burden of proof you might expect
from cops in D.C., when it comes to holding prisoners!
Well, I got news for those libs, Iraq ain't DC and sometimes we just know we
got the right guy and you have to turn him lose. Let's say he was caught
standing over the IED with a shovel at 3 a.m., but no eye-witness saw him
plant it and you don't have any prints on the bomb. Therefore, you can't
prove [he] planted it; his lawyer says maybe he likes to walk around at 3
a.m. with a shovel (no crime) and he was just in the wrong place at the
wrong time? This means releasing a terrorist bomber. That not only makes
us look weak and ineffective, but it's getting our soldiers killed.
Do you hear me liberals? Your lofty notions, absent the "reality of war",
are causing the senseless deaths of American G.I.'s and Iraqi civilians!
These new rules for incarceration have us jumping through "legal hoops" and
dealing with issues of "probable cause" instead of fighting the enemy. No
soldier in combat should ever have to face that burden! We didn't do it
WWII, Korea or even Vietnam, where politicians/protestors turned victory
into a defeat.
How would you like it, if you were in combat and had a lawyer looking over
your shoulder at every turn?
I could think of few things that would be more dangerous and idiotic than
this new heavy obligation, unless it is the Saddam Hussein's trial that's
dragging on and nobody wants, except the enemy. You and I know Hussein
should have NEVER faced an American style court trial. Iraq was in no way
prepared.
A 3 day military trial, a firing squad and everyone, especially the
Iraqi's, would have been incredibly relieved and happy. Several of the
courts jurists would be alive if we had. But no, the libs had to go the
extra distance in pursuit of lofty ideals nobody over there has ever known
or understand and this wasn't the time or place to start teaching them.
It's complicated, it's awkward and it's been an expensive and deadly
miscalculation because as long as he's alive he is motivating terrorists and
he's become a living example for resistance.
Now flame away, ranting on like that was well worth it!
(You deserve to know the truth... because I know you can handle it.)
Jack