Quote:
|
Originally Posted by NKowi
I've been saying, since I started posting here regularly several months ago, that this is the opinion shared by a wide majority of returning combat Marines. Admittedly, I have spoken only minimally with members of our other services, or with those who have not earned their CAR. I have spoken personally with many men whose mission is combat, versus support, and whose position, for some time now, is that we are doing far more harm in Iraq than we are good. Several forum members have taken issue with my statements, yet none has provided any real-world evidence to the contrary - particularly evidence in the form of something akin to statements made directly to them by fine young men who have watched friends perish and who have caused others to do the same.
|
I have a niece and nephew both in the USAR. Niece served a tour in the Kurdistan region and nephew has served two tours, one in Kuwait and the in eastern Iraq. He works in GIS while she works in some sort of police unit. Both of them say the Iraqis that they talk to want us the hell out. Both of them have been well treated by the Iraqis they work with and neither of them have been shot at, but they aren't in Anbar or Baghdad which is where the bad guys hang out. Instead, they worked in areas where people are optimistic and working for a better future. Most of them are already more than happy with the change--the people in Kurdistan and the Shia dominated areas are no longer brutalized and robbed by the Sunni-Arab dominated government of Saddam Hussein. Instead they are getting their lives back in order.
Of course Marines are pissed. They are on the sharp end of the spear. They see death and misery and not much change. Well no wonder, look where they are.
Look at the time mag poll of Iraqis (pdf download here:
http://www.ericumansky.com/2005/12/time_poll_iraqi.html) you will not ethat Iraqis everywhere (except Anbar) are optimistic and see their lives improving and have hope for their futures.
If all you do is listen to people who get shot at and who deal-out harsh response then you will hear about what they know.
Are things going as swimmingly as DoD says? Heck no. Are things as bad as what front-line troops in the worst areas say? Heck no. But try for some fair and balanced analysis.
Bot