That is what the VAST MAJORITY of Americans think. They do not agree with the war and DO NOT think it will make us safer.

Thats becuase the American public as a whole is vastley uninformed and misled by the MSM. If they knew half of the other stuff that went on they would have a different opinion maybe.

Thats becuase the American public as a whole is vastley uninformed and misled by the MSM. If they knew half of the other stuff that went on they would have a different opinion maybe.

Talking about a strawman's argument Better deny them the right to vote also, they might make the wrong choice

But stepping aside from all the name calling here, I do think Col Gene has a point.
I find it disheartening to hear that the most important lesson for our own Dutch soldiers there is to make sure they are not mistaken for American soldiers.

#51 by ShadowWar Thursday, May 11, 2006

US Citizen, Jercey City, NJ. Tax payer for 12 years. Has hardly ever used Gov't benefits unless really necesary. My title is father and head of household.

I may not know how to take apart a gun and put it back together in a few seconds, I may not know how to strategize a military offence, I may have never had to kill a person, I may not know how to drive a tank. But keep in mind that many of the militaries technology from today and the past were made by citizens, their paychecks are from citizens taxes and the miliary only exist cause there are citizens that need protection.

Without us, the military is nothing. And without a military we are nothing. We are all equals regardless of your training. In the end we all bleed red blood, eat, sleep and play the same. Not everyone was made to be in the military forces, that does not make then less an American.

BTW, this was not intended towards ShadowWar, but to the comments made like the one ShadowWar made.

US Citizen, Jercey City, NJ. Tax payer for 12 years. Has hardly ever used Gov't benefits unless really necesary. My title is father and head of household.

And God bless you for it, Charles. Honestly, it's not as if your opinion matters any less than a veteran's when it comes to war and foreign affairs. Sure you haven't been in the heat of battle but y'know what? You are still entitled to your opinion.

Something COL Gene doesn't think you're entitled to, mostly because you disagree with him.

Oh Gene, Hate to do this, but there was more good stuff today..
FOB LOYALTY, Iraq – Elements of the 6th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, and 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, seized a large cache of deadly explosives in a residence in eastern Baghdad at approximately 4 p.m. May 10.

The search in the New Baghdad neighborhood by the national police and Soldiers resulted in the discovery of 142 land mines, 58 blocks of C4 explosives, approximately 8,000 feet of detonation cord, 107 fuses, 22 rocket-propelled grenades, a launcher, 59 mortars, 40 pounds of mortar propellant, four shape charges, 43 blasting caps, explosive-formed projectile materials, two gas masks, six two-way radios, multiple mortar launching tubes, maps of Baghdad and Iraq, and anti-Iraqi force literature.

The precision operation took place with no rounds fired and no injuries.

Three men were detained in connection with the cache. One female was detained and then released to a local leader under house arrest. A group of more than 300 residents gathered in the area. A local Imam and civic leaders ensured that the group demonstrating did not turn violent.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel removed and destroyed the explosives from the house.

and
TIKRIT, Iraq – Iraqi Police killed two terrorists when the two men attacked a police patrol in Tal Afar May 11.
Task Force Band of Brothers Soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division arrived on scene to assist the police and conducted a search of the building the terrorists were using.
The Soldiers uncovered a false wall that led to a tunnel system and another hidden door that opened into a room used as clandestine sleeping quarters.
The “Ready First” Soldiers discovered a variety of weapons and munitions scattered about the tunnel and underground room. A Katusha rocket, 10 rifle grenades, four mortar rounds, three IEDs and two mortar tubes were seized.
An explosive ordnance disposal team conducted a controlled detonation of the weapons and munitions, destroying the house and tunnel system to prevent terrorists from using them again.
Three police officers were wounded in the initial attack and transported to the Tal Afar hospital.

Man gotta love the fact the Iraqi's are helping out also. BTW there was a comment somewhere on one of these blogs about 1000 Iraqis refusing the assignment they were given, that is out of the 233,000 they have. Not bad for a new Army with minimal training. Thats not including the over 100,000 police we have trained. And are there still some bad apples? Of course, you can't change the culture or how the react overnight.

Our comments weren't directed at you or any one else who hadn't been in the military Charles. They were made in regards to the col saying that if someone hadn't been in the military they should STFU.

No, I know, I know. I just wanted to make one like you guys but since I'm not in the military I had to do a civilian one.

But stepping aside from all the name calling here, I do think Col Gene has a point.

Sorry, but the "only" point the col has is on top of his head. Hey, I'm on to something here. Maybe we should call him "Poindexter"?

I really don't feel the need to mention that I too was in the military. USAR, Military Intelligence. Sorry that I won't go into details and specifics, as I don't really feel the justify my existence in the way that the Clueless One does. I'll say I earned a title of respect, received some commendations and leave it at that.

Like others here, I don't believe you had to have served to be able to speak about military matters. Hell, neither did the majority of the minority that elected Bill Clinton twice and put him in the position of Commander-in-Chief, even though it was widely acknowledged that he had skirted his obligation and had used multiple tacts to avoid military service when his number came up.

For the most part, an individuals military service means NOTHING as far as being able to do any job in this country, or for that matter, any other country. It may help an individual have more empathy for military members, and it may temper decisions and cause one to pause a bit more before commiting troops to tasks in the world, but when the job must be done, we all know that the U.S. military will be there doing the job, regardless of who the President is, and no matter how much they may be despised or loved by the military. (Ask the troops that Clinton sent to Bosnia and other locations).

Again, this all doesn't mean squat when it comes to the Gene bot's ability to formulate an argument that has any basis in reality. That bot doesn't give a rat's rear end that his arguments don't hold water. He'll pull out old talking points, claim that he's absolutely factually correct, all so he can try to drum up a few more sales for books on issues that won't mean a damned thing in a few years when the deficit has been exploded many times over it's current figures so that Democrats can meet Social Security obligations that they promised (and never fixed the system to be able to really afford without ripping off future generations for years to come), or when the trade deficit (mostly thanks to inflation) makes today's numbers pale in comparison as we bring in anything and everything from places like China, Mexico, India and other rapidly industrializing nations that are producing cheap products to sell to us as our jobs disappear.

I'm sure that 10 years from now, the Gene bot will still blame all the worlds ills on G.W. Bush, even as he's long since gone from office and someone else is rapidly running the country into the ground (most like a democrat, but possibly even a republican).

or when the trade deficit (mostly thanks to inflation) makes today's numbers pale in comparison as we bring in anything and everything from places like China, Mexico, India and other rapidly industrializing nations that are producing cheap products to sell to us as our jobs disappear.

Yeah I just read that on WSJ. You know I was also thinking that with the rise in gas prices it may work similarly to a tariff. It will begin making imported items more expensive and may bring back the outsourced foreign companies. Just a thought.

Charles,

I never said things are as bad as it looks. In regard to the price of gas I was trying to understand somethings that I thought didn't make sense. Once I was educated I better understand and can educate others who are not a part of this JU community.

Yes I recognize that somethings are better in the long run than they may appear.

I have a Q about Gene. If Bush is so bad, and GOP is so bad. Why live in the US? That way when you have a heart attack in Canada you can stand in line rather than get in right away? Oh but wait that would be Bush's fault too.

You know something col. I have been gone a couple of months. I come back and your post is the first I read. There is absolutely no difference between the bs you posted then and the bs you posted now.

You have managed in a single post to repeat the usual anti-American rhetoric, and managed to bring up Bush's service in the military. What a sad individual.

You need serious mental help.

I see you still don't address the progress and good news out of Iraq. I guess that's just being hypocritical of you.

Why don't you finally just admit you want us to surrender?