The Real Story Behind the April 9th Insurgency in Iraq (must-read by a US soldier who was there)

Intellectual Conservative ^ | 17 May 2004 | Jarob D. Walsh, U.S. Army Specialist

[Darksheare]

Using women as shields, and having kids shoot at us.
How cowardly of the supposedly 'protected by allah' terrorists.

[Oatka]

This soldier’s one mistake? The seven-year old was holding his weapon upside down by the magazine, and the ten-year old was firing three rounds at a time at me. . . I didn’t want to shoot them - they were just l'il kids.

BIG TIME. Dead is dead, no matter who fired the gun.

My brother in law fought from Normandy to Germany in WWII. He was in a village in April '45 when the Germans were using everybody as soldiers.

He said they had a tank back up as they entered the village. Someone with a Panzerfaust fired and hit the tank, aetting it on fire. As the tank brewed up, the trapped crew were screaming and banging on the hull. Out from the building steps a 14-year-old with his hands up.

Brother in law said he cut the little ba$turd in half and never had a problem with it. Something our guys should consider.

[ASA Vet]

I think you've earned a one time waiver of the picture posting rule.

Thank you.

[sauropod]

Wow!

[presidio9]

I think you've earned a one time waiver of the picture posting rule

My bad. Rules are rules after all...

[abigkahuna]

As I like to say I was in the Army when we still had catapults. I did nothing special. Sat in a tank in Germany and chased frauliens Fought the cold war and the cold war won so to speak.

I am moved by the article. It should be required reading in every current events class across the nation. It should be published in every newspaper across the land starting on Page One.

The Face of the Enemy, Why We Fight, Frank Capra and all of that...

I am moved. I am much older and far away from those days in service. As the old expression goes, I am sitting on the porch in rocking chair with momma. I don;t feel like "nuking" anyone or anything (not yet anyway).

War is not a pretty thing. It always should be the last resort to problems. Besides all the bluster here on FR, I believe that most here are for peace...But not peace at any price.

THere are times when the sword must reluctanly be picked up and used. This is one of those times. We must not rest until the enemy no longer has the will to fight. I feel for these troopers. I feel for the agonizing our leaders must go through reading the after action reports.

I remember the pictures of LBJ sitting alone in the oval office in his silent agony over reports from Vietnam. Doing what he thought was right, but the results not forthcoming and nothing but American lives being traded.

Going to War should be a reluctant option. THe costs are too great. Thats why we use the younguns. Cause us olders think too much...

We need to defeat this enemy, Islamofacsism. Because even if we abandon Iraq, give them Israel and Europe. They will still keep coming after our heads.

FWIW its my opinion that Islam is a "religion" spawned by Lucifer, Satan, the Devil or whatever you wish to call him...I know of no other modern religion that supports violence in its tenets and passages.

I will be reading this Soldier's missive to anyone who will listen. SO that they will understand whey we fight.

[abigkahuna]

As I like to say I was in the Army when we still had catapults. I did nothing special. Sat in a tank in Germany and chased frauliens Fought the cold war and the cold war won so to speak.

I am moved by the article. It should be required reading in every current events class across the nation. It should be published in every newspaper across the land starting on Page One.

The Face of the Enemy, Why We Fight, Frank Capra and all of that...

I am moved. I am much older and far away from those days in service. As the old expression goes, I am sitting on the porch in rocking chair with momma. I don;t feel like "nuking" anyone or anything (not yet anyway).

War is not a pretty thing. It always should be the last resort to problems. Besides all the bluster here on FR, I believe that most here are for peace...But not peace at any price.

THere are times when the sword must reluctanly be picked up and used. This is one of those times. We must not rest until the enemy no longer has the will to fight. I feel for these troopers. I feel for the agonizing our leaders must go through reading the after action reports.

I remember the pictures of LBJ sitting alone in the oval office in his silent agony over reports from Vietnam. Doing what he thought was right, but the results not forthcoming and nothing but American lives being traded.

Going to War should be a reluctant option. THe costs are too great. Thats why we use the younguns. Cause us olders think too much...

We need to defeat this enemy, Islamofacsism. Because even if we abandon Iraq, give them Israel and Europe. They will still keep coming after our heads.

FWIW its my opinion that Islam is a "religion" spawned by Lucifer, Satan, the Devil or whatever you wish to call him...I know of no other modern religion that supports violence in its tenets and passages.

I will be reading this Soldier's missive to anyone who will listen. SO that they will understand whey we fight.

[abigkahuna]

As I like to say I was in the Army when we still had catapults. I did nothing special. Sat in a tank in Germany and chased Frauleins Fought the cold war and the cold war won so to speak.

I am moved by the article. It should be required reading in every current events class across the nation. It should be published in every newspaper across the land starting on Page One.

The Face of the Enemy, Why We Fight, Frank Capra and all of that...

I am moved. I am much older and far away from those days in service. As the old expression goes, I am sitting on the porch in rocking chair with momma. I don;t feel like "nuking" anyone or anything (not yet anyway).

War is not a pretty thing. It always should be the last resort to problems. Besides all the bluster here on FR, I believe that most here are for peace...But not peace at any price.

There are times when the sword must reluctantly be picked up and used. This is one of those times. We must not rest until the enemy no longer has the will to fight. I feel for these troopers. I feel for the agonizing our leaders must go through reading the after action reports.

I remember the pictures of LBJ sitting alone in the oval office in his silent agony over reports from Vietnam. Doing what he thought was right, but the results not forthcoming and nothing but American lives being traded.

Going to War should be a reluctant option. The costs are too great. Thats why we use the younguns. Cause us olders think too much...

We need to defeat this enemy, Islamofacsism. Because even if we abandon Iraq, give them Israel and Europe. They will still keep coming after our heads.

FWIW its my opinion that Islam is a "religion" spawned by Lucifer, Satan, the Devil or whatever you wish to call him...I know of no other modern religion that supports violence in its tenets and passages.

I will be reading this Soldier's missive to anyone who will listen. SO that they will understand whey we fight.

[abigkahuna]

ah sorry, my posting goof

[SuziQ]

Using the women and children as shields, huh? These folks are just PURE EVIL and HAVE to be defeated!! I'm sure our soldiers are glad these terrorists are in Iraq rather than here at home, which they WOULD be if given half a chance!

[SuziQ]

In a press statement released by Halliburton and KBR on May 7, the company said: "Books may not be written nor movies made about the courage, dedication and sacrifice of our employees in Iraq, but each and every one is a hero in the cause of peace and stability, and history will record them as such.

But, but, how can this be? I thought Halliburton and KBR were just evil corporations who were trying to rip off the US Military by charging more for doing in a war zone what they would normally do a little more inexpensively for any other location in the world? /sarcasm

[presidio9]

That's ok. Good analysis.

That's ok. Good analysis.

That's ok. Good analysis.

[SuziQ]

Muslim women and children are'nt worth anything.

Your comment may have been sarcasm, but it is obvious that these Muslim terrorists think JUST THAT!!

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

seems we need to change the rules of engagement. Human shields are expendable....shoot into 'em. Also, kid or no kid, someone shooting at me gets shot.

Human shields? I'm starting to get a little weary about the "innocent civilians" in Iraq. What I mean by that is this:

How could an attack of this magnitude have been planned and executed without so much as one single tip-off from an "innocent Iraqi civilian" telling their American liberators that they are going to be ambushed in a major way?

I've said it before and I'll say it again. A few years from now, we'll be back over in Iraq. But we won't be Liberators, we'll be Conquerors.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Your comment may have been sarcasm, but it is obvious that these Muslim terrorists think JUST THAT!!

Which was my point.

Had I left off the </sarcasm> tag, all the bozoes who need a "laugh" sign so they know when to laugh at a movie would have climbed all over me.

[Khurkris]

It sounds trite...and I dearly do not means it to be....but war is a hard game. Good fortune Troop.

[Graybeard58]

Appreciate the ping from Cannoneer No. 4. This directly concerns me as my son Steve is a member of the 724th. he knew all the people who were killed or injured in this attack but was not with that particular convoy. The Lt. who was injured was one of Steve's friends who had just joined the police force back home. Steve is a policeman in civilian life too.

The Lt. (Matt) was shot just above the left eye and as a result lost that eye. I don't know if Matt is back home yet or not, he lives about 20 miles from me and I intend to see him when he does come home.

My son Steve is also a FReeper, screen name: smaagee.

In the first part of this account mention was made of them using radios. I am reminded that when Steve first got to Iraq it was passed on to members at "the hobbit hole" at Free Republic that the radios they had were practically useless. Members of "the hobbit hole" donated radios to the 724th. Steve said that they were much superior in quality and quantity than the ones they had been using.

Heard from him by phone yesterday morning and he says things are relatively calm now.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

yw
seen this one?

[exnavy]

thank you for posting this.