Posted on 06/21/2007 9:47:13 AM PDT by berstbubble
The partisans can only imagine how we soldiers must feel over here because few have ever been to any combat zone. A political line they love to use to quash opponents’ views always says something about “slapping the troops in the face.”
We heard it months ago, when the resolution disapproving the surge was passed. When Nancy Pelosi visited Syria and Harry Reid said Iraq was lost, we heard similar whining about facial slappage and disloyalty to country.
For the record, we soldiers don’t care. Let me clarify: Frankly, my dear, we don’t give a damn. We soldiers are not the ignorant, simple lot of lore. We stuff iPods in our rucksacks and watch DVDs in our sleep tents between missions. Soldiers study for college classes between missions and receive Army-mandated training on ethics and values.
......
Lively debate over the issues, heated disagreements and strong voter participation are bedrocks of our democracy. We don’t care when people with opinions different from ours run their mouths on Fox or CNN, regardless of whether those opinions are for this war or against it. What bothers us is when pundits use us troops as a trump card to insult fellow Americans as unpatriotic. That’s the true slap in our face.
(Excerpt) Read more at thestate.com ...
And writeen by and reported by and posted by a liberal, apparently.
Its most often those who are uncertain of their positions that fear those that are different.
}:-)4
What are you babbling about. Did I say I feared this?. I’m just calling a spade a spade. This soldier is obvioulsy a lib. There are a few of them in the military. He can say whatever he wants. But its an extremely ignorant piece, as most liberal arguments are.
He needs to edit this column and strike all the “we”s with “I”, as it is obvious he is only speaking for himself.
You called the “poster” a liberal, which I am not. I was just very surprised to see this in a South Carolina paper and thrtew it out there for others to digest. I’m certain that there are lots of libs, conservativees and probably most political apathetics in the service but its not often you hear this from an active member. Most of the folks you hear talk like this are wearing a uniform at a Peace March and then months later you find out that they were never in the service. Particularly surprising coming from a resident of Greenville, home of Bob Jones University and Sen DeMint (the good SC Senator).
And I say this to soldier Brad Hamlett. In a just America, Murtha and Kerry and Reid would be dangling off the end of a rope.
No soldier deserve what was done to them, and many of us civilians fear the same thing will take place again.
What...??? “You’re unpatriotic if you bash someone who is
defending my very life???” YES, actually, you are.
That is his sworn duty! We didn't wear our politics on our sleeves while actively serving ... only our stripes, both rank and tours in combat.
The Republic never wanted and should never want a Military with active political agenda.
And I don't mind saying we should never engage any of our brave "truly patriotic" citizens to battle without the goal of winning, in the shortest period of time, with the shortest cost, both in lives and capital.
I could get on a real rant now about the prosecution of this vital "WAR", but it wouldn't serve any purpose.
Please don't be so judgmental of the "Real Patriots"!
“I also noticed he was “deployed in support” of Operation Iraqi Freedom, that means he is on his ass here in the States and nowhere near the dangers of Iraq.”
I disagree with your statement. The phrase “Deployed in support of Operation Whatever” is a generic phrase. In my Service Record Book there are two entries under Combat Tours. They both have that phrase, and I can gaurantee I wasn’t “in the rear with the gear”. The phrase was also used many times during my retirement cerimony in March.
he is pretending to speak for the soldiers in Iraq. Considering how many folks I know serving right now, he is demonstrably lying.
I know exactly how the majority of troops feel about John Murtha, Pelosi and co.
Yup.
I agree with what you and others said about this lib writer. And I was furious as I read his screed, so it was great that Freepers saw though it so easily.
From what the writer says I guess it’s okay if the libs call all the troops home, just so long as the libs have free speech.
Only someone who has earned their hash marks while manning the keyboards would doubt the authenticity of this real warrior. Calling him a liar is beyond pathetic.
But the enemy does.
I came home from Vietnam twice and I never heard anyone blame the politicians or our political system for the situation we found ourselves in - at home or in Vietnam.
Anyone with half a brain knew it was the “system” that we were defending.
Yep. They do talk about politics...openly and freely. And the things that have been said by the troops about Pelosi, Reid, Murtha and their ilk are not suitable for this forum, but they ring true.
The majority of the troops despise the cut-and-run weasels.
Sure thing ace.
Tuesday, 30 May 2006
SGT Mark Russak on John Murtha
On Memorial Day, I received an email from SGT Mark Russak, a Pennsylvania resident currently serving in Anbar Provice, Iraq with Task Force Panther. SGT Russak is not happy with John Murtha.
In January, while home on R&R, SGT Russak went to Congressman Murtha’s office hoping to speak to Murtha about his flip flop with respect to Operation Iraqi Freedom.
I went to his office in Johnstown when I was home on R&R
leave in January to ask him to stop [inciting] the enemy, but his Aid[e]
said he was not in so I left the following letter with him.
Mr. Murtha,
I am an Infantry soldier with “Task Force Panther” from Pennsylvania. We are currently deployed in the Anbar Province of Iraq. I have also been a registered democrat for 25 years. Over the years I’ve watched and warned that our party was falling into an abyss of absolutely reprehensible behavior.
Was the democratic party so afraid of a victory in Iraq, that 3 weeks before its national election, it would coerce it’s last respected member in Congress to abandon U.S. soldiers while still in the field? How dare you Mr. Murtha, a Vietnam veteran, sell out soldiers in combat right before the end of a successful mission! Your behavior is inexcusable, you should be ashamed.
I am sure the terrorist insurgency is grateful to you for announcing our defeat days before yet another victory in this country. You owe every American Soldier a formal apology!
You could have been remembered as distinguished member of Congress but now you’ll only be remembered as a foolish old man that sold out his country to a den of vipers in the democratic party. Thank you for proving once and for all that the democratic party is the party of the sore loser, the selfish whiner and the gutless coward.
So what was the price to betray us - Judas?
My God have mercy on your Soul,
SGT Mark Russak
SGT Russak’s letter to Murtha was published in Stars & Stripes on January 7, 2006. In yesterday’s email, which SGT Russak gave me permission to publish, he wrote:
I have been in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq for the past 11 months. I live in North Irwin, Pa. and my home unit (HHC 1-110th Infantry, Pa. Army National Guard) is in Judas Murtha’s Congressional District. I have sent this letter to every agency I could think of to try and help my brothers in arms. Any assistance you could give would be greatly appreciated, Thank you.
The truth of Al Anbar:
The investigation into the Haditha incident is not even complete, no one has been charged and no defense has been given to the allegations but despicable democrat politicians like “Judas” Murtha and liberals in the news media already want to publicly hang some young Marines. Before you pass judgment on these young men, you must step out of the fantasy land that most Americans live in an understand there is a War in Iraq and as in any war, nothing is black and white. There is no way to understand the Al Anbar Province of Iraq until you have lived here in this combat zone. The culture is different and in this urban guerrilla war, jeopardizing your families’ lives and that of your neighbors is perfectly acceptable behavior for the terrorist insurgent[s].
There are many good people in Iraq, I have had the opportunity to work with some very brave Iraqi Army soldiers and Interrupters that risk not only their lives but also that of their families for even just a chance at freedom but be aware there is also an evil here that people in America cannot even imagine let alone fully understand. Terrorist insurgents constantly use civilians, their own people, as human shields, especially women and children. They know that American Soldiers and Marines will hesitate to return fire in these instances giving the terrorists time to retreat back into the population. They will shoot from there own homes, plant bombs (IEDs) in their own markets and are more than willing to perform suicidal attacks for even a chance to kill an American or Iraqi soldier. Those are the facts, I have seen these things in Al Anbar.
If these Marines are guilty, they will have to pay the consequences for their actions but for God’s sake at least allow them a defense and a fair trial before you pass judgment. We in the military do not want your pity. We are not victims, we are volunteers willing to serve in this extremely difficult situation in defense of our nation. If you want to direct your hate at someone, hate the evil terrorist insurgency that puts civilians, Soldiers and Marines in these situations everyday here in Al Anbar.
SGT Mark Russak
Al Anbar Province, Iraq
I believe it’s safe to say that SGT Mark Russak has no use for Murtha’s “support.” Neither do I.
The citizens of Murtha’s district have an alternative. I hope they choose it.
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