Why I told the editor: just get me out of this hell...

Irish Independent ^ | April 12 2003 | Chris Ayres

[oh8eleven]

"Then the gun went off again. The back-blast of pressure from the howitzer felt like being punched in the face. There was a terrible smell of cordite.

As an old cannon cocker I can tell you I loved the smell of cordite in the morning. There ain't nothing like a good TOT before morning C-Rats. Ha!
Semper Fi ...

[freesia2]

In fact from his writing I thought it was a girl writing.

Nah, girls don't whine that much. ;)

[Amelia]

I don't know what everyone else is complaining about, I thought the article was hilarious: unintentionally hilarious, but hilarious nonetheless.

Yeah, me too. Go figure. :-)

[OperationFreedom]

What a snivelling POS. I dedicate my next fart to his memory. Would I have been scared. Yes. Would I have left? Maybe. Who knows. Would I be as full of pure chicken**** as this weeinie? HELL NO!

His writing shows what a creepy POS he is.

[OperationFreedom]

I complained because he only cared about the troops he was with when he realized his sh**** little hide was in trouble. What a creep. But I DID laugh throughout the article!

[Happygal]

I dedicate my next fart to his memory.

*ROFL*...is that OperationFreedoms equivilant to Iraqi shoe throwing? :-)

[Dog Gone]

I came to the conclusion, however, that I would rather lose what little chance of objectivity I had left than die from an Iraqi blister agent attack.

I'm still trying to figure out why he thought putting on some gear made him lose his objectivity. It didn't, of course. He remained a coward opposed to the war throughout the ordeal.

[tet68]

What a waste of human flesh.
Pathetic, he should have been with the human shields,
the marines didn't deserve to have to lug his worthless
carcass around.

15 outdated Iraqi tanks against a Marine arty unit?
Don't make me laugh.

[mrsmith]

The making of a marine
by Chris Ayres
They are young, poor Americans, ignorant of politics and being primed for war

"...With their billowing jeans, undone basketball shoes and gangster-rap dreadlocks, “the kids”, as the officers call them, have arrived by bus, train and clapped-out Honda from the murder capitals of America’s West Coast.
...the application process for the enlisted ranks of the Marines (as opposed to the officer ranks) seems designed to disqualify only the most drug-addled, flat-footed battlefield liabilities."

LOL! What a typical self-deceiving liberal.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Not to diminish your point, Oliver North IS a Marine and Kelly is a Marine Reserve. I suspect they're feeling the same as the troops with whom they're embedded.

The others though, I too wonder about.

[proust]

Boy, at least this reporter didn't make it all about him (gag). As I read it, I couldn't help but think about all the hungry, motivated reporters out there dying to have a position like he had. David Bloom never whined.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Ah...thank you..."creepy" is the correct word - that I couldn't think of - to describe this guy.

[Naspino]

This is trash. Not only does he validate that liberal journalists are cowards but he tries to point out that he's a journalist first and an "American" last. He then does all he can to paint Marines as cowards and losers. This reminds me of the hit-piece that CNN reporter did when he said that Marines could never be heroes.

[tet68]

I couldn't help but think about all the hungry, motivated reporters out there dying to have a position like he had

Don't forget those old former marines who would have given
anything to take his place.

The jerk had the right of the line and it meant nothing to hem.

[dark_lord]

I, on the other hand, am amazed at the number of rough, tough, real men types commenting on this thread about what a wuss this reporter was --- and I bet the vast majority of them never served a day of service in the armed forces in their lifes. Talk is cheap. The armed forces are currently accepting applications from all rough, tough, manly types right now (assuming you are 35 years old or under.) Have at it.

[Kevin Curry]

He's an atheist leftist who is only too willing to allow men much better than him fight and die fo he can enjoy a weekend tryst in the English countryside.

[Kevin Curry]

Ups yours buddy. Been there. Done that.

[brityank]

There was a terrible smell of cordite.

Wanker! That's the smell of FREEDOM !!

[aculeus]

It was sad to see the Marines - many of them intelligent and sensitive men behind the defensive bravado - lose their innocence. They had become killers, and talented ones at that.

Sob.

[Incorrigible]

Ha! Ha! Objectivity my arse!

At least he learned that his decision not to join the military was the right one.

Quite frankly however, I'm glad I'm not there too.