Message from Fireman

[DanaC]

Aside from the reason Onyx mentions, dont you think that in diminishing the soldier's foe, you diminish the soldier's achievement and bravery? Wouldnt you rather think of your soldiers achieving victory against a worthy enemy rather than being victorious over "a bunch of ragheads"?

[xoxoxoBruce]

No.

[plthijinx]

i didn't mean to piss anyone off with my comments. i understand that everyone has their opinion and so do i. and i respect them as well. i respect all cellarites. no matter what.

fireman had no choice about going over there. it's his job. period. if you refuse, you go to ft. levenworth and go to the brig. i'm very glad that he made it back. it just really iritated me when i heard about the comments that the lady said. ask anyone that knows me, i will do anything for anyone anytime. i was just mad is all. shoot, we all say things we don't mean at some time or the other. - fred

[DanaC]

Fair enough
Personally I think that woman's attitude is utterly shameful. I am against the war , was always against the war, marched against the war.......but soldiers go where they are sent. To hold them responsible for the war is like holding surgeons responsible for disease. I dont think Fireman and his compatriots should have been sent there....Having sent them there, their country owes them at the very least, respect for their courage and gratitude for their service.

[xoxoxoBruce]

It doesn't matter if they're fighting a bunch of grade school girls. The enemy has weapons and the possibility of death is always preeminent to a soldier.

[tw]

Originally posted by DanaC
Personally I think that woman's attitude is utterly shameful. I am against the war , was always against the war, marched against the war.......but soldiers go where they are sent. To hold them responsible for the war is like holding surgeons responsible for disease.

The shameful part are those civilians who would put soldiers in harm's way only on myths, lies, and their emotional beliefs. Clearly there was no smoking gun to justify war in Iraq. Why then did so many so hate the military man as to promote thatwar? And why did so many civilians so hate the military man as to not demand the George Jr administration let them complete the mission in Afghanistan?

Go back and review posts of 2001. That is what a soldier's best friend and ally says. Soldier is never put into a Vietnam type, 'no-win' situation. At least not by patriots. But that means the patriot first learns the lessons of history.

We should have let our military (ie Tenth Mountain) achieve victory in Afghanistan. We did not. Now some will disparage a soldier when, clearly, 85% (and more) of all problems are directly traceable to the 'mental midget' top management. Again, cited as example, posters in The Cellar, some who advocated what I consider disrespect to the men in uniform.
First strike and your out!

In that thread, it is painfully obvious why and what justifies war. We did not meet that critieria in Iraq. We are now suffering what happens when war is fought only because "W would start a war against a middle eastern country because of pride" and personal agenda. "He simply doesn't have that kind of standing to be able to pull it off without good reason?" I guess he was not lying? Maybe a little hindsight is now in order.

[DanaC]

There were many things shameful about this war. The people to look to for responsibility sit at the top as they have always done.

[xoxoxoBruce]

There were many things shameful about this war.

As opposed to EVERY other war?

[DanaC]

As opposed to EVERY other war?

There are always shameful aspects to war . However......some at least have a shred of legal or moral footing.

[Fireman]

Thank you agein for all your support, folks. I hope this should clear alot of things up.

1) I felt it was nessesarry(sp) in the fact that several of the things we found(ie: Long range missles w/ serine residue, long range fighter jets that were not on his armiment list, empty drums with unknown chemical residue.) These are some of the items that were just on BIAP.

2) The rockets and mortors that were hitting us almost every night seemed to get closer, and I kept feeling sicker.(physically) I have to get blood drawn because of alot of symptems.(sp) I dont think war is a good thing, anyone that does, is not a good person in my book, but just from what I have seen and felt and heard, I thought is was a sound decision.(not for this long though)

3) As a firefighter, I felt we did a great job, teaching and training the Iraqis to become better firefighters, and tought them proper tecniques in rescue and firefighting. Not to mention the new friends that I have made there, that were greatful that we did come and oust the rageme(sp) .

But all in all, I am proud of what my part in the war was, "to serve and save lives". And like what you have all said, what that woman said and did, is her own problem. She can deal with it. I have friends here and abroud, and online, and down in the Cellar, that support me. Thank you so much for supporting me and my fellow trooops.

[Catwoman]

Fireman - I don't know you, but I would like to offer you my respect and admiration for being selfless and altruistic enough to risk your life for something you believe in. You will have pushed yourself to limits and taken risks that most of us could never imagine.

Understandably people are dubious about this war - the only reason you are attacked is because as a soldier you are - quite inadvertently - a symbol of the war, and it is this they despise, not the soldiers themselves.

I have a friend who considered enlisting. He didn't because after a week's induction he knew he didn't have what it takes. He didn't have what it takes to be able to kill; and to kill for reasons he didn't understand - that would never be explained, or to take such an order from a person who may not be fit to make that decision, because even they may not know what they're fighting for.

Personally, I am opposed to any war, not just this one. How can we subject our loyal and courageous citizens to such terror and pain? What does it actually achieve? There are no winners in a war, except maybe those who escape it. Welcome back.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Fireman, I’m corresponding with a Marine in Falluja. He’s a radio operator for a medical outfit. The wrinkle is, when they don’t need a radio operator, which is a lot when they aren’t on the move, he is a warm body. Infantry first, radio operator second, so he has to do a lot of patrols. Did you run into that?

[Fireman]

No, I didnt run into that. My first job is Firefighter and life safety. If we have to defend ourselves, then we pick up the rifle. This is why I picked this MOS. This is the first Combat zone (my third) that I didnt have to discharge my weapon. Desert Storm, I discharged my weapon, Samolia, I dicharged my weapon. I am happy that I didnt have to do that this time. I felt that I was doing more good fighting fires, than shooting at the enemy(sp).
I had a 19 year old kid that kept on wanting to shoot his weapon. I asked him why, he kept telling me that he was inf. first and firefighter second. Needless to say, he was a terrible firefighter.(LOL) But all in all, we all came out of there safe without shooting at anything. My opinion is that if you dont have to shoot your weapon, its a good tour. At least thats what my step father says.(25years marine) Tell your friend that I respect what he is doing, and keep his head down. Thank you agein for your support for the troops.