Morale of the Troops

[gilliam]

In all, I spoke to more than 100 soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines, with different ranks and different duties at their FOBs (forward operating base), and yet they overwhelmingly had the same things to say about the war in Iraq:

“We believe in the mission.”

“We’re making progress.”

“The Iraqis are making progress, too.”

And, perhaps most important of all: “We’re going to win…” Full Article

 

[Richardols]

gilliam:

In all, I spoke to more than 100 soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines, with different ranks and different duties at their FOBs (forward operating base), and yet they overwhelmingly had the same things to say about the war in Iraq:

“We believe in the mission.”

“We’re making progress.”

“The Iraqis are making progress, too.”

And, perhaps most important of all: “We’re going to win…” Full Article

100, out of how many soldiers deployed in Iraq? Yes, one could go there and find such 100 troops who are so, so happy to be engaged in the war, and one could also find in Iraq at least 100 who would return to America in a heartbeat if they could.

Reporters find the sources they want to find.

 

[gilliam]

What is now happening in Iraq is that there is a major offensive to secure the borders by November. It has started at the Western border and is being rolled back Eastwardly. Towards Fallujah. At the same time, security at the capital is being worked on.

Is peace going to happen overnight? No. Is it a time to give up? No, it is a time to support those who are working very hard to make Iraq a peaceful country and not a base for al-Qaeda.

Operation Quick Strike: Neither Quick, Nor just a Strike

Things are about to change dramatically in Anbar province.

As both Wretchard (here, here, and here) and Bill Roggio have noted, Operation Quick Strike has begun.

related thread:

U.S. Troops See Gains in Mosul

 

[Nichevo]

100, out of how many soldiers deployed in Iraq? Yes, one could go there and find such 100 troops who are so, so happy to be engaged in the war, and one could also find in Iraq at least 100 who would return to America in a heartbeat if they could.

Reporters find the sources they want to find.

First, none of them are “happy to be engaged in the war”. they are happy in the knowledge that what they are doing is making a difference in the lives of others. No doubt that all would love to return home and look forward to doing so but, they understand that there’s work to be done first.

 

[Richardols]

Nichevo:

First, none of them are “happy to be engaged in the war”. they are happy in the knowledge that what they are doing is making a difference in the lives of others.

You don’t know that none are happy to be engaged in the war. Some may be, some may not. But, your other premise is true enough about those 100 soldiers.

 

[Lance]

Richardols:

You don’t know that none are happy to be engaged in the war. Some may be, some may not. But, your other premise is true enough about those 100 soldiers.

I personally know 2 soldiers over there and both feel that what they are doing is important and that the majority of the Iraqi people want our help. They both want to come home and hate the heat and other discomforts such as being away from their families on holidays. They do not feel we should pull out and abandon the Iraquis to the insurgents. Do you personally know any soldiers over there who feel diferently? I am sure there are some but I don’t know them and freely admit that 2 is a miniscule number but they are the only ones who have given me 1st hand information.

 

[gilliam]

From today’s San Francisco Chronicle:

THE HEADLINES from Iraq couldn’t be worse – they announce suicide bombings, American casualties and roadblocks to Iraqi self-governance. This week, the mother of slain Vacaville soldier Casey Sheehan is camping out at the gate to President Bush’s Crawford, Texas, ranch. She told reporters she wants to ask Bush: “Why did you kill my son? What did my son die for?” Cindy Sheehan wants Bush to send U.S. troops home.

If the American Revolution were fought amidst all this nay-saying, America would be a British colony today. Don’t take my word for it. “1776” author David McCullough recently told CNBC’s Tim Russert that if the Revolutionary War had been covered by today’s media, “and the country had seen how horrible the conditions were, how badly things were being run by the officers and what a very serious soup we were in, I think that would have been it, too.”

Amid the bad news, I talked to Maj. John Busterud, a Bay Area lawyer and Army reservist with the 351st Civil Affairs Command of the U.S. Army, who is serving in Iraq. Busterud phoned to talk about the positive things he sees “every day in the work we’re doing here.” It is his job to work with Iraqi officials to make Iraqi government work. He sees that the ability of Iraqis “to govern themselves is coming along nicely. But it’s not the sort of thing that makes the evening news at night.” Americans read about the suicide bombings to discourage citizens from working for the new Iraqi government. Busterud sees Iraqis lining up to become police. More Iraqi forces are “up and operating on their own.” And: “This doesn’t appear in the media much, but we are definitely taking the fight to the enemy.”

…

If Bush did what Cindy Sheehan wants him to do, not only would some 1,800 soldiers have died in Iraq for no reason – worse, their deaths will have served the unhappy function of signaling to terrorists that if they kill enough U.S. troops, the White House will cut and run. As the major noted, if Americans pushed for a pullout in the wake of bad news reports, “That would be a shame. I would hope most of my colleagues and friends in the Bay Area, even some who may have opposed the war initially,” realize the benefit in completing the mission and “are now saying we should see this through.”

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com …

 

[Steve_O_Brien]

When discussing the war in Iraq or any other unjust and illegal war, Catholics should remember one of the themes of the message of Our Lady of Fatima: war is a punishment sent by God for sin.

U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Iraq immediately and brought home to save the lives of unborn Americans by closing down the abortuaries.

This is what a truly pro-life President and truly pro-life governors would order the troops to do.

Keep and spread the Faith.

 

[gilliam]

Steve O'Brien:

U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Iraq immediately and brought home to save the lives of unborn Americans by closing down the abortuaries.

.

And leave the Iraqis in the hands of terrorists? I can never justify that with Christianity.

 

[Lance]

Steve O'Brien:

When discussing the war in Iraq or any other unjust and illegal war, Catholics should remember one of the themes of the message of Our Lady of Fatima: war is a punishment sent by God for sin.

U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Iraq immediately and brought home to save the lives of unborn Americans by closing down the abortuaries.

This is what a truly pro-life President and truly pro-life governors would order the troops to do.

Keep and spread the Faith.

You have no clue what you are talking about. The war in Iraq is not illegal or unjust according to the Catholic Church. The president has no authority to order the use of troops to change the ruling of the Supreme Court, if he did he would be impeached and rightfully so.

 

[Steve_O_Brien]

gilliam:

And leave the Iraqis in the hands of terrorists? I can never justify that with Christianity.

Terroristic and resistance actions in Iraq are reactions to the presence of U.S. occupation troops. Would you like to live under a foreign military occupation of our own country?

Protecting Iraq’s population from violence is primarily the responsibility of a legitimate Iraqi government that’s free of foreign domination. Such a government would certainly have the option of voluntarily calling on the U.N. Security Council or the Arab League to send in peacekeeping troops from Muslim nations to help provide security in Iraq after the withdrawal of the American occupation force.

Again, we need our troops in our own country to save the lives of unborn Americans.

Keep and spread the Faith.

 

[gilliam]

Steve O'Brien:

Terroristic and resistance actions in Iraq are reactions to the presence of U.S. occupation troops. Would you like to live under a foreign military occupation of our own country?

Protecting Iraq’s population from violence is primarily the responsibility of a legitimate Iraqi government that’s free of foreign domination. Such a government would certainly have the option of voluntarily calling on the U.N. Security Council or the Arab League to send in peacekeeping troops from Muslim nations to help provide security in Iraq after the withdrawal of the American occupation force.

Again, we need our troops in our own country to save the lives of unborn Americans.

Keep and spread the Faith.

The Baathists and al-Qaeda don’t care anything about the civilians in Iraq. They murder them at will (including women and children). This is about power. They want to take over the country for their own aims. I think that should be pretty clear by now.

 

[Steve_O_Brien]

Lance:

You have no clue what you are talking about. The war in Iraq is not illegal or unjust according to the Catholic Church. The president has no authority to order the use of troops to change the ruling of the Supreme Court; if he did he would be impeached and rightfully so.

The U.S. invasion of Iraq was opposed by both Pope John Paul II and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (before he became Pope Benedict XVI). They made this prudential judgment because they considered our government’s military action to be in conflict with the Church’s just war doctrine.

The U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq are also illegal according to international law. The U.N. Charter prohibits such military actions. Please remember that the U.S. Senate ratified the U.N. Charter.

A President can be “rightfully” impeached for saving the lives of unborn children? I can understand how someone who defends abortion can make such a statement, but I can’t understand how a Catholic can. A Catholic should realize that abortion is murder, as John Paul II teaches in section 58 of the encyclical Evangelium vitae, and he or she should draw all the practical conclusions from that fact.

Keep and spread the Faith.

 

[Nichevo]

Steve O'Brien:

The U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq are also illegal according to international law. The U.N. Charter prohibits such military actions. Please remember that the U.S. Senate ratified the U.N. Charter.

The ratification of the UN Charter merely means that the United States recognizes the organization. It does not mean nor imply that the United States is bound to abide by or submit to the UN at the expense of its own sovereignty, safety, or interest.

 

[vern_humphrey]

Steve O'Brien:

Terroristic and resistance actions in Iraq are reactions to the presence of U.S. occupation troops. Would you like to live under a foreign military occupation of our own country?

So our being in Iraq TODAY explains the terrorist bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993? It explains the bombing of the USS Cole and of the American Embassies in Africa? The terrorists hi-jacked planes in 2001 because they knew we’d be in Iraq in a couple of years?

Time must run backwards in your world.

 

[Steve_O_Brien]

vern humphrey:

So our being in Iraq TODAY explains the terrorist bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993? It explains the bombing of the USS Cole and of the American Embassies in Africa? The terrorists hi-jacked planes in 2001 because they knew we’d be in Iraq in a couple of years?

Time must run backwards in your world.

Even President Bush admits that there’s no evidence linking Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi government with 9/11:

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3118262.stm

The same comment may be made in reference to the other terrorist acts listed above.

We know, however, that the U.S. government has allowed millions of unborn children to be killed in their mothers’ wombs, and that this terrorism against the unborn is continuing as I type these words. This terrorism must be brought to an end. All Catholics must move heaven and earth to achieve this objective.

That’s why U.S. troops should be brought home from Iraq to provide security in our own nation: security for those in the womb.

Please remember the words of Mother Teresa:

***“The fruit of abortion is nuclear war.” ** *

Do you want nuclear war?

Keep and spread the Faith.

 

[rlg94086]

Steve O'Brien:

That’s why U.S. troops should be brought home from Iraq to provide security in our own nation: security for those in the womb.

Steve,

I agree with your assessment of the evil of abortion, but this sentence is sort of a stretch. I mean, how do you plan to redeploy the troops? Out in front of Planned Parenthood and abortion clinics to keep people out?

IMHO, we can walk and chew gum at the same time. Trying to quell terrorism and work to limit/end abortion are both noble goals.

Also, my understanding of the 9/11 Commision, is that it did show a link between Saddam Hussein, Al Quaeda and terrorist activity. What it did not show was a direct link between Saddam and 9/11.

God Bless,

Robert

 

[JOHNYJ]

First ! The American People support the armed forces in Iraq,period.That does not mean they support the badley managed war they are stuck in ! Not enough troops,not enough body armour,not enough armour for vehicles. Iran and North Korea are safer because of Iraq,because. No way in Hell will the American people let President Bush take the country down another Primrose path like Iraq !

 

[Lance]

~~~~~~~
A President can be “rightfully” impeached for saving the lives of unborn children? I can understand how someone who defends abortion can make such a statement, but I can’t understand how a Catholic can. A Catholic should realize that abortion is murder, as John Paul II teaches in section 58 of the encyclical Evangelium vitae, and he or she should draw all the practical conclusions from that fact.

Keep and spread the Faith.

A president can be “rightfully” impeached for trying to use troops to over turn the law. Like it or not ‘Roe V Wade’ is the law now. we should work to overturn it through the ballot box not with troops. You would be hard pressed to find a military commander who would obey an order to seize an abortion clinic as long as they are legal. Study The Constitution, the president does not make the laws but he is duty bound to enforce them. Again the ballot box is where we change the law in America, not with troops.

 

[Steve_O_Brien]

Lance:

A president can be “rightfully” impeached for trying to use troops to overturn the law. Like it or not ‘Roe V Wade’ is the law now. We should work to overturn it through the ballot box, not with troops. You would be hard pressed to find a military commander who would obey an order to seize an abortion clinic as long as they are legal. Study the Constitution. The president does not make the laws but he is duty bound to enforce them. Again the ballot box is where we change the law in America, not with troops.

According to the official teaching of the Catholic Church, a law permitting attacks on the lives of the innocent is not really a law, but an act of violence. Please see section 1902 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

We U.S. Catholics should start laying the intellectual and practical groundwork for the eventual emergence of military commanders who *would * obey orders to shut down abortuaries. We should start now.

If we fail to do this, how can we logically and coherently say, with Pope John Paul II, that abortion is murder?

Keep and spread the Faith.