US troops run RPG gauntlet with guns and God

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L12182352.htm

TIKRIT, Iraq, Sept 14 (Reuters) - <snip>For the convoy riders, their success is thanks to God.

The soldiers often explain they overcome their fear on patrol by reciting their officer's refrain: "We are immortal until God decides otherwise."

Russell, a 40-year-old teetotaller from Oklahoma with five children, strums hymns on a guitar before a sortie and reminds his men nobody has been wounded on one of his convoys.

A letter from his eight-year-old daughter inspires the commander. "Dear Dad, hope you kill the bad guys. Love, Patricia."

But it is his unswerving faith that drives him through RPG alley. "I truly believe we are protected by God," he said.

more

[sasquatch]

1. How disgusting

Like God wants you to kill Iraqis. This guy is crazier than a whole damned mental hospital with scyzophrinic patients. I hope he or anyone else doesn't killed though so I guess he's right about that. The trick is to a luck streak is not to talk about it.

[Robin Hood]

3. The guy is just as crazy as the Taliban is.

And he's passed on his mental illness to his kids.

[dArKeR]

9. Is this the same nut CNN had a clip of 2 weeks ago? He has painted on his

killing machine gun, 'The Lord is my Shepherd'?

[Robin Hood]

2. "Dear Dad, hope you kill the bad guys. Love, Patricia."

That disturbs me to my core.

[xray s]

4. Betcha' he also loves....

...the smell of napalm in the morning.

This guy is crazy. And he his putting those under his command in grave danger. He should be relieved of duty.

But then again, he is probably just what Bush wants in a soldier...religious fanatic willing to take suicidal risks for some crazy vision of glory.

Hhhmmmm, where have I heard that MO before?

[w4rma]

5. Bush* won't let these folks come home. They are good and honest folks.

They aren't interested in PNAC. They aren't interested in geo-politics. They are doing what they are told and hope that the politicians, who tell the military officers what to do, are good people.

The folks who aren't good people are far far out of harms way.

[teryang]

6. It is stupid and pathetic

...but I find myself unable to judge these people. The enlisted soldiers anyway. How are you supposed to cope with being last on the totem pole and being forced into such an inhumane situation? Most of these guys are victims too even if they don't get maimed or wounded. The only thing that stands between them and eternity is kevlar and the calculations of the mind behind the gunsight or grenade launcher aimed at them.

Shrewd folks know how to avoid placing themselves into such situations. The officer has no excuse. Our corrupt leaders should be forced to end this nightmare.

[reprobate]

7. Calm down guys. This man is not crazy. He's just scared.

Fear makes people use all kinds of crutches to get thru impossible situations. This is just his method.

If you haven't been in combat, don't judge those who must face it themselves.

[saigon68]

8. PLENTY OF GLORY

Had a Light Colonel say to the troops once, "Don't worry men, there's plenty of Glory for everyone!"

Kinda sounds like this guy.

No one was killed right away, but the goofy bastard really believed we were on a mission from God. Frightening !!!!!

[IndianaGreen]

10. Onward Christian soldiers!

as they march towards the same fate of the Crusaders of old.

To the shouts of "God is Great" and "Jesus Saves," they will hopefully go to their respectives Heavenly Paradise and leave the rest of us to bury the dead, heal the wounded, and restore sanity to an insane world.

[psychopomp]

11. I'm starting to think DU'ers are a bunch of a******s

If you are thrown into hell on Earth (war) I'd expect you to have a similar way of coping with the insanity.

I am not one for killing but give the damned soldier a break already!

[IndianaGreen]

12. What happens when the soldier serves in an evil army...?

What happens when the soldier serves in an evil army carrying out evil policies promulgated by equally evil superiors?

I see no difference between the American occupation soldier in Iraq, and the IDF occupation soldier in Gaza, or the Imperial Japanese soldier in Nangking, or the German soldier in occupied France, or the US Marines during the Philippines Insurrection.

Whatever they may be as individuals, once they willingly don the military uniform and become part of the military machine, they become soulless tools of their masters.

[psychopomp]

14. I see no difference, either

Where I stop agreeing with you, though, is the "soulless tools" bit. I had hoped that you would retain your ability to see people as individuals and to accept that we each have a range of experiences that has led us to where we are today. Had a few twists of fate gone another way, this man might not have been caught up in his present circumstances. Now that he is, he is dealing with it in a way that shows his humanity, which is flawed, as I am sure you know. People all over the world and in many different ages have sought refuge in appeals to whatever they have faith or belief in and appealed for immunity from Judgement, for guidance and for protection. I am reminded of the fighters in the "Boxer Rebellion" who thought their secret chi gong would allow them to catch bullets in their hands. They died, you know. Did you see "The Pianist?" Remember the scene with the Germans waiting in a makeshift prison camp waiting to be sent off to Siberia? War is a terrible thing and it leaves both sides reduced. Show some humanity...this guy is and I don't blame him for it.

[maggrwaggr]

13. Hear hear. Go walk a mile in his mocassins, then judge him

I agree, assholes.

[truth2power]

15. Is it necessary to call your fellow DUers

assholes because they don't think God is in the business of taking sides when we kill Iraqis who want us out of their country?

And personally, I think writing "The Lord is my shepherd" on one's machine gun is sick. I suppose that makes me an asshole, too! :shrug:

[w4rma]

21. How about giving those of us who aren't cutting them down a break?

Many DUers are obviously in disagreement. Please don't call *all* DUers names because you disagree with *some* DUers.

[symbolman]

16. There is no excuse for this kind of behavior

and I'm willing to bet this asshole is going to end up fragged by one of his own men.. any takers?

USAF 1971-74

Seen this before.

[Rose Siding]

18. That one guy sure wanted out.

The other LBN drug story has me wondering how much of a part that might be playing with the troops now.

[Kat45]

17. He's not saying he's fighting for God, or God is on the US side.

He's just expressing his faith and facing a frightening situation the best way he knows how. If a person believes in God, he will believe that God is looking out for him and protecting him. He will be praying to God to do just that, and through faith, believe that his prayers will be answered. People of faith turn to prayer in difficult situations. It's not that God is on a particular "side" in this war, it's that God is with him (and his men), personally.

As for "The Lord is my Shepherd," that is appropriate to these men. I'm not saying it's appropriate to write it on one's gun, in effect broadcasting your belief. It's just an appropriate sentiment to have. That line opens the 23rd Psalm, which also contains the line "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me." This is a perfect sentiment to ease the fears of a person who believes in God. As a matter of fact, that very line ran through my head repeatedly on Sept 11, 2001. (That and the line from REM's song, "It's the end of the world as I know it, and I feel fine.")

[symbolman]

19. His fantasy will kill both his men and

others who don't deserve it, like NON christians..

this guy is a menace. Screw his invisible man rabbits foot, that's bullshit..

Christians do not OWN moral stewardship and personal responsibility.. to be honest, I sincerely believe them to be demented.

They kill all that more readily due to their fantasy.. as long as they get to heaven, screw everyone else..

and you're telling me he ISN'T a Christian? That is complete delusion, or else it's a lie? which is it?

[Kat45]

23. Where did I say he ISN'T a Christian?

I'm acknowledging that he is a Christian, therefore he relies on his God to be with him and protect him. I don't get the impression that he thinks he's fighting for God, just that God is helping him through his situation. From the excerpts given, I didn't see him as a killing machine; I saw him as a man stuck in this war situation just doing his best to get through.

And a mea culpa here: I hadn't read the whole article, only the excerpts. I just went back and read the article and I found that the excerpts had given me the wrong impression. These guys are indeed whacked! Seriously deranged. Apparently, they do agree with * that they're fighting for God. I stand by everything I wrote about a Christian and his faith; it's just not an accurate assessment of these guys--they are way beyond the pale. I am willing to admit it when I am mistaken.

[IndianaGreen]

20. God doesn't choose sides in war

anymore than He does on football games!

[disgruntella]

22. The exceprts from the article in this post are totally slanted

People, please read the WHOLE article. The excerpts in the original post are the most sensational parts, apparently so we'll all get the idea that every U.S. soldiers thinks they are fighting a Christian crusade.

But not all the battalion's soldiers are believers.

After one RPG flew over his head, Specialist Ian Mastro asked to leave Russell. He volunteered for 12-hour overnight sentry duty so that he no longer has to leave the base.

With an unlit Marlboro hanging from his lips, Mastro, 25, retells how Russell jumped from his truck and strode straight into the middle of a well-lit intersection taunting the unseen assailants. "Is that all you got? Is that all you got?"

"I had to get out of there," Mastro said. "I can't deal with that whole being stupid sitting around trying to be shot at. Man, it was scary."

There is also a thread in GD about this:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=333528