Artillerymen fire 'care' at Iraqis ("We tried to be the good guys")

[Barrett808]

Artillerymen fire 'care' at Iraqis
By: Spc. Mark Watson June 02, 2005

TALLIL AIR BASE, Iraq - People watching the nightly news may sometimes wonder how anything good comes out of war. One channel reports on a bomb at a police station while another tells of an assassination. In the middle of all the violence and destruction, however, a glimmer of hope shines through it all.

Members of 2nd Battalion, 147th Field Artillery Brigade from Watertown, Sisseton, Aberdeen and Redfield, often traveled to nearby villages and towns on Medical Civil Affairs Projects to deliver much needed medical care, school supplies and hope to the Iraqi people during the soldiers year-long deployment.

"It makes you feel pretty good that you could do something to help someone," said 1st Lt. Sean Kenny, the battalion's physician assistant. "We would set up and have medical supplies, water and food. We would also hand out clothing, school supplies and shoes."

...

"Hopefully, some kid will remember we helped them," he said. "We tried to be the good guys. We took time to help the sick and make them better."

(more)

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1129&dept_id=182242&newsid=14632403&PAG=461&rfi=9

[thebigidea]

1. so why aren't they out doing "good" instead of spreading propaganda here?

[shadowknows69]

2. I believe that many of our soldiers in Iraq

are sincerely trying to make a difference like this. Unfortunately any "winning of hearts and minds" by our troops is undermined by the idiots running things.

[gratuitous]

3. Unfortunately, that's the nature of things

One mosque blown to smithereens, and everyone forgets that you were handing out water last week.

[anotherdrew]

6. they wouldn't have needed water if...

we hadn't commited WAR CRIMES when we destroyed their water facilities, for _no_ _military_ _objective_ either. We ruined their whole infrastructure... why? for what?

[tabasco]

8. That's correct. I could easily find myself in Iraq.

Most of the soldiers I have known are good people.

They are in an impossible situation thanks to the incompetent national leadership.

[Singular73]

4. Blaming the soldiers is idiotic

Like they have a choice to go or not.

And soldiers, in any war, always commit atrocities. Thats why War is Hell, after all.

And why it should be the LAST RESORT.

Last Resort, Mr Bush? Last Resort, my ass.

[manic expression]

9. I'm don't want to start a flame-fest here, but...

Don't ask me to support any part of an illegal and unjustified invasion and occupation force which is wrongly oppressing an innocent nation. That includes everybody, from the boots on the ground to the (add lengthy expletive here) who sent them there. Soldiers do commit war crimes, and if they do not, they are part of a force that does so.

I will not support the troops, but I sympathize with them 100% as I do with anyone who has been hurt by this conflict. Bottom line is: I disagree with how the troops are used, portrayed and how many of them act.

That's just my opinion, and I hope this doesn't get personal or sidetrack the entire thread.

[anotherdrew]

5. self delusion at it's finest

a nessesary mental tactic I supose

[The_Casual_Observer]

7. Oh fucking please!

"We took time to help the sick and make them better" As they stand there in full battle dress, machine guns pointing every which way, scared shitless that a bomb is about to go off their faces.

[tabasco]

10. You don't believe some soldiers really want to help the Iraqis?

That is a very narrow-minded and incorrect opinion.

There are many good and compassionate people in the military. They fucking don't want to be there.

These particular troops seem to be pessimistic about the mission but hope the "some Iraqis" remember there were humans among the Americans.

Why is that a bad thing?

[anotherdrew]

11. Maybe it's a good thing...

maybe it's called lying to oneself to keep the nightmare at bay. Good for them, maybe they wont snap at some point when they get back to Murka

[The_Casual_Observer]

12. Since when did the war in Iraq morph into a humanitarian

aid mission? I'll tell you, once they took over, secured the oil fields and it was revealed to the public that there hadn't ever been a WMD threat. Now all the warriors have this "I'm here to help" mission on their lips. If that's all they are there for now, they can go home and leave it to the Iraqis. However, it isn't why they are there, they are there to secure ownership of the oil real estate and subdue any real threat of overthrow of the puppet government.

I have no interest in getting drawn into some kind of half assed "You don't support the troops" argument or accusation fest. The solders have to justify their purpose in whatever way suits them, and I would hope that not a single one of them has to die for any of this shit.

[tabasco]

17. WTF are you talking about?

This is a story about a small group of soldiers that got sent to provide medical assistance to Iraqis. You can pretend that these missions do not happen, but you are wrong.

Soldiers are routinely sent on missions to conduct this type of assistance. It is not simply a matter of them "justifying their purpose." These missions are small and insignificant compared to the death and destruction that our war machine has wrought, but these small missions do happen.

Nobody that I saw on this thread claimed that the Iraq war is a humnaitarian mission. I strongly oppose this aggressive war. I have seen no one in this thread express support for the war. Nobody on this thread, until yourself, mentioned anyhing about "supporting the troops." You are simply over-reacting to a small bit of good news for a change. It is understandable considering the amount of "good news out of Iraq" being force-fed to us on the propagnda channels.

I really couldn't give two shits if you support the troops or not. I am simply offering you my opinion and some information. If you want to over-react and bring in more ideas that nobody was discussing, have at it.

[Qanisqineq]

13. Soldiers want to help or do good?

Are you kidding? They are all murderers who think of the Iraqis as nothing but "ragheads" and just want to torture and kill them. They are only saying they hand out crap to keep the American public happy with the war. It could never actually happen. :sarcasm:

I dont' want this thread to be a flamefest, but this "everything is lies and soldiers don't care" shit is just that -- shit. Thank you for pointing that out, Tabasco.

Rant over.

- wife of an Iraq War veteran

[IChing]

14. A free download song that says alot about these poor kids

http://www.kintera.org/site/apps/ka/ct/contactus.asp?c=irKQL0NSE&b=308140&en=esJLKUMDKhJOJUPHKnJQKUNJKmIZJeMNIjJRIWMKLsL7G


May 16, 2005

"This Ain't the Country I Had in Mind"

Twenty

By ROBERT CRAY

"The song is about an innocent young guy, who, after the events of 9/11, wants to do his part for his country. He doesn't know he's going to end up in Iraq, watching the horror that's going on thereand he ends up losing his life. It's a subject that needs to be spoken about and is in some ways, a continuation of one of the songs we did on the last album." RC

When you're used up, where do you go Soldier
Mother dry your eyes, there's no need to cry
I'm not a boy, it's what I signed up for

When you're used up, where do you go Soldier
I can't take the heat, and I hardly sleep anymore
What'd we come here for

Standing out here in the desert
Trying to protect an oil line
I'd really like to do my job but
This ain't the country that I had in mind
They call this a war on terror
I see a lot of civilians dying
Mothers, sons, fathers and daughters
Not to mention some friends of mine
Some friends of mine

Was supposed to leave last week
Promises they don't keep anymore
Got to fight the rich man's war

When you're used up, where do you go Soldier
Late in 2004
Comes a knock at the door
It's no surprise
Mother dry your eyes

© 2005 Robert Cray Music, Inc (BMI)

[geckosfeet]

16. wow, intense lyrics - bet we will not be hearing that on the top 40

corporate stations anytime soon.

[IChing]

19. it is called 20 .......

our youth die, for bad ideals of a lie

Who Clampton says is one of the blues great
I saw him do this song this weekend in SLO and it is very moving!!!

"20" by robert Cray: http://www.kintera.org/site/apps/ka/ct/contactus.asp?c=...
for the download

Twenty: counterpunch article
http://www.counterpunch.org/cray05162005.html By ROBERT CRAY

"The song is about an innocent young guy, who, after the events of 9/11, wants to do his part for his country. He doesn't know he's going to end up in Iraq, watching the horror that's going on thereand he ends up losing his life. It's a subject that needs to be spoken about and is in some ways, a continuation of one of the songs we did on the last album." RC
___________________________________________________________________________
When you're used up, where do you go Soldier
Mother dry your eyes, there's no need to cry
I'm not a boy, it's what I signed up for

When you're used up, where do you go Soldier
I can't take the heat, and I hardly sleep anymore
What'd we come here for

Standing out here in the desert
Trying to protect an oil line
I'd really like to do my job but
This ain't the country that I had in mind
They call this a war on terror
I see a lot of civilians dying
Mothers, sons, fathers and daughters
Not to mention some friends of mine
Some friends of mine

Was supposed to leave last week
Promises they don't keep anymore
Got to fight the rich man's war

When you're used up, where do you go Soldier
Late in 2004
Comes a knock at the door
It's no surprise
Mother dry your eyes

------------------------------------ not all the lyrics but enough to give a taste

[Barrett808]

20. One good thing about times when the jackals are in charge

The artistic aesthetic improves.

[manic expression]

15. To me, the ultimate irony

Artillerymen try to help in the void that they created. They occasionally traveled to villages to deliver supples that were direly needed. Unfortunately, those supplies will continue to be much needed down the road (and in the short term) because of the war on Iraq. The simple fact that water and food, as well as medical care was "much needed" makes it clear that this is nothing more than a few loaves of bread that rolled off the truck as it crashed into a family's house.

At least they tried to help, but the sad part is that there is very little they have done or could have done.

[Redleg]

18. You go, Redlegs. Treat the Iraqis with respect and with care.

And perhaps we won't create so many god-damned "insurgents" in the process.