Dread Takes a Toll on GIs in Iraq

[bemildred]

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — A handful of Delta Company soldiers leaned against a barracks wall the other night, smoking. The subject of conversation: what limb they would rather part with, if they had a choice. On the door of a portable toilet a few feet away, someone was keeping the company death toll amid a scribble of obscenities: five KIA.

"When I first got here, I felt like I could actually do some good for the Iraqi people," Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Barker said. But the last six months had hardened him, he said. "We're not going to change the Iraqis. I don't care how many halal meals we give out," he added, referring to food prepared according to Islamic dietary laws.

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"Morale is a roller coaster," said Lt. Rusten Currie, who has spent 10 months in Iraq. "We were all idealistic to begin with, wanting to find Osama bin Laden and Zarqawi, and bring them to justice — whatever that means. Now we just want to go home."

The bracelet on his slim wrist read: "Let them hate, as long as they fear."

LA Times

[karlrschneider]

1. So who, exactly, told Lt. Currie to look for OBL in Iraq?

:eyes:

[bemildred]

3. I was taken with the thing on his wrist.

Anyone paying attention will notice that rage, hate, and fear are closely related.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. The damage done

is to the human psyche. The Iraqis and the troops over there both will have years of healing ahead of them.

[Jersey Ginny]

8. Yes, the mental wounds are the toughest n/t

[frylock]

4. these guys are undermining the mission..

why don't they support the cause of the troops?

[leftchick]

5. "frequent fliers."

sad....

<snip>

In the mess hall at Forward Operating Base Falcon, just south of Baghdad, soldiers on crutches precariously balanced food trays and sodas as they hobbled among the rows of tables. There were other, invisible injuries — backs and legs refusing to heal.

Many soldiers have been struck by explosives repeatedly — three or four times — since arriving at Falcon base this year. The medics call them "frequent fliers."

Delta Company soldiers have had trouble sleeping.

"One of my buddies, he's also a gunner," said Spc. Evan Bozajian, 23, from Inglewood. "In the beginning, he was really gung-ho. Not anymore. Some of the guys, they hate it. They don't want to do this anymore."

[lebkuchen]

6. I hope Stars and Stripes does another Morale Survey

like its award winning "Ground Truth" of 2003. This was a key finding at that time, which has turned out to be right on the money, if not conservative in its estimate.

Nearly half of the troops surveyed said they do not plan to re-enlist.

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=17515&archive=true

[Toots]

7. "Let them hate, as long as they fear."....Republican Motto

They would much rather be feared than loved and they are.....

[Barrett808]

9. Isn't that quote attributed to Gaius Caligula?

Also famous for lovely maxims of governance like, "Had they but one neck, I'd hack it through," speaking of the citizens of Rome.

[bemildred]

10. It was one of them guys, not sure if it was Little Boots. nt

[bemildred]

11. Yeah, Little Boots:

"Let them hate us, as long as they fear us."

http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/35227.html