On Furlough, "It's madness," Specialist Castillo said....

[protect freedom impeach bush now]

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/15/national/15FURL.html?hp

On Furlough, Soldier Savors Every Moment
By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN

Published: October 15, 2003


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Oct. 14 — Juan Castillo just came home from war. Now he is going back.

For the last 14 days, Specialist Castillo, a 21-year-old artilleryman, has been trying to savor each kiss from his wife, each minute with the baby, each inch of his bed and each sip of Mountain Dew.
But it has not been easy. Happiness is endless happiness, and it is hard to really enjoy 15 days off from the occupation of Iraq when you know war is back there waiting for you and your vacation is basically a bittersweet countdown.

...skip......


"It's madness," Specialist Castillo said. That is his favorite word to describe Iraq. "Madness."

Specialist Castillo, who works the radio for his artillery battery at the Asad air base west of Baghdad, started telling stories about fainting from heat exhaustion and getting pelted with rocks and running patrols in dark desert towns where his unit invariably gets shot at. A few weeks ago, a sergeant in his squadron was torn apart by a road bomb.

"In the beginning I was into this; we all were," he said. But now, he feels the war is a waste.

"We haven't found anything, no weapons of mass destruction, no Saddam, no nothing. And the people there hate us. If we were rolling through a town and they were cheering, hell yeah, it would make us feel better. But when they're not cooperating and throwing rocks and giving us evil looks, we don't want to be there. We're conquerors to them. It wasn't supposed to be like that."

MORE.................

[dbt]

1. Iraq Nam

Nixon smiles.

:scared:
dbt

[Mountainman]

2. Reminds me of some of my days in Vietnam during Tet 1968

I had to drive and ride shotgun on convoys from the docks in Saigon to Long Binh about 50 miles. The regular Vietnam civilian drivers refused to drive because everynight one or two of the trucks were hit by enemy rockets. We didn't know each night if it was going to be our turn or not but we knew for sure some of us would be killed that night.

I sure would have not wanted to go back if I were on a 15 day leave.

[Mari333]

3. READ this...someone just posted on another thread

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0310/S00105.htm

Should be sent to every congressperson and news outlet that exists...

[Ernesto]

5. Good work Mari333

As a Viet-vet, I can tell you that soldier (USA) is all over it. Everyone should read that interview..... KICK!

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Apparently, Juan didn't get the word...

that stuff like this article, is 'filtering' the truth of all the good being done over in Iraq!!