Do you wonder why the US troops loose the population support in Iraq?

[MrLars]

Originally posted by FUNKED1
No of course not.  I am just glad we are so lucky to have so many military experts here who can comment intelligently on every minute detail of US military actions.

30 some odd years ago we were doing almost the exact same thing. Killing cattle and burning down hooches because we 'suspected' they were supporting the VC. Hell, whole villages would go up in smoke if we found a stockpile of rice where we thought it shouldn't be.

These incidents are not new to this war and not uncommon to the past wars, the only thing that has changed is the advent of instant mass communication and field recording devices.

To overly criticize these troops for a lack of judgement seriously minimises the stress they are under on a minute by minute basis.

Should it have happened? Of course not. Relieving the stress our troops are under would be the best way to stop this type of behaviour from propogating. Announcing that they will have to stay longer that a tour in a war zone should be isn't the way though.

[Dago]

IMO you forgot a third option 3) they will do their best to help the rebels.

Sounds fine to me, they can die with the rebels and then they won't be stealing anymore.

Good idea.


So easy for so many to judge when you aren't in their shoes.

dago

[NUKE]

That's not right.....



My dad could fix that....he's a TV repairman...he  has an awesome set of tools.

[Udie]

Originally posted by SunTracker
Oh God that tanker was (is) a dirtbag.  

Over $5 of wood, the Iraqi lost his car (which was his job as a taxi driver).  

Who knows what the Iraqi wanted the wood for, maybe cooking fuel, maybe to board up the doors and windows of his house for protection.

The tanker should buy the Iraqi a new car.  What do cars cost over there, a few hundred?

I bet the Iraqi's new job is RPG gunner in the insurgent army.

maybe he already was an RPG gunner and lied about being a taxi driver?  Was he suni?  Shiite? Kurd?  What happened right before that scene started?  Where did they get the wood from? Did they break into something to get it?  Did they just pick it up off the ground?  Jeez I dunno,  kind of hard to form an opinion from 30 seconds of film.  Or at least it should be, don't ya think?

[Suave]

Commanders in Iraq were getting their tulips chewed off while their men were dying trying to fight a war because pinheads back in the states were up in arms about ****ing museums being looted.

Aside from shooting the looters what could they do ? Can't take them prisoner,  can't impound their vehicles, really don't even have the resources to confiscate the stolen crap.

So tankers were given orders, if you come upon a scene where a vehicle is being used in some kind of theft, get everybody away from the vehilce, do not touch the vehicle, shoot it up in case it's mined or some ****, then flatten it.

Tankers would've done the same thing or worse in europe in the 40s had they been faced with the same dilema.

You can bet those men weren't acting without instruction.

[Thrawn]

Originally posted by rabbidrabbit
It was in the show.. this is a clipping from a program I saw last week.. think it was cnn presents..  I may be wrong on that.

Thanks!

[Torque]

Hey if they lined up say ten or more taxis in a row and had Monster Truck drag races up and down the strip, then it would be cause for concern.

"War is Hell" especially more so for taxis.

[Airhead]

Wars were a hell of a lot more fun when there weren't cameras all over the damn place. Compensation? Give that boy a Rickshaw-and give me the gasoline for my SUV.

Hearts-Minds-Asses-Alligators-Swamp.

[Holden McGroin]

Originally posted by Gixer
Holden, have you noticed how few people are actually in that square cheering when that happend? Wouldn't you of expected at least a few thousand?
...-Gixer

Personally, if I were a ****e, I would have kept my head down for a few more days and let the dust settle a bit.  If I were a Bathist or a Sunni, I would have been in hiding and setting up my next move.

[CyranoAH]

Originally posted by lazs2
Not really that fond of AK's but they will do in a pinch..  not a bad choice in a lot of situations even..    Still... they are cheap everywhere.

Perhaps if you went there and helped the freedom fighters throw out the infidels they would be grateful and leave you alone?

lazs

In that case I'd offer you as a token of gratitude. I'm sure they'd find a good use for you, and you'd like it... eventually.

Daniel

[Maniac]

Personally i was amazed that those Gangbangers (Americas Finest) didnt shoot at the car with the Guns "sideways"... True Gangsta Styleee....

[Suave]

Gangbangers ?

[Saintaw]

Face it guys, the Eurpoeans are pissed off because we asked them to help us deal with Iraq, they refused, so we thumbed our noses at them and did it ourselves. They can't accept the fact that a country formed by the very people they considered outcasts, has become the most militarily and economically powerful nation on earth.

Wow Muck *sound of the air rushing overhead*

[storch]

Who cares about the popular support in Iraq?  Who cares what a bunch of pinhead euros think?  I sure don't  We aren't there to win a popularity contest.  While those guys were foolish to pose for the the leftists in that obviously anti whatever this administration is doing crew that was their only mistake.  If I were them, after crushing the Iraqi car I would have confiscated the audio/video recording equipment and crushed the film crew's car as well.  Then the Iraqi looters could have had someone to comiserate with.

[Naso]

Originally posted by GScholz
So Storch, why do you think the US is there?

Dont you know, gs?

They are searching OBL.