Navy Times...
Quite honestly I'm not at all surprised. The idea of "boots on the ground in Iraq" that's being pushed by many military leaders has confused the hell out of me. Common sense says that its a fools errand to attempt to give people what they don't want. In my opinion Western style democracy is not desired by the people in that region and we should stop trying to give it to them.
But this survey says something more.
The troops don't trust the President, Congress or military leadership. That lack of trust is going to become apparent to all soon AND will have consequences.
On the surface, troops appear to support President Obama’s repeated vows not to let the U.S. military get “dragged into another ground war” in Iraq. Yet at the same time, the views of many service members are shaped by a deep ambivalence about this commander in chief and questions about his ability to lead the nation through a major war, according to the survey and interviews.Read it all here.
The reader survey asked more than 2,200 active-duty troops this question: “In your opinion, do you think the U.S. military should send a substantial number of combat troops to Iraq to support the Iraqi security forces?” Slightly more than 70 percent responded: “No.”
“It’s their country, it’s their business. I don’t think major ‘boots on the ground’ is the right answer,” said one Army infantry officer and prior-enlisted soldier who deployed to Iraq three times. He responded to the survey and an interview request but, like several other service members in this story, asked not to be named because he is not authorized to discuss high-level military policy.
Quite honestly I'm not at all surprised. The idea of "boots on the ground in Iraq" that's being pushed by many military leaders has confused the hell out of me. Common sense says that its a fools errand to attempt to give people what they don't want. In my opinion Western style democracy is not desired by the people in that region and we should stop trying to give it to them.
But this survey says something more.
The troops don't trust the President, Congress or military leadership. That lack of trust is going to become apparent to all soon AND will have consequences.
Makes sense. Previously thousands of troops were lost there and the U.S. decided to give up and leave. Now back to square 1.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately its not back to square 1 as US ruined Iraq for decades to come . And instead of bombing some useless remote rafinery they should be hitting ISIS where the fight is at (kabani)and where you have concentration of their fighters. But the main targets would need to be Saudi Arabia and Katar these aholes are the no.1 exporters of terrorism in the world.
DeleteSame goes for Syria Assad may be an a**hole and a tyrant but living in a failed state is way worse. We have seen how Libya tuned out , from a stable and relatively wealthy state into a 3rd world war torn fialed state going the path of Somalia.
Screw Iraq, they deserved what they got.
DeleteThe Iraqi's are the ones who melted like shit in the rain.
We left, they got the gear and they lost.
It's their little red wagon now, fuck them.
Solomon, have you saw the last marine corps time front page?
ReplyDeleteWhy does Solomon want to send US marines into the death trap called Iraq and Syria?
ReplyDeleteHave the US troops not bled enough in the Middle East already? How many more has to die and be disabled, when the US air strikes and logistics and training support of rebel groups is enough to contain ISIS?
Enough is enough.
Sending ground troops to Iraq was a mistake in 2003, and sending ground troops to Iraq and Syria in 2014 would be a mistake too that no US president should make. At least Obama persuaded Sunni nations to join his bombing campaign, unlike Bush Jr.
For real? Solomon don't want any us intervention on the middle east, he says that at least twice a day.
DeleteI agree with the troops, who saw Benghazi, saw the Iraqi Army melt before ISIS like it did before the US "twice" and who remember Vietnam too well.
ReplyDeleteGreen on Green attacks in Afghanistan do not make any trooper want to share a foxhole with another whose loyalty is too allah and tribe instead of common sense, oaths of allegiance.as well as the shitty leadership the Iraqi's have not to mention our on shitty leaders and castrated military high command.
I wouldn't go, and I would not recommend going to anyone, I also wouldn't hold it against any man/woman or unit that outright refused but went anyway under duress per orders.
This situation sucks and stinks of political bullshit.
I wouldn't want to die for Bullshit politics.