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An Apology...?!

by Star69
7 replies
  • OFF TOPIC
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FOR SAVING YOUR ASS?

I tried to locate this online to provide a url but can't find it now.

The following was printed in USA Today, 5/18/2009, Cover Story: Entrenched militants test readiness of Iraq's forces


From page 2A, this is a part of the Cover Story:

Many want U.S. to hold back

Exchanges between the two armies aren't always so heartwarming. Iraqi commanders often chafe at what they see as an overbearing American presence at a time when they're trying to establish their credibility - among both Iraqi citizens and their own subordinates.

Lt. Dylan Alexander had a meeting recently with an Iraqi major who had taken over central Mosul.

The purpose of the meeting: "To apologize," he said.

U.S. and Iraqi troops had been patrolling a neighborhood when a car bomb exploded. As Iraqi troops investigated, Alexander said four gunmen on a rooftop began firing at the Iraqi troops. The U.S. troops returned fire, driving off the insurgents.

Iraqi Maj. Abdul Hussein saw it differently. He felt the Americans overreacted and needlessly upset neighboring residents.

So, hoping to smooth over the incident, Alexander loaded up four personnel carriers with U.S. troops to drive to Hussein's new base to say he was sorry.

"He was a little angry with me," Alexander said. "They're very proud. They don't like it to seem like the Americans are acting like cowboys in their area or coming to their rescue."

That sentiment has been more commonplace, Alexander said, since the Jan. 1 agreement. Before, American troops were responsible for security operations and Iraqis came along with them. Now, Iraqis plan and carry out operations with Americans serving only as helpers and advisers.

[end of article]


We're obviously not appreciated for what we are doing over there, so we need to pull our troops out of Iraq. If that's how they feel about us being there, then to HELL with them!

Our troops help save their sorry asses from getting killed and then they have to apologize for doing so? What kind of crap is that?!

Pull the U.S. out and let them all dissolve back into the stone age!
  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    No Star, we are not any longer appreciated over there. We've killed over a million of their people and driven off how many millions who now say they don't want to go back there. Would you be grateful to be occupied for 7 years if it was your country? I don't think so.
    The only reason WE ARE still there is to make sure their military is strong enough to handle their own problems before we pull out. Now how are they going to get that strong if we are running behind them finishing everything that starts? Those soldiers might have survived without us this time...but we will never know. They won't ever become good enough until the US takes the Nannies out.
    Signature

    Sal
    When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
    Beyond the Path

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    • Profile picture of the author Achilles1963
      How could we possibly be appreciated by them...FOR INVADING THEIR COUNTRY!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author Star69
    I get your point, people, but forget all the other crap for a minute. We're already there, we've already tore the crap out of everything, and some people are glad we are there and some aren't.

    My point is U.S. troops fought off rooftop shooters and saved the sorry asses of those Iraqi troops investigating a car bombing, yet a U.S. Army Lt. has to apologize to the Iraqi commander for doing so? That's an outrage!

    Would he have preferred the U.S. troops stood aside and let those Iraqi troops be slaughtered? Dead men aren't so proud, you know.

    American troops are NOT trained to stand and watch. They ARE trained to take action, engage and defeat.

    If Iraq just wants advisers, tell them to call Turkey! We can bring our fighting men and women back home WHERE THEY BELONG! To keep them there and leave them in harm's way is meaningless, especially if they are not respected, nor desired.

    "The only reason we are still there is to make sure their military is strong enough to handle their own problems before we pull out." Sal

    Sounds just like Vietnam all over again!

    "And its one, two, three, what are we fighting for?
    Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
    Next stop is Vietnam.
    And it's five, six, seven, open up the Pearly Gates.
    Ain't no time to wonder why,
    Whoopee, we're all gonna die!"
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      I don't think its such a clear cut issue. If we truly have the goal of allowing Iraqis to run their own country, we do need to let them do it. That means if they are in the lead in an action, we allow them to lead without interference.

      Of course it seems to us the smart thing is to open fire in such a situation - but to the proud commander of the Iraqi soldiers, it could easily be seen as the US butting in and not thinking Iraqis capable. If we agreed not to interfere - we should have honored the agreement.

      Many in the US have a view of those in countries such as Iraq, Iran, etc as "less than". That is wrong on many levels. Different values, yes. Less pride of country, less intelligence - no.

      I've read several accounts of this particular incident - and it's not clear that our actions were a necessity or that Iraqis could not have handled the problem themselves. They were not willing to engage in a big firefight in a heavily civilian area - it's a valid point. When we opened fire, we overrode their plans. If an apology leads to a better working relationship that allows them to take over sooner - it's fine with me.

      kay
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      Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world changes forever for that one dog
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  • Profile picture of the author Star69
    So, Kay, you're saying those U.S. troops should've let those Iraqi troops get killed? Because of a frigging piece of paper?

    If they had, they would have been blamed for not doing anything!

    Engaging in a firefight in a heavily civilian area? Suddenly we should grow a conscience while being shot at from the rooftops? I believe we've already enabled the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis who's only crime was actually living in the way?

    And by the way, it was from the rooftops, meaning our soldiers were not firing down the street. They were firing up. Who was lobbing bullets at the civilians? The shooters on the roof!

    Yet we have to apologize. We should never have had to apologize! Those soldiers were doing what they were trained to do, and those Iraqi soldiers are able to live another day because of it.

    That takes the cake.

    If they want advisers tell them to call the damned U.N. Our troops should not become advisers and they certainly should not have to stand there and be shot at without returning fire.

    You shoot at me, I damned well guarantee you're gonna have to dodge my bullets. Agreements don't mean crap to me when my life is on the line.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      So, Kay, you're saying those U.S. troops should've let those Iraqi troops get killed? Because of a frigging piece of paper?
      That's not what I said - and we don't know that's the case.

      I've read several accounts of this particular incident - and it's not clear that our actions were a necessity or that Iraqis could not have handled the problem themselves.
      Without knowing the exact conditions and timeline of what happened - I won't take a side on an issue like this. There are too many people listening to a news story presenting one side of an argument and forming opinions and then arguing their "positions".

      I have a lot of faith in our military - including it's field leaders. If the military commanders felt an apology was due perhaps they knew what they were doing and why. We aren't perfect, we tend to think we know better than other countries (and sometimes we do) - but not having a knee jerk reaction of "we should not apologize" doesn't make me less patriotic than the next person.

      Just my opinion....for the cent it's worth.

      kay
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      Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world changes forever for that one dog
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  • Profile picture of the author Star69
    Kay, I never questioned your patriotism, and you've already chosen sides when you said "If we agreed not to interfere - we should have honored the agreement."

    Easy to say when nobody is shooting at your head.

    We wouldn't have to apologize for anything if we weren't there in the first place.
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