Some of us have it easy

I just spoke with a friend of mine via email today. He's in the army and has been for about 10 years He's a Corporal with the Black Watch now and a sniper something which has been a running joke between us, he was the worst shot I'd even seen when we were both in the Air Cadets.

I don't hear from him often and I've not spoken to him face to face for a few years.

He not long back from Iraq and might be shipping out to Afganistan soon. He was telling me that he lost most of his squad in a suicide bomb attack and he only survived due to being called away a couple of minutes before they hit. Just after that his Warrior APC was hit by an IED and the driver killed in front of him. He said the warrior was blown 60 feet of the road and wrecked.

He used to be a quirky guy, silly funny, daft jokes etc. I can definitely read the change in him in the way he wrote.

He's not complaining about going to Afganistan, I think he's learned to shoot straight and he's looking to even things up.

We've got it pretty easy really.

He could've have it it easy too but he choose to go to the army, air-force, whatever. I myself got accepted in the Marines, but never got around to it, maybe next year :)

He doesn't complaint about it, I just noticed a change in him this time. Normally he'd be cracking jokes about knobbing camels and going to brothels. This time he was taking about his mates getting killed. Doesn't happen in an office (unless someone goes postal).

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Originally posted here by Aspman
He doesn't complaint about it, I just noticed a change in him this time. Normally he'd be cracking jokes about knobbing camels and going to brothels. This time he was taking about his mates getting killed. Doesn't happen in an office (unless someone goes postal).

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Doesn't happen in the military either unless you go to war over nothing... There hasn't been a "War with Reason" (A war that the US was justified in entering into) in a very long time...

My friends in 2Para all changed after the Falklands [old fart time :)]
no more silly times
LOTS of those 1000 yard stares

and this was something they COULDN'T share with those who hadn't been there.
and not all of them came back :(

your friend will probably have sleep disorder and a 'fear' of some small inconsequential things, he will get over it, but it takes time, time and an understanding drinking buddy, who will let him blow off steam, and spout the same old stories time after time ..............

luck to you and your friend

Pax

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Doesn't happen in the military either

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training in the military kills just as easy as in combat ........
train hard - fight easy

old soldiers never die - just young ones :(

My cousin was in Iraq but he was sent home because he got his left leg blown off by an IED he doenst complain about it at all.... not once have i heard him whine about it im sure it sucks but he joined and went over there to serve his country with honor. people debate all the time whether this has been worth it or not but to me that doesnt matter what matters to me is if you start something you finish it. and maybe your friend is just starting to feel a little more mortal seeing alot of his mates die. but i do wish him and his friends luck and i hope they get home safe. anyway thats my 2 cents.

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Originally posted here by ©opy®ight
He could've have it it easy too but he choose to go to the army, air-force, whatever. I myself got accepted in the Marines, but never got around to it, maybe next year :)

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Plus dont! :(

Dont fight anybodys silly war.

Yeh, I am planning on joining the military next year as well... Don't know what branch yet... Thing is I'm joining because I really have nothing to look forward to after high school... I doubt I'm going to college (personal ****)... So it looks like I'll be fighting bush's war as well... even though I don't agree with the Iraq war...

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Originally posted here by HTRegz
Doesn't happen in the military either unless you go to war over nothing... There hasn't been a "War with Reason" (A war that the US was justified in entering into) in a very long time...

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Hardly. Just because your enemy isn't gassing millions of Jews doesn't mean you arn't accomplishing something. The majority of conflicts the US has been engaged in were because it was asked to because that soveriegn power was in a mess that it was incapable of dealing with alone. If the other higher powers of the world had a shred of the generosity, responsiblity, and dedication that the USA has, then the world wouldn't have half of the problems it faces today.

It amazes me how short memories are.

I was raised almost soley on military bases stationed overseas. My father was a Marine for 29 years and just retired from it this June. While the Air Force has the most perks and least duties & danger, I'd recommend the Marine Corps to anyone. Sure, it's the toughest and has the least benefits, but you will become more of a man than you could hope to be. There is a pride and sense of brotherhood that I haven't really seen among any of the other branches. Air Force turns people into *****s, Navy makes you lazy, and Army seems to make most of its soldiers indifferent and apathetic. I've seen soldiers and airmen burn the flag, but I've never once witnessed a marine that wasn't ready to serve to his fullest ability or be ashamed of it.

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Originally posted here by Evil Moo
If the other higher powers of the world had a shred of the generosity, responsiblity, and dedication that the USA has, then the world wouldn't have half of the problems it faces today.

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Hey Hey,

All I can say is I'm glad that you have a sense of humour still... That's the biggest piece of BS that I've heard in a long, long time... The US is anything but generous... were they not the last nation to agree to provide relief to Africa (did they even in the end).. .and weren't they offering the least mount based on their GDP (GNP.. whatever numbers they were basing it off of).. As far as responsibility... has Bush stepped forward and accepted responsibility for the numerous people that have been killed overseas needlessly... and I'm not talking about the Americans... most of them died because what goes around comes around... I'm talking about natives to the countries that the US so generously bombs... As for dedication... you're right.. the US is full of that... dedication to carry on a War that isn't even a war... it's an excuse to execute terrorist actions on foreign nations without fear of retribution.. How about the dedication to fullfilling their responsibility of killing a generous number of innocent civilians... because they've definately done that too... You're right.. the US is such a great nation.... If it disappeared off the face of the earth, there'd be a slight hiccup and we'd carry on without notice... well I guess we would notice... more people would live... I guess that's the price we pay.... The US is helping us deal with over population.... Do you guys have Soylent Green down there as a product yet?

Peace,
HT

A lot of US aid comes with small print attached. In the past aid to African contries came with conditions that it would not be used to aid in the distribution of contraception and that hospitals offering abortions would have to cease.

There were lots of other condtions depending on the region but I can't remember any others specifically.

I wouldn't be surprised if the latest round of aid also come with conditions. I not convinced by it anyway, I think it's going to buy a lot of tin pot dictators some new Bentleys

How can you say the US is not generous?? You seem to have forgotten the hundred of billions of dollars that the US has given Mexico and South America and they will never pay us back... And just so you know if USA all of a sudden got nuked off the face of the planet then you would all go down with us... maybe not physically, but Canada and almost every other nation needs the US financially... When the US closed trading of meat with canada due to mad cow disease, that didn't boost your economy did it ;)....

As for the war in iraq, I don't agree with it, but I do admit that saddam had to be taken out of power, however that should have been done 15 years ago in the first war, not now... If you think saddam was ok to stay in power then it's not even worth debating all of this with you and I will not respond to anymore of these political oppinions of yours...

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Originally posted here by The Duck
How can you say the US is not generous?? You seem to have forgotten the hundred of billions of dollars that the US has given Mexico and South America and they will never pay us back... And just so you know if USA all of a sudden got nuked off the face of the planet then you would all go down with us... maybe not physically, but Canada and almost every other nation needs the US financially... When the US closed trading of meat with canada due to mad cow disease, that didn't boost your economy did it ;)....

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The US isn't generous (I just said it)... as Aspman said they apply a lot of small print.. generous would be just giving it away... Giving money to Mexico.. big deal, most of Mexico is sweatshop labour for US Goods or Vacation paradises for rich Americans... of course they'll give money to them.. As far as South America... how many times have the US secretly and coverly (I use those terms liberally) replaced the heads of countries... they owe a lot more than money down there.. I don't think any other nation would go... Sure some cattle farmers in Alberta cried foul when the borders were closed to Canadian Beef but it didn't affect us here in Ontario (The majority of the population of Canada)... There are other places that we could trade with, especially if the US wasn't around to trade with them. There's nothing that the US produces that's unique. Most items are produced in Mexico or Asia.... and natural resources, well Canada's got a lot more of those than the US...

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As for the war in iraq, I don't agree with it, but I do admit that saddam had to be taken out of power, however that should have been done 15 years ago in the first war, not now... If you think saddam was ok to stay in power then it's not even worth debating all of this with you and I will not respond to anymore of these political oppinions of yours...

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Do I disagree with what Saddam is doing... definately... Do I think he should have been removed from power... definately.. do I think that if there had actually been evidence of WMDs then outside sources should have stepped in... you bet... but do I think without the WMDs the US should have ever stepped in... The Gulf War was at least somewhat of a real war (I really don't give it much creedence though)... had they removed him then, that would have been fine... though I was still against that war movement... but going in now to do it... It's not their place to remove him if he doesn't have the WMDs... it's the place of his people to rise up against him and overthrow him.. If they chose to live with it (and don't give me that they don't have a choice speech.... revolutions happen all over the world all the time) then that was there choice and they should live with it.... someone else shouldn't step in to clean house for them..

That is my opinion.

Peace,
HT

You people say fine print as if it were something bad. Yeah, alot of money the US gives does come with fine print. Usually that fine print demands that the recipients of the aid stop killing people, starving their citizens, supporting illegal activities, censoring free speech & independant media, and actually work at stopping the drugs pouring from their country to plague the world versus just paying lip-service while extending an anxious greedy palm. How dare the US demand these kind of things from people they send their hard and well earned capital to!

Sure there are some other attachments that allow the US to more effectively root out terrorist and drug-lords alike, is that a bad thing? Even if the above listed were to be considered negetive and that the vast amounts of aid were only given with alterior motives; aid and direly needed help was still given. That's more than most of the world can say.

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Originally posted here by Evil Moo
You people say fine print as if it were something bad. Yeah, alot of money the US gives does come with fine print. Usually that fine print demands that the recipients of the aid stop killing people, starving their citizens, supporting illegal activities, censoring free speech & independant media, and actually work at stopping the drugs pouring from their country to plague the world versus just paying lip-service while extending an anxious greedy palm. How dare the US demand these kind of things from people they send their hard and well earned capital to!

Sure there are some other attachments that allow the US to more effectively root out terrorist and drug-lords alike, is that a bad thing? Even if the above listed were to be considered negetive and that the vast amounts of aid were only given with alterior motives; aid and direly needed help was still given. That's more than most of the world can say.

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Hey Hey,

You're right.... stop the distribution of birth control... I can see how that would stop terrorist movements.... Who wants to be in a place without condoms... The US's fine print isn't always a good thing, it usually isn't... As far as censoring free speech... Isn't it the US where there's a hotline you can call and report someone of "suspected" terrorist activies and even if they just said something like "I don't agree with the war in Iraq" a bunch of guys in suits are going to show up.... definately sounds like the US is filled with freedom of speech. Also how can you say that it is the US's hard earned capital.... It's not heard earned anything when you are trillions of dollars in debt... especially when the primary reason you're in debt is because you focus on building killing machines.... guns, that find their way into the hands of "inner city youths" that end up killing eachother... but you're right.. spending your money building weapons to go kill overseas is much more intelligent than spending money to stop gang violence and drugs in your own country.

HT

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The US isn't generous (I just said it)... as Aspman said they apply a lot of small print.. generous would be just giving it away...

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Yea yea yea, heard it all before, and all I have to say is you don't know jack sh*t. You can keep putting down the US, especially the government, but the truth hurts. People from the US are generous(understand, I did not say the US government)

http://www.hudson.org/index.cfm?fuse...etails&id=3479

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Side note on private contributions

As an aside, it should be emphasized that the above figures are comparing government spending. Such spending has been agreed at international level and is spread over a number of priorities.

Individual/private donations may be targeted in many ways. However, even though the charts above do show US aid to be poor (in percentage terms) compared to the rest, the generosity of the American people is far more impressive than their government. Private aid/donation has been through charity of individual people and organizations though this of course can be weighted to certain interests and areas. Nonetheless, it is interesting to note for example, per latest estimates, Americans privately give at least $34 billion overseas — more than twice the US official foreign aid of $15 billion at that time:

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http://www.globalissues.org/TradeRel...hartsandGraphs

Exactly devpon... HTRegz, you can't hate the US just because we gotta a couple of bad apples in our government... For your information we are a divided country at the moment. Half the people are for the war, half the people are against the war. You do not live in the US, you obviously have no idea what's going on in the US so your oppinions kind of make you sound foolish...

Yes, what's going on in iraq right now is wrong, I don't agree with it, and I don't think you do either, but at the same time the US cannot just sit back and watch these people run airplanes into our buildings...

Put yourself in our shoes for a second. Suppose they ran a plane right in the heart of Ontario. Would you just sit back and do nothing?? And guess what, if that ever happened, do you know who's troops would be backing canada 100%? Most likely the United States. Do you know who would suffer the most military casualties?? Probably the United States. It makes me sick to think that I would probably be fighting for your ass, someone that hates the united states so much... Show some respect... And remember that the United States government does not speak for all the people of the US...

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Originally posted here by The Duck
Exactly devpon... HTRegz, you can't hate the US just because we gotta a couple of bad apples in our government... For your information we are a divided country at the moment. Half the people are for the war, half the people are against the war. You do not live in the US, you obviously have no idea what's going on in the US so your oppinions kind of make you sound foolish...

Yes, what's going on in iraq right now is wrong, I don't agree with it, and I don't think you do either, but at the same time the US cannot just sit back and watch these people run airplanes into our buildings...

Put yourself in our shoes for a second. Suppose they ran a plane right in the heart of Ontario. Would you just sit back and do nothing?? And guess what, if that ever happened, do you know who's troops would be backing canada 100%? Most likely the United States. Do you know who would suffer the most military casualties?? Probably the United States. It makes me sick to think that I would probably be fighting for your ass, someone that hates the united states so much... Show some respect... And remember that the United States government does not speak for all the people of the US...

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Hey Hey,

Have either of you seen me bash the citizens of the US in this thread??? Nope.. I've attacked the country and the government.... I don't live in the states but I spent most of my life on the border and I've spent a lot of times in the states... We used to spend every summer camping in the US... I've travelled through the states twice in the last month.. I've become used to a lot of American citizens and accepted that there are quite a few good ones.. It's the mentality of the country as a whole and the government that I don't like... People like EvilMoo just further detriment any outsiders beliefs in the US and the people it produces, but I haven't insulted individuals.. I've insulted the nation... There's a difference.. I don't care how much the people of the US have donated individually, we were talking about the Government... not the people. There's a difference as you yourselves say... yet even as you say that you're turning them around on me and combining them. As for crashing a plane into Ontario... Hit the middle... there's nothing in the middle... Aim for a city.. hit the CN Tower.. Toronto could stand to lose a few people... going for a smaller city... most of them are poor anyways so no big deal.. it'll boost the economy.. :D but in all seriousness... we don't stick our noses were it doesn't belong and we don't give people a reason to come after us... that's why they don't.. The US... the UK have both given terrorists a reason to attack them... Canada hasn't... We know better than to walk into the neighbours house with a loaded gun and cry foul when he hits us with a baseball bat.

As far as you talking war in Iraq and then Airplanes into buildings you realize those are seperate right? They have absolutely nothing to do with eachother.... unless you believe the propaganda that the US government puts out.

Peace,
HT

Canada doesn't get hit because they do NOTHING. I'm not talking about international aid. I'm talking about good and evil. There will always be good people and there will always be bad people. There needs to be an international police to keep the evil people inline. Unfortunatly the united nations does a poor job of doing this so it's usually up to the US and the UK.

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As far as you talking war in Iraq and then Airplanes into buildings you realize those are seperate right? They have absolutely nothing to do with eachother.... unless you believe the propaganda that the US government puts out.

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Yes I realize they are different but it's a chain of events have have brought us there... We went iraq because of bush saying they had WMD that they could give terrorists and such... Well it sounded like a good idea until we found out that they didn't have WMD... Even though I don't agree with the war and some say we might be there for bush to get oil, saddam gave himself a bad reputation and he got whacked... Just like any other country is going to get whacked if they threaten the US and the rest of the world. Iran, for example, does not need nukes... But that's a different story...

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Originally posted here by The Duck
Canada doesn't get hit because they do NOTHING. I'm not talking about international aid. I'm talking about good and evil. There will always be good people and there will always be bad people. There needs to be an international police to keep the evil people inline. Unfortunatly the united nations does a poor job of doing this so it's usually up to the US and the UK.

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This is what bothers me... the US doesn't have to be the world police and no one is asking them to...

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Yes I realize they are different but it's a chain of events have have brought us there... We went iraq because of bush saying they had WMD that they could give terrorists and such... Well it sounded like a good idea until we found out that they didn't have WMD... Even though I don't agree with the war and some say we might be there for bush to get oil, saddam gave himself a bad reputation and he got whacked... Just like any other country is going to get whacked if they threaten the US and the rest of the world. Iran, for example, does not need nukes... But that's a different story...

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Even the mention of WMDs.. that was just because he wanted to finish what his Father had started... there was no legit reason.

Peace,
HT

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This is what bothers me... the US doesn't have to be the world police and no one is asking them to...

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There has to be a world police though... Your going to tell me that there is nothing wrong with not keeping an eye on countries ran by bad people. Just turn the other way when they're making nukes capable of blowing a country off the face of the globe?

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that was just because he wanted to finish what his Father had started... there was no legit reason.

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Your may be right, but whatever your oppinion is about why he did it, and whatever personal objective bush had for doing it, it still needed to be done. Though I will add that I do not agree with the way it was done, and it should have been done a loooooong time ago...

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yet even as you say that you're turning them around on me and combining them

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Please forgive me as it's kind of hard to understand what you mean when you just say "america sucks". It's kind of a vague comment :).

Hey Hey,

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Originally posted here by The Duck
There has to be a world police though... Your going to tell me that there is nothing wrong with not keeping an eye on countries ran by bad people. Just turn the other way when they're making nukes capable of blowing a country off the face of the globe?

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Keeping an eye is one thing, but policing is another... Did you not see the satire in Team America: World Police... It was making fun of that fact... not promoting it. I don't think that we need world police... Countries have always been run by bad people.. the US is run by a bad person.. as far as nukes... big deal... I recall hearing that a lot of the nukes that the US is "so worried" about don't even have the power to reach the US... If two countries want to go to war over there and nuke eachother out of existance... let them... that's there problem... I'd rather not see it happen but I don't think the US has to get involved... Then they complain about being attacked... If the US wants to play World Police.... as long as they aren't constantly undermining the UN... go for it... but don't cry foul when you take backlash from the "policing" efforts.

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Your may be right, but whatever your oppinion is about why he did it, and whatever personal objective bush had for doing it, it still needed to be done. Though I will add that I do not agree with the way it was done, and it should have been done a loooooong time ago...

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I don't know if it "needed" to be done... as I said.. it was the responsibility of the Iraqi people to remove a tyrant.... and they could have if they really wanted to (as I've said before... the choice was there).... I also don't know if this is the best method for the removal.. With all the technology around, with all the spec-ops the US has.. they couldn't have sent in a rogue team to kill him behind the scenes.

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Please forgive me as it's kind of hard to understand what you mean when you just say "america sucks". It's kind of a vague comment :).

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I'll say the American People... for example in the statement "The American People are idiots for electing bush" :D ....... when I say America sucks I mean the country.. :) because of the government.. and somewhat because of the mentality... there are other reasons but that's enough.

Peace,
HT

I think I've been a victim of a terrorist thread hijack :eek:

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Your going to tell me that there is nothing wrong with not keeping an eye on countries ran by bad people

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Personally I think that it is necessary to keep an eye on other counties with less pleasent agendas.
What turns this good act sour is the repeated stories that come up after a conflict such as Afghanistan or Iraq where US companies suddenly move in with multibillion dollar contracts and <shock and surprize> these companies seem to have major shareholders who are senior US officials. Halliburton anybody?

Politicians always have been corrupt, Politicians always will be corrupt the only suprise is that the public are still shocked by it.

Now I'm sure oil had nothing to do with the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq, but that pipline sure went in quick didn't it. apparently there is also plans for a pipeline through Iran to reach oil fields in Pakistan. Who is on the hit list now?

As for the generousity of the American Government the conditions attached to aid are almost aways put to further the agenda of the resident government. Bush against abortion, contraception etc so he attaches conditions to the same effect to aid to africa. Which is lovely considering the continant is endemic with AIDS and a huge number of women die in childbirth.

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Did you not see the satire in Team America: World Police

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Actually I did not get the chance to see that movie and I'm glad you reminded me of it. I'll have to rent it this week :D.

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Keeping an eye is one thing, but policing is another... Did you not see the satire in Team America: World Police... It was making fun of that fact... not promoting it. I don't think that we need world police... Countries have always been run by bad people.. the US is run by a bad person.. as far as nukes... big deal... I recall hearing that a lot of the nukes that the US is "so worried" about don't even have the power to reach the US... If two countries want to go to war over there and nuke eachother out of existance... let them... that's there problem... I'd rather not see it happen but I don't think the US has to get involved... Then they complain about being attacked... If the US wants to play World Police.... as long as they aren't constantly undermining the UN... go for it... but don't cry foul when you take backlash from the "policing" efforts.

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The US is worried that somehow they will smuggle the "dirty bombs" into the US and detonate them...

We can't just let countries go to nuclear war, do you realize the toll that would take on the environment?? And when those nukes are launched in the air and every country sees them, who knows who will join in the frenzy... If there is no world police and everyone get's nukes, that is the beginning of the end. The human race will wipe itself out...

And just so you know when al qaida ran the planes in the WTC that wasn't backlash for playing world police... According to bin laden, when the US helped him fight the USSR, american troops stepped on the "holy land", or some bullshit... What they did was totally unecessary... That's the thanks we get for helping him...

Hmmm, all very interesting, and I was going to stay out of it (honest ) then I thought, No! let's attack Ennis.heee, heee.

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Dont fight anybodys silly war.

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Please explain the "wild geese" old chap? :D or to go back earlier "Gallowglasses"

:)

I would need to do some research, but I suspect that the Irish were involved in mercenary activities in pre-Christian times?

:eek:

Bah, I forgot to add a couple things...

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"The American People are idiots for electing bush"

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Unfortunatly the american people have not really had much of a choice the last couple elections... it was either bush or some other idiot (kerry)... Not to mention it's not wise to switch presidents during war time and has never been done so in US history, at least not to my knowledge...

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With all the technology around, with all the spec-ops the US has.. they couldn't have sent in a rogue team to kill him behind the scenes.

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This sounds like a good idea, and this is what I always thought, but that wouldn't really solve the problem... Even if they sniped saddam and his 2 sons, saddam had a whole thing of followers just like him willing to take his spot... Just like the problem with bin laden, even if we catch bin laden, someone is going to fill in...

Speaking of spec ops, I hear austrailia has some pretty bad ass spec op guys around :D... Would be interesting to see them in action...

The whole stint overseas will start to dwindle anyway.

All of the "bad publicity" on the war in Iraq has military enlistment at a record low.
Eventually, US will have no choice but to pull out.

...or start a draft... but I don't know if that's likely... well... according to the military recruiters...