Quote:
Originally Posted by Stryker
Smitty, I couldnt have said any of that better. Im in Baghdad now and I gotta tell ya, for a city thats supposedly the most dangerous in the world in the middle of a country thats supposedly ravaged by civil war, its extremely quiet. I havent seen a single IED, weapons cache, I havent received small arms or RPG fire, and I havent even as much as fired a warning shot.
The national police here are doing most of the work these days, making our lives a lot easier then the last time I was here. Most of the time when we search homes the locals bring us chai and sodas and flat bread. Doesnt sound like a place thats descended into chaos as those on the left desperately try to portray.
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Stryker ... thanks for the reality check.
I went in with the G-7, IPC when the city fell back in April, 03'. I have a picture of me holding up Saddam's swords on the main drag. Interestingly, the city's streets were deserted on that one day, so I'm out there by myself. We occupied the Presidential Palace and the Water Palace and I managed to get home a ruckful of goodies including a Presidential General Officer Staff Uniform with medals still hanging from the pocket, two flags from Saddam's office, a pile of his personal stationery, etc.
In that first year, the people welcomed us. Yeah, we caught mortar and sniper fire from some remnants of the Republican Guard during that first year, but IEDs weren't that much of a problem.
After I came home, the IEDs and other crap started popping up that I assume came from either hidden caches or Syria/Iran.
You guys have done a great job! Don't allow sentiments you may hear from those who have never had boots on the ground to demoralize or discourage you.
I always find it fascinating that those who loudly insist on their right to rant under the protection of the First Amendment, have never defended the Constitution against an enemy in the field. Nor do they have any intention of doing so, or of ever allowing their children to do so; as long as they can pay what they consider some poor misguided ghetto kid or country girl to do their fighting for them.
Hang in there bud .... HUAH.
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