And got sent off to fight a campaign, and now he's complaining? He should have joined the peace corp. He had a choice.

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Upon reading this interview, there is no way to describe what it made me feel, except to say that I was simply moved to tears. My heart goes out to Zechariah and all the soldiers like him, who have found themselves lied to by our government; the immeasurable value of whose lives and bravery has been demeaned by the greed and arrogance which are driving this war.

Zechariah, should you ever read this, I hope you can make peace with something -- you said that as you were returning home from Iraq, you could not understand why you were chosen to return, while others were not. Well, whether your survival was a question of fate or not, it seems that your purpose, now, is to continue to speak out -- just as you have done in this interview. Maybe you survived your service in Iraq because you are meant to be one of a precious few who will help shed a true light on this war, for your fellow Americans back home.

God bless, and my condolences for the friends you have lost. Stay strong and keep heart.

-S

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When he joined he knew the risks. We all do that join. We hope that we'll never have to actually perform our duties but we do know the chances of having to deploy. For whatever the reasons we join, those are our own motivating force to join, but there is always the chance of having to go. Zechariah had to go. Guarding of the oil fields is to protect the Iraqi's only export. Without that export how do they get income to repair and build upon what Saddam abused? For those of you who say to put a rifle in my hands and do what Zechariah is doing, don't worry I have and still do. You've heard his voice and his views, not hear another and I'll tell you his are skewed. If Zechariah wants to debate then have him face an opposing view, I'll be happy to be that view.

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Look, I'm not saying joining the army has always been a bad thing. However, the last few years of misleading us hard working Americans into joining the army to pay off college tuition fees, pay off debts, get a better chance of getting a better paying job, etc ... through misleading advertisements, pro-war media propaganda, and lowering the requirements for getting into the army has gone too far to the point that it's almost identical to sending U.S. troops into concentration camps in Iraq and pushing more Americans into terrorism. So Flappy or any rightwing NAZI who truly wants to love our country should stop lying or accepting lies about the war and stop giving socializing poverty and terrorism by pulling our troops out and putting taxpayer's money to more meaningful services rather than creating WMDs and giving aid to puppet regimes that harbour terrorism. Join the army for prestige is nice but being brainwashed into joining just to follow orders from rightwing NAZIs like Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, etc ... isn't.

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Thanks for a truthful view of this resource war. I wish more with the experience could be heard. I think now we all know it is really a war for OIL, but most of the bush-backers don't care, because they think it is okay to take their oil for we righteous Americans need it to continue our 'way of life'. Little do they know that the oil is to engineer control of the world economy by developing 3rd world countries into cheap labor and then eliminate the rest of us. It's not that there is not enough oil - there's just too many people. Stay tuned for more resource wars in Iran, Nigeria, Venezuela because the controllers of the oil control who lives and who dies. See the book, Crossing the Rubicon on fromthewilderness.com .
As for the stooge flapjack7's comments - the oil was and is the priority and none other than Halliburton controls who gets it - it was in their contract before this 'war-on-terror' was started.

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you are truly an ignorant and uncaring specimen...this young man has been through unthinkable experiences and has taken responsibility for his decisions...I did not detect victim mentality. As a person who has had boots on the ground he certainly has earned the right to express dis-satisfaction for an ill fated war undertaken for the sole purpose of personal vindictiveness and oil.
It is obvious bush and his bandits have not personally experienced war with their boots on the ground. Is it not easy to direct from the safety of the Whitehouse and send innocent young men and women to their death and kill innocent Iraqis whose only sin is the oil under their soil? By the way the Iraq's were not involved in the 9/11 debacle in case you only watch Fox news.
When will you be signing up to do your tour of duty?Perhaps after you do a tour in Iraq your point of view might have some validity. This war/invasion is wrong and completely unjustified...Vietnam relived. Might does not make right though bully bush misses this important concept.
I haven't seen Bushes daughters on the recruit list nor any other of the bush bandit's children either-perhaps Iraq is not worth dying for unless you are poor.

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Knowing that there are soldiers like Zechariah out there makes me a little more hopeful. This is the kind of troop I can support--one who hasn't had his conscience bulk-erased by the Machine. I wish him the best of luck and I thank him for telling us his story.

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Thank you gypsy, this isn't an "oh, pity me" article that I took part of. Celina just asked me questions, and I answered them. I want soldiers to be heard. Its hard to hear from them we then are doing back to back deployments over there. As for the skeewed views comment. Ok, there were 39 soldiers in my platoon, and I spent almost 365 days,24 hours a day with them, and almost all of them felt the same. My own brother just got back last week. I have been talking with him to see how he handled it. He was a machine gunner. He says its hard to sleep when you see the faces of all those you have killed. He was a hard core Repulican and voted for Bush. He was always good for a healthy debate. I asked him yesterday what he thought. He said the same thing, we can't win this. Its too out of control. He said the whole thing is a waste of time and people.

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Thanks for your story Zechariah. I'm stop-lossed in a support unit in Kuwait. Though I’m not seeing any combat, I hate that I have to support this quagmire. Sometimes I just stop and look at some of the soldiers and marines I’m working with and I think, some of these guys aren’t coming back; and I have to take a deep breath and keep driving on even though it makes me want to be sick. It's hard to imagine that there are people out there that STILL support our president's decision to go to/be in Iraq. I think all those supporters need to go to their local recruiting station and sign up. I can't read the Stars & Stripes newspaper anymore because it's full of stories of KIDs dying everyday--14 marines just yesterday and for what?? I’ve been here for almost a year and you’re right, things are worse than ever--despite what the spin factories say.
Keep your head up and keep talking.

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It's certainly valuable to read the candid views of a soldier, and Zechariah is to be applauded for openly speaking his mind. However, my complaint is that he is still a mercenary who participated in the destruction of a nation for his own anticipated gain. So you could compare Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld to the mob bosses, and he's the stooge. So when he realized that he was participating in a lie, and that his actions were making things worse for both the US and Iraq, did he initiate conscientious objector paperwork, stop work, or take any other positive action? No. He continued on, because that appeared to be the most likely path to ensure his personal gain.

No person is all good or all bad. But I won't "support" anyone for misguided good intentions or for continuing down a wrong path due to stubborness or selfishness. "Support the troops" is bunk. How about "support the peace movement", "support civil liberties", or "support the development of a sustainable economy".

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What is it with you people who think that joining the military means that soldiers should be expected to do ANYTHING they are told to do? Soldiers are still human beings, not mindless robots. If our government decided that all US citizens of Arab descent need to be exterminated, I pray to God that every last soldier in our military would stand up and refuse the order. I have the highest praise and respect for soldiers who speak out against the madness of our occupation of Iraq. I also have a young son stationed in Iraq, and you better believe I'm going to question our government's motives for putting his life in danger. Anyone who thinks that our soldiers have no right to question the military campaigns of our corrupt government must also have a great deal of respect for ruthless tyrants such as Saddam Hussein and Hitler.

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Even though my dad was absolutely in favor of me going in the military, especially because there was a war on, thought I should "defend our country" etc. he'd made enough money to send me to the best public highschool in town. We actually had a few teachers who tried to teach us to think critically, to be curious about the news behind the news etc. So by the time they tried to draft me I knew enough of the history of Vietnam to know an aggressive, injust, imperialistic and ultimately doomed war when I saw one. He would never have helped me get into the National Guard but thanks to the tools he unwittingly provided me I was able to avoid it.
For years I blamed the US soldiers over there. It was only after the war ended that I realized that few children of my parent's economic class went to Vietnam and even fewer went to the front lines. This realization helped put my virtue in perspective.

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These kinds of stories should be made into a PBS documentary. Soldiers usually have profound stories to tell, and it seems they can make their voices heard through a place like this and not on the netowrks-excluding Fox News who always try to put on a happy face.
This is from the heart-not told to an embbeded reporter. How many of us are even willing to use a gun and watch a high-calibre bullet rip a body to pieces? Or watch a bomb explode inside of a vehicle? Or see kids blown up in a house?
These kinds of episodes aren't happening in the United States, but war is nasty.
Yes, he did make a choice to serve, BUT no soldier deserves to be lied to. Iraq is a mess due to our government's campaign of deceit and greed.
I'm surprised "the troops" haven't rebelled yet. That would be the best way to end the sad story in Iraq and Afghanistan.
If we want to bring our loved ones home, they should lay down their weapons, leave their tanks and planes and walk home. I wouldn't even worry about a court-martial, because the damage our weapons have done crushed families and ruined a nation. When will this story end?

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At the beginning of this article the Editor indicated that as of 8-4-05 1,821 American troops have been killed in Iraq. I have seen this figure used in many postings, on many news sites, and on TV - even BPS. I recently came across an article (www.tbrnews.org/Archives/a1682.htm) that said that this figure only includes those troops that actually die on the ground in Iraq. It does not include those troops that died on the way to Germany, or died in Germany, or died after reaching the US. The TBR News article said that around 6,000 troops have died on the way to or in Germany. I have not done any additional research on this yet.

Is it true that 1,821 DOES NOT INCLUDE all the troops who have died of wounds received in Iraq?

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Sorry about the wrong title in the above post. This is my first time posting.

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Saddam Hussein had threatened to have Bathist loyalists set fire to the oil fields. The butcher of Baghdad would rather have them go up in flames than see them used for reconstruction of the nation under a new democratic form of government. He had a history of doing so--the Kuwaiti's were still putting out oil field fires and dealing with their economical, environmental, and political consequences years after Operation Desert Shield/Storm was concluded. (But I know "how 1990's" it is bring history into this forum.)

I understand the author being pissed--I would be too, if I were told to guard an oil well out in the middle of no-where during the middle of a war taking place around me. HOWEVER, putting angry young men with rifles on guard in these locations served the purpose of securing these strategic targets. Whether you agree with the war or not, allowing the Bathist terrorists to "light them as a beacon to Allah" would not have been beneficial under any circumstances. Your presence there prevented that from occuring; both Iraqi and the coalition forces are better for it than they would have been otherwise.

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Im fully aware that the oil wells are the primary source of income for the country of Iraq and I understand why it needs to be secured. The question is who is it being sold too, shipped too, and what price are they paying for it compared to the rest of the world? It just seems to weird that we put that much time, energy, money and lives into secureing oil wells to help rebuild a country when we are one of the worlds largest consumer/importers of oil and oil prices reaching an all time high. Also, China going through its own industrial revolution is now going to start putting a dent in the supply that we were hoping for to keep our economy going.

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The young man signed up before Iraq. He, like so many of our people, was lied to when he was sent.

There is no honor in our engagement in Iraq. The only reason I can ascertain that Bush went into Iraq was to get re-elected and to maintain Rep. leadership in Congress.

Now our young men and women pluse our allies are fighting and dying for one man's ambition, and one party's desire for power in government. There are also thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians dying everyday. There are also multible attacks occurring in our allies cities resulting in death and mayhem.

We have a choice! We can return the leadership of the Congress to the Democrats in ought six. Then we can elect a Commander-in-Chief who values human life in ought eight.

The young medic had no choice, but we do.

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Please! To those of you that have left comments saying that Zech is "complaining" and other things to that affect....
Placing aside the fact that Zech is a personal friend of mine, I think your comments are completely insensetive, and quite off point.
You say that he "knew what he was getting into" and is now complaining after the fact. This is rediculous. This is an INTERVIEW that means one person asks you questions and you answer truthfully. He did not go all over the internet posting blogs of his own complaining. He answered the questions posed to him in (for what I can tell ) the best and most honest way possible. Because what he had to say was not exactly positively directed towards the war, or his experience in the war, does not make him complaining. Obviously he knew when he signed up for the army that fighting could be a part of it. I do believe though that he says in the interview that he would be more than willing to defend his country, and that that isnt exactly what ended up happening. I agree. I dont think that anything that is being done over there is in the category of defending our country in any way shape or form. I can see how that would upset anyone who is expected to fight for someones agenda, and NOT for the safety of our country.

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Thank you for sharing your version of the war from your personal experience. Maybe this article will make some young person who may have considered enlisting think again. I don't know how Bush and crew can live with themselves. They lied to get us into this war, but it is the soldiers who pay the price.

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I wish this dude could have been with me in the third wave on Iwo Jima. That would have really taught him something about the "horrors" of war.

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It appears to me that the far right a holes have landed here en mass. Obviously assigned here because we are regarded as dangerous, because we speak the truth about this brutal senseless war. That makes me feel proud! I would like to personnaly apologize to all the soldiers over there from me and my family that we haven't done more to stop this idiotic war. I will do more. I won't shy away when some moron criticizes my "NO WAR" bumper sticker at the gas station...I'll proclaim that HE is in the minority opinion as I firmly beleive. Anyone who claims to be a veteran of this conflict, actually involved in battle, and still supports the war is obviously a LIAR and a coward. God help us all to stand our ground!

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Zech, thanks for your honesty and your willingness to speak out in public. I work with young people who are homeless or nearly so - 18 to 21, no job skills, no family support, recent GED's, very little exposure to the world. Lately, many have been talking about the promised signing bonuses, an unfathomable amount of money to them, and they have glorified visions of war based on action movies. I have printed out your interview and hope that it will have more of an impact on them than my words can.
Take care of yourself and your brother, keep talking and getting all the help you can, and know that your courage in speaking out may save some lives.

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there are many viewpoints and ideologies, this is what a democracy is supposed to be founded on. and while the conversation on wether this soldier "made his choice" or not has quite little to do with what the interview was actually covering. i find it disconcerting that the very people who argue for small government and freedom are also quick to shut down alternative viewpoints with authoratative control.
this was a VERY interesting perspective (and not unique, in my humble opinion), and what should be debated is the reasons behind WHY this soldier had to partake in this particular experience as opposed to wether he sould assume responsibility or not.
i thank the interviewee and interviewer for the article.

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I will not go into the anger that this article made me feel. All I will say is that my little brother served in the 173rd alongside this guy and I've heard a completely different version of events. He's still serving, in Afghanistan right now. Yes, he is tired of war, and yes, he wants nothing more than to come home to his wife and new baby, but he is completley commited to doing his job over there every day to the fullest extent he can. I AM PROUD OF HIM AND WHAT HE'S DONE AND CONTINUES TO DO! I will not insult the integrety of this soldier, I have the greatest respect for all that have served but I do not buy into his ideaology, or that of many others that have posted here. Please take the time to educate yourselves!

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bdawn...I was an army wife, an air force brat, and my son has served 2 tours in Iraq. That being said, I must say it is YOU that needs to be educated. Its time that the American people opened their eyes and demand that this senseless war in Iraq be stopped. The war in Afghanistan and the war in Iraq are two separate wars. I am proud of all our soldiers. I pray daily for them. But I am deeply and profoundly ashamed at our administration (particularly Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld)...for the lies they have told, for sending our husbands/wives/children into unspeakable horrors, for outing a CIA agent, and many other deceptions. PLEASE, come out of your naivete and blind patriotism and see what is really happening in our country and its impact on the rest of the world. They don't hate us for our freedoms or whatever else nonsense we've been fed. They hate us for invading their country and killing their innocent children and family members. They hate us for our greed and quest for oil. They hate us for a myriad of reasons. I had a hard time coming to grips with the fact that our government has lied to us, but the facts and Bush's actions speak loud and clear. As far as being "educated" I am sure I know far more than you about what is happening in the world. Have you read the Downing Street Minutes (all of them)? Have you read the 9/11 reports, CIA/FBI reports? Have you listened to the Conyers hearings? Do you even watch C-span? Do you listen to anything but Faux news? To Zech - thank you for your service to our country. Thank you for sharing your story. Thank you for your integrity and honesty. I'll pray for your healing.

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http://operationtruth.com/

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As a young Ranger Trained Infantry Officer in Vietnam I feel as if it is happening all over again. If you want to read his story as told some 30 years ago please visit our web page at www.warriorslament.com

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i really appreciate your story. i have two cousins who went to war and came back with similar sentiments. it infuriates me that the president cuts federal funding for financial aid and ads money to meaningless wars... its crazy because its almost as if its part of his plan to force working class people and poor people to have to serve in the military because they can't afford higher education... i know this is why my cousin's served... it is disgusting and he is an embarrasment to me as an american. i hope zachariah is able to realize his dream to become a nurse. a smart and thoughtful person like yourself shouldn't be suffering for something that isn't worth it. i'm so glad that he is telling his story to the americans who are too afraid to admit that we messed up by supporting a vendetta-- and a campaign to kill for blood to get oil.

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I was in Law Enforcement for 30 years. I saw many dispicable things by the public and many corrupt cops come and go. Should we end law enforcement or a war on crime because life is sometimes unfair and cruel? No, obviously that would be ridiculous. Many young people these days have unrealistic expectations about the world. It is meaner than you know, and they are not prepared for the cruelities of the world.

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Thank you so much for your honesty and your service. I made a short film that deals with the bind that soldiers are in, caught between why they joined and ideals of defending the foundations of America's founding fathers and the lies of the current government. By making film and speaking out and spreading the word, I hope we're able to effect some real change and support for returning soldiers.

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Thank you Celina and Zech for such an honest and enlightening article. Like so many others, I have a close friend who is now home from his time in Iraq. Zech, I heard you loud and clear when you said (excuse me for paraphrasing) that you really only want to spend time with your girlfriend and your brother, that you don't see your old friends very much. For those of us who are friends of soldiers, who care very deeply about them, what can we do? How should we respond? I, myself, want to reach out but hesistate because I don't want my friend to feel pressured or uncomfortable. I want to be able to listen if he talks, or not bring it up at all if he doesn't want to, but I don't even know where to begin. Reading your article, I just wanted to cry and pray that my own friend would just be ok. That he too would stop having nightmares and find some peace. I just feel so helpless as a friend, and quite guilty that I will never be able to relate to his horrible experiences or offer true comfort.
So, as the title says, "What's a friend to do?"
Any suggestions?

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Assuming that this story is legitimate, what troubles me are the visceral, emotional, and personal attacks that have been made by many of those who have chosen to respond. Zech has been skewered here by conservatives who have called him everything short of a traitorous Commie, and lambasted just as vocally from lefties who have labeled him everything from a mercenary to a baby killer. Both camps are absurd and their members should be ashamed of themselves.

If you haven't served in the military, you can never understand the emotional and psychological stress caused by the receipt of an order for a mission with which you do not agree. I have no patience for those who sit at home in the comfort of their living rooms and self-righteously decry my brothers in arms for "failing" to defy a lawful order. It just isn't that simple. Aside from the fact that you'll probably end up in jail, if you refuse your mission that means that your brothers have to go out and do it without you, without an integral member of the team that has trained together for months or years to get the job done. In short, disobeying a direct order is just about the easiest way to get a lot of your friends killed - especially if you're a medic like Zech.

I have even less patience for those who cheer the war from the sidelines but refuse to put their own lives on hold and in harm's way for a cause in which they hypocritically claim to believe. Put up or shut up.

When you sign your life over to the military, you do not sign away your conscience or your freedom to disagree. Today's battlefied demands soldiers who are morally intact. That means soldiers who are capable and willing to go to the emotional and intellectual effort to determine if what they are doing is right or wrong. To criticize a soldier for going through this process is an error.

I could say much more, but let me end by saying that Zech, I am proud of your service and your courage, both on the physical and ideological battlefields of this our War on Terror.

If you're interested, you can read about my story on my blog.

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To Zech...Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It took guts to open yourself up to criticism from both extremes. Good luck.

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Zech, you're a brave, courageous, honorable man. Tiffany, I wish the best for you and for your life with Zech. Stay together, support each other, and both of you will get better.

Zech, most of us who are anti-Iraq War really DO support you and your families; we simply don't support the war. We have respect for people willing to risk their lives for their country, even when they don't agree with the war. We are the silent majority of anti-war Americans, and we don't support terror. We feel genuine sorrow for every soldier who gets sacrificed for Bush's Oil.

God Bless the both of you. Whatever you do, disregard Flappy the Ignorant Chickenhawk Wonder.

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Zechariah has managed to stay on point throughout the entire discussion of his interview. Despite cheap shots at positions he never espoused, despite attempts to hijack the conversation, and even despite comments that directly impugn his intelligence and character.

What he has learned through his experiences and through his truthful examinations of his conscience could take several lifetimes to accomplish. His compassionate responses to people who's emotions were stirred by his words are a testimony to his mental "health". Not to overlook the fact that he is following a calling that he seems stupendously qualified for.

He can hold his head up high in the presence of anyone anywhere in this world, especially his brothers and sisters in the military, and specifically those whom he served during his tour of duty in Iraq. His commitment as a healer is unquestionable. That commitment should continue to increase his skill in the healing arts every day for the remainder of his life.

This young man's character and values should be what we think of when we hear the term "Pro-Life".

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Let's understand our enemy. Osama Bin Laden's hatred for the west began in the early 90's. During the first gulf war, the US built military bases in Saudi Arabia. For those who don't know, this is considered to be holy land by those who live there. Many Saudi's at the time were filled with hatred, that the US would have the moxy to occupy and build bases on their holy land. Osama was just one of thousands. Now we are at it again, occupying other holy lands in the Middle East. Now Iraq has rejected it's current secular constitution, in favor of becoming an islamist republic. An Islamist republic, right next to Saudi Arabia. For decades Iraq had at least been a sovreign country with a secular constitution. It's funny that we supposedly want a democratically free Iraq. A truly democratic Iraq would be the most Anti-American, Anti-Israel, and Anti-woman place on Earth. Is that really what we are fighting for? Is that really what we want? What about the thousands more Osamas we are creating by occupying their holy lands all over again. Remember Timothy McVeigh, gulf war vet? Terrorist? He felt he had been used by the government in the Gulf War. He came home from war with such a hateful fury of our own government he decided to kill hundreds of innocent Americans with his own IED. Of course I beleive the troops are noble and brave and heroic. BUT SOME WILL BE CRAZY when they come home. I promise. Mark my words, in ten years time there will be a thousand more Osama's and a thousand more McVeighs.

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I am Zechariah's mother. Thank you for giving him the opportunity to speak. Speaking out gives him power and helps him work through the nightmare he went through and continues to go through. It also educates other about the reality of this mess we call "Operation Iraqi Freedom."

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Well.... I had to see it all for myself. I'm truly appauled! Before the uneducated attacks begin on me let me introduce myself. My name is Brandon. I am IN the 173rd under in the 1st Battalion 508th Infantry (ABN) currently IN Afghanistan. This is my second combat deployment. My first just so happend to be in Iraq. I am the brother of bdawn. Don't believe it, look it up or feel free to email me and I will direct you to an official website that comfirms all of this thus far. Oh.....Where to begin......

Lets start with the difference of FACT and FICTION.
I wont insult anyone's intelligence with the Webster's definition however, I will use the current context of this discussion to restore the synergy of the two.
First: Fact this soildier was deployed to combat(Zech) I know this, I looked it up in my personnel resources.
Fiction: The priority of our mission was to protect the oil fields.
Fact: We were there to participate in removing a Dictator that was killing his own people and on the verge of creating his own civil war.
Fact: A Terrorist is A Terrorist is A Terrorist
Fact: The United States is at War to Combat Terrorism
Fiction: A soldier's job is to know everything his Chain of Command Does.
Fact: A soldier is given order and is expected to execute them without regard to his life, nor does he question the Officers appointed over him. All of this in accordance with the Oath of Enlistment, which is voluntary.
Fact: We did not know how long we were going to be in combat. A solder is instructed to pack as much as they are told to, be that 90 days or 9.
Fiction: We were lied to about our mission.
Fact: Everyone is entitled to thier own opinion.
Fiction: Upon the redeployment of our Unit to our home station in Italy we were harassed and attacked with eggs.
FACT!!!! We were welcomed into the open arms of our friends and families that prayed for our success and safe return daily!!!

I have to comment on this before I prepare for the rebuke that surely will come: Zech stated that we were guarding the oil refineries in the north. This is not entirely accurate. In combat operations, the terrain and surrounding facilities serve as GROUND TO GAIN. Once secure and protcted from destruction, we moved on.

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Yes, there were US personnel present in those facilities but they were either maintaing it's operation or protecting those that did. My point is nearing.... Also stated in the article was that the oil field were our primary mission and not about the pople. Read on, it states there were offorts made to resupply the local schools. Sounds like help to me. Oh wait..it was, I was there.
FALSE "Orders would come down from some officer sitting in an office that had never left the wire and had no idea how the city and its people and the insurgents work."
FACT: This COMMANDER( look it up) is upholding his duty by issuing orders to his subordinates and his orders are unquestionably expected to be executed. Also Fact: The commander has a mobile command element that comprises of his primamy staff. This mobile command element LEAVES THE WIRE to retain situational awareness during ground operations. During these events the staff conduct "Leader Engagements" with the locals through the use of interpreters to gain information or just to get an opinion on what these people would like to see improvements on for the purpose of reconstruction efforts. I would know, I'm primary staff. I leave the "WIRE" quite often durion operations and regardless of the fact that I'm not an Officer or a Commander I understand something called the BURDEN OF COMMAND (look it up). Sometimes it's a double edged razor. Commander have to be able to make a decision for the sake of the Greater Good. A Commander is human like everyone else, fallable. The statement about " "making slight" changes to plans so that it would be more safe for their men" is just plain insubordination. Again I refer to "Without Regard to Personal Safety." That is the duty of a soldier, and it is completely voluntary. You have a choice, sign or don't sign. If you do sign, your pride for what you have done for YOUR COUNTRY and for THE GREATER GOOD should be all you need, NOT the opinions of other people for thier lack of information. This "Former" soldier, apparently, is not proud of his accomplishments or his service. If he was, there wouldn't be so much fallacy in his statement, bitterness for his sacrifices (which I feel the need to state it's a duty to do the job that others wont or are uncapeable of), or blatant admittance to his agreed insubordination. I welcome any rebuttal, personal responses or questions. brandon.d.bates@us.army.mil

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Really? As I European with journalist connections I consider pretty well informed and I have yet to find a spot in Europe where US soldiers returning from Iraq are cheered and welcomed with cold beer by a general population. Plus I just happen to live in a country neighbouring Italy and I am quite familiar with Italian views.

Here is a clue, prostitutes hanging around US bases are common thing in Europe and they don't represent the general population.

In case you haven't noticed America isn't very popular here and many American civilians receive unnecessary flak, and for that I am really sorry. However, US troops are a different batch all together and they are seen as annoyance at best and as intruders at worst.

“Cheers and open arms!” Aye, maybe in 1945 but that was 60 years ago and now, in the light of Iraq, US troops are seen as more akin to German Panzers then to Allies of WWII. And there is that tiny fact that most Europeans, especially Italians and Germans, would love to get rid of US military bases and so cheering the troops stationed in those bases might be a tad of a stretch.

Not to mention that the vast majority of Italians are against the war, unlike Berlusconi's government that gambled all on Iraq and now faces crushing defeat in next elections.

So either you are making it up or your brother has real perception problems.

And leave Zechariah alone, he earned the right to speak his mind.

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Ahh, so you are the one with obvious spelling and perception problems? (I am refering to brandon.bates.)

I will just limit my comments on your thinking process with:

FACT: Europeans don't like US troops (to put it mildly).

FICTION: Europeans welcome US troops returning from Iraq with cheers and beer.

That is if I didn't miss something from the eloquent posts Mr. Bates' brother posted before. As far as I am aware of, his main argument was that Zechariah's version is not credible due to the alleged fallacy of the described Italian episode. Let us just forget that the question of Italians hissing and booing US troops really have little impact on the rest of Zechariah's story.

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As I read this soldiers story I can't help but think of the stories of all the soldiers I know.. and pray to god that they do not end up one of the many who have died.. or will die as this insanity continues. I cannot help but think of one of my closest friends little sister. Someone else stated that they are all making the choice to join the army... and yes Yvonne made that choice, quite proudly. She was promised that upon completing boot camp, she would spend 3 years in Italy, without out ever seeing a day in the hell that has become Iraq. About two weeks ago, we were told that within weeks of completing boot camp she will be shipped off to Iraq, 18, and fresh out of high school in our small town. At first, I found myself questiong those who did not support the war.... Now after reading the stories of this soldier, hearing the experiences of my friends, and those of the many others who have died, including a childhood friend of mine, I cant help but wonder what in gods name we are doing there. Yvonne, and the countless other friends I now have (including a cousin who has done a tour of duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan) are spending their days praying that they won't be the next addition to the rapidly rising cost of human life this war has accumulated while Bush spends is spending his days on vacation at his ranch... somehow it doesn't seem that he is worried in the least bit about our faimly members, childhood friends and loved ones who are risking their life by simply being there... and for what? These kids don't even know what the hell they are fighting for... I find it incredibly hard to support a man who supports the death of my friends and family or someone elses, not to mention the uncounted, unmentioned Iraqis who didnt ask for us to "liberate" them.

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Some how you think you know me and know my experiences in Iraq. Did you serve side by side with me for my tour there? Who are you to write about me being a liar. Our primary objective when entering Kirkuk was to secure the oil fields, was it not? Maybe not the 508th since I wasn't with you! I have the pictures to prove it, if I could post them on this site. It doesn't say that our entire tour was spent guarding oil wells. You and your relative need to read my article, carefully, and not jump to conclusions. Im not trying to write an attacking comment but its hard to sit here while someone is calling me a liar. Your relative posted the positive things we did there, like I hadn't already said that in the article. I didn't say we did anything bad, but I can get really detailed with all of the "really nice" things soldiers did to Iraqis. Just to hit the tip of the iceberg, explain to these readers what a drop gun is. Also, you said you checked the records and seem to know who I am. If so, you would know that I didn't come back with your unit or the mainbody. When I returned home, I spent that first Saturday, confined to my house off post because there was an anti-american protest that stretced along the whole back side of the base and had completely closed off that road. They even locked the base down so no one could come or go for safety reasons. Explain to me how that was an "open arms" welcome. Ive got a lot more to respond to but I have some plans that I need to attend to.
I really wish you hadn't put your email on here, if you havn't noticed yet, there are a lot of emotional people writing here about the war, and you would be a "nice" person to vent to. Im not trying to be a smarta%$, Im just trying to keep you from some extra crap you don't need on your deployment.

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some good links:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/iraq/

What this administration doesn't want you to see - the realities of war:

http://www.thememoryhole.org/war/wounded/gallery.htm
http://www.robert-fisk.com/iraqwarvictims_mar2003.htm
http://www.dahrjamailiraq.com/gallery/
http://www.web-light.nl/VISIE/extremedeformities.html
http://www.antiwar.com/news/?articleid=2444
http://www.undermars.com/gallery59.html

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Hmm Didnt Osama Bin Laden publicly endorse John Kerry at election time? I wonder why he did that. Could it be that he knew that liberals were soft on crime and terror?

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Since the two of them, if indeed they are two individual persons, seem to compliment each other so well I don’t think there is any reason to address them separately.

Aye, I know about prostitutes hovering in droves around US military bases since I worked as a journalist and a German colleague was doing a piece of them, plus I saw it first hand in Bosnia also.

As for my note on Italian welcome, I have neither time nor patience to argue with every point of your drivel because all of it has been said before. It is using an argument against the official American military propaganda and it resembles arguing with Dr. Goebbels.

And yes, I read all your drivel and it made me smirk. Sorry, I would laugh but I saw it refuted so many times from so many different quarters that I really couldn’t find it very humorous. It is like looking one of Jim Carry’s movies twenty times all over, although his infantile sketches have more sustenance then your posts.

Permit me to congratulate to Mr. Afghan Bates on his definition of bonapartism. Very nice, you unmasked me completely and now I am so ashamed.

Unfortunately my alias here is a result of the fact I studied Napoleonic history and I did my MA on Marx’s critique of Napoleon III, so that pseudo seemed as good as any other. You got yours from Psycho movie and Norman Bates, right?

Actually I am a European social democrat, you know, like Chirac and Schroeder – the guys who don’t support your little American colonial venture. Now go and read Stars and Stripes so you can wash the leftie contamination from your eyes.

Ahh, but don’t get discouraged, I loved “French losers” comment. Now lecture me how Europe would still speak German if Americans didn’t arrive and I might remind you that US would be a third rate British colony had not the French arrived at Yorktown.

I presume France is a loser when compared with American successes like Korea, Vietnam and now Iraq. “War on Terror” (Sorry – “Global Struggle Against Violent Extremism” according to fresh definition) in particular is a giant success with terrorism rising after Iraqi occupation for just 300%, well done! And let us not forget great American domestic successes of increasing debt, shrinking job market and diminishing civil rights. Aye, with successes like that I would prefer to be with losers.

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this quote is for bdawn:
"The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them."
-- George Orwell, writer

All propaganda must be so popular and on such an intellectual level, that even the most stupid of those toward whom it is directed will understand it... Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way around, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise. - Adolf Hitler

‘Let us pray in this hour that nothing can divide us, and that God will help us against the Devil! Almighty Lord, bless our fight!’-Adolph Hitler to the SA in 1930

"The great masses of people will more easily fall victims to a big lie than to a small one. Especially if it is repeated over and over."-- Adolph Hitler

"It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder." --Albert Einstein

"Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people, who have a right and a desire to know; but besides this, they have a right, an indisputable, unalienable, indefeasible, divine right to know that most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge, I mean of the characters and conduct of their rulers." —John Adams

The President, Vice-President, and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." —Constitution of the United States

“The citizen who sees his society’s democratic clothes being worn out and does not cry it out, is not a patriot, but a traitor.” --Mark Twain


"How dare Americans allow their government to cause such misery [in the world]."-- Ramsey Clark, former United States Attorney General

" History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people. "
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

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“You see, when a nation threatens another nation the people of the latter forget their factionalism, their local antagonisms, their political differences, their suspicions of each other, their religious hostilities, and band together as one unit. Leaders know that, and that is why so many of them whip up wars during periods of national crisis, or when the people become discontented and angry. The leaders stigmatize the enemy with every vice they can think of, every evil and human depravity. They stimulate their people’s natural fear of all other men by channeling it into a defined fear of just certain men, or nations. Attacking another nation, then, acts as a sort of catharsis, temporarily, on men’s fear of their immediate neighbors. This is the explanation of all wars, all racial and religious hatreds, all massacres, and all attempts at genocide.” --Taylor Caldwell, "The Devil’s Advocate" (1952) - pg. 299

"The greatest purveyor of violence on earth is my own government." -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

"The U.S. can destroy Iraq's highways, but not build its own; create the conditions for epidemic in Iraq, but not offer health care to millions of Americans. It can excoriate Iraqi treatment of the Kurdish minority, but not deal with domestic race relations; create homelessness abroad but not solve it here; keep a half million troops drug free as part of a war, but refuse to fund the treatment of millions of drug addicts at home.... We shall lose the war after we have won it."
-- Marilyn Young, historian, talking about US government values and priorities

"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me." -- Martin Niemoller, German anti-Nazi pastor during World War II

We must teach our children ... to resolve their conflicts with words, not weapons. " President Clinton

"Propaganda is to a democracy what violence is to a dictatorship."-- William Blum, Rogue State

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"We are not hated because we practice democracy, value freedom, or uphold human rights. We are hated because our government denies these things to people in Third World countries whose resources are coveted by our multinational corporations. That hatred we have sown has come back to haunt us in the form of terrorism and in the future, nuclear terrorism." -- Robert Bowman, Vietnam Veteran, presently bishop of the United Catholic Church in Melbourne Beach, FL., from The National Catholic Reporter, Oct. 2, 1998

Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men. "
-- Martin Luther King, Jr

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in a final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed—those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending its money alone—it is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children."
—Dwight Eisenhower, Speech (1953)

"War is delightful to those who have not experienced it."
—Erasmus

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"Where is it written in the Constitution, in what article or section is it contained, that you may take children from their parents and parents from their children, and compel them to fight the battles of any war in which the folly and wickedness of the government may engage itself?

"Under what concealment has this power lain hidden, which now for the first time comes forth, with a tremendous and baleful aspect, to trample down and destroy the dearest right of personal liberty? Who will show me any Constitutional injunction which makes it the duty of the American people to surrender everything valuable in life, and even life, itself, whenever the purposes of an ambitious and mischievous government may require it? . . .

"A free government with an uncontrolled power of military conscription is the most ridiculous and abominable contradiction and nonsense that ever entered into the heads of men." —Daniel Webster, Speech in the House of Representatives, January 14, 1814

Classic War Quote by Benjamin Franklin - "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"

"Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar."

How easy to forget that our [United States] own war for independence was largely fought by "irregulars" condemned as terrorists by the British..."Rebert Scheer, Los Angeles Times, April 1, 2003

"The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth becomes the greatest enemy of the State." -- Dr. Joseph M. Goebbels

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Americans are incensed at Al-Jazeera's broadcasting of piles of bloodied civilians and American POWs. But it's not sensitivity. It's self-righteous cowardice. It's also quite simple: If viewers are not disgusted by the images they see, if they're not sick to their stomachs & wracked with insomnia, if their faith in humanity isn't shaken to the core from watching the war news, then they're not seeing the war. They're watching a version as dehumanized as those blurry green shapes scurrying across a night-vision device before being evaporated. They're watching high-tech propaganda. In that sense, the coverage of Al-Jazeera has been more honest than most of American media's Goebbels-gobbled reporting. Al-Jazeera's coverage disturbs. It angers. It keeps you up nights. As it should. War isn't "The Tonight Show" with bombs. Nor is an Iraqi victim any less sacred, any less deplorable, than an American. P Tristam, ed writer, 4-1-03, Daytona Beach News-Journal

"Aerosol DU (Depleted Uranium) exposures to soldiers on the battlefield could be significant with potential radiological & toxicological effects. [...] Under combat conditions, the most exposed individuals are probably ground troops that re-enter a battlefield following the exchange of armour-piercing munitions. [...] We are simply highlighting the potential for levels of DU exposure to military personnel during combat that would be unacceptable during peacetime operations. [...DU is..]... a low level alpha radiation emitter which is linked to cancer when exposures are internal, [&] chemical toxicity causing kidney damage. [...] Short term effects of high doses can result in death, while long term effects of low doses have been linked to cancer. [...] Our conclusion regarding the health and environmental acceptability of DU penetrators assume both controlled use and the presence of excellent health physics management practices. Combat conditions will lead to the uncontrolled release of DU. [...] The conditions of the battlefield, and the long term health risks to natives and combat veterans may become issues in the acceptability of the continued use of DU kinetic penetrators for military applications." Excerpts from the July 1990 Science and Applications International Corporation report: -These documents state clearly & equivocally that the US army was well aware of the radioactive and toxic dangers of Depleted Uranium ammunition long before the first shots of the war were fired.

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That is a very impressive list of quotations, excellent work ladyfrancesca. Permit me to add a pair of my own.

"Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood.

But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.

Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."

&

"Shoot first and ask questions later, and don't worry, no matter what happens, I will protect you."

Hermann Göring, (1893-1946) Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, President of the Reichstag, Prime Minister of Prussia and, as Hitler's designated successor, the second man in the Third Reich.

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Thank you Zech for sharing your story. Besides making sure you get the help you need for your emotional/psychological battles, are you writing your congressperson? All of us who oppose this war need to speak to the people that represent us and share our frustration over the lack of an exit strategy, and our intolerance with the current administrations continuing lies as to why we are there. Zech, I'm confident that you could not have even imagined what it would be like when you joined the service, or you wouldn't have joined. Be willing to forgive yourself for those you lost because you did your best. We can't change yesterdays. Your healing is a one day at a time experience. I wish you the best.

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Great story............BUT.
I wonder how many fighting men that stormed Iwo Jima beach didn't like where they were or what they were doing?
The job of the armed forces is to obey your comander in chiefs orders.
That hapens to be George Bush.

I was on that beach, watching buddies die is not a pleasant thing. We never questioned our president.
Just my 2 cents.

OH, thanks again for all you have done. 90% of the people who post here don't have the nuts to join the military in the fisrt place.

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“Who could have possibly envisioned an erection — an election in Iraq at this point in history?" —George W. Bush, at the white House, Washington, D.C., Jan. 10, 2005

"But we will bring the weapons and, of course—we will bring the information forward on the weapons when they find them. And that will end up — end all this speculation. I understand there has been a lot of speculation over in Great Britain, we've got a little bit of it here, about whether or not the—whether or not the actions were based upon valid information. We can debate that all day long, until the truth shows up." —Bush, unwavering in his certainty that one way or another WMDs will appear in Iraq. Source: The White House, "President Bush, Prime Minister Blair Discuss War on Terrorism," July 17, 2003

"This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. And having said that, all options are on the table." —George W. Bush, Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 22, 2005

"Tribal sovereignty means that; it's sovereign. I mean, you're a — you've been given sovereignty, and you're viewed as a sovereign entity. And therefore the relationship between the federal government and tribes is one between sovereign entities." —George W. Bush, speaking to minority journalists, Washington, D.C., Aug. 6, 2004

"We actually misnamed the war on terror. It ought to be the Struggle Against Ideological Extremists Who Do Not Believe in Free Societies Who Happen to Use Terror as a Weapon to Try to Shake the Conscience of the Free World." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Aug. 6, 2004

"We do know that Saddam Hussein had the intent and the capabilities to cause great harm. We know he was a great danger….What we don't know yet is what we thought and what the Iraqi Survey Group has found, and we want to look at that." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C. Feb. 2, 2004

"We ended the rule of one of history's worst tyrants, and in doing so we not only freed the American people, we made our own people more secure." —Bush, on regime change in the United States. Source: Federal Document Clearinghouse, "President George W. Bush and Australian Prime Minister John Howard Hold Joint Media Availability," May 3, 2003

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"We look forward to analyzing and working with legislation that will make — it would hope — put a free press's mind at ease that you're not being denied information you shouldn't see." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 14, 2005

“Our enemies...never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”

"It seemed like to me they based some of their decisions on the word of — and the allegations — by people who were held in detention, people who hate America, people that had been trained in some instances to disassemble — that means not tell the truth." —George W. Bush, on an Amnesty International report on prisoner abuse at Guantanamo Bay, Washington, D.C., May 31, 2005

"The best place for the facts to be done is by somebody who's spending time investigating it." —George W. Bush, on the probe into how CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity was leaked, Washington D.C., July 18, 2005

"The relations with, uhh — Europe are important relations, and they've, uhh — because, we do share values. And, they're universal values, they're not American values or, you know — European values, they're universal values. And those values — uhh — being universal, ought to be applied everywhere." —George W. Bush, at a press conference with European Union dignitaries, Washington, D.C., June 20, 2005


"And I know something about being a government. And you've got a good one." Source: FDCH Political Transcripts, "Remarks by the President at Arkansas Welcome, Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport," Nov. 4, 2002

"And so during these holiday seasons, we thank our blessings." —George W. Bush, Fort Belvoir, Va., Dec. 10, 2004

"And when we find children trapped in schools which will not teach and will not change, as a society we must demand something better, because there is no second-rate children in America." Source: Federal Document Clearing House, "Remarks by the President at Chris Chocola for Congress, and Indiana Victory 2002 Finance Dinner," Sept. 5, 2002

"Coalition forces have encountered serious violence in some areas of Iraq. Our military commanders report that this violence is being insticated by three groups." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 13, 2004

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"First, let me make it very clear, poor people aren't necessarily killers. Just because you happen to be not rich doesn't mean you're willing to kill."

"I believe we are called to do the hard work to make our communities and quality of life a better place." —George W. Bush, Collinsville, Ill., Jan. 5, 2005

"I have a record in office, as well. And all Americans have seen that record. September the 4th, 2001, I stood in the ruins of the Twin Towers. It's a day I will never forget." —George W. Bush, Marlton, New Jersey, Oct. 18, 2004

"I hope you leave here and walk out and say, 'What did he say?'" —George W. Bush, Beaverton, Oregon, Aug. 13, 2004

"I mentioned early on that I recognize there are hurdles, and we're going to achieve those hurdles." Source: Federal News Service, "Remarks by President
George W. Bush," Jan. 22, 2003

"I repeat, personal accounts do not permanently fix the solution." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 16, 2005

"I should have clarified it by my statement. I just clarified it by my—not should have—I just." —Bush, trying to clarify a statement. Source: FDCH Political Transcripts, "George W. Bush Holds Media Availability with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi," Sept. 14, 2002

"I think it's very important for the American President to mean what he says. That's why I understand that the enemy could misread what I say. That's why I try to be as clearly I can." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 23, 2004

"I was a prisoner too, but for bad reasons." —George W. Bush, to Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, on being told that all but one of the Argentine delegates to a summit meeting were imprisoned during the military dictatorship, Monterrey, Mexico, Jan. 13, 2004

"I was proud the other day when both Republicans and Democrats stood with me in the Rose Garden to announce their support for a clear statement of purpose, "You disarm, or we will.'" —Bush, speaking about Saddam Hussein. Source: FDCH Political Transcripts, "George W. Bush Delivers Remarks at a Sununu for Senate Fundraiser," Oct. 5, 2002

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"I'm also not very analytical. You know I don't spend a lot of time thinking about myself, about why I do things." —Bush, reassuring us that the wartime president of the most powerful nation on earth does not think too much. Source: Federal Document Clearing House, "Roundtable Interview of the President by White House Press Pool," June 4, 2003

"I'm honored to shake the hand of a brave Iraqi citizen who had his hand cut off by Saddam Hussein." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 25, 2004

"I'm perfectly comfortable in telling you, our country is one that safeguards human rights and human dignity, and we resolve our disputes in a peaceful way."
-"In terms of timetables, as quickly as possible — whatever that means." —George W. Bush, on his time frame for shoring up Social Security, Washington D.C., March 16, 2005

"In terms of timetables, as quickly as possible — whatever that means." —George W. Bush, on his time frame for shoring up Social Security, Washington D.C., March 16, 2005

"It seemed like to me they based some of their decisions on the word of — and the allegations — by people who were held in detention, people who hate America, people that had been trained in some instances to disassemble — that means not tell the truth." —George W. Bush, on an Amnesty International report on prisoner abuse at Guantanamo Bay, Washington, D.C., May 31, 2005

"It will take time to restore chaos and order—but we—order out of chaos." —Bush, speaking to reporters about the situation in Iraq. Source: Federal Document Clearing House, "President George W. Bush Delivers Remarks Regarding POWS," April 13, 2003

"It's a time of sorrow and sadness when we lose a loss of life." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 21, 2004

"It's in our country's interests to find those who would do harm to us and get them out of harm's way." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 28, 2005

"I've got very good relations with President Mubarak and Crown Prince Abdullah and the King of Jordan, Gulf Coast countries." —Bush, confusing the Gulf Coast with the Persian Gulf Source: Public Papers of the Presidents, "Interview With Print Journalists," June 2, 2003

"Justice ought to be fair." —George W. Bush, speaking at the White House Economic Conference, Washington, D.C., 12-15, 2004

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"More Muslims have died at the hands of killers than — I say more Muslims — a lot of Muslims have died — I don't know the exact count — at Istanbul. Look at these different places around the world where there's been tremendous death and destruction because killers kill." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jan. 29, 2004

"Now that I've got the will of the people at my back, I'm going to start enforcing the one-question rule." "Again, he violated the one-question rule right off the bat. Obviously you didn't listen to the will of the people." —Laying down the law at the post-election press conference, Nov. 4, 2004.

"One of the most meaningful things that's happened to me since I've been the governor — the president — governor — president. Oops. Ex-governor. I went to Bethesda Naval Hospital to give a fellow a Purple Heart, and at the same moment I watched him—get a Purple Heart for action in Iraq — and at that same — right after I gave him the Purple Heart, he was sworn in as a citizen of the United States — a Mexican citizen, now a United States citizen." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jan. 9, 2004

"Recession means that people's incomes, at the employer level, are going down, basically, relative to costs, people are getting laid off." —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Feb. 19, 2004

"See, free nations do not develop weapons of mass destruction."—So W., does this mean the U.S. is not a free nation?...Source: The Chicago Sun-Times, Oct. 13, 2003

"The best place for the facts to be done is by somebody who's spending time investigating it." —George W. Bush, on the probe into how CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity was leaked, Washington D.C., July 18, 2005

"The Iraqi regime is a threat to any American and to threats who are friends of America." Source: Federal Document Clearing House, "President Rallies Troops at Fort Hood," Jan. 3, 2003

"The relations with, uhh — Europe are important relations, and they've, uhh — because, we do share values. And, they're universal values, they're not American values or, you know — European values, they're universal values. And those values — uhh — being universal, ought to be applied everywhere." —George W. Bush, at a press conference with European Union dignitaries, Washington, D.C., June 20, 2005

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"There's an old saying in Tennessee—I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee—that says: Fool me once, shame on [pause] shame on you. [Pause] Fool me [long, uncomfortable, agonizing pause] you can't get fooled again."
"We're going to have a White House forum there in Washington, D.C., obviously—that's where the White House is ..." Source: FDCH Political Transcripts, "George W. Bush Participates in Pledge Across America," Sept. 17, 2002

"When a drug comes in from Canada, I wanna make sure it cures ya, not kill ya... I've got an obligation to make sure our government does everything we can to protect you. And one — my worry is that it looks like it's from Canada, and it might be from a third world." —George W. Bush, second presidential debate, St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 8, 2004

"With the campaign over, Americans are expecting a bipartisan effort and results. I'll reach out to everyone who shares our goals." —In Bush's first press conference after the election on Nov. 4, 2004.

"You work three jobs? … Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that." —George W. Bush, to a divorced mother of three, Omaha, Nebraska, Feb. 4, 2005

‘I said you were a man of peace. I want you to know I took immense crap for that." —Bush, speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon

“Our enemies...never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”

“There was a good news story in Mississippi. I went down there and—it wasn't because of me, it was because the doctors and the citizens understand the cost of a trial system gone array and they got themselves a law." Source: Federal Document Clearing House, "President Calls for Medical Liability Reform," Jan. 16, 2003

“Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." —George W. Bush, Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004

I hear there's rumors on the Internets that we're going to have a draft." —George W. Bush, second presidential debate, St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 8, 2004 (Watch video or listen to audio)

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You disappoint me. I'm glad to hear you are recieving treatment. If you were still a soldier, I would push to have you Chaptered out. Oh, and since you have no pride for what you have done for your Country and what your fellow soldiers are still trying to accomplish for the GREATER GOOD, your awards and decoration mean jack, they give you as much as you put into them. Even when you are a civillian again.

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Nobody is about to offer Brandon.Bates any psychiatric help. His thinking is exactly where it's supposed to be. He's on the job right now and has to be willing to lay his life on the line for what he needs to believe is the safety of not only the citizens of the USA, but of the world. And he's proud of himself for that, probably more proud than ever before in his life.

So get off the kid's ass and look to your own liberties, because it's pretty obvious that the US Military is otherwise engaged. The Bush administration has taken a page from the Saudis' book of governance... Stir the population up about the devil enemy and then steal them blind.

Of course these military adventures are about oil. Number One and Number Two are both oil prospectors. Number One just wasn't able to make it work until now. He's kind of a dim bulb, right? But all the Bushisms just endear him to all the millions of inarticulate dumbasses with visions of a get rich scheme right around the corner.

Stop asking your president to protect you from terrorism. He can't. Stop asking your representatives to assure you safe passage in this world. They don't care about you. And don't expect brandon.bates to protect your freedoms. He has his orders.

Do something kind for someone, lift them up, make an effort to not be an asshole. Put two dollars in your pocket every day and give it to a beggar. Tip your barrista or your bartender more than you have been. Stop driving everywhere. Make your kids run to soccer practice. I don't know, I'm sure you can think of something appropriate to your circumstances.

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Last week, Bush again brushed off polls showing his public approval ratings are the lowest of his presidency, saying a politician who made decisions based on polls would be "a miserable leader."

Reminded that power is perception, Bush scoffed, "Power is being president."

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White House officials are touchy about criticism of Bush's traditional August break, because most Americans don't get five weeks of vacation a year, nor do they have access to Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland where Bush sometimes spends weekends.

In all, Bush has made 49 trips to Crawford for a total of about 325 days since he took office.

A recent poll commissioned by the travel Web site Expedia.com found most Americans get about 12 vacation days a year. The average American, according to the poll, will use all but three of those days.

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The Hell Pizza billboards have been erected around Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand. Half of the poster is taken up with a photo of the president and the other half has the phrase 'Hell: Too Good For Some Evil Bastards.'

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/ New_Zealand_billboard_causes_stir_Being_revie_0807.html

(cut and paste the link, then eliminate the space between 2005/ and New Zealand)

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As I read the different threads available in this website I see a distinct lack of tolerance that is disappointing. As a 15 year veteran of the United States Army, I do not agree with everything I read here. I do, however, respect the right of everyone to espouse their viewpoint without having their manhood, sanity, or patriotism questioned. I was brought up to believe that when one finds oneself relegated to making personal attacks upon the the individual rather than factual arguments pertinent to the discussion, it is an indicator of losing the 'discussion' as well as one's self-control. Now, as to the title of this post. George Orwell was attributed with having made this statement and, whether he was the originator or not, it is inescapably true. "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."

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A terrorist is a terrorist is a terrorist. Right? It's easiest to tell through the scope of a rifle. Terrorists are the ones with the brown skin.

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A terrorist is a terrorist is a terrorist. Right? It's easiest to tell through the scope of a rifle. Terrorists are the ones with the brown skin.

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Zech, welcome home brother. Your Q&A struck a chord with me as I had very similar thoughts and experiences 14 years ago and that was nowhere near as rough as this go round.

I too joined the service because my family had zero money for help with college. I was alos more than content to serve my fellow countrymen and fight for their percieved freedoms should the need come up.

But I knew why we were really there back then (while other places had problems too) and I know why we are really there now. "He who controls the spice...."

Lesson learned. We joined the military and now know that we were considered corporate mercs by greedy, self serving men and women in places like Washington or Houston from day one. Nothing more, nothing less.

Keep your sights on school and your support net and you'll be putting the pain of this behind you sooner than you know. The memories will always, always be there. Good and bad. I can already tell that you will learn to use it to your advantage to be a bigger and better human on this crazy 3rd rock.

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"Fact: A soldier is given order and is expected to execute them without regard to his life, nor does he question the officers appointed over him."

Brandon, this is a quotation from one of your earlier posts. I know you are in a difficult situation right now and you may have to tell yourself this to get through. When you have a moment, think about what this means. This is exactly what Nazi soldiers were telling themselves as they were leading innocent people--children even--to gas chambers.
This was not an arguement our government accepted at the Nuremberg trials. And it is not a rationale any democratic nation can accept and hope to survive.
I hope for the best for you. Stay safe and come home to your family.

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The Blade, Toledo, Ohio Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

In spite of expressions of determination by President Bush and members of his administration to stay the course, the flow of bad news out of Iraq indicates that it is a mess which will get worse before it gets better. ...

It is increasingly clear that this war will not be won in any way that can be discerned as victory, and, in the meantime, it is draining America's blood away, in the lives of our soldiers and in resources that could be used to meet other needs.

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/news/editorial/12239696.htm

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He's turning Iraq into a RED state:

http://www.airfarceone.net/bleader.html

http://www.seedsofdoubt.com/distressedamerican/American-Heartbreak-Medium.gif

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Check this out:

An Open Letter to the Mainstream Media


At this juncture, to be discussing Beltway politics at all is disgusting. It implies business as usual. And we are not amidst a time of business as usual; we're surging full throttle towards catastrophe. The underhanded, amoral, slash and burn politics of Rove, Bush et al warrants nothing short of sustained outrage - torches and pitchforks - blazing headlines filled with extreme verbiage. And you, Mainstream Media, are responsible for these monsters. We citizens, unfortunately, mostly accept the status quo that you sell us. And the status quo you've been selling the last few years, is a steaming platter of horseshit.

This administration passes out big brown bags filled with the stuff, and all you can think to do with it is heat and serve...

more

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I am a soldier.
I was your hero.
I protected You against terror,
from a never to be known enemy;
supposedly, trying to kill us.

I had to go to war,
while You stayed home.
I fought valiantly,
while You were afraid and relieved.
I got traumatized, injured, or killed;
while You got peace of mind (or did You)?

You made money for those who own You.
You played big brother to an ancient evil, and protected them.
You supported oppressive regimes in the Middle East.
You tried to switch people’s souls,
by saving them from nothing.
You covered up the mistakes of Your father.
You lied all along the way, cause You had to have it Your way.
You found nothing You looked for.
You distracted, deceived, and tried to save face.
You were once born again,
while others will continue to die for Your sins.

You accomplished nothing!
You resolved nothing!
Nothing worth while will ever come out of Your mistakes!
You will be exposed, before this is over. The truth will be heard.
You are nothing, Neocon-Man. Nothing.

Your gain. My pain.
The Haves, versus the Have-Nots.
One gets. One gives.
What a price I had to pay,
for Your ego and greed.

Copyright 2005 by Qcontent. All rights reserved.

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Typical of the polls was a Newsweek survey released over the weekend. It showed Bush with a 42 percent approval rating, matching the lowest of his presidency. Only 34 percent approved of his handling of the war in Iraq. A remarkable 61 percent disapproved.

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Come on your not getting off that easy to leftist pinko natzi. All I did was steal a page from the democratic playbook, which you seem to know and follow all too well. Just because you think you are in a safe haven with this radical website doesn't mean you have complete autonomy. Read her insulting words to the other writer and you'll see she got what was coming. Seems as if you people cannot have any sort of commentary, dialogue, or retort without getting ugly to anyone who opposes your views, especially if they are a republican. We'll let me tell you somethin, I've never backed down from a fight, discussion, or confrontation of any sort and just because I tripped onto this living hell of a website doesn't mean I'm going to run, moreso when I see a bunch of brainwashed socialists who are on the verge of communism. And please do write back! I invite you to, with a silver platter (wish it were a bullit), You wierdo's like to be catered to.

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Well Yea, I'm still looking around here. I haven't posted in a while because I actually have purpose here on this world. I just wanted to inform you all that we have recently taked down a major Taliban Commander in my area of operation. You leftist communists need not read this for your only joy is totalitarism in your own comments and cultist beliefs. Anyway, there has been a retreat of the enemy in this country for the time but as always, we expect them to keep trying to oppress this country I'm in and continue to plot against the Coaltion Forces, all the while planning thier next move on America. I'm here to prevent that at all costs. You Blind liberals continue to post you hate rhetoric towards America, it's great leaders, and those fighting for your safety and freedom. My fellow soldiers will continue to provide those rights for you.

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After reading all 3 of the posted articles in this series to date I find it hard to understand why so many people online can come to AlterNet and bash members of our military whom are only doing as they are ordered. Yes, it is an all volunteer service BUT, why don't you look at the fact that most of these young men and women only wanted to serve their country when they joined the military. I too wanted to serve my country but due to health problems was not able to, but I have done the best I can to support ALL the troops in our Military, not just the ones who someone feels are in the right. I would like to say that anyone that thinks it is easy to disobey orders while you are in the service should join up and try not doing as ordered or going A.W.O.L. (Absent With Out Leave) see how fast your butt winds up doing time in a military jail and then see what that does to your job prospects once you are released. NO employeer in this country or in most others would hire you after being in the brig for direct disobedience because they want employees that can and will follow orders. Just because you think something is wrong doesn't mean that you can not do it.

I AM VERY PROUD OF OUR TROOPS AND WILL SUPPORT THEM IN ANY DEPLOYMENT, NOT JUST THE ONES I HAPPEN TO AGREE WITH, AS SHOULD ANY PERSON THAT PERPORTS TO BE PROUD TO BE AMERICAN!!!!!!

Juan H.
The Guppy

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I am going to try be clear. Thank you for this story. It was very moving. I am going through a divorce, ending an abusive marriage, and I am dealing with PTSD. Thank you for putting into words what I could not. You are an eloquent and gifted writer. You make it all real. You bring it down to the ground. You remind us there is a war going on. It is helpful to know. To keep at the forefront of my mind. To not forget.

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Folks,
All right I am fired up. Since the original person who made this comment did not respond, I open it up to general discussion.
I am curious to know what makes 'victim mentality'.
I welcome any and all points of view.
Don't snark me, I am trying to get an honest response here.
Olympiada

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"And with it not being a perfect country, we need to learn to accept when our side doesn't win the election and to at least give the other side a chance."

Give the other side a chance, well, I think we've given this particular president 4 years too long to figure out what he is supposed to act like as President of the United States.

He's squandered money from our treasury, wasted countless human lives based on a lie, failed to help his own citizens who were in dire need of a funded FEMA to keep them safe from themselves, lost an entire CITY to lawlessness and death, and then has the unmitigated bawls to placate us with his hugging black women in Baton Rouge on the TV. To show he really "cares" right?

The cronyism in this administration is appalling. Michael Brown, Roberts, these people are schills. No experience, just straight up nepatism.

"Many times over in the history of our planet has many nations went to war for economic reasons, not just this one time. There are many reasons for our being over there, why can't the people support the good we're doing and acknowledge it rather than just point at the bad. This is what I would like for this generation to see, we do not need another vietnam."

Funny, how you don't mention ONE reason for us to be there.
Can you please think a little? There's NO reason for us to be there. Economics or not, I'm still paying 3 bucks a gallon for gas. I think I can picture you, you probably believe the lie that as long as we are there, they won't be here.

Well, my friend, tell that to England.

you don't want another Vietnam, but you yourself can't foresee an exit to this war, can't foresee how we'll "win" it, nor when any troops may be allowed to come home.

As far as I can tell, you are no different than the thousands of complainers and whiners you so readily rail against, except you are the oposite, a silent partner of the liars and theives who are corrupting America, and American Values into a twisted, money-grubbing corporation of Wage Slaves.

Maybe when you wake up to the fact that you are being lied to and f'd over every day this president is in office, you'll be redeemed. Until then, you are just a troll, a shill, and a stooge of the people with the knife at your back. Talk about Stockholm syndrome...

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Really, guys... c'mon.

If anyone is "bashing" troops on this site, I'd love to see it.

I believe everyone here is definately pro-troop, anti-war. Or Anti-THIS-war at the very least.

Only way you can be against the troops in my opinion is to leave them there to fight a non-winnable war for the next 12 years.

That's the real tragedy. There is no amount of killing that can win this war. There is no idealology that will override the anger these people have for us, simply for being on their soil.

They will never have "democracy" because, let's face it... a democracy requires that at least 50% of your populace knows how to READ. Not the case in Iraq, and won't be as long as we continue to bomb and kill them. Who can think about going to school to educate yourself when you have to worry about being killed on your way there?

Wake up man.

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