On NPR now: Reports of combatants' families:

about effects, tales of serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom\ufffd.

Dunno if this is local or cross-country.

Edit:
Seems this is a 2-hr documentary, "Letters to and from Baghdad". It begins from the POV ~ "this isn't about who's right, who's wrong - but what has this been like for the participants", (including the people who live there).

Articulate, some erudite comments about changing views, also by family memebers here. Anger.. a significant theme. Anger about the 'intellgence', lack of decent equip't, or water (!). Outrage.

Phrases from one (wife) - "Vet benefits, family support being cut, rhetoric not followed by action. "He all along has believed that this was about economics, about oil.."

One writes "I'm sorry, I can't see you on return - I will need some time to calm down, etc."

One family: two in army; two in navy. "Experience in Iraq has caused them to decide to leave the Army, once tour is over". (Bush won't) "ever have the courage to admit a mistake.."

"April --> August - you can read (in his letters) about initially, friendly children, people sending fresh-baked bread

May 18 - beautiful country.. could imagine a 3 year stint here, with family.

--- now, kids throwing rocks.

Oct 3 - want out of the Army, though I have 8 years to retirement."

Joke (re Why? the opening of a Burger King near B. airport) "Well, y'know - George Bush fed us a whopper to get us here. Now he's feeding us a whopper to keep us here" OK.. it's GI humour.

Another' "You just don't get it, do you? [response to a comment I missed] Vietnam, all over again.."

Comments on the role of cel-fones and e-mails. This time - comments on the filters in US media, being circumvented. Expensive though

"What gives us the right to tell other people how to govern themselves... Fat white tourists.. Christ, what a first impression!"

Stories of relationships with Iraqis, censorship of radio content, "just ike when Saddam was here - if they don't like what you say, they shut you down / you lose your funding.."

"People home on leave for 15 days. ['I know of a few cases'] They just can't go back.. maybe they killed an Iraqi, feel bad. Called cowards."

"June 15 - will be 518 days. I HOPE he'll be coming back then."

"Why do we have to have control of the world?"

More.. Edit 2:

"Aggressive recruiting (speed up process of citizenship / help your family) in the Filipino, Mexican communities". "Common practice now? for UAS govt. to recruit legal and sometimes not immigrants.. how much money spent to convince recruits / not so much to educate them." Family comments re deceptions, opinions, etc.

No way to 'summarize', except - not a soup\ufffdon of Rah Rah heard. You won't hear any of this on FOXX. I expect it will run several times on local NPR stations.

Or wait for books. I think there will be lots of eye-witness books on this affair. We may even get a handle on ~how many civilian casualties actually occurred. Never precise and 'audited' natch - that was never in the cards.

[link|http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/hailcolumbia.htm| Hail Columbia]

Post #159,482 by Ashton 6/11/04 12:14:35 AM 6/11/04 6:14:59 AM Reply	On NPR now: Reports of combatants' families: about effects, tales of serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom\ufffd. Dunno if this is local or cross-country. Edit: Seems this is a 2-hr documentary, "Letters to and from Baghdad". It begins from the POV ~ "this isn't about who's right, who's wrong - but what has this been like for the participants", (including the people who live there). Articulate, some erudite comments about changing views, also by family memebers here. Anger.. a significant theme. Anger about the 'intellgence', lack of decent equip't, or water (!). Outrage. Phrases from one (wife) - "Vet benefits, family support being cut, rhetoric not followed by action. "He all along has believed that this was about economics, about oil.." One writes "I'm sorry, I can't see you on return - I will need some time to calm down, etc." One family: two in army; two in navy. "Experience in Iraq has caused them to decide to leave the Army, once tour is over". (Bush won't) "ever have the courage to admit a mistake.." "April --> August - you can read (in his letters) about initially, friendly children, people sending fresh-baked bread May 18 - beautiful country.. could imagine a 3 year stint here, with family. --- now, kids throwing rocks. Oct 3 - want out of the Army, though I have 8 years to retirement." Joke (re Why? the opening of a Burger King near B. airport) "Well, y'know - George Bush fed us a whopper to get us here. Now he's feeding us a whopper to keep us here" OK.. it's GI humour. Another' "You just don't get it, do you? [response to a comment I missed] Vietnam, all over again.." Comments on the role of cel-fones and e-mails. This time - comments on the filters in US media, being circumvented. Expensive though "What gives us the right to tell other people how to govern themselves... Fat white tourists.. Christ, what a first impression!" Stories of relationships with Iraqis, censorship of radio content, "just ike when Saddam was here - if they don't like what you say, they shut you down / you lose your funding.." "People home on leave for 15 days. ['I know of a few cases'] They just can't go back.. maybe they killed an Iraqi, feel bad. Called cowards." "June 15 - will be 518 days. I HOPE he'll be coming back then." "Why do we have to have control of the world?" More.. Edit 2: "Aggressive recruiting (speed up process of citizenship / help your family) in the Filipino, Mexican communities". "Common practice now? for UAS govt. to recruit legal and sometimes not immigrants.. how much money spent to convince recruits / not so much to educate them." Family comments re deceptions, opinions, etc. No way to 'summarize', except - not a soup\ufffdon of Rah Rah heard. You won't hear any of this on FOXX. I expect it will run several times on local NPR stations. Or wait for books. I think there will be lots of eye-witness books on this affair. We may even get a handle on ~how many civilian casualties actually occurred. Never precise and 'audited' natch - that was never in the cards. [link\|http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/hailcolumbia.htm\| Hail Columbia] Edited by Ashton June 11, 2004, 05:58:49 AM EDT Edited by Ashton June 11, 2004, 06:14:59 AM EDT Expand All History
Post #159,676 by dmarker 6/12/04 7:21:53 AM Reply	The vexatious part of this type of feedback ... is the extent to which the ordinary soldier's voice is being squashed. Das is goot yah ? Doug M (nein nein nein) _________________________________________________________ "Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!". -- Leonardo Da Vinci
Post #159,809 by Ashton 6/13/04 8:30:05 PM Reply	Several parents/family had made clear, on the program that they were in no way dissing the combatants. Should anyone have fantasized such an absurdity.. 2nd degree hearsay back was stated: this was understood and - there was apparently pretty much agreement amongst (each person's unit) that "it was a good idea to ask these questions". Sounds plausible to me; why would we imagine that military people are really Stupid?

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