7 comments

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  Amy Proctor

  2 years ago

  Yo, lady! Great minds think alike! I thought you might have this great footage up. I saw it last night and have it linked from Fox to my site, but I'm going to download your video, upload it and link to it. It was an AWESOME piece and totally typical of what the troops think. I've been saying for years that this is what the troops believe but who believes me??
  
  Kudos, lady!
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  Amy Proctor

  2 years ago

  Ms. Underestimated, aren't you glad people are finally catching on to this video? I saw it Monday night and was teary eyed. These guys, if they could be apologists for Pres. Bush, would really turn the PR war around.
  
  The media and most Americans are totally out of touch with what's going on in Iraq. Iraq cannot be be defined by a Shiite slum in Baghdad (Sadr City). 70% of Iraqi troops have taken the lead over American and coalition forces. It is mostly under Iraqi control and even though some might not like how that looks, it's happening. For goodness sake, they're evolving faster than the US did in the 1700's! But let's not let history be an indication of success, right?
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  ltcpmax

  2 years ago

  This matches with my own small experiences. The troops are working hard, believe in the mission and that they are really MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE, and are confused/befuddled/insulted/dismayed at how it is being portrayed back home. Time and time again, in my conversations with troops in and from the "sandbox," they said that what was being seen on the evening news was markedly different from their experiences, (and that the only ones that regularly got it "right" was FOX.
  The troop that said it wasnt a job...it is a chosen "lifestyle" was right on target. No-one goes into the military (active or reserve) just for the pay or benefits...and certainly no one stays in for that!. The pay is low compared to civilian job(s) they leave behind, the health benefits for families are less than robust, and for reservists, the pay drop, health care, and "educational benefits" are even worse. The guy in the video clip with LTC North (another recent spot here in MsUnderestimated's blog) was a lance corporal in the Marine Corps Reserve. His civilian job as a teacher in Maryland,... let's ballpark that at 45K if you add benefits package. In addition, he was spending several weekends /summer making a few added $$ with the reserves. He left family and friends, has to rely ONLY on his Marine pay. Base pay for E4 with 6 yrs time in service is about 24K, and then add $6K for non taxed housing allowance if he has dependents. (and who has a $500/month mortgage?) In addition he would get $250/mo family separation allowance ($3000/yr). Last add on is Imminent Danger/Hostile Fire pay of $225/month (=$7.50/day to risk getting killed) or about $2700 more. So...he is making less than 35K, or about 9K less, and that is also minus his added reserve income.
  The folks that stay in, and go where asked by our country, are NOT stupid, not Duped, not (attention Senator Kerry) uneducated.
  Grrrr... I could go on. But...they speak more eloquently than I can. GREAT TAPE, GREAT INTERVIEW. Should be required viewing for ALL AMERICANS and/or POLITICIANS.
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  jonny the american

  2 years ago

  NO JOKE - As far as I know all troops that I've met over there support this war {met alot of my bro's Platoon}. SO HENCE MY TITLE >AN AMERICANNO FUCKING JOKEVOLUNTEERS TOO
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  jonny the american

  2 years ago

  wtf,
  srry my comment got screwed up
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  jonny the american

  2 years ago

  I know guy over there..dropped outa columbia 2 fight 4 country
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  utlabthbrz

  2 years ago

  Hello! Good Site! Thanks you! wwilvnthkix
  reply