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 Greetings! You are reading an article from The Mudville Gazette. To reach the front page, with all the latest news and views, click the logo above or "main" below. Thanks for stopping by! April 29, 2007 Meanwhile, Back in IraqBy GreyhawkSo - with the Commanding General in the U.S. this week, did the troops of MNF-I slack off? Doesn't look like it: Sunday, 29 April 2007 72 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS DETAINED Meanwhile, back in America, hard working newspaper editors were diligently ensuring that virtually none of these stories would appear in their headlines. Posted by Greyhawk / April 29, 2007 1:28 PM | Permalink 23 Comments |
November 26, 2010America@war [Greyhawk]
I think anyone who's ever pondered the "comment" option - once only available on blogs and bulletin boards, now ubiquitous on almost any web site - will appreciate this:
The so-called faculty of writing is not so much a faculty of writing as it is a faculty of thinking. When a man says, "I have an idea but I can't express it"; that man hasn't an idea but merely a vague feeling. If a man has a feeling of that kind, and will sit down for a half an hour and persistently try to put into writing what he feels, the probabilities are at least 90 percent that he will either be able to record it, or else realize that he has no idea at all. In either case, he will do himself a benefit. That's wisdom from the past, captured for posterity at the US Naval Institute, shared via the web on the institute's 137th anniversary. From their about page:
"The Naval Institute has three core activities," among them, History and Preservation: The Naval Institute also has recently introduced Americans at War, a living history of Americans at war in their own words and from their own experiences. These 90-second vignettes convey powerful stories of inspiration, pride, and patriotism. Take a look at the collection, and you'll see it's not limited to accounts from those who served on ships at sea, members of the other branches are well-represented. I'm fortunate to have met USNI's Mary Ripley, she's responsible for the institute's oral history program (and she's the daughter of the late John Ripley, whose story is told here). She also deserves much credit for their blog. ("We're not the Navy nor any government agency. Blog and comment freely.") We met at a milblog conference - Mary knew (and I would come to realize) that milbloggers are the 21st-century version of exactly what the US Naval Institute is all about. Once that light bulb came on in my head, I mentioned a vague idea for a project to her - milblogs as the 21st century oral history that they are. "Put that in writing," she said (of course - see first paragraph above!) - and here's part of the result. Shortly after the first tent was pitched by the American military in Iraq a wire was connected to a computer therein, and the internet was available to a generation of Americans at war - many of whom had grown up online. From that point on, at any given moment, somewhere in Iraq a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine was at a keyboard sharing the events of his or her day with the folks back home. While most would simply fire off an email, others took advantage of the (then) relatively new online blogging platforms to post their thoughts and experiences for the entire world to see. The milblog was born - and from that moment to this stories detailing everything from the most mundane aspects of camp life to intense combat action (often described within hours of the event) have been available on the web... And et cetera - but since you're reading this on a milblog, you probably knew that. And you know that milblogs aren't just blogs written by troops at war, that many friends, family members, and supporters likewise documented their story of America at war online in near-real time, as those stories developed. The diversity in membership of that group is broad, the one thing we all have in common is the impulse to make sense of the seemingly senseless, and communicate the tale - for each of us that impulse was strong enough to overcome whatever barriers prevent the vast majority of people from doing the same. Everyone at some point has some vague idea they believe should be shared - we were the people who, from some combination of internal and external urging, found and spent those many half hours persistently trying to write it down. But where will all that be in another 137 years? Or five or ten, for that matter. That's something I've asked myself since at least 2004 - when I wrote this:
Membership in the ghost battalion has grown in the years since, and an ever growing majority of those abandoned-but-still-standing sites are vanishing. Have you checked out Lt Smash's site lately? How about Sgt Hook's? If you're a long-time milblog reader you know the first widely-read milblog from Operation Iraq Freedom and the first widely-read milblog from Afghanistan are both gone from the web. If you're a relative newcomer to this world you may never even have heard of them - or the dozens upon dozens of others who carried forth the standard they set down. If you have a vague notion that something should be done about that, (a notion I've heard expressed more than once...) then you and I and the good folks at the US Naval Institute are in agreement. Preserving the history documented by the milbloggers is just one of the goals of the milblog project, the once-vague idea that we're now making real. And it's a big idea, if I say so myself - too big to explain in one simple blog post, so stand by for more. Likewise, it's too big a task to be accomplished by just one person. So if you're a milblogger (and exactly what is a milblogger? is a topic for much further discussion on its own) I'm asking for your help. All I'll really need is just a little bit (maybe just one or two of those half hours...) of your time, and your willingness to tell the tale. We've already made history, it's time to save it. (More to follow...) Posted 4:02 PM | Permalink |
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The Mudville Gazette is the on-line voice of an American warrior and his wife who stands by him. They prefer to see peaceful change render force of arms unnecessary. Until that day they stand fast with those who struggle for freedom, strike for reason, and pray for a better tomorrow.
 
 
 Furthermore, I will occasionally use satire or parody herein. The bottom line: it's my house. I like having visitors to my house. I hope you are entertained. I fight for your right to free speech, and am thrilled when you exercise said rights here. Comments and e-mails are welcome, but all such communication is to be assumed to be 1)the original work of any who initiate said communication and 2)the property of the Mudville Gazette, with free use granted thereto for publication in electronic or written form. If you do NOT wish to have your message posted, write "CONFIDENTIAL" in the subject line of your email. Original content copyright © 2003 - 2011 by Greyhawk. Fair, not-for-profit use of said material by others is encouraged, as long as acknowledgement and credit is given, to include the url of the original source post. Other arrangements can be made as needed. Contact: greyhawk at mudvillegazette dot com  Tending Distant Far from hearth and home, watching What tales we'll tell When things grim Some distant sunset, vision fading Saluting fallen friends whose names - Greyhawk, Baghdad, December 2004 |
As always, thanks! Have sent it on with your link.
What exactly do all these results mean ?
“The willingness of these leaders to come to the patrol base demonstrates that
the grip of al-Qaeda has loosened and the people no longer fear for their lives by talking
with Americans,” said Lt. Col. Andrew Poppas, 5-73 Cav. commander.
In other areas of the Diyala River Valley, tribal leaders who previously lacked
confidence in the Iraqi Security Forces are now reaching out to the IA and police.
Reports like this would tend to lead to the conclusion that we are 'winning', but then next week all hell breaks loose and Petraeus says it is a 'difficult' situation without any guarantees.
I also disdain the MSM for its calculated defeatism, but it is virtually impossible to make any sense out of these disjointed reports. For example, in the area discussed in this press release, who is 'talking' and what are they doing besides 'talking'? Who is NOT talking and why can't we just 'discuss' things with them with extreme prejudice ? Do we 'know' who the problem parties(ie. collaborators with the opposition) are and simply are being too 'civilized', or do we really not have a clue and depend on 'luck' and 'good timing' to strike blows against the 'baddies'?
I don't think it's really the lack of 'good' news that is the problem. I think it's the lack of 'coherent' news ,and the perceived inability to demonstrate to the 'convincible' in Iraq that they had better get with the program OR ELSE. Al-Queda is seemingly still the BAD guy on the block, and until that changes all 'progress' is likely to be non-decisive. That is what is eroding support at home, IMO. But I could be wrong ---- AGAIN.
Get a grip trooper this Iraq war is all but over, you guys did good and all but the Islamic mind is not prepared to hold onto any thoughts but Islam, tribe and family. democracy ain't gonna happen there.
Now you guys need to get ready to pull out cause that's the mood here in the states. reminds me of 1973 Vietnam it's soon about to be all over.
Time to re-rig and prepare for the next battle.
Where? who knows!
We survived Vietnam and perhaps we will survive Islam.
A nation cannot fight and win any war divided between surrender and victory parties, a hostile media and a population that frankly ain't got a floggin' clue their necks are on the chop block.
Overall Iraq gave us the skills we as a Military needed to fight Islam in our own country which is where the main battle is now being fought.
The battle will be won or lost by the returning vets who seek political office to protect our freedoms and laws and change the ones the idiots make that aid our enemies, Iraqi/Afgahn/WOT war vets are the key to beating this scourge of Islam, pick a political party and get to work!
Barry 0351 - Are you saying that our laws and having military members in Congress are going to prevent future 9/11s here in America? I disagree. Playing defense will never work. As has been stated many times, with that strategy, America has to be right 100% of the time, while our enemies only have to be right once. It is impossible to be right 100% of the time unless we take away many freedoms and live in a dictatorship and police state.
In my opinion, Islamism is not the Communism of the Vietnam era, it is the Naziism of the WWII era. Would it have been the right strategy to sit back and not get involved in WWII and just wait for the Nazis to come to America? That was Hitler's plan in Mein Kampf. The Koran is simply the Mein Kampf in Arabic.
Greyhawk - Excellent post. You do a fantastic job of collecting all the stories of progress and success from the war effort.
dougf,
"Reports like this would tend to lead to the conclusion that we are 'winning', but then next week all hell breaks loose and Petraeus says it is a 'difficult' situation without any guarantees."
Managing expectations while simultaneously showing progress is a pretty difficult magic trick.
Every upsurge in violence could be the other guys final push...or it could be yet another peak followed by a yet another lull...
No one will know until it is over..
You guys are good. I was think about looking up how many terrorist our troops kill/captured in a week and send it off to my local paper and the white flag waving congressmen just for a reaction. Thank you for saving me the trouble.
Michael in MI,
You are exactly right.
BTW dougf we ARE winning, but you'd never know it by the MSM coverage, or perhaps it is your own predilection for the "loudest voice".
If you want the truth, listen to those who are on the ground and can actually see the battle. Don't focus on those whose livelihood is predicated on the highest ratings.
Yes, Iraq is got to be put to bed and done so in a fashion that we can keep bases open there, train there, bolster the IA when needed and run OPs into other areas in the ME.
But...
There is a war going on here at home as previously stated. It hasn't come to any bloody confrontations yet, but it doesn't have far to go in some areas. Actually it has, but so far it has been limited to our law enforcement officers including of course our Border Patrol.
The illegals are still coming over, slowed a little in the last few months, but still thousands per month. They are killing citizens also, so I can't say that the bloody confrontations statement is entirely true.
Our prisons are full of them, also full of American prisioners who are converting to Islam. aQ has people here waiting for the word, Hammas, Hisbolla are here too. The American Imams and Mullahs are preaching hate and how to overthrow America from the inside.
Returning Vets who opt out of the Military need to get involved in the groups forming to combat these forces that are determined to do our Republic harm and to change our way of life forever. The Internet will allow you to find these groups, they are just starting now and will grow and prosper with the addition of our Veterans of all ages and branches.
This is a call to arms, not only bearing arms but to get involved in the politics of your communities, your states and even at the Federal levels.
If we lose either of these battles or the one in the Afghan, we will suffer greatly, our children and their children will suffer even more.
Papa Ray
West Texas
USA
End of mission. Everybody knows we are pulling out. Time to celebrate, not be cynical.
The media HATES the military, HATES America, and hates any military victory. File this under Duh.
ANY war except a boutique war against say Grenada must be one of national mobilization, every male 18-45 in the Service, at risk, 40% of GDP or greater devoted to fighting it, press censorship, shared sacrifice and the like.
Not to win against the enemy. Well at least not Al Qaeda. But the Media which ALWAYS allies itself (because it is run by elitist ivy league leftists who idolize the enemy).
We will withdraw from Iraq, defeated, on the homefront, by Al Qaeda. Also Afghanistan. And get nuked. Lose a couple of cities. Because weakness invites aggression.
Then we will nationally mobilize, and get to killing on an industrial scale. A tragedy. Ugly mass killing that could have been avoided. If the enemy Media didn't hate America so much. But it does and there you have it.
I disagree Shortime,
The most popular candidate in America running thus far is Rudy Guiliani and he does not support the loser side of cut and run.
You've been manufactured to believe in something unrelated to reality. The Democrats are using you to get votes but they will never satisfy your desire to defund the war in Iraq. You are on the Democrat Party planation where they will trot you out every so often in order to score a few political points but when you get too uppity for their political needs they will shove you to the back of the plantation bus.
GH,
As usual, you have pointed out that despite the media and Dhimmicrats throwing in the towel, our Men are continuing to kick ass and take names, while feeding the starving, caring for the sick, and generally being the sole remaining friends of Iraqi children and small dogs.
Do our guys do us proud or what? It should go almost without saying so. And, surprise, because of the MSM, it is going without saying so.
Press on, Men. You continue to win and we all bless the mission you are doing so well.
Subsunk
Meanwhile, the DumbasCraps parade out a retired REMF to give their weekly radio address.
Have any of my military brethren worked with this clown before?
General Odom
Well done. But we still need to influence the MSM. I'm on a campaign to spike the ratings of the worthwhile stories in mainstream news. I'll do some research of my own, of course, but I hope you'll post any MSM stories that are worthy of America's attention.
The American people want their troops home.
What happens to all of those "detainees" ? Well they stay in jail for some time then they are released but this time they hate the Americans even more
The American people want their troops home.
So true. Unfortunate that without stabilizing Iraq first we'll have to go to Afghanistan instead - there to confront an enemy no longer fighting on two fronts, with a recruiting boom from victory in Iraq, and supreme confidence thet we'll quit there, too.
More here.
Ok wow you guy's have sure killed alot of Muslim's. Wow BRAHVO. Nice "freedom your giving them. But maybe did you every think of getting OFF Muslim land in the frist place? Thats all the ask. But noo. You'd rather kill them.
Nice. Way nice.
Sorry, I never respond to those who can't splel or forget verbs in sentences.
EXAMPLE: "iraq war wrong"...where's the verb? C'mon Spanky McSpankster, get the language right if you're going to troll over here from Al-Jazeera.
BTW, what does Bill frist have to do with this post?
Ok wow you guy's have sure killed alot of Muslim's. Wow BRAHVO.
Your irrational disdain for America ... or is it just plain ol' BDS ... is showing.
Actually, it is the insurgents you apparently think are "freedom fighters" that are killing the Muslims. We are acting to protect them ... by finding and killing the killers.
It is not in the human nature of one who is truly fighting for freedom in a nation, to intentionally target and kill one's fellow citizens.
Nice "freedom your giving them.
It is.
Ask the Kurds.
Ask all the Iraqis who, at the risk of their lives, proudly exited their polling places with purple fingers.
Ask those outside of al-Anbar and Baghdad, who are now living in peace, free from Saddam's totalitarian rule.
Ask those tribal leaders within al-Anbar, who are turning on the jihadis.
But maybe did you every think of getting OFF Muslim land in the frist place? Thats all the ask.
No, that is not all they are asking ... or seeking.
The opponents of our forces seek to impose their will upon Iraq ... and once again put the nation under totalitarian rule ... overriding the will of her purple-fingered citizenry.
Some of them, if they carry the day, will seek to export that totalitarian rule ... as Saddam did before them ... to other nations who do peacefully interact with us, through terrorist attacks, and/or possibly conventional warfare ... both fueled by the significant resources and infrastructure of Iraq.
What right do they have to do that? And, how much damage to the global economy -- and its ability to facilitate the freedom and prosperity that works against terror and for peace -- will they do in the process?
If they are successful in these effort, they ... like every totalitarian ruler before them with the will and capability to expand ... won't stop there. Left unchecked, they will attempt to "expand" over top of our own borders.
Then, we will be left with the following choices.
>Surrender, and watch as they impose Sharia upon our children and grandchildren, and drag our nation back to the 8th Century.
>Fight a WWII-scale conflict, see MILLIONS of Americans and Muslims die in the process, and set our own civilization back 100 years -- BTW, a setback that will be well on its way to being realized, before the war starts, by the disruption of the interconnnections our global economy depends upon for its efficient operation.
>Scorch the earth of the Middle east with nuclear fire, and kill MILLIONS of Muslims.
You think this can't happen, if we leave them alone? Keep in mind that Germany went from broken-down to blitzkreig in just seven years ... in a far less technically-advanced era, where you couldn't acquire the means to kill millions virtually overnight.
But noo. You'd rather kill them.
Only the ones who wish to impose totalitarian rule upon Iraq, through terror tactics.
So we can avoid killing millions, on both sides.
We are the lifesavers here.
Now, do you see just how pathetic your opposition to the war is?
Be careful what you ask for ...
This American public will go down in history as the dumbest American public ever.
Hundreds of attacks are already planned and ready here in the U.S. All they are waiting for is us to pull out of Iraq. One big win for terrorism and thousands will die here. Will anyone blame the surrender monkeys when it happens. I say yes and a lot of surrender monkeys will rue the day they supported the terrorist.
Reading the news today has made it clear that the left wing radicals are losing here in the U.S. already. How many liberal dominated colleges and U's have been effectively taken over by the radical Islamist? Check around, the left has lost control of a dozen or so strong holds and more is on the way down. Soon they won't be welcome on the campus's they have destroyed with their radical left wing liberalism. Islam will be in charge, that is where they aren't already.
Can someone explain to me what "Muslim Land" is...outside of Vatican City...there is no such thing as "Christian Land"...hasn't been for centuries.