Guard Unit in Iraq: "We Should Throw Stones?"

[Nbadan]

HOUSTON -- Members of a second National Guard unit that prepared for duty in Iraq at the Army's Fort Bliss compound have come forward with allegations that they were not adequately trained. The soldiers said in interviews, e-mails and official documents that they were sent to war earlier this year with chronic illness, broken guns and trucks with blown transmissions.

The unit's M-60 machine guns reportedly were in such bad condition when the soldiers deployed in February that one sergeant -- in a section of a post-training summary sent to his commanders that was titled "gun maintenance" -- wrote: "Perhaps we should throw stones?"

The allegations come a month after another National Guard unit alleged that its training at Fort Bliss was so poor that soldiers feared incurring needlessly high casualties when they arrive in Iraq early next year.

Although the military has defended its troop preparedness, the willingness of units to go public with allegations suggests growing concern among National Guard and reserve members.

(more)

SouthCoast Today (http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/12-04/12-23-04/a02wn494.htm)

I'll take the word of grunts on the battlefield rather than a perfumed prince in the Pentagon anyday.

Someone call Zell, we may need those spitballs after all.

[2pac]

I'll take the word of grunts on the battlefield rather than a perfumed prince in the Pentagon anyday


Fair enough. Now show me a direct quote from a grunt in the battle field. That article had none.

[JoeChalupa]

Was the question posed to Rumsfeld a direct quote from a grunt in the battle field?

[Nbadan]

Fair enough. Now show me a direct quote from a grunt in the battle field. That article had none.

Here is much more than just one direct quote...

Military Families Speak Out http://www.mfso.org /

newly formed UK Military Families Agains the War www.mfaw.org.uk
the KIA Scottish Black Watch soldiers galvanized military families in UK to model their own version of Military Families Speak Out modelled on our MFSO here in America.

LEARN MORE

Hear the truth about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from the perspective of the soldiers who have experienced them first-hand: Operation Truth
http://optruth.com/main.cfm?actionId=globalShowStaticCo ...

Connect with a group of vets who are speaking out against the war and calling for the troops to come home: Iraq Veterans Against the War
http://www.ivaw.net /

Read testimony from people who are opposed to war in Iraq and who have relatives or loved ones in the military: Military Families Speak Out http://www.mfso.org /

Get the facts about your rights in case of a draft and learn what options you have if you've already enlisted: Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors
http://www.objector.org /


see aired interview on Newshour with Jim Lehrer, Homefront Battles . I am among one of the families speaking out in this segment
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/military/ju...ttle_10-04...

see newspaper article, Seattle Times , meeting with the military moms/wives on tour for Kerry; I am among one of several MFSO families meeting with the Moms on Tour for Kerry families http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/loca...arymoms18e...



Paul Reichkoff of Operation Truth is an Iraq Veteran and has been a powerful voice in speaking out on behalf of the troops



Brooke Campbell, sister to Sgt Ryan Campbell, KIA in Iraq with his last email message: "Don't vote for Bush, just don't do it, I won't be happy with you"
http://www.brookesstory.com/windowsmedia.htm


Veterans for Peace has a public voice against the war in Iraq.


Vietnam Veterans Against the War gives a public voice to being against the war in Iraq.
http://www.vvawai.org /


See also Link TV Programming where some very powerful videos are telling a truth not seen as much in MSM.
http://www.linktv.org/programming/index.php3

1)Strong at the Broken Places

http://strongatthebrokenplaces.com /

Strong at the Broken Places focuses on the human cost of the war in Iraq as expressed in the words and faces of the soldiers themselves and their families. Max Cleland , a decorated, triple amputee from Vietnam who has made the cause of veterans his mission, brings each story to life. The result is both poignant and powerful. As with Cleland's own journey from Vietnam to Iraq, the stories of the soldiers and their families show that suffering in war can transform its victims into advocates for justice and healing - and even for the hijacked truth about 9/11. In its first test screenings, Strong at the Broken Places is not only awakening the consciousness of individual Americans, but starting to galvanize a national debate about, what Cleland calls, the "ground truth" of war itself.

Max Cleland is the former director of the Veterans Administration and United States Senator from Georgia. He served as Captain in the First Cavalry in Vietnam.

"The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places."

Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

[Clandestino]

i just talked to an infantryman this weekend... he is in 101st ABN BN.. he's already been to iraq.. he is re-enlisting and is going back to iraq in several months.. he was proud of what they were doing in iraq, says the media shows bs and the soldiers you see complaining are not the majority.