NationStates Jolt Archive

The last thread was closed for whatever reason, so the saga continues here.

< Today, 8:48 AM #51
BackwoodsSquatches
Semi-Pro Sp@mPig


Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: whereever Im at.
Posts: 5,383 Ok Penguinista...

Politics aside...

Have you been in direct combat, and if so, did you have to kill anyone, and if so....would you do it again if you thought that maybe that person was defending his homeland from people he saw as invaders? >



I will say this: it is very very hard to actually bring yourself to kill someone, but when the time comes there isn't a lot of thought that goes on. Survival instinct changes you dramatically, and I'm still dealing with many of those changes. As far as thinking the other person is just "defending their homeland", what you have to realize is that many of the insurgents in Iraq are not Iraqis. The first major Iraqi movement towards insurgency was Sadr and the Mahdi army, but even they are a very very small minority that does not have a lot of support amoung the general population. Before that, the major anti-US led forces were Iranian or Syrian. The first area we really ran into them was Al Kut, where Iranians began coming across the border and setting car bombs and the like, and gradually infiltrated into Baghdad.

This whole situation is far far more complicated than what you get on the news, keep that in mind whenever you watch or read something about Iraq. All of the news is Western media trying to make sense of Islamic politics, which from what I saw are far more complex and foreign than anyone here seems to realize.

< Today, 3:42 PM #52
Florestan
New Member


Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 23 so can I ask you any history-related question? >

Absolutely, ask away. I have a pretty good knowledge of just about everything (hehe), but my specialty is ancient Greece and Rome. The specific area I'm researching relates to the evolution of Rome into the modern world and essentially tracing modern ideas, customs, mores, and so forth back to their origins. But yeah, any history questions ask away.

< Today, 8:48 AM #51
BackwoodsSquatches
Semi-Pro Sp@mPig

Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: whereever Im at.
Posts: 5,383 Ok Penguinista...

Politics aside...

Have you been in direct combat, and if so, did you have to kill anyone, and if so....would you do it again if you thought that maybe that person was defending his homeland from people he saw as invaders? >

I will say this: it is very very hard to actually bring yourself to kill someone, but when the time comes there isn't a lot of thought that goes on. Survival instinct changes you dramatically, and I'm still dealing with many of those changes. As far as thinking the other person is just "defending their homeland", what you have to realize is that many of the insurgents in Iraq are not Iraqis. The first major Iraqi movement towards insurgency was Sadr and the Mahdi army, but even they are a very very small minority that does not have a lot of support amoung the general population. Before that, the major anti-US led forces were Iranian or Syrian. The first area we really ran into them was Al Kut, where Iranians began coming across the border and setting car bombs and the like, and gradually infiltrated into Baghdad.

This whole situation is far far more complicated than what you get on the news, keep that in mind whenever you watch or read something about Iraq. All of the news is Western media trying to make sense of Islamic politics, which from what I saw are far more complex and foreign than anyone here seems to realize.

I tend to agree with that. Things are almost ALWAYS more complicated than the media presents. If they actually explained things in depth most people would go to sleep. :)

Yes, I've been in "direct combat" ( not real sure what "indirect combat" would be ), and usually your training will simply kick in and save your ass.

bumpitty

Are we winning or losing?

Are we winning or losing?


Winning, but needless to say, if we pull out and just leave it like some have proposed we open the door to far worse than Saddam.