NationStates Jolt Archive

The media often seem to forget that soldiers from the United States' colonies, most notably American Samoa, are also fighting and dying in Iraq. A brief article from a New Zealand media source (http://www.niufm.com/?t=3&View=FullStory&newsID=2056).

Ah, using colonials as cannon fodder. Classic.

Samoans? Those big stone heads on Easter Island?

Samoans? Those big stone heads on Easter Island?

Those are maoi. :p

Anyway, I always assumed citizens of the territories were involved. No revelation there.

Samoans? Those big stone heads on Easter Island?

There's a looooong way between Samoa and Rapa Nui (Easter Island). They're at opposite ends of the Polynesian Triangle, in fact. Samoa is on the western edge of Polynesia, and Easter Island on its eastern tip.

Those are maoi. :p

Anyway, I always assumed citizens of the territories were involved. No revelation there.

Oh. Well..

Then wouldn't it be cool if there were maoi fighting in the Iraq war?

Oh. Well..

Then wouldn't it be cool if there were maoi fighting in the Iraq war?

That would be.. interesting. :p Although really, the maoi kinda destroyed Easter Island already, so there's no doubt they are dangerous, in a way.

Ah, using colonials as cannon fodder. Classic.

We know how they feel.

To be fair: Because of the small numbers of American Samoan soldiers, any deaths would make a high casualty:numbers %

To be fair: Because of the small numbers of American Samoan soldiers, any deaths would make a high casualty:numbers %

That's true. 10 Samoans have died. Samoa is a small territory, but a very valuable one in terms of commerce.

It's quite interesting that people forget that colonial peoples have fought/still fight in modern wars.

Ah, using colonials as cannon fodder. Classic.

And the beauty is, because they're colonist, no one gives a damn. ;)

And the beauty is, because they're colonist, no one gives a damn. ;)

They're not colonists. We don't have any colonies, we have protectorates and territories. Hell the last "colony" we had was Hawaii. I'm fairly certain that they can vote to go their own way and be left alone.

To be fair: Because of the small numbers of American Samoan soldiers, any deaths would make a high casualty:numbers %

I was thinking the same thing. A percentage in this case would make for deceptive statistics.

To be fair: Because of the small numbers of American Samoan soldiers, any deaths would make a high casualty:numbers %

It would be nice to know how many of the islanders are part of U.S Armforces. I think it would be safe to say that they would all be foot soilders. I can't remember how many people live there but I think it is around 50,000 people.

It would be nice to know how many of the islanders are part of U.S Armforces. I think it would be safe to say that they would all be foot soilders. I can't remember how many people live there but I think it is around 50,000 people.

That's just ignorant.


And since there are only about 64,000 residents on the island, only about 0.015% of the population of American Samoa has died in Iraq(if 10 is the correct figure).

It would be nice to know how many of the islanders are part of U.S Armforces. I think it would be safe to say that they would all be foot soilders. I can't remember how many people live there but I think it is around 50,000 people.

Auckland 6am: As authorities release the latest shocking fatality figures for Iraq, an American Samoan today shares his experience of 20 years in the air force.

That's just ignorant.


And since there are only about 64,000 residents on the island, only about 0.015% of the population of American Samoa has died in Iraq(if 10 is the correct figure).
Compared to the 0.00001% of the Americans?

Auckland 6am: As authorities release the latest shocking fatality figures for Iraq, an American Samoan today shares his experience of 20 years in the air force.

Indeed. Seems someone didn't click on the link. ;)

We've got Samoa? Shit, I need to pay more attention in school..

We've got Samoa? Shit, I need to pay more attention in school..

Only American Samoan, the eastern part. Much smaller than former Western Samoa, now called simply "Samoa".

Samoa was divided between two colonial powers, Germany and the USA, in the late 19th century (if I recall correctly). The western part remained German until it was taken over by New Zealand in 1914, and became independent in 1962. The eastern part, by contrast, is still a US territory today.

Wait, we are letting our brown people get killed by their brown people? Who'd thought such a thing!:p

OMG! Ten WHOLE Somoans are dead! We must be loosing the war!

Send our soldiers home!

Oh. Well..

Then wouldn't it be cool if there were maoi fighting in the Iraq war?

i didn't know chile was in the coalition.

It's a documented fact (http://www.wpro.who.int/NR/rdonlyres/6C5B171B-7D6C-44ED-94C8-C6DA5F27CB1C/2036/ams.pdf) that American Samoans have some of the highest obesity rates in the world. They are also heavily represented in the National Football League and both amateur and professional wrestling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anoa%27i_family) (best known Samoan wrestler - The Rock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rock_%28entertainer%29)).

Simple fact is, Samoans tend to be bigger targets. They can't just draw lines down their flanks and say "only shoot here, please". It's not that surprising they get hit more.

Wait, what the hell are Samoans doing in Iraq? That's nowhere near Samoa.

Ah, using colonials as cannon fodder. Classic.well.. we dont have enough Mexicans willing to die for King (http://www.gwjokes.com/pictures/king-george.jpg) and Country (http://bigpicture.typepad.com/writing/images/wrighthalliburton.jpg).

It's a documented fact (http://www.wpro.who.int/NR/rdonlyres/6C5B171B-7D6C-44ED-94C8-C6DA5F27CB1C/2036/ams.pdf) that American Samoans have some of the highest obesity rates in the world. They are also heavily represented in the National Football League and both amateur and professional wrestling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anoa%27i_family) (best known Samoan wrestler - The Rock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rock_%28entertainer%29)).

Simple fact is, Samoans tend to be bigger targets. They can't just draw lines down their flanks and say "only shoot here, please". It's not that surprising they get hit more.

Huh, the Samoan I know is like 6'4 and like 250 pounds, with all of it muscle.

High obesity rates? Well duh, their diets aren't used to high fat diets. Same goes for the Native Americans.

They get hit more? Did you not read the article, only ten of them have died. That's a pretty small number to me.

The media often seem to forget that soldiers from the United States' colonies, most notably American Samoa, are also fighting and dying in Iraq. A brief article from a New Zealand media source (http://www.niufm.com/?t=3&View=FullStory&newsID=2056).

of course they are. they are americans after all.

im sure there are guamians, puerto ricans, us virgin islanders, and soldiers from any other US possession which doesnt come to mind right now.

as well as citizens of other countries who are choosing to serve in the US military because they intend to become US citizens and already desire to serve this country.

since they are all volunteers i dont see that its anything but expected.

Here's an interesting set of graphs about deaths in Iraq.

Shows US Combat deaths, terrorist combat deaths, deaths by IEDs, and civilian deaths.

http://northshorejournal.org/index.php/2007/06/the-truth-about-american-deaths-in-iraq

I think it would be safe to say that they would all be foot soilders.

Why? What in God's name makes that safe to say?

Wait, what the hell are Samoans doing in Iraq? That's nowhere near Samoa.

Same thing Californians are doing in Iraq, despite California being nowhere near Iraq.

It's a documented fact (http://www.wpro.who.int/NR/rdonlyres/6C5B171B-7D6C-44ED-94C8-C6DA5F27CB1C/2036/ams.pdf) that American Samoans have some of the highest obesity rates in the world. They are also heavily represented in the National Football League and both amateur and professional wrestling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anoa%27i_family) (best known Samoan wrestler - The Rock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rock_%28entertainer%29)).

Simple fact is, Samoans tend to be bigger targets. They can't just draw lines down their flanks and say "only shoot here, please". It's not that surprising they get hit more.
That's silly, since they don't actually get hit more.
http://icasualties.org/oif/USMap.aspx

I'm not surprised. Brave warrior people the Samoans. They would have taken it on the chin had the cold war got hot too. (In terms of front line casualties).

This is about as surprising to me as the headline: Radical Muslims hide behind the West's skirts while Cold War was going on.

Still, I probably will be disgusted about the whole thing in a few years when we don't do right by those people. (See the UK and Gurkhas).

only ten of them have died. That's a pretty small number to me.That's silly, since they don't actually get hit more.

Do you not see the difference between 'absolute' casualties versus casualties relative to the overall population of Samoans in the military? I never said anything about there being more Samoan casualties, just that bigger targets are easier targets.

No, bigger targets don't make easier targets, because they are not shooting at the big guys walking around. They are sitting in an alley, waiting for a truck to go by and pushing a button. In addition, not that they aim very well, but when you are looking through an iron sight at a target 200 meters away, a man is man sized whether hes 5'9" and 170lbs or 6'2" 240lbs.
And they don't let obese people in the military.

Unlike the general Iraqis I imagine?:rolleyes:

They are sitting in an alley, waiting for a truck to go by and pushing a button.

Way to disprove one arbitrary strawman generalization by posting half a dozen other arbitrary strawman generalizations that are equally irrelevant. I stand totally PWNED.

It's a documented fact (http://www.wpro.who.int/NR/rdonlyres/6C5B171B-7D6C-44ED-94C8-C6DA5F27CB1C/2036/ams.pdf) that American Samoans have some of the highest obesity rates in the world. They are also heavily represented in the National Football League and both amateur and professional wrestling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anoa%27i_family) (best known Samoan wrestler - The Rock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rock_%28entertainer%29)).

Simple fact is, Samoans tend to be bigger targets. They can't just draw lines down their flanks and say "only shoot here, please". It's not that surprising they get hit more.

Surprised you would post the last part of this. To be honest it sounds a bit ignorant. I would suggest that Samoans are more likely to die in combat due to their bravery more then anything else. They are a proud people and would do anything for others around them. I would assume this is the case in combat.

I would assume this is the case in combat.
I assume he was kidding.

Horribly obese Samoans aren't gonna be front-line troops any more than horribly obese non-Samoans.

And considering that most US deaths come from IEDs, bravery may not have all that much to do with it.

Unfortunately IED's and rockets don't differentiate between different people.

I assume he was kidding.

Horribly obese Samoans aren't gonna be front-line troops any more than horribly obese non-Samoans.

And considering that most US deaths come from IEDs, bravery may not have all that much to do with it.

I don't believe we are talking about horribly obese people.

Sure, if one was to volunteer to drive point in a convoy.

So minorities are still getting put on the front line first, eh? Geez.

So minorities are still getting put on the front line first, eh? Geez.

That is a myth really. My experience was there were a lot of "white" guys on the front line. I served in the "front" and did see a lot of minorities however I saw a lot of the so called majority too.

That is a myth really. My experience was there were alot of "white" guys on the front line. I served in the "front" and did see alot of minorities however I saw alot of the so called majority too.

Fair enough. Also, isn't "a lot" two separate words?

Do you not see the difference between 'absolute' casualties versus casualties relative to the overall population of Samoans in the military? I never said anything about there being more Samoan casualties, just that bigger targets are easier targets.

Your words mean... nothing... You aren't even really saying anything.

Fair enough. Also, isn't "a lot" two separate words?

yes, I have a habit of combining them. It's a quirk of mine. I usually run a spell check to check myself but this time it slipped by. Will fix. ;)

Only American Samoan, the eastern part. Much smaller than former Western Samoa, now called simply "Samoa".

Samoa was divided between two colonial powers, Germany and the USA, in the late 19th century (if I recall correctly). The western part remained German until it was taken over by New Zealand in 1914, and became independent in 1962. The eastern part, by contrast, is still a US territory today.

Smaller, yes. But better. Our Samoa has one of the best harbors in the world for deep-water. ;)

Here's an interesting set of graphs about deaths in Iraq.

Shows US Combat deaths, terrorist combat deaths, deaths by IEDs, and civilian deaths.

http://northshorejournal.org/index.php/2007/06/the-truth-about-american-deaths-in-iraq

Wow. I didn't know we were killing so many insurgents.

Also, it's kind of shocking in a sad way to see the number of accidental death over there. During Viet-Nam, my dad's unit lost more men killed in drunk-driving accidents than in combat, so I shouldn't be surprised. But it's still sad.

I don't believe we are talking about horribly obese people.


Very true. It's a fact the Samoans tend to be meaty, but the Army isn't going to let you get to the point where you're looking like Fatty Arbuckle out there, I'm sure.

There are strict height and weight standards that must be maintained in the US miltiary. If someone gets too fat and doesn't lose the weight quickly, or can't pass a physical fitness test they can be , and most of the time are discharged.

There are strict height and weight standards that must be maintained in the US miltiary. If someone gets too fat and doesn't lose the weight quickly, or can't pass a physical fitness test they can be , and most of the time are discharged.

That's what I always thought too. I think it was that you had to be within 15% of your "ideal" body weight just to enlist, when I talked to a recruiter back in high school.