I did a little post earlier this week about the wind up in Iraq. Just a little note.
The historians will spend their time picking this apart - this strange war; this very political war.
As for me; I know what I saw; I know what I read closed source and open; I know what happened in a historical context; I know what I did; I know what others did. My thoughts are the same now as they have always been from 2003 through victory in late 2008 though everyone coming home in 2011.
It is done for us; the rest is up to the Iraqis to figure out.
For those who served and supported OIF; BZ and fullbore.
For all those who served, for all those who lost loved ones, for those who came home broken in body but not in spirit....thank you from the bottom of my heart. You fought in a viscious unforgiving war with no front line, no safe rear. A lot of you went back several times. You are all warriors and I will forever be grateful to your sacrifice, and the sacrifice of those you left at home.
ReplyDeleteWhat a HUGE statement in deeds that most of the Arab world will never understand - we came, we conquered, we hauled the country into the 21st century and we gave it back to the people.
ReplyDeleteI was lucky. During my time there (2007-2008) everyone I knew came home. Some close calls, but we all went home safely. I've been thinking a lot about the Iraqis I worked with. Great people, and I wish them all the best. It's their country, always has been, let's hope they make it work.
ReplyDeleteWould we, could we, have done it right in 1991... at least it is done with. Time for the Iraqis to determine their fate. Time for us to remember our fallen. Time to study the lessons of war and reset our Military.
ReplyDeleteThe second best moment of the war, the best being imho dragging out Saddam from his hole...
ReplyDeleteNow it is all in the hands of Iraqis. Good luck!
With great respect, Thank You all.
ReplyDeleteYou want to tell the Iraqis "Dont screw it up" but they will do what they will do. Low class that neither the President or Prime Minister could make the handover but I have come to expect that. To the naysayers it still comes down to this: Would the world be better today of Saddam was still alive and feeding his citizens to the wood chippers? (and sporting a rebuilt WMD/Nuke program)
ReplyDeleteGood heavens - I miss the site for a couple of days and things go all crazy!
ReplyDeleteSal comes out with a myriad of great posts, the trolls start going with random poster names, Ewok goes all Keith Olbermann, and Skippy reappears in the comments.
Dang Sal, you're the milblog version of "Lost", can't miss a day or you'll never catch up! =-O
Now THAT'S funny!
ReplyDeleteI was there from 2008-2009 on a 9 month IA. Monumental waste of resources, treasure, and lives. Profound personal effect on my health. It was my last tour before retiring.
ReplyDeleteStill, thanks for what you did. Small comfort, but please know that your sacrifice was not ignored or uncared for.
ReplyDelete'tis a pity that the Prior Occupant was not at his best in articulating the reasonings behind something that had been in the planning stages (TINS) since late '91 and was almost set in motion by his predeccesor. But how do you say "we're doing this not for oil, not for corporations, but to move a mass of humanity off TDC and to put a 'presence' right in the smack middle of a nest of vipers. We intend to smother them with the idea that people are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights..." ? Were there colassal screw-ups? Right from the get-go. But in the end, we learned and we improvised and we invented. The Strategic Corporals and the tireless Grunts and their NCO's did the heavy lifting. Everyone, for the most part, lent a hand. I was lucky; I walked the plank six months after the fall of Baghdad. (after being around three wars and a bunch of "stuff," it was time) But I felt the sting every day when we lost folks. To all who were there, in any way, shape or form: Thanks.
ReplyDeleteandy: i believe that goerge the younger was not inarticulate but carefully considering his words as he spoke them.
ReplyDeleteC
To Iraq, Goodbye, best wishes, and don't make us come back. For Iran, that goes triple for you. For the record, we'll be back.
ReplyDeleteNext time, burn it to the ground and leave it. Take the oil.