My Extended Thoughts About Being Extended in Iraq

I found out earlier this week via AFN (Armed Forces Radio Network) (thanks to some WEASEL, who I will discuss below) that I may have to stay in Iraq up to fifteen months instead of the twelve that was usual. As you might imagine the news was disappointing to most if not everyone around here. Philosophically and militarily, I can understand the reasoning behind the move, but it doesn't make it any more palatable to the soldiers that are affected by it.

While I was home on leave the disconnect between our society at large and what is going on over here and in Afghanistan couldn't have been more apparent to me. It is no wonder that people are "tired" of the war. Every day they are fed news about nothing but car bombings, bridges being blown up, Iraqi politicians threatening to leave the government...bla bla bla etc etc. Unless one digs for it you can never find the success stories only the obituaries. So it doesn't surprise me that this announcement of extension was met by a rousing Bronx cheer announcing how this is somehow symbolic of our impending doom, how the chickens are coming home to roost and we are committed to failure. The only thing the extension is symbolic of is the fact that our Army is a LOT smaller than it was in 1991 and to be able to accomplish what needs to occur to ensure success and still allow Soldiers time with their families this move needed to be made.

As I said before nobody is happy about this, I know the people who made this decision did not relish having to inform the only thing more fearsome than a Soldier, his wife, that he would not be coming home for 3 extra months. Which brings me to the aforementioned WEASEL.

Someone in the Pentagon is a mouth breathing idiot.

That may come as disappointing news to some, but most of us realize that this has been the case ever since they built the place. But, while it is par for the course, this latest move takes the cake. For someone who is so desperate to score political points, who hates what we are doing, who wants to make themself feel important or wants to hurt the President politically, for that person to hurt every family of every soldier by making them read or hear about this decision through the media rather than their CHAIN OF COMMAND is beyond the pale.

I'm fairly certain that this info was SECRET before it was to be released, so there may be legal action that could be taken. If that is so, I hope they string this person from a rhetorical yard arm. If it was a Soldier person serving in the Army who did this, they need to be on the next plane to Iraq, for a job burning porta potty waste at a FOB near the Iranian border or some other suitable task, like riding shotgun for KBR trucks on Route Tampa for 15 months or so.

Of course it was more than likely some GS civilian, mid-level type who could give a rats ass about the soldier really, he's been working in the puzzle palace so long, he feels those bastards don't value his service and he'll show them a thing or two..."I'll just call ABC...that'll show them. Now maybe they'll understand."

Yeah, they'll understand alright, they'll understand just what a conniving piece of crap bastard really is. Out here on the front line, where the rubber meets the road and soldiers are fighting and dying every minute of every day, Mission First, Never Accept Defeat, Never Quit, Never Leave a Fallen Comrade...the Warrior Ethos...these words mean something. Those words mean nothing to this weasel. This person is beneath my contempt, worse that those who have never served who show contempt for what I do, this person is supposed to support and assist me in my mission and not only has this person failed in that task, they have tried to undermine what it is that we do, by hurting those we love and for that you are a truly contemptible swine.

HOW DARE YOU PUT YOUR PERSONAL/ POLITICAL GOALS AND FEELINGS AHEAD OF EVERY SOLDIER AND EVERY SOLDIER'S FAMILY IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY! YOU ARE THE WORST KIND OF OXYGEN THIEVING BLUE FALCON THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. MAY YOU ROT IN HELL FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.