Afghanistan: An Individual Soldiers' Perspective-Part 1

reply to post by NeoParadigm

BTW, I like how you included that insult at the end of a post that shares the same sentiment with my posts.

Whether or not we share the same philosophy is irrelevant, my "insult" was not as a consequence of just this thread...........your "righteous" message(s) are drowned out by the "delivery method" you use, surely you can see that you garnish acute reactions from members due to this. As the saying goes, "there are plenty of ways to skin a cat"

I am vehemently anti-war these days BUT I served in the Australian military for many years so I reserve the right to see what war is today compared to 40 odd years ago and my posting history will reflect this.

Hell, the best man at my wedding is STILL a very high ranking military officer in Australia and even he agrees with me that it's all politics and acquisition of resources these days, all hidden under the guise of "bringing democracy to those who are oppressed by dictators".......dictators WE put there.

That is why I posted that young soldiers letter because war today is protection by proxy, young men dying for unjust and political reasons - not because Hitlers and Pol Pots are murdering millions......unless you categorize elements within Western Governments accordingly which would be a fair call......you see the conundrum?

So, go back and read my post again, it should now make sense. Projectvxn is young and doing what he feels is right, I doubt he would be there if he had unequivocal proof that it is simply to overthrow one government, install another and take control of the countries strategic geographical location (Afghanistan) or resources (Iraq).

Originally posted by doctorvannostren
your story was lame and you havent seen #. Save the drama.

Please tell us one of your stories Oh Great Warrior.

reply to post by Strewth

Whether or not we share the same philosophy is irrelevant, my "insult" was not as a consequence of just this thread...........your "righteous" message(s) are drowned out by the "delivery method" you use, surely you can see that you garnish acute reactions from members due to this.

It shows that some members have a problem.

I am always on topic and completely within the rules when people start harassing me. Just like you did. It's not my fault.

reply to post by thesaneone


Blah blah blah yourself.

So, because the middle east has wars in its area, the US should engage also? What does this even mean? This is one of the most illogical things I have heard in a while. It does not make any sense whatsoever.

What a completely moronic comment you made. And last time I checked, countries in the middle east haven't invaded any other countries across the globe. Like I said before, the US averages a war every 20 years. 5 million civilians killed in Vietnam, hundreds of thousands in Iraq and Afghanistan since the Gulf War leading up to present day, repeated drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, and now with this Syria BS.

Oh wait let me guess. "Blah blah blah"

Pathetic.

reply to post by projectvxn


So if the militants fighting a corrupt government and an invading/occupying foreign force, i.e. US/NATO forces, then what would you call US/NATO forces who machine to death, from a helicopter 10-12-year-old kids collecting firewood? I would call such people pure evil. You're part of that pure evil.

Also if you get upset about children getting killed/wounded/maimed/scarred in a war zone, what about all the Iraqi children being born or still-born with birth defects of extreme nature, attributed to depleted uranium.

I don't doubt that you see a lot of bad and disheartening stuff daily in your tour of duty, but to ignore the harm and evil your own side does, and only complain about that done by the opposition shows that your perspective is vary biased at best -- if not downright warped.

In addition, perhaps if the militants fighting you were armed with the same expensive, high-tech weapons, they would fight you more directly and act more 'warrior-like'. It is the height of hypocrisy to be part of a high-tech, industrial-nation, occupying army and complain about the tactics used by the low-tech, poorly armed guerillas fighting in their own country. Shame on you, you self-righteous bully.

Ever see pictures of the Vietnamese children who were victims of napalm strikes, land minds or agent orange birth defects, or the children of Nagasaki and Hiroshima with peeling skin and bleeding innards caused by radiation poisoning, or the shadows of child victims -- which were the only remains of those close to the blast? Yeah, America has such a swell war record when it comes to child civilians.

But know this, until you've had to do what I have, don't pretend to understand, or be able to second guess my perspective on things. The quote above is from a former member, I remembered this post in particular because I've heard so much garbage like this on ATS before.

God didn't force you to go and fight there unless you have some problems with god.

But at the end of the day the people we are fighting are NOT the good guys. They are NOT freedom fighters. They are murderers and terrorists and f'ing child killing monsters. They are tyrants who brutally subjugate women-denying them jobs, education, and any sense of self worth.

Aren't these the same Wahhabis who are helping US govt in the Syria ?

BTW , you are there to kill , not to party and killing must have a reason.

That is the reason you make to justify your action and that is only worthy to yourself.

Read about them

here & here

reply to post by projectvxn

I was wondering what you did over there. While I am anti war in my stance and might not agree with the mission over there as it stands, I can identify with what you do a little better. Saw a doc on it the other night and when you said you flew cover for the lead Medevac chopper, I remembered the show and grasped a little how that must be for you.



Heres the episode about evacs and medicine for those wanting to grasp a little of whats going on.

reply to post by projectvxn


"But at the end of the day the people we are fighting are NOT the good guys. They are NOT freedom fighters. They are murderers and terrorists and f'ing child killing monsters. They are tyrants who brutally subjugate women-denying them jobs, education, and any sense of self worth."

So you're willing to invade another country over denying women certain jobs?, because everything else you mentioned there your own crap hole of a country(I'm using your words) has going on in its own borders as well. You want to voice your opinion, then I'm sure you wont mind me voicing mine.

Sheeple of the same mindset that you have are what keeps the western tyrants sitting behind their desks relying on people like you with blind patriotism to fight their wars for them. If you really wanted to do something decent then you'd attempt to fix your own country first where some of the most hideous crimes on earth are committed every day. Stop lying to yourself, get off your podium, put down your weapons, you're not a hero in any sane man's mind. So you helped save a childs life, of course this is a good thing, but does that make right the millions of innocent people your army has killed in the process of these shenanigans? of course not, stop trying to justify your actions of joining a totally corrupt army and fix your own home/country before you go around the world like a blind cowboy all high on denial and blind patriotism, it makes me sick, and there is absolutely no honour in fighting for the Zionist/masonic trolls you now fight for.

To the OP: A lot of my friends 'over there' are medics and corpsmen, thanks for helping to keep them safe while they save lives. Sadly, a lot of them end up thinking as you do about the Taliban, but it's pretty hard to blame them, considering.

reply to post by NeoParadigm


Geez, this thing's still getting trotted out? Not sure why it's in a topic of someone sharing one of their experiences (completely unrelated to a 2007 incident where two reporters who were not wearing their identification vests were mulling about with several armed men, just after a raid of Coalition Forces (who were just down the street from these men) had called in for air support after taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire. And then an alleged random endangered his own children's safety by getting involved, and unfortunately paid the price.) either, except to try and 'troll.'

Between 3:13 and 3:30 it is quite clear to me, as both a former infantry sergeant and a photographer, that the two men central to the gun-camera’s frame are carrying photographic equipment. This much is noted by WikiLeaks, and misidentified by the crew of Crazyhorse 18. At 3:39, the men central to the frame are armed, the one on the far left with some AK variant, and the one in the center with an RPG. The RPG is crystal clear even in the downsized, very low-resolution, video between 3:40 and 3:45 when the man carrying it turns counter-clockwise and then back to the direction of the Apache. This all goes by without any mention whatsoever from WikiLeaks, and that is unacceptable.

You are right my friend. You must do your job.

But remember at the same time that Pashtun tribes have been taken advantage of by many people, latest by Pakistanis and Saudis.

The United States was wrong in fighting SU in Afghanistan who came there at the invitation of the Afghan govt. Now US is paying the price.

I felt compelled to post on this one.

You are asking the members of ATS to see things from your perspective, I appreciate that, can see your point of view and I actually understand how you can rationalize it that way.

However, "War is hell" as the saying goes and the most harm is always done to the common "innocent" civilian and the land the fighting is on.

All I'd like to say is you will never understand the "enemy", "freedom fighter", "innocent bystander", or even your own combat buddy, until you have "walked a mile in his/hers shoes".

I have zero military experience outside of visiting friends on base or watching an air show or parade, so I haven't walked in your shoes, but I also never walked in the shoes of the "enemy", "freedom fighter", "rebel" or "innocent bystander" that sustained direct or collateral damage during some tactical strike.

I don't know what it is to engage the enemy, so I reserve any judgements on the reasoning an active military member may have for justifying the execution of their orders and the collateral damage or friendly fire that may occur due to that. I am pretty sure that I would be very conflicted about the consequences of my actions if I had any combat experience.

ETA: I want to be clear that the "enemy" could also be considered a "freedom fighter" who could be a "rebel" or even an "innocent" civilian that is involved in the underground resistance against occupation or their own unjust government.

Originally posted by MyHappyDogShiner
reply to post by TDawgRex

 

I was just diagnosed with PTSD a few months ago, the last time I was deployed was in the 80's.

It sucks to be me, but I'm all I got.

I did take one good thing from the military though, I learned that I can do absolutely anything I put my mind to, how to motivate myself after every ounce of energy I have is gone and keep going on.

Deployed in the 1980's? Where did you deploy? What action was it?

Originally posted by NeoParadigm
reply to post by TDawgRex

 

I can gaurantee you that most of his collegues will frown upon the fact that he is spilling his guts here.

It's embarassing.

You know what Neo...you don't know squat....Yiou've obviously never been out of your mama's bedroom.
you say you could go to Ghani and do the hard work....Yeahhhh,.....Sure. It's easy to say from behind a computer desk, ain't it. Now listen, if you have never been in a fire fight, if you have never been in the sand dunes at 120 degrees with sand down the crack of your a$$, if you have never had to be on a steak out for 3 weeks and only eat rations, if you have never been away from your loved ones for 6 months with hardly anyway to contact them, if you have never seen death, if you have never killed to safe your own a$$, you don't know sh!t bud !!!


OP...Dude, stay safe, protect them boys with all you got and come home safe and sound!

Ret Cpl, 2 field ambulance!

reply to post by Nuke2013

You know what Neo...you don't know squat....Yiou've obviously never been out of your mama's bedroom. you say you could go to Ghani and do the hard work....Yeahhhh,.....Sure. It's easy to say from behind a computer desk, ain't it. Now listen, if you have never been in a fire fight, if you have never been in the sand dunes at 120 degrees with sand down the crack of your a$$, if you have never had to be on a steak out for 3 weeks and only eat rations, if you have never been away from your loved ones for 6 months with hardly anyway to contact them, if you have never seen death, if you have never killed to safe your own a$$, you don't know sh!t bud !!!

Are you another volunteer soldier whining about how hard his job is on an internet forum?

Eating rations, sand in your ass? You even have to fight? Really? You poor things. Who would've seen that coming.

Originally posted by NeoParadigm
reply to post by Nuke2013

 

You know what Neo...you don't know squat....Yiou've obviously never been out of your mama's bedroom. you say you could go to Ghani and do the hard work....Yeahhhh,.....Sure. It's easy to say from behind a computer desk, ain't it. Now listen, if you have never been in a fire fight, if you have never been in the sand dunes at 120 degrees with sand down the crack of your a$$, if you have never had to be on a steak out for 3 weeks and only eat rations, if you have never been away from your loved ones for 6 months with hardly anyway to contact them, if you have never seen death, if you have never killed to safe your own a$$, you don't know sh!t bud !!!

Are you another volunteer soldier whining about how hard his job is on an internet forum?

Eating rations, sand in your ass? You even have to fight? Really? You poor things. Who would've seen that coming.

edit on 30-8-2013 by NeoParadigm because: (no reason given)

Oh no...Please don't get me wrong...I enlisted especialy for those specific reasons and to get in on the action...I don't regret any kills, I don't regret any time out on tour, I've actualy enjoyed myself verry well. My point is, YOU sir couldn't do it, YOU SIR are not made to deal with it, instead you choose to judge those that have done it from behind your PC. A classic keyboard warrior with no real guts or glory.

So please, stop critisinzing those that give you the power to write your stupidities fore without them you would have nothing.

Originally posted by thesaneone
reply to post by Nuke2013

 

POST REMOVED BY STAFF

Yeah I know...Still burns my ass when simpletons like him disgrace soldiers! He has no idea, even if one volunteers and is ready for what ever he is dished out, the work is thankless, the work is grusome and disgusting but in the end it takes hard men to be able to do it and come back home with a smile !

reply to post by NeoParadigm

Are you another volunteer soldier whining about how hard his job is on an internet forum?

Eating rations, sand in your ass? You even have to fight? Really? You poor things. Who would've seen that coming.

Ahh there it is. The obvious condescention.

I've been waiting for it. Not that you haven't given examples, but this is probably the best one.

I don't think I'm better than you because of what I do. I don't think I'm better than anyone. I am simply me. I am a soldier in a war no one likes. I will do my duty to the best of my ability and I will do it with a conscience and with honor.

You my condescending friend cannot say anything to change that.

I don't know why you think we're complaining. What we're trying to tell you is that you have no damned clue what you're talking about, and yet you assume for yourself some sense of intellectual authority over the discussion taking place. Even as far as to say that I shouldn't even be talking about what I experience, because according to you it's "embarrassing".

Who the hell are you to tell me or anyone else what to say? Get off your high horse man. If anything is embarrassing it is your attitude.

You have yet to make a point that I haven't elaborated on. But in the time I have had in the last 24 hours or so, all you have managed to do is have petty arguments with people over nothing. You have made no further points or contributions worth responding to, and now this.

What the hell man?

You haven't even given me a real reason as to why I shouldn't be posting this. If it isn't OPSEC what is it then? Explain yourself so we can move on. You don't do that. You go from post to post with a condescension that is palpable. either make a point or take your leave, PLEASE.

reply to post by Nuke2013

Oh no...Please don't get me wrong...I enlisted especialy for those specific reasons and to get in on the action...I don't regret any kills, I don't regret any time out on tour, I've actualy enjoyed myself verry well. My point is, YOU sir couldn't do it, YOU SIR are not made to deal with it, instead you choose to judge those that have done it from behind your PC. A classic keyboard warrior with not real guts or glory.

I am not the one whining about his job on an internet forum.

Show some ****ing pride instead of weakness.

reply to post by projectvxn

You haven't even given me a real reason as to why I shouldn't be posting this. If it isn't OPSEC what is it then?

I really have to explain this to a soldier?

Besides that it makes you and your collegues look like spoiled little brats and sensitive sissies to anyone that is reading, including some of your enemies?

Or maybe because you are jinxing yourself, your chopper and subsequently the entire crew by putting it out there that you are flying a chopper over a warzone.

Seriously, if I was part of that crew and I knew, I would slap you.

Or because this stuff is distracting you from your job? You have plenty time to think about stuff when you get home.

This is bad juju, I tell you.