This was an Iraqi Platoon Mike, Only one-third usually on duty at one time. Even in a battle they go for lunch or home to sleep!
Apparently they don't use sentries either!
Our desk jockeys and green zoners do eat lunch.
Mike, who is correct about Iraq? The Chairman of the JCS, The Southern Commander, Barry McAffery, several "retired" generals, Shinsecki for one, or these dudes who have gone along with Bush and Cheney for six years?
They MUST agree with him--- they stayed.

... get realistic, do you really believe the hype created by Mr Obama? I fully support your right to choose, but I would have thought someone of your intellect would know better.

Of the three viable candidates, two are lightweights in experience, and the other has proven to be a political maverick. All have egos and personal quests for power, I only ask that as we vote we keep as a primary consideration what is best for the US as a whole. Your distain for President Bush is showing.

"Your distain for President Bush is showing.

Mike, I've never tried to hide my disdain for Bush, or this corrupt administration, who led us into the Iraq war based only on the lies they concocted.

I appreciate Hack's response to your post and I must concur that only a Dem will get us out of the mess Bush created for our country, at home as well as in Iraq. But it is the Dem's race to lose at this point and the infighting between Obama and Hillary is sickening to say the least and currently plays well for McSame.

Bush's approval rating reached a new low recently, based on an AP poll released Thurs. showing he dropped from 30% approval in Feb/March, down to 28%, with only 24% of the country believing the country is headed in the right direction.

BUSH CONTINUES DOWNHILL SLIDE IN APPROVAL

Perhaps you may be correct in that only a Dem will get us out of Iraq-only time will tell. Mr Bush's corrupt administration (your words) pales in comparison to his predessor who by the way made a bit of a mess in Bosnia. Either way, we have a mess, and we now shoulder the responsibility to clean it up. Any ideas?

I have no disdain for troops; junior or senior. I have incredible disappointment in the decisions we continue to make at the political end of military leadership.

-Senator Obama has asked a valid question: How long do we wait for Iraqis to decide to unify their government?

-How long do we heed the advice of people who have gotten predictions wrong consistently?

-How many years of Iraq do we put on credit cards?

-How long do we keep rotating guys into a theater that has yielded no reductions in international terrorism, and has not gotten us any closer to OBL?

If I was a person who wanted to reduce our foot print in Iraq, who else would I vote for? Hillary doesn't know an 8th grader from a sniper, and John McCain wants to expand our democratic magic-making to Iran. He also sees a long term basing agreement in Iraq as being feasible.

I see Obama as the only candidate who has been brave enough to truly speak his mind. John McCain, who I would not be unhappy with, told us in '05, '06, and '07 "No one said Iraq would be easy." Problem is, in '03 and '04 John McCain told Meet the Press and Fox News he thought Iraq would be easy. Same flops on gay marriage and the confederate flag.

My point is, if a man has experience, but tries to convince us he did not say what we have him on tape saying, why should I give that experience over-riding importance?

Thanks for being one of the level heads!

Cheers,

Kevin "Hack" King

Thanks for taking the dance. I agree with your stance on the female candidate, however on Mr Obama I simply can not see him as "ready for prime time". He does give a great impression in his eloquence, but beyond that, who really knows. On a world stage we have too much to lose, and inexperience is not what we need right now (my opinion).

Mr McCain was not my first choice, but among the three all I can say is that I'm going with my instinct.

Regarding the mess in Iraq, I see you and I pretty much on the same tract except that for me the place would have been left completely barren after I left after 90 days. My opinion again, I see the military not in the role of nation building, for that time is long past. When Mr Hussein was located, it was time for us to leave and let the chips fall where they may.

When an administration makes the decision to put US forces into harms way, there can be but one outcome, and it must happen quickly and with a violence level that the average American would be shocked. I believe that you and I had a similar conversation a few weeks back in regards to winning.

Just my two cents worth.