Comments on: Missing IT

By: CJ

CJ — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:15:03 +0000

Paul,You’re even more naive than I gave you credit for. Allow me to correct a few of your inaccuracies. I did NOT have an uparmored HMMWV when I was in Iraq – mine was canvas. I was in Iraq for the actual, when we didn’t have very many.Second, you say I have my beliefs and you have yours. The difference between them is that mine are backed up with experience and a first person perspective. Yours are backed up by innuendo and what you’re fed. As for Abu Ghraib, I personally attacked the Soldiers responsible for the atrocities there publicly on my website. I’m a realist, not biased hack.The only service personel I have true pride for are the draftees (US) and national servicemen (Aust). They were not professionals like CJ or I they didn’t even want to serve but when they were told to go they did. They are the true pillars of democracy.It is with this comment that you lose your credibility with me. Compulsary service more honorable than voluntary service? A true pillar of DEMOCRACY to FORCE someone into military service as opposed to giving people the choice to serve – true democracy. Thankfully, you’re “out of here” because I have nothing more to say you to you. You’re really not worth the time it takes to respond.

By: Paul O'Malley

Paul O'Malley — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:50:18 +0000

Cindy,Thanks for your comments but you seem to be the only one reading some of what I actually wrote. I make allowances for Kenny as he’s not well. CJ on the other hand seems to be suffering as well, just not ready to admit it. He certainly couldn’t control himself very well. I hope he’s not like that in the field.I have refrained from using their type of language as I feel an argument is best done civilly, then we each get to hear the others reasons. CJ seems to get angry and abusive when he can’t respond adequately to an argument.GoPea’s comments were on the 24th.”noble young men and women in uniform. Whether our brave freedom fighters make a stand for liberty in Haditha, Falluja, Baghdad, My Lai, or even the prison grounds of Abu Ghraib – they all deserve our respect and gratitude”CJ and Kenny read the above comments but they like him and not me. That’s cool, hypocritical and typical but cool.I said society will judge an army by the actions of it’s members, not me. I know accidents happen, I also know sometimes the accidents are deliberate. CJ has every right to be pissed with what some of his uniformed colleagues have and are still doing. The biggest problem for CJ is that they keep doing them. The bad shit is instutionalised I fear and will never be fixed.I can’t comment on your book as I have not read it, or on your service with KBR and apart from a few local HET missions in Kuwait with IAP either. There are a few guys grumbling about things claimed from the KBR and IAP/PWC days. So I would watch out for some surprises in the future. I did tell you previously that while many journos would be interested in your story, some would only be interested in the dirt. These days especially.I am going as I have nothing to say that would make any difference. My life is fine and my and my families future set. I was here as a hobby not as therapy. I’ll find something more productive to do.I hope your life and family gets to be as good as it can be. I hope Kenny gets the help he needs and stays away from the re-enlistment office. For GoPea, I hope he always has someone buy him a bourbon, that way he will be in no fit state to get another human killed for his warped sense of duty and honour. Lastly CJ, survival is what I wish for him, its the same thing I wished for every trip North from Navstar.

By: WhiteRose

WhiteRose — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:26:41 +0000

Paul,

Yes, I know the history of how my country began.

I am sure that you have heard the saying that if you want to change the world it has to start with one person. I want to make a difference and I hope that the difference that I try to make in the world is a good and positive one and has a ripple effect. You are right, this is my blog and I have control over it. I have no problem with differing opinions as long as they are respectful. Two years ago I received MANY death threats and death wishes. They can still be found on this blog. I know you and some others are going to say that I am naive for some of my beliefs, but I do not judge all but what a few do. And if I want to change that kind of thinking in this world, then I have to start it here, in my world.

As far as the book and movie, the book is out and has been for almost 2 years now. There are many comments by readers on my web site about it. It is true to what I experienced. As for the movie, Hollywood does what Hollywood does and I don't really have much control over that, but am trying anyway. I will be a consultant on it and have already told them that if it could not have happened, then I don't want to see it in the movie.

As for CJ, he has his own blog and has called out the screw ups in the military and our government many times. I don't remember GOPeagle saying that the crap at Abu Grahib was a good thing, but I will have to go back and re-read his comments later. Yes, what happened there looks bad on the military, but we can NOT judge all the military by those few and I wont have it done here. It's like Blackwater and the bed actions of other contractors that I have been fighting for several years now. That is one of the reasons that I wrote the book and am working on the movie. Not all contractors as money hungry mercs! But yet, that is what hear about in the MSM. The only way to change that is to try to get the good stories out there. Those stories are only going to get out there if people like me put them out there.

Thing is, writing is good therapy and I hoped that my son would get positive support while he works on getting better. That didn't happen with this post. It went off into a big political debate that did nothing but piss everyone off. You and I came to an understanding a long time ago on where we each stand on this subject. We have agreed to disagree several times. There were times that I felt attacked buy your words and the words of other readers, but sometimes what we mean does not come through in a short comment typed out. We can't always hear the tone of what one is saying and sometimes just the wording can be miss-leading. I have found that one out the hard way and had to clear things up several times.

Take care, and if you choose to quit reading and commenting that is your choice.

By: Paul O'Malley

Paul O'Malley — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:27:08 +0000

Cindy,How many US service people returned from Vietnam and were called baby killers? I’m betting thousands more than were actually guilty of the crime they were being accussed of. The public, the people whose support some soldiers want, judge the army by the actions of its members as a group.You seriously don’t expect any reasonable person not to remember the old addage about a lifetimes good reputation destroyed by one misdeed! Wake up CJ. I don’t care what CJ and others think of me. He has his beliefs and nothing will sway him. Sort of fundamentalist if you ask me. I note CJ and Kenny decided not to bag GoPea for his support of Abu Grahib, bit hypocritical but not surprising considering his ‘never cut and run’ mentality.If CJ and Kenny et al can’t see the reality of public opinion then I’m sorry for them. What happened last time a Marine raped a Japanese school girl on Okinowa.? Did the people protest against the individual marine or the whole Corp. The whole Corp and US military combined. This is reality.If CJ doesn’t want to see the bad some of his brother and sister service personel are doing so be it. He is welcome to his unique view of the world. I expect to see him on the TV in a decade or so in faded desert cams whining about something.The only service personel I have true pride for are the draftees (US) and national servicemen (Aust). They were not professionals like CJ or I they didn’t even want to serve but when they were told to go they did. They are the true pillars of democracy.Professional soldier is an occupation. Just like driving an unarmoured truck along Sword. I wonder how CJ and Kenny would have gone without their uparmoured Humvee. I doubt we will ever know. Cindy, I’m out of here, to many one sided opinions. Feel free to delete whatever you need to. It’s your blog and you have every right to only allow your approved version to appear online. Good luck with the movie and book. As I said before I hope for your sake its all fact. Nothing worse than getting outed after the red carpet to ruin the memory of the day. Oh I loved the line about all us australians being convicts. You do know where the pommies sent their convicts before they found this place don’t you? In case you don’t, your standing on it;-)Kenny I hope you get better and find a new career and move on with your life.CJ, sorry but I’m not a recruit, I have a brain and have been around. I smell bullshit a mile off. Leave the spin for the fellow believers. Your a professional soldier act like one. The good comes with the bad. Accept it or discharge and try something else.Live long and prosper one and all.

By: CJ

CJ — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:59:15 +0000

Cindy, I don’t hold you responsible. You didn’t force Paul the pathetic to speak. I know what kind of person you are. I apologize for my language. As you know, I don’t generally use those words, so feel free to edit them out. I just lost it.

By: WhiteRose

WhiteRose — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:36:02 +0000

CJ,

I am so sorry that you have had to endure this kind of treatment on my blog and that it has taken me so long to get to dealing with it. I have been sick and it is taking everything I have to keep going and trying to work till I see the doctor Monday and get my surgery scheduled. Trust me that this will not go on any more. You know that I love, respect, and support you and all our service members.

Please take care and tell your lovely wife that I said hi!

By: WhiteRose

WhiteRose — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:24:08 +0000

Paul,

You know that I try not to censor any comments to my blog, but this time you have crossed that line. I will not have my friends and my family disrespected as you have done in this comment. I ask that if you can not be respectful, then please refrain from commenting at all. I will start deleting your comments if you do not.

Now, with that said, I do have a few comments of my own. The only people that would put all soldiers in one group and judge them all buy a fews actions are some very small minded people. And I guess if we are to use the mentality that you have stated here, then you and your Aussie brothers and sisters are nothing more than a bunch of convicts, since Australia was originally a penal colony.

So lets not throw stones here, because they will hit us all in the head!

By: Sniper Check

Sniper Check — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:19:49 +0000

You ignorant pompass ass, where the hell do you get the right to compare ALL soldiers to those complete morons from Abu Ghraib. I am very proud of my medals and awards, and I am proud of everything I have done. You are just upset that your dumb ass doesn’t have the balls to do anything to the MAGNITUDE that me or CJ has done. You are the type of people that give contractors and military personell bad names. Only in it for the money, and nothing else. If you had an ounce of patriotism in you, you would know there is more to this than just money…..And just for your information, the terrists WHERE IN NEW YORK, and they are still in our country, AND YOUR COUNTRY DUMB ASS. So before you open your uneducated mouth. Get educated, go learn your facts you Gooch.

By: CJ

CJ — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 04:52:21 +0000

Paul, you worthless piece of shit. How dare you even attempt to pigeon hole me in to the same category as the assholes responsible for Abu Ghraib. How dare you attempt to minimize my medals with your warped view of reality through your shit-stained sunglasses.The only shame I share is that I haven’t done enough to vet failed abortions like you from getting military contracted dollars. I hold my head high and I KNOW what I did in Iraq. If you’ve got some ghosts in YOUR closet there’s nothing I can do for you. My service, and Sniper’s service, is no more stained by Abu Ghraib that yours is by My Lai! The bottle is calling. Better go suck another one down before you completely lose your mind. You are right about one thing: Iraq is exactly what I needed – the chance to kill terrorists!! I look forward to future opportunities. When do you join them?

By: Paul O'Malley

Paul O'Malley — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:36:18 +0000

CJ,Your just pissed that not everyone buys the CIC’s line. If the insurgents were in LA or New York then I would accept your flag drapped surge of patriotism.They are not.Soldiers in Iraq and other places are doing their duty, just like they signed up for. There is honor in that, but not in most of the missions they are sent on. You have lost the right to claim that after Abu Grahib and other incidents. Remember what one soldier does you all do. You all share the shame and dishonour. You don’t have to like it but your stuck with it. I learned that also from my service. It’s all to do with wearing the same uniform.Iraq will turn out to be Vietnam 2, at no fault of the soldiers on the ground.When I served with my mates I would have died for them. But for bullshit bush, no bloody way. I spoke to a number of aussie soldiers at Talil and they were all there for money (extra and tax free) and for the experience (it was real and what they trained for). Not one was pushing the save Iraq line or wearing a flag as a cape. One thing I’ll say for aussie soldiers is they have common sense.Keep your medal’s, proudly enjoy veterans day. It sounds like it’s what you needed and wanted. I wanted something different from my tour of Iraq. Looks like we both got what we wanted.