How to destroy an American soldier. Imagine you're a Marine, just two months back from your first tour of duty in Iraq. Imagine you've gone through
a hellish experience that left you
isolated, profoundly depressed, and
struggling with addiction. The Marine Corps
knows you have an untreated mental disorder, but you're still supposed to go back to Iraq next year for a second tour of duty. Now imagine that you have just discovered you may have to go back to Iraq again this year, too.
"If I do get chosen that'll mean by 2007 (assuming I'm still alive ha ha) I'll have made 3 fucking trips to that country. Which in return will end up making me a bitter angry salty fucker. . . If I have to go I'm gonna fuck some shit up . . . your whole mentality just shifts cause of that fear. I wish you all who don't have to deal with a life like that could jump into my head for a second you'd wanna go fucking nuts too! ha ha ha ha
LET'S GO EAT SOME BABIES AND SHOOT SOME ROO'S"
posted by insomnia_lj
on May 18, 2005 -
120 comments
The journal of an American soldier. Although it's typically my policy not to reveal the identity of people I know in Iraq, I am making an exception in this case. The journal above belongs to Michael Smith, a LiveJournal friend of mine who
died in Iraq on Tuesday when an RPG hit his Humvee.
Mike was 24 years old and leaves behind family, friends, and a newlywed wife, who he married in Korea shortly before he deployed to Iraq. As is tradition on LiveJournal,
his last journal entry has become a memorial of sorts.
posted by insomnia_lj
on Jan 13, 2005 -
75 comments
The other shoe drops. The L.A. Times releases details from Major General Antonio M. Taguba's findings into prisoner abuse in Iraq, including evidence that convinced him that a U.S. soldier had sex with an Iraqi female.
(Can we all agree that she didn't ask for it...?)
posted by insomnia_lj
on May 4, 2004 -
106 comments
Wounded British soldier gets lawsuit for Christmas?! Thankfully not.
Alan Tudball was supposed to marry his fiance Claire McCombe in April of this year, but unfortunately Iraq -- and
friendly fire from two U.S.
A-10 tankbusters (video) -- spoiled the wedding plans. Tudball would have died if not for brave
Christopher Finney, who rescued the grievously wounded Tudball, even as the U.S. planes circled around for another strafing run.
The
M.O.D. refused to pay the wedding's cancellation fee, and the
Leasowe Castle Hotel -- not knowing of Tudball's circumstances -- initiated a lawsuit, but after media attention and several concerned phone calls (mine included), I am pleased to announce that the management of the Leasowe Castle Hotel has announced that they are not only dropping the lawsuit, but that they will host the wedding of Mr. Alan Tudball and Miss Claire McCombe free of charge. It's worth noting that when our leaders seem to only be capable of serving up plastic turkeys, the action of ordinary people working together can still bring about honest-to-goodness Christmas miracles.
posted by insomnia_lj
on Dec 23, 2003 -
2 comments
Jules is a thief. The fact that "all the embedded reporters were doing it" does not make it right. Presumably the US soldiers who were overseeing the embedded reporters knew of this kind of cultural theft -- more than likely, many were a party to it themselves.
I'm sending him
an email to remind him of that fact, and I will also
contact his bosses, urging disciplinary action.
posted by insomnia_lj
on Apr 23, 2003 -
42 comments
