Reads with Scotch ’s Comments (group member since Mar 14, 2008)

Reads with Scotch ’s comments from the Axis Mundi X group.

8 years in the marines.... Yep I knew a lot of assholes. I also knew a lot of really decent people too. I agree RA, sweeping heroism is not a good idea. But I do tend to give a pass until proven otherwise

Our boots on their necks? How so? I don't see us over there pillaging. I don't see us taking their oil. What I see is us dumping billions into Iraq in hopes of giving them a future. That doesn't sound like a boot on the neck to me. Well not an American boot anyway.
Sadam Had a vary effective way of ruling in the Middle East. He did exactly what his boardering countrys are doing.
"You agree with me great, here is a nice desk and a palace!"

"You don't agree with me? Well then, let’s see where did we put your daughters head..."

I just find it un-believable that someone as compassionate as you are Maureen can turn a blind eye to this because you "feel" we are bad. Has our foreign policies added wood to the fire. Yep sure did. But the fire was already burning. That fire started burning at the end of WWII... Actually, I think that plan was drafted by our good friend in the UK... **Disclaimer** I could be wrong on that, it has been a really long time since I read up on WWII.

Maureen dear, they listen to the mullahs because if they don't they get their head choped off. That is not just a treatment that they save for us.

The phrase “Illegal war” If it is illegal, why are we still there? The democrats have been in control of congress for quite some time. Elected to bring our troops home. They blame Bush for blocking these actions. HA! What a crock. “They” fooled you.

As I have said, debating about if we should be there or not is a moot point at this time. We are there, we broke it, and we need to fix it. Simply waking up tomorrow and leaving would be vary bad.

When will people wake up to the fact that we are expendable pieces of the lowest value in a global game of power?

I do not consider myself to be expendable. I think you may feel I am but that is hardly a fact.

edit: (Nick you spoke of "the insurgents"...... *sighs and takes a deep breath*

If the USA bombed the life out of my country, killing thousands as "collateral damage" and then invaded my country, you can bet your last failing dollar that i would resist with every single part of my being. I would be convincing every person i knew to do the same.

I don’t recall ever bombing Iran, or Syria. As I have said, the vast majority of the people/insurgents are foreign fighters. And for the record they fight the Iraqi more then they fight us. That is why the surge has been so successful. Because we have altered from a search, seize and go. To search, seize, and stay.

You know, I was planning on going on and on, but I don’t think there is any point in trying to convince you or anyone else of your view point, that we are not the enemy.

I will close with this, just something to think about. If al Qaeda came about, because we “Cut support” for bin ladin, and his fighters against Russia. Then just think of the beast you would create if one were to do did it again (X2 to the Iraqi). We Value life in this country. They do not. They don’t care what they kill as long as they are killing. Innocent people do get caught up in the fighting, as a grunt, I know how it feels when your actions injure or kill an innocent.
Disagree, fine, debate the topic fine. But to call us then enemy, I can not hold my contempt anymore, you make me sick.

So... Eh, you come here often?

Good point... That reminds me I had a destruction derby "girlfriend" that I always shared my nachos with... Thinking back she was probably just into my nachos!

I think education should be one of the "on point" tactics. The radicals in the region use un-educated people to do their dirty work. More often then not it is as simple as, “Sheik so and so said this, so go do it" And they will, because my sheik wouldn't lie to me. Even though anyone with even the slightest forethought would see it as bull.

I just realized I have not thanked you or Sarah for your kind thoughts. So thank you.

As someone with first hand knowledge I can say this outright, both. There are a lot of good people in the Middle East that just do what they have to do to protect their families. These people coward in fear from the radicals. They coward from us out of fear of what will happen to them if they are seen talking to us or being benefactors of our aide. Those people need help. We can not leave them to the wolves a second time in less then 20 years.

The second groups, the radicals, are just as you described them. But their numbers are limited. Granted in fighting them, we generate more of them. However we are also killing them at an incredible rate. I believe the statistical numbers were something like 120 to 1, at the end of 04’. Some simple math and that is in the ball park of 480,000 enemy combatants killed.

With that impact, and General Patrueuse’s (sorry sir not good at the French thing) new way (new for the Iraq war, this tactic has always been used previously) of conducting operations. I think it is only a matter of time before the civilians of Iraq turn full heartedly against the “insurgency”. Yes the Insurgence are Middle Eastern, but a vary small number of them are actually Iraqi. We are already starting to see this taking place. I know the success is downplayed in the media, but the word I received from friends still in country is “Things are looking up”. Is that satisfactory? In my book, no, but is a start.

In time, it could work, on some levels. I my self would like to see something more. Nothing that Obama is talking about mind you. I mean a real solution, not pulling out. Just to come back in 6 months to start all over again, once millions of innocent people are slaughtered. We brought this to them (Iraqi). Now that some are helping us, and progress is being made, it would be a fool’s choice to leave for political gain. I am not arguing about weather this was a “just war” (there never has been one) or weather we should have invaded. Those are moot points, we ARE there, and we OWE the people there and our OWN lost military men and women, to finish the job and safe guard the US.

Well I guess I will shut it now. I don’t have a plan, I wish I did but I don’t.

I have been all around the world J but I have not been to Ireland. I can tell you that Rhoades Greece was awesome. I hope to go back for a longer visit someday.

My dad always took me to the destruction derby every Saturday. There is just something thrilling about cars smashing into each other to a little boy. I did get grounded once; the derby was canceled for some reason that was beyond my understanding at the time. So I decided to “play” destruction derby with my hot wheels. I know that doesn’t sound bad, but consider this. Derby cars often catch fire, and to get the full experience I decided to catch a couple of my cars on fire… It was a great pile up; I used pliers to crush the roofs in. Anyway I digress. I started a fire in my room catching the carpet on fire… and my bed. Dad was not happy. I wasn’t happy for that matter my ass still stings. I got the full treatment. The guilt, “you could have killed your sisters and brothers!” “Do you want to live in the train yard!” and so on. All in all, it was a fond memory.

I think I have come up with an idea... no drugs, just lots of sex. I think my wife would go for it.
"Hey babe, I quit today!"
"Oh hun, you quit smoking that’s great!"
"Eh... No, I quit my job, NOW DO ME! Like when we were in high school!"
"Eh. What!"
"Yeah relax, that's my new plan no work just sex... I guess you could call it STD."
"Umm... STD?"
"Yep, Sex twice daily! Isn't it great?"


You get the idea.

Midlife crisis... Nope, couldn't be. I just know I have a long time to feel this way and surprise I'm not happy about it. I want mirth, joy. Remember when you were a child and were struck by the un-controllable urge to laugh? Or that you could not stop laughing, for no real reason... It's been at lest 10 years. That is harsh.

I have been hearing about president bush for so long I can hardly keep the stories in line. Who threw up on who isn’t really important. What is important is that our guy threw up on their guy. Now that’s good television.

I have been sitting here for the better part of an hour thinking about this. (Instead of working, I guess that makes me happy. The little things) Why not just say fuck it and be happy? After failing at that. I tried to think way back, when I was a kid, to some stupid carefree moment. I don’t know, playing in a mud puddle or something. I seem to recall there being a time when I was happy… But I can think of it now. Maybe this is an American thing. All through our education were told about all these great things we will accomplish in our lives, and this is how you do it. Then you grow up and it is just a big let down. My life seems hollow. I have nice things (now) I have a loving wife (now) a great dog (now). However I can never shake the sense of impending doom. Thus I am content to wait it out. Just waiting for the other boot to drop, not happy about it, but what is one to do.


Then again maybe it is all the damn High Fructose corn syrup… Every day I think about it. I bet it is liquid smack, or Prozac. Some alien race is up there rolling around the mothership laughing at us.

Mirth? Whats that. Reading through all these posts and I say to myself “Self this guy’s know something I don’t.” The best I can ever hope for is to be contempt. Even when I am partaking in one of my hobbies, I am just content.
Yep nick has two gears, Content and pissed off, that can not be healthy. The thought has accrued to go find a shrink, but you know, I really don’t think a chemical happiness is honest. I want to be honestly happy…

Here ya go spot, try a prozac…

Oh your peepee doesn’t work because of the prozac, here have some Viagra.

I actually herd you can download her music off her myspace page for .98 a song, apparently she has made over a million dollars since this whole thing kicked off. Personally if he broke the law using her services, then she broke the law giving him services. She better save that money for a good lawyer.

I hate plea bargens… If you’re a criminal, making a deal doesn’t change that.

As a military man, I may not be able to articulate this vary well. For two reasons.

1) I knew at a vary young age that I wanted to be a marine, so didn’t participate as much as I should have in school.
2) At the time I was in the Marine Corps, My mind was consumed with any number of possible tactical responses’. ( Note, I didn’t even know who would be the recipient of the response, just that there needed be a response)

After 9/11 and serving a tour in Afghanistan, and two tours in Iraq… how have a changed? Well for one I have started to pay attention to who our elected officials are and what they stand for. I tend to be angry. Most of the time about the media, printed commentary in newspapers. Some of the things I read and hear people say just dumbfound me. I think a lot of Americans are thinking with feelings when we should be thinking with cold logic. We face a serious problem. The military can not stand between us and our enemies forever. At the same time, we have to do something. What do we do? If anyone has a good plausible Idea, I would really love to hear it. I myself was maimed in Iraq. Many of the closest people to me in my life were maimed. If there is a solution I would truly love to hear it.
So how have I changed…? I am damaged and angry. As apposed to young and dumb.