posted on September 13, 2007 11:14:46 AM new
Two Soldiers Critical of War Die in Iraq
By DAVID STOUT,The New York Times
Posted: 2007-09-13 12:44:49
Filed Under: Iraq News, Nation News
WASHINGTON (Sept. 12) — "Engaging in the banalities of life has become a death-defying act," the seven soldiers wrote of the war they had seen in Iraq .
They were referring to the ordeals of Iraqi citizens, trying to go about their lives with death and suffering all around them. But sadly, although they did not know it at the time, they might almost have been referring to themselves.
Two of the soldiers who wrote of their pessimism about the war in an Op-Ed article that appeared in The New York Times on Aug. 19 were killed in Baghdad on Monday. They were not killed in combat, nor on a daring mission. They died when the five-ton cargo truck in which they were riding overturned.
The victims, Staff Sgt. Yance T. Gray, 26, and Sgt. Omar Mora, 28, were among the authors of "The War as We Saw It," in which they expressed doubts about reports of progress.
"As responsible infantrymen and noncommissioned officers with the 82nd Airborne Division soon heading back home, we are skeptical of recent press coverage portraying the conflict as increasingly manageable and feel it has neglected the mounting civil, political and social unrest we see every day," the soldiers wrote.
Sergeant Gray's mother, Karen Gray, said by telephone on Wednesday from Ismay, Mont., where Yance grew up, "My son was a soldier in his heart from the age of 5," and she added, "He loved what he was doing."
The sergeant's father, Richard, said of his son, "But he wasn't any mindless robot."
Sergeant Gray leaves a wife, Jessica, and a daughter, Ava, born in April. He is also survived by a brother and a sister.
Sergeant Mora's mother, Olga Capetillo of Texas City, Tex., told The Daily News in Galveston that her son had grown increasingly gloomy about Iraq. "I told him God is going to take care of him and take him home," she said.
A native of Ecuador, Sergeant Mora had recently become an American citizen. "He was proud of this country, and he wanted to go over and help," his stepfather, Robert Capetillo, told The Houston Chronicle. Sergeant Mora leaves a wife, Christa, and a daughter, Jordan, who is 5. Survivors also include a brother and a sister.
While the seven soldiers were composing their article, one of them, Staff Sgt. Jeremy A. Murphy, was shot in the head. He was flown to a military hospital in the United States and is expected to survive. The other authors were Buddhika Jayamaha, an Army specialist, and Sgts. Wesley D. Smith, Jeremy Roebuck and Edward Sandmeier.
"We need not talk about our morale," they wrote in closing. "As committed soldiers, we will see this mission through."
posted on September 13, 2007 12:02:16 PM new
May they RIP. They gave their lives so that others might enjoy freedom and liberty.
Something they were willing to volunteer to do.
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Glad to see C finally found an article where it's pointed out that they died from an ACCIDENT.....not from combat. As she got so defensive about when I pointed that FACT out.
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"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
posted on September 13, 2007 12:13:41 PM new
Linda--Maybe I can help you comprehend that thread about number of deaths in Iraq. Mingo posted numbers that included all manner of death. Bear came in and said that the numbers were incorrect and gave the numbers of those KIA. If Mingo meant to post KIA numbers only, she would have done so. The rest of the posts argued whether we should count all deaths or just those KIA. IMO, any American killed in Iraq, in any manner, should be counted and paid the proper respect.
Regarding my OP, it is interesting that you have no comment about these brave, loyal soldiers opinions on this war and the surge, considering you are always saying we should listen to the soldiers on the ground. Skipped right over it.
posted on September 13, 2007 12:23:00 PM new
ROFLOL....as a liberal, CC, you can't help anyone including yourself understand anything.
Your mind is closed. You don't care how well we're doing....you will not change your liberal mind. People have always died during war times and when there is no war.
You can't stop that....it's LIFE...especially life in the military.
None the less, THIS CIC will act in our Nations best interests. And hopefully we'll elect another Republican who will also be willing to work against AQ and terrorism. NOT some coward liberal who thinks talking to these nutcases will change their goals.
I did mention them. I pointed out it was THEIR choice to serve and to fight so others can enjoy LIBERTY and FREEDOM. I respect them and ALL soldiers for that.
Not that that matters to YOU, but it does to many Americans who ARE aware that not allowing AQ/Iran to take over Iraq DOES, very much, influence our future.
As I see it, C, it's YOU who just refuses to acknowledge that each and every soldier who volunteered did so because THEY wanted to do so. They didn't CARE one tiny bit that you objected to THEM doing so.
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"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
posted on September 13, 2007 12:35:11 PM new
Poor Linda. Still the Queen of Denial. I have no objection to war in defense of our country. This war is an Iraqi Civil War and our being there is making matters worse. These 2 brave soldiers, along with 5 others, wrote "As responsible infantrymen and noncommissioned officers with the 82nd Airborne Division soon heading back home, we are skeptical of recent press coverage portraying the conflict as increasingly manageable and feel it has neglected the mounting civil, political and social unrest we see every day,". These soldiers along with all other American soldiers in Iraq have my utter support, respect and concern. As good soldiers, they are doing their job, despite their skepticism. As has been true since the first day, Bush has supplied the American people with misinformation and outright lies regarding this war and he is still doing it. These poor kids suffer for it.
posted on September 13, 2007 12:50:52 PM new
Again, CC, I see your post as disregarding the successes we ARE experiencing in parts of Iraq.
Liberals also and almost ONLY focus on the areas that still need more work, while REFUSING to give credit where credit ID DUE.
BUT those few areas are NOT representative of all places all over Iraq. There are MANY, many reports from commanders in different areas of Iraq where their reports say things have dramatically improved. I'll take THEIR word for it over ANY anti-war liberal.
"IMPROVED"....a word liberals can't/refuse to grasp. tsk tsk tsk
Your denial of improvement won't change the FACTS.
And since our WELL RESPECTED commander has said he is against withdrawing troops....guess what's going to happen?
THIS President has done better than most at actually LISTENING and following the advice of our commanders. Because he respects them....not like ld and his ilk...not like all the anti-military liberals either.
I can't imagine how our troops feel with the liberals working against their missions for this long a period of time. Must be REAL demoralizing. But that's the radical left....never have supported our missions, but SURE do divide our nation when we're at war.
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"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
posted on September 13, 2007 01:18:56 PM new
"I can't imagine how our troops feel with the liberals working against their missions for this long a period of time. Must be REAL demoralizing. But that's the radical left....never have supported our missions, but SURE do divide our nation when we're at war."
I know how some of them feel about how things are going there, and it is not what the administration is saying. Just re-read my OP. A "mission" implies something noble. What the Bush administration is doing is not noble. We could be in Iraq for 10 years, and nothing will improve a situation which has existed for centuries.
posted on September 13, 2007 01:50:37 PM new
linduh will NEVER "get it"...too dense and a blatant LIAR:
""" did mention them. I pointed out it was THEIR choice to serve and to fight so others can enjoy LIBERTY and FREEDOM. I respect them and ALL soldiers for that. """
NO, linduh posted that female soldiers were "he-men" who should be home baking cookies.
She has continually brushed off the soldiers sacrifices and deaths by comparing them to car accidents.
posted on September 13, 2007 02:12:36 PM new
Yes, I agree that we COULD have troops there for 10 years or even longer. At what levels the CIC will decide.
He told us that right up front. No surprise there.
We STILL have troops all over the world, following wars we were involved in with them too. And it's been since WWII, the Korean war, etc. So I'd be surprised if this war will be much different.
The next CIC will decide what the troop levels will be in Iraq when they take command of our military in '09. Until then THIS President has repeated over and over again, we will REMAIN in Iraq as long as he is President OR until it's decided we don't need to be there to provide for their security or safely. Or until THEY ask us to leave.
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I see the liberals here STILL refuse to admit that their own congress COULD have voted to stop funding the wars and haven't. LOL
Denial is the liberal way. Complain, whine, blame and TALK<TALK<TALK/etc....but NEVER take action and actually DO anything to stop it.
"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
posted on September 14, 2007 11:12:07 AM newYes, I agree that we COULD have troops there for 10 years or even longer. At what levels the CIC will decide. He told us that right up front. No surprise there.
More lies being spread by Linda.
The White House originally said the Iraq War would be quick and decisive. The Iraq War would only last two months at most.
Now Linda is claiming Bush has said this all along. What a crock.
"In my experience, those who do not like you fall into two categories: the stupid, and the envious. - John Wilmot, the Second Earl of Rochester
posted on September 14, 2007 03:09:07 PM new
"I have no objection to war in defense of our country. This war is an Iraqi Civil War and our being there is making matters worse."
The "War" in Iraq is a proxy conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran. For 60 years US policy has been the containment of radical Islam, an enemy of THIS country. And what you collection of dopes do not realize in your silly chants about dead people counts is:
With Iran threatening the oil fields and the resultant cascade of energy prices,
1) The people who die because they have no health coverage after being unemployed are just as dead as a Marine in Baghdad.
2) The people who die because hospitals cannot afford new equipment are just as dead as a Marine in Baghdad.
3) The people who die because of cutbacks in funding of gov projects are just as dead as a Marine in Baghdad.
4) The people who die from breathing the emissions of fossil fuel power plants using fuels with higher impurities are just as dead as a Marine in Baghdad.
This is above and beyond the funding and supplying of terrorists worldwide.
posted on September 14, 2007 03:30:29 PM new
"The "War" in Iraq is a proxy conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran. For 60 years US policy has been the containment of radical Islam, an enemy of THIS country."
"An enemy of THIS country":
They don't, and it appears never will, 'get' that. They believe their enemy is this CIC. Their hatred has blinded them to the FACTS.
I think that's what scares me the most.....liberals don't learn from history, and they prefer it NOT be taught in their public schools, where only liberal indoctrination is taught....and they can't see beyond their noses. They fail to see the consequences of losing this war. They really appear to believe if we just withdraw, and wait to be attacked again, all will be well. Those radical muslims/arabs will just leave us alone.
Boy are they dense. I hope our Nation doesn't have to learn the hard way....by electing one of them as our CIC...or voting to give them more power in our Congress.
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"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
