basrah I think. its more down south towards the desert. but I do remember seeing brits in and around baghdad doing patrols and i would occasionally catch a squad eating in the difac. but never in huge numbers. one time i caught a glimpse of a chopper dropping a single british soldier just outside the wire in FOB Gunslinger in baghdad, then he walked inside while we opened the gate. had to have been VIP.GATOR591957 wrote:
Gunslinger a question for you. Where are the British troops stationed. We rarely hear over here what exactly they are doing. Before you flame me I am just interested. I'm not trying to make any accusations.
I honestly dont think we should have invaded Iraq, but im not against the war. Iwas pulling guard duty out in the field when my cellphone rang and i answered it on the downlowl and my girl at the time told me that it started. first thing in my mind was "fuck yeah, deployment". It could have been Iraq or camaroon, i didnt care. I chose infantry and i was finally gonna do some real infantry shit. When i was in country, i dont ever remember getting into an argument over whether we belong there with any other soldier. I would say "i dont think we should ever have invaded" and someone else would say "i think were doing the right thing" then i would say "oh well, lets goto the difac". I dont really care whether it was right or wrong to go into Iraq "we're there anyways so lets kill as many enemy as we can and take pictures" was my mindset. But, i honestly do believe it is winable. winable meaning defeating the enemy and their ability to wage war. but only if they are to pour more troops in country and let the military take off the gloves for more than one operation at a time. what i dont agree with is the fact that didnt really let us be as agressive as we can be. Patrol, for the most part, were busy work, plain and simple. once or twice a week we would do raids or cordons or sweeps and we would find a buttload of baddies and weapons. but other than that we just drive and walk around waiting to get hit so we could hit back.
What I am most proud of was the opportunity i had to be a part of the best company/battalion/regiment in the United States Army. 2nd Battalion(Ghost), 7th Cavalry Regiment (GarryOwen) remember the 7th, bitches.....jk. But honestly being a part of a unit with such a rich history and participating in the biggest urban battle since Hue City in Vietnam, as well as the hunt for Muqtada Al-Sadr in Najaf and the fact that I was living the news instead of watching it on CNN or the history channel has been the highlight of my 23 years and I dont see how I could do anything to top it. But most importantly the fact that I served my nation, whether right or wrong, is the most fulfilling feeling i have in my life. No matter what I do from here on out I was a soldier and an infantryman, and no one could ever possibly take that away from me, not even the los angeles sheriffs department.
Im tired of seeing the shit on cnn though, every day I feel like BIAP is calling my name louder and louder and if it wasnt for me not wanting start going to jr college again when im 40, i would be back in iraq right now.
Last edited by GunSlinger OIF II (2006-06-01 17:05:57)