Guardsmen: Iraq a minute-by-minute battle

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060624/ap_on_re_us/iraq_conflicted_soldiers

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - They are returning home with a sense of accomplishment, but also with feelings of anger and frustration, even despair.

They speak proudly about building up the Iraqi security force, restoring electricity and watching Iraqis walk miles to vote.

But they wonder whether it will be enough to secure Iraq's future, and at times, express bitterness toward the people they wanted to help.

"They're using our good will, our good-nature policy against us," says Sgt. Bobby Walls, a 38-year-old Pennsylvania National Guard member. "The fact that we fight as the good guys sometimes turns around and kicks us in the can, you know?"

Such are the swirling emotions for troops returning home from Iraq. Among the most recent of those returnees are members of the largest contingent of Pennsylvania National Guard troops deployed to a combat zone since World War II.

drink much kool-aid Sgt. Bobby Walls???

when he told the Hungarians that Iraq could learn a lot from the Hungarian resistance of 1956.

Dropping bombs on top of other human beings is a peculiar method to display your "good will." As for "building up security forces," aren't we the ones who destroyed the existing security forces? Restoring electricity? :wtf: We knocked their electricity out and now we want them to be grateful for intermittently restoring it? We all need a hit of whatever Sgt. Walls is ingesting. :silly:

Occupied. How can these people be so ungreatful that the US liberated them?

The insurgents will start gunbattles in the middle of crowds of civilians, knowing that American troops can't fire back as freely as they'd like because otherwise they'd be hitting bystanders.

that has zero to do with Iraq

Is to not invade countries in the first place. Once you have done that, you lose any good will you might have.

This is probably not the best person to listen to for his immediate impressions, you know? I don't know how long Mr. Walls was in Iraq, or how many tours he's had over there, but he'd probably be one of the last persons I'd want to hear from about what the future of the U.S. mission there should be. He's got too much invested to give a clear and realistic account of the situation.

It's too bad, though, that so many of these guys get a microphone shoved in their faces or a reporter scratching notes and asking a bunch of questions right when they get back. Leave them alone.