From the Soldier side: OK, so I was going to avoid taking about politics. I think I can still do that, and make a few points. I've read lots of stuff on some of my favorite blogs about some of the things the new President is doing. I think I should only talk about things I know about. In Bosnia (03-04) and Iraq (04-05) I did "mess kit repair." I traveled around both countries and fixed broken mess kits.
In Gitmo, Cuba, they have some of the broken "mess kits" my teams used to look for. When these mess kits were "found", we "repaired them".
While doing this in Iraq, I have to admit that about 75% of those "mess kits" we dealt with, should not have been brought in for "repairs". There was no reason.
The troops bringing in the "mess kits" often had little or no training on what to bring in. They were left to their on ideas of who was needing to be taken in. I had one LT who said when I asked why he brought someone in: "Well, I didn't want to be the only platoon on patrol not to bring in someone." I don't blame the troops. A lot of those I witnessed doing the "mess kit repair" had no idea what they were doing either--even though they had gone to some dumbass Army school for several weeks.
So many of these "mess kits" that were brought in, were "talked to" by soldiers with no experience and they suggested sending them all to a "higher repair facility".
I have sworn and oath to support and defend the constitution of the United States, etc. The president is my Commander and Chief. I'm glad I have one now who says in the matter of interrogations: "we should follow the Army Field Manual".
Yeah, I hate terrorist. They are cowards, whiny little pieces of shit. But, if we want to get information out of someone, torture will not work. Following the Army FM might not work either when you have those doing the interrogations who often have no fuc---- idea what they are doing. Interrogation is an art, not something you can do with a hammer.
I'm not just blowing smoke, I was there and if they asked, I'd go again...but only if we can do things right.
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