US Casualties

[Maverick]

Why is the US taking so many casualties in Iraq, compared to British forces? Is this just due to the fact that there are much greater numbers of US troops there and they are in hostile areas, or are there other reasons?

1.) Are Iraqis deliberately targeting Americans?

2.) Are British soldiers better prepared and more experienced in operating in areas where locals are willing to take a pop at them? ie. Northern Ireland

[may18]

South = shia that hated hussein

North = sunni that were favoured by hussein.

[lew]

Plus American soldiers have never had to deal with the type of situation that they've been dumped in, where as British soldiers have been doing this for decades with northern Ireland...



lew

[TaffBoz]

I believe that Elmer's problem has to do with his ' Peace through superior fire power' and 'Grab 'em by the balls and their hearts and minds will follow' attitude. Further, just about anyone who is not a WASP is lower than a snake's belly in a wheel rut in their eyes.

To be fair they do not have anything like the experience that we have in dealing with this sort of situation but then again it seems to me that they have not hoisted in the lessons so painfully learned in other areas of involvement such as Somalia.

[harry hackedoff]

Mav,
1) Yes
2) Yes
Taff

have not hoisted in the lessons so painfully learned

Were the lessons learned? I doubt it.
No thought, whatsoever, was given to winning the peace. It seemed to me at the time, that assumptions were based on the idea that the Iraqis would be so happy with the downfall of the hated Ba`ath regime, that governing them wouldn’t be a problem.
Perhaps they should have asked a few Iraqis first.
It saddens me to see these young Americans dying because of a lack of fore sight on the part of their leaders, and a severe lack of training.
Aye,
PS and before USMARY kicks off and bores me to death again, the above is my opinion, it is not disrespectful in it’s intent.

[Artist]

From what I can gather the people attacking the Yanks are thought to be non Iraqi arabs who have come over to Iraq just to have a pop at the "symbol of repression" America. (not my words, I just read what other people write)

As has been said the Yanks have never had this sort of problem before. And I feel sorry for them. Vietnam was entirely different. South Vietnam was a soveign state in it's own right. Iraq was, but lost the big war against them and the UK.

I reckon it is going to get a hell of a lot worse before it is sorted.

Artist

[USARMY_]

The reason why we are losing so many troops is because

1) we are a target

2) our command/political element, as usual, doesn't know their @ss from a hole in the ground, so they have no plan of action and they believe US troops are a commodity

I don't know if you guys read it in the press over their but moral among US troops is rock bottom, and like in Vietnam, it's being reported that officers are being rotated out after a 6 month hardship tour. I smell a Cluster F^Ck!!!!!!!!!!!!

[may18]

I think people are being harsh on the us soldiers

im sure they want to help the people there (the individual soliers, im not commenting on us politicians intentions )

they may not have as much experience, but in the shia town they control. They havent had any problems.

Which is what makes me thnk its a tribal issue

[harry hackedoff]

I think people are being harsh on the us soldiers

I`m not, and I don`t think any of the regular posters on here are, either.
I have great sympathy for their efforts. I am reminded about another time and another place when it was said of British soldiers, that they were" Lions, led by donkeys"
For all the piss-taking about our cousins, most of us feel affection for the Grunts. They are easy guys to like.
Sempers and Per Mare,
Aye,

[lew]

What ever peoples personnel stance on America or the American, its not the fault of the young soldiers out there (some only 6months older than me) if they haven’t been trained to deal with this situation. I just hope that the people in charge decide to change they way, the basic soldier is trained after this war...



lew

[Tab]

America has the shitty end of the stick, the southern part of Iraq is anti Hussien, the northern end and larger chunk of the country is pro Hussien.
Also we have been fighting this type of war since 1945 all most non stop.
Lets face it 1968 was the only year since 1945 that we did not lose a single soldier due to enemy action.

[Andy O'Pray]

Hi All,

I would refer our readers to the Aden Protectorate. The cemetary at Silent Valley is filled with British servicemen and women, all killed in similar attacks as those being carried out in Iraq. The points have been made as to the different religeous groups within the country.

On a brighter note, the reports coming in from Mosul that the sons of Saddam may have been killed. Should this be true, then that should help lift the morale of the people on the ground.

Aye - Andy.

[Guest]

I feel sorry for the soldiers, its Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld and Cheney that i feel utter contempt for.

After declaring the UN and the rest of the world irrelevant now they're reduced to practically begging them all to get involved, even France and Germany, who quite rightly gave them the finger. Anyone see the way Dubya was shaking Berlusconi's hand yesterday? i swear it had an air of desperation about it. The whole thing would be funny if it werent so serious.

[Sisyphus]

USARMY

Your guys have my deepest sympathy. I can think of few worse things than a soldier in the field of battle with low morale. We've all thought "what the h*ll am I doing here"? Usually, we're sustained by the knowledge (or belief) that it's the right thing to do. But when you feel let down, manipulated and downright used by your political masters then,

Even now, over a decade later veterans from Gulf War I are still fighting just to have the govt recognize and admit that there is such a thing as 'Gulf War Syndrome'. I guess it's the same in the States, too.

[may18]

I think people are being harsh on the us soldiers

I`m not, and I don`t think any of the regular posters on here are, either.
I have great sympathy for their efforts. I am reminded about another time and another place when it was said of British soldiers, that they were" Lions, led by donkeys"
For all the piss-taking about our cousins, most of us feel affection for the Grunts. They are easy guys to like.
Sempers and Per Mare,
Aye,

Nod, fair enough harry.

Hopefully with the 2 sons dead the attacks will stop.