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I know that our opinions will never agree on this so I was content to let you have the last word. I respect your right to your opinion, even if I don't agree with it.


I agree that we will never agree on this. As I said before you choose to believe the worst as it relates to our troops by just reading what someone has to say. You do not know and yet choose to believe that what is said is true. Some of it is and some of it is pure bullshit. Allow me to put it into context for you.

My understanding is that you have two daughters. From your prior posts it seems as if you take the time that a lot of parents do not and make good legitimate attempts to raise them to be good people as well as considerate of but not submissive to society's rules of conduct. I believe that you are probably doing a good job of raising your kids, for whatever that is worth. Now to illustrate my point, let's assume that you read in the school paper that one of your daughters makes it a habit of cheating on her tests and papers by allowing her father to provide training that other children are not afforded. Further she takes great pride in rubbing it into other children's faces that she can preform at this standard by smiling broadly and boldly leaving her papers out for all to see. Other children read this and assume your daughter is ................... (fill in the blank) and begin to shun her or worse mock and berate her. Now as a concerned parent what are you going to do. What would you do at a party if another parent says oh that is ...... I understand she is ......

Now that is what you do to my kids except in a much more severe fashion when you talk about the military killing folks by the thousands. When you do that you attack something that is near and dear to my very being. My kids, my family, my comrades in arms, my country. So if you think that you will ever post bullshit like this article without me attacking it and you then you are sadly mistaken. And one more thing before I cut this article to little pieces let me also say that you can not let me have anything, if I want it I will take it or acquire it by whatever means necessary. So do not assume that you have superior positioning either morally, intellectually, or financially you are not even in the same league.

Now as to the article: I will just address the content of your quotes for now.

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A code of silence, similar to that found in organised crime gangs,


The authors opinion, not facts contained in the interview.

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As a result, he had watched his colleagues open fire indiscriminately.


The authors opinion again, not a quote.

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In one 48-hour period, he estimated his unit killed more than 30 civilians in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad.


Is this person's definition of civilian the same as yours. Any Iraqi is a civilian because none wear uniforms.

Now for some truth as presented, again the context is wrong but the words are true.

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...he had seen troops shooting civilians at road blocks and in the street.


This happens. Instructions are posted three times in Arabic before reaching a road block. If the occupants do not conform to the instructions and the troops feel threatened by actions, they are trained to eliminate the threat. Now before you get all self righteous about this rule of engagement please allow me to explain it's evolution. You see during the invasion portion of our involvement a favorite practice of the Iraqi special forces was to take a civilian from the street, steal his car and force him to drive it to a roadblock and then get out as if he was surrendering. If the Americans allowed him to proceed then a car bomb got delivered into the American troops station. I am sure you remember this Ray.

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Mr Massey said US troops in Iraq were trained to believe that all Iraqis were potential terrorists.


This is true, the operable word here is potential. To not be alert to potential danger is just plain dumb.

If you want I can educate you some more on the entire article. Perhaps tomorrow.

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Oh and, by the way, I rarely if ever get anything from Al Jazeera.


I get stuff from them all the time. As I have said before it is good to read all sides of an issue. If nothing else it helps you know your enemy.

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That is just you talking out of your ass.


I guess I was wrong before Ray when I said you do not have superior positioning on any ground. In this area you are the master.

One final thing Ray, did you happen to notice the nationality of the author of this piece of drivel. There are hints in context throughout the article.