April 24, 2004
I ♥ Dead Civilians
The man in the passenger seat lay slumped against the dashboard, a massive wound to his head. Kirk pulled the body upright and cut his pockets open looking for ID. When he was done and let the body fall back against the dashboard, he said what was left of the man’s brain fell out of the opening in the back of his head and onto the ground. He could handle the guy with the brain and both the dead women, but it was the three-year-old-girl, he said, that got to him.
Roughly an hour earlier a convoy of fuel tankers and Humvees came to a halt a little north of our forward operations base when what looked like an improvised explosive device was spotted on the side of the road. Since the suspected IED was spotted mid-convoy, the vehicles were split, part to the north and part to the south, leaving the area around it open to avoid any of the trucks being destroyed. Our explosive ordinance disposal team was being called in and our quick reaction force (QRF) was going to escort them. I was in the QRF staging area that day, but I wasn’t on the mission. We were listening to the radio in a Humvee as one of the officers in the convoy was communicating with our headquarters about the IED when they started to take small arms fire. They took contact from multiple directions. Then the mortar rounds started to fall. The people that attack convoys and FOBs seem to have no end to their supply of mortar rounds, a common means of attack and the primary charge of the IEDs they leave for us like Easter eggs. Thankfully they don’t know how to aim them any better than they do their rifles.
When our QRF made it to the scene, shots were still being fired, so they laid down suppressive fire the best they could. Even though this attack took place in daylight, there was much difficulty pinpointing the location of the enemy assailants. There was a building and a parked vehicle in the distance and the guy on the ground calling everything up on the radio was unsure if fire was being taken from these locations. Restraint was exercised and fire was directed toward less collateral damage-inducing areas.
But to the north, another QRF also responded to this ambush, an active duty unit newly in-country. This was their first mission.
Since the other QRF was on a separate communications net, the response attacks were not coordinated. This isn’t particularly important other than it’s anyone guess what the communication was like between them and their battalion leadership. They also spotted a vehicle, this one on the move apparently, but less restraint and less positive target identification was exercised.
The vehicle was a white pickup, a small Toyota, one like most Iraqis stack their families into the back of, just as this family was. Everyone has these trucks in Iraq, it’s like the national vehicle It’s also the preferred vehicle of the ICDC and insurgents alike. I can imagine that the man driving it, most likely the father of those on-board, just wanted to get his family out of the area of the fighting as quickly as possible. I can also imagine that the other QRF got word that a fast moving vehicle was our attackers’ likely means of attack and escape, a completely plausible and reasonable possibility.
From what could be gathered afterward, the Humvee gunships engaged the pickup with a SAW, M240B and a M2 .50 cal., or in other words, a shitload of machine gun fire. The truck contained six people. Two men, two women, and two young girls. As is the custom in Iraq, the men were in the cab as the females huddled together in the bed of the truck. Among the dead were one of the men, both women, and a three-year-old girl, apparently smothered to death by the two women’s bullet-riddled bodies, trying to shield the girl from the fusillade of gunfire, the tragic irony being that this ultimate protective act was the very thing that killed the girl. The man driving was still alive when CASEVAC (comprised mostly of members from my squad) got there, but he was probably on his way out. Matt, our platoon medic, a member of my team and a paramedic out of Poughkeepsie in real life, said the man had numerous wounds to his legs and a gunshot wound to the scrotum, an entry wound for a bullet that had no visible exit and was most likely lodged in his pelvis or abdomen. As Matt held a pressure dressing to the man’s bleeding thigh, he felt the shattered pieces of femur grind against each other. The only one who seemed certain to survive was an eight-year-old girl who had gunshot wounds in both of her upper arms. The man and the girl were medevac’d via Blackhawk, along with another girl from a separate location nearby who took a round through her cheek and leg. Stan and Kirk had the grisly duty of stacking the bodies in the back of a truck to be moved to the aid station at the FOB.
As I try to fathom what it must feel like to be a poverty-stricken eight-year-old girl and experience the epic pain of having your family suddenly and violently killed in front of you, I have to pause and ask myself, Now what am I doing here again? I know this kind of thing happens in combat and I kind of expected to see it, but Jesus, the record is pretty bad so far. Since I’ve been in Iraq, in situations that my platoon has responded to, there have been three dead bad guys, two wounded civilians (one critically), and seven dead civilians, including four women, one three-year-old girl and one mentally-unstable homosexual man on a moped. Hell, if you count the suicide of the latter’s lover– an excellent two-for-one dead civilian deal– and the de-familied guy who got his balls blown off, who even if he lived, will wish to Allah that he was dead, that makes the tally 3 to 9, a 1:3 ratio of dead evildoers to innocent and ridiculously poor Iraqis who couldn’t care less who leads their country just so long as they are able to feed themselves. Now that I think about it, there have actually been more civilian casualties in our area, but these are the only ones that I remember right now. Thank god none of this carnage has been carried out by anyone in my platoon or even my company for that matter. My battalion has sustained only one casualty of its own so far, and there has been at least one engagement by another company that netted a few dozen dead bad guys, so the numbers are at least decent in that regard, but still, I’m having a hard time being okay with all the dead civilians. But it happens so often. It’s like we should have bumper stickers that read, “I ♥ Dead Civilians”.
But let’s get back to the family in the truck who were killed. Like I said, I wasn’t with the QRF that day and didn’t see any of this first-hand and all the information I got was gleaned from the guys in my squad who were. Even though Matt said it was better that I didn’t see any of it, I wish I had been there, to bear witness I suppose. So tell me, why would I wish for this?
I’ve been stewing over this dead family thing for a couple weeks now. I’ve been painstakingly mulling over in my mind the things these insurgents do and the things we, the US Army do and the unintuitive peculiarity of how the drive to be violent seems to precede the purpose to be violent and how rampant it is to meaninglessly develop one’s identity through injury, but frankly I don’t think I’ve figured it all out well enough yet to even kludge together a coherent line of thought. Introspectively, I’m blindly trying to sew together the absurd lateral progression one unwittingly goes through when pulling legs off grasshoppers as a child and how it is a precursor to compulsive sexual infidelity as a young-adult, among a million other uncoalesced thoughts. I’m unprepared at this time to write the Gödel Escher Bach of my own self-loathing.
But what does any of this have to do with the dead family you ask? Well, nothing directly. It’s just another one of those things I’m having difficulty reconciling in my mind, I guess.
December 12th, 2007 at 6:15 am
Two reasons for this war:
1) Control Oil Reserves
2) Put US bases between Iran and Israel
Everything else is propaganda.
Sorry boys. Thanks anyhow.
December 26th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
damn! Save all the debate for church, people!
Jason, when your tour’s over, you need to get this in print! Give me a ring if you want to collaborate on a graphic novel, pally!
December 30th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
See these sort of comments (like the retarded cretin “Jake”) all over the web.
If a country had declared war on the USA, yeah, get your revenge but for you very very S L O W people IRAQ HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH 9/11. Some Saudis did, but you buy your oil off them. Once more, IRAQ HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH 9/11. The children you killed died for nothing. If you went there without working out this very simple and obvious fact, and assisted in the murder of all those thousands of women and children, I truly hope you twist and turn in your pit every night. And if you blindly do whatever you are told without thinking out the obvious, even when it means death is involved, go and jump off a cliff moron, do it now.
December 30th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
Sorry Jake, might have misread your ramblings, maybe you were stoned when you wrote, and you are not such a cretin.
December 31st, 2007 at 3:45 am
war is just a quarrel between 2 countries that cannot find a solution peacefully.in war everyone is the same you wear a uniform you represent your country(guy #!) . you see a man wearing a different uniform he is representing his country(guy 2).guy1 kills guy2 because hes wearing the opposing forcecs uniform cuz its a war you are suppose to do what youre suppose to do , its kill or be killed. when guy1 kills guy2 he figures it out that theyre both the same,they are only fighting for their country and soley for their country. without the uniform they are the same ppl both fathers , brothers, and uncles to somebody…war is not the answer to political problems.
December 31st, 2007 at 3:54 am
and also i watched a illegal documentary of 9/11 incident. half of the ppl shown on the news that were suicide bombers to the towers were either dead, in jail , or on vacation somewhere. the twin towers were suppose to be able to withstand anything that comes across it. look at the history of newyork sky scraper disasters how come none of them gaveway when somethign happened to them? which brings another question. why were there tiny explosions while the tower was collapsing? why was there demolishon teams goign into the towers a few weeks b4 9/11? and the plane that flew into the pentegon was a fake. the plane was not small its wing spands are biggest than a street . the gov’t claimed that it slid on the street and hit the pentagon. how come no light posts were taken down by it and the holes in it dont match it goes in the south east side and it comes out the west side? and the explosions on it were totally gov’t set up. united 93 was a fake aswell. from both planes the one that hit the pentagon no bodies were found and united 93 no bodies were found. US gov’t is corrupt.and im pretty sure that the guy that created the documentary is prolly assinated by the gov’t … it had a lot more information about everything. im just briefing some stuff from it.
January 18th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Congratulations on your blog, it’s pretty damned good.
And it’s good to know that not all soldiers engaged in the occupation are media-indoctrinated zombies. Not all of them are trying to justify their participation in the sacking of Iraq –the cradle of civilization — by claiming that they are protecting their folks at home, or spreading democracy.
But even so, much too many of your comrades-in-arms believe they are fighting terrorists. Too few of them stop to ask themselves how they themselves would respond if a foreign army from an alien culture bombed, raped and occupied their own country. Would they, perhaps, consider taking up arms against the occupier, like some Iraqis are doing?
Some of your fellow-soldiers relieve their conscience by claiming to help spread democracy? What? – the kind of democracy that enabled Bush to cheat his way into office — twice in a row? A democracy where the big corporations are in complete control? Where a fifth of the people live in poverty, have no health insurance?
No thanks, you can keep it. And do the world a big favour, please go home and stay home until you realize that the last thing the world wants is the kind of system America — once a model for the rest of the world — has degenerated into since FDR, and especially since the Bush coup.
I wish you all the best, especially a safe return to your family undamaged and with a clean conscience, knowing that you personally tried your best not to stain your hands with the blood of innocents and to help others understand what’s happening in Iraq.
Peace
Russ from Berlin
February 23rd, 2008 at 2:23 pm
can i ask a question..
why are most americans religious….
because i mean… god really doesnt exist… and i mean.. if he does, he really doesnt give a shit about anyone but himself… he’s quite sellfish really….
why follow that…
March 4th, 2008 at 10:06 am
speaking to that guy who calls himself god, i’m not religious or American but i can understand that faith is a part of many peoples lives and if you really think that you are the final say on the existence of god or whatever else people choose to believe in then your an ignorant self rightious prick and its the fundumentally ignorant self rightious pricks that fuck everyone else around with their stupid bullshit questions and their false sincerity.
March 27th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Xeno Says:
June 26th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
This is total bullshit. Ive seen way too many people make out America to be a victim. What in the fuck. Since when is the most war-mongering, secretive, greedy country NOT AMERICA?! You guys are not victims, if anything you guys are closer to school yard bullies. Kids who think they’re bad cause they’re bigger or stronger. You justify actions like invasion or war with excuses like 9/11 (if you respected those lost, you wouldn’t use them as an excuse to kill more. Im sure they dont want Iraqi children dead in their names). Heres a list for you: http://www.cassiopaea.org/cass/uswars.htm
You tell me who the real terrorists are…
here Xeno, your a fukin twat! why dont you do us all a favour and shut the fuck up and realise that only 10% of all iraqi deaths are caused by the military forces sent to protect them. most deaths infact are caused by stupid fukin twats like you who have access to guns and old bombs and shit and believe that if they martyer (
March 27th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
March 27th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
hahahaha fuck sake) or murder as its best described there own people by IED or sucacide bombing because A: they worked for the americans/brits, B: go to a diffrent church etc (idiot reasons) they will go to paridise and be blown by 15 virgins.
also remeber that the medical situation is iraq is fucked so alot more folk are dying because there hospitals are fukin shite and have no meds and shit… why? because the fat politicians have stolen all the money. its all very convenaint to blame the us and the uk and evryone else who is serving over there. but why dont you cunts look at your selfs and go figure that one out.
war is hell now all you pussy and homos crying because of the pic posted why are you reading an infantry mans blog? what did you expect? PART ONE: DAY 3 IN IRAQ. we captured some alqueada types building bombs. once we got them back to base we all hugged and sang koombya round a big camp fire. eh…. naw
i love how everyone gets on there high horse and always go on and on about the human rights of the POWs at gitmo. well to be fair what about the fukin 3000 people who died in the twin towers human rights? or the folk who died at the pentagon… oh wait that didnt happen right… cos you can clearely see its a missile and boeing 767 cant fly that close to the grou… fuckin hell shut the fuck up. these people where murdered plain and simple. retribution must be met.
i bought this book and its fucking awesome. I read it in one day took the day off sick from work to read it. jason, if you ever come to the uk stop over in edinburgh scotland cos you got a beer comming your way.
October 5th, 2008 at 12:14 am
is it true the americans have had a hand in every conflict/war on the planet?..*WARMONGERS*
February 1st, 2009 at 12:19 am
American Wars
The American Revolution
1775-1783
The Indian Wars
1775-1890
Shay’s Rebellion
1786-1787
Rebellion
Anti-(state)Government Rebels vs. Massachusetts
The Whiskey Rebellion
1794
Rebellion
Anti-Tax Rebels in Western Pennsylvania
Quasi-War With France
1798-1800
Inter-State (Naval) War
France
Fries’s Rebellion “The Hot Water War”
1799
Rebellion
Anti-Tax Rebels in Pennsylvania
The Barbary Wars
1800-1815
Inter-State War
The Barbary States
(Tripoli, Algiers & Morocco)
The War of 1812
1812-1815
Inter-State War
Great Britain
The Growing & Troubled Republic
Primary Name of Conflict Dates of Conflict
(U.S. Involvement Only)
Type of Conflict Primary Opponent(s)
of the United States
Mexican-American War
1846-1848
Inter-State War
Mexico
U.S. Slave Rebellions
1800-1865
Slave Rebellions
Various Slave groups
“Bleeding Kansas”
1855-1860
Civil War (state of Kansas)
Pro-Slavery vs. Anti-Slavery Kansans
Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry
1859
Rebellion
Anti-Slavery Rebels (Led by John Brown)
United States Civil War
1861-1865
Civil War
United States (The North)
vs.
The Confederate States (The South)
U.S. Intervention in Hawaiian Revolution
1893
Internal Rebellion & Foreign Intervention
The Spanish-American War
1898
Inter-State War
U.S. Intervention in Samoan Civil War
1898-1899
Civil War & Foreign Intervention
U.S.-Philippine War
1899-1902
Colonial War, War of Imperialism
Boxer Rebellion
1900
Internal Rebellion & Foreign Intervention
Chinese Government & “Boxer” Rebels
The Moro Wars
1901-1913
Colonial Wars
Philippine Muslim Rebels
U.S. Intervention in Panamanian Revolution
1903
Secessionist Revolution & Foreign Intervention
Colombia
The Banana Wars
1909-1933
Civil Wars & Foreign Intervention
Various Rebel Groups In Central America
U.S. Occupation of Vera Cruz
1914
Inter-State War
Mexico
Pershing’s Raid Into Mexico
1916-1917
Inter-State, Border War
Mexican Government & Mexican Rebels (“Bandits”)
World War I
1917-1918 (American involvement only)
Inter-State War
Germany
Allied Intervention in Russian Civil War
1919-1921
Civil War & Foreign Intervention
Russian Bolshevik (Soviet) Government
World War II
1941-1945 (American involvement only)
Inter-State War
Germany, Japan & Italy
The Cold War
1945-1991
Global Inter-State Cold War
The Soviet Union & Communist China
The Korean War
1950-1953
Inter-State War
North Korea & China
The Second Indochina War “Vietnam War”
1956-1975
Civil War, Inter-State War
North Vietnam & South Vietnamese “Viet Cong” Rebels
U.S. Intervention in Lebanon
1958
Civil War & Foreign Intervention
No real foe for U.S. Troops landed to support Lebanon Gov.
Dominican Intervention
1965
Civil War & Foreign Intervention
Rebels in the Dominican Republic
The Mayaguez Rescue Operation
News Story 1975 (May 15)
Hostage Rescue & Inter-State Conflict
Khmer Rouge Guerrillas (the new government of Cambodia)
Iranian Hostage Rescue “Desert One” or “Operation Eagle Claw”
1980 (April 25)
Hostage Rescue & Inter-State Conflict
Iran
U.S. Libya Conflict
1981, 1986
Inter-State War
Libya
U.S. Intervention in Lebanon
1982-1984
Civil War,Foreign Intervention & Inter-State War
Syria & Various Muslim and Leftist Lebanese Militias
U.S. Invasion of Grenada
1983
Inter-State War
Marxist Grenadian Faction & Cuba
The Tanker War
“Operation Earnest Will”
1987-1988
Inter-State War
Iran
U.S. Invasion of Panama
1989
Inter-State War
Panama
Second Persian Gulf War “Operation Desert Storm”
1991
Inter-State War
Iraq
“No-Fly Zone” War
1991-2003
Inter-State War
Iraq
U.S. Intervention in Somalia
1992-1994
Civil War & Foreign Intervention
Various Somali Militias
NATO Intervention in Bosnia (Operation Deliberate Force) Summary
1994-1995
Civil War,Foreign Intervention & Inter-State War
Bosnian Serb Rebels
U.S. Occupation of Haiti
1994
Foreign Intervention
Haitian Government
U.S. Embassy bombings and strikes on Afghanistan and Sudan (The bin Laden War)
August, 1998
Terrorist Conflict
“Desert Fox” Campaign (part of U.S./Iraq Conflict)
December, 1998
Inter-State War
Iraq
Kosovo War
1999
Civil War, Foreign Intervention & Inter-State War
Yugoslavia/Serbia
Attack on the USS Cole
October 12, 2000
Terrorist Conflict
Terrorists associated with Osama bin Laden
Attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon
September 11, 2001
Terrorist Conflict
Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida organization
Afghanistan War (Operation Enduring Freedom)
October 7, 2001-Present
War against Terrorism
The Taliban and Osama bin Laden’s Al-Qaida organization
Third Persian Gulf War “Operation Iraqi Freedom”
March 19, 2003-Present
Inter-State War
Iraq
kewl hey?????
March 10th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
You may have seen my other comments before, I just want to say that anyone who has a problem with the title “I love dead civilians” needs to get a life. It happens during war so get used to it.
GO SOCKY!!!
June 24th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
I had to read this article as a part of my English class, sponsored by A Guide for College and Beyond. I’m in shock. Very disturbing story. Thnx though.
June 27th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
I have not read your book, but I have read your article under the picture. I appreciate that you gave me an insight to your thoughts on the civilians that have died in this war. I am not sure if you read these blog comments anymore, and I understand if you do, a large portion is from people yelling, screaming, and mostly throwing tantrums because they do not feel that they can be heard otherwise. I am Canadian, for what that is worth I live in the U.S., and I do not keep up completely on the Politics and movements of the United States. But for what it is worth as graphic as this image is, and as much as I can’t really handle it. I am grateful that you placed this up for others to see.
Being a soldier all through civilizations in history or now, it has never been easy. As powerful as Rome was they did not give their soldiers as much credit as they deserve. Sure some soldiers have been know for being sick, and doing disturbing things, but I am glad that you reminded me of another type of soldier. One that cares. That is still in a way humane. I can’t imagine the trials you have gone through. Thank you for being a soldier, because to be honest I am not sure I could do it. I would have to be attacked on my home soil to drive me to attack a person, whether a civilian or not. Thank you Hartley for taking the time, and posting this image and your thoughts, you have one person who is grateful to you.
P.S. Is there just one Argentine civilian on this site just posting the same thing over and over again? Just curious considering the fact that yes, we do know you are in South America, and yes I am sorry that your society doesn’t give you the freedom you think you deserve, but don’t take your frustrations out on others. Go out to a bar, and complain there, I am sure your multiple personalities would be more then happy to listen to you, because frankly I am tired of it.
January 18th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
Mr.Hartley
I am writing an essay on this specific blog and although I am getting how you felt I was wondering about how you feel now and how does this affect you or does it even?
July 19th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Hy,
I found this totally by accident, the title was interesting enough mo make me start reading.
The fact that you care about what happened is a good thing. Try to do a little good, even if just a small thing. Try and help someone even if just a little bit, that way you can allways look back and feel like you did some good.
Cheers,
David PS: Keep safe!
September 12th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
I had to read this just last week in my high school composition class. The version in the book is not the whole thing though, so I decided to look it up so I could get the whole blog for my essay.
I love this.. It’s so brutally honest. This is what he sees on a daily basis. For the second comment or whichever it was, no this is most definitely not a joke.
I thank you and all the fellow troops for defending our country and keeping us as safe as you can.
September 17th, 2010 at 1:03 am
Dear Mr. Jason Christopher Hartley
,
I too had to read this for my composition class. And I have to tell you, I don’t think I could’ve read anything that makes me become even more supportive of the war and our soldiers.
I have had and still do have family members, best friends, and even ex boyfriends serve. For the ones that are already over there and serving and laying down their lives, they have my complete and utmost respect. I want to join the forces but I can’t get a waiver for my back. ( I had surgery 2 years ago.)
To the Argentenian assholes, until you have been a soldier and actually see what things that Mr. Hartley and my family have seen, SHUT THE FUCK UP! If you don’t like the fact that the reason you’re still alive is because of the US, then just do everyone a favor and take all of the dumbasses who DARE bash the US, and kill yourselves. The American soldiers I’m sure, want to come home, but they also want to make sure their families are safe. That is why they are over there-To defend this nation. If you dare to bash your own country and say you were an Iraqi, you would be shot on the spot.
There was some idiotic, punk-ass wangster wannabe that came to my ballpark wearing a shirt that said “F*** the Americans.” He is more than lucky that he wasn’t 18. And to make him even more lucky, there was a serviceman sitting right next to him. I can only imagine the rage he felt and how much control he had not to tear his head off.
And to all you “tree-hugging, peace not war!” type of people, go smoke some more weed in your mancave at your moms house. The United States of America IS the Land of the FREE BECAUSE of the BRAVE! They are the reason why we still have our rights and freedoms. You have to fight for freedom!
And if all you Bush haters think Bush was so horrible, look at the one we have now! He’s so military retarded that he couldn’t tell a grenade from a gun! Nor could he fight his way out of a wet paper bag! Obama wants to pull out our troops by this time next year. While I want my family and friends home, they VOLUNTEERED to go over and defend this country and to keep us safe! I agree with whoever said ” keep them there until the job is done” or something like that. Why pull out when it’s almost over!??!! THATS STUPID!!
My cousin Luke returned recently from I believe Afghanistan. He was a combat medic and his Humvee had missed 18 IEDs all in a row and no bullet whatsoever, had touched anyone in his humvee. He saw his best friend get shot in the head with a .50 kal, right next to him. The humvee in front of him had his Sgt. since basic, and his best friends in it-humvee blown in half and all were killed.
War is not filled with pretty rainbows, unicorns, or gumdrops. More like grenades, WMDs, IEDs, guns, death, blood, gore, etc. It’s not something nice and pretty. For those that are all for the civilians and against our soldiers, it’s simply kill or be killed. You want our soldiers home safe right? Then don’t bitch about them opening fire on a truck that was described as what their attackers were driving.
Also, something else my cousin told me was that where he was, there were cornfields and he heard people running towards them, yelling a different language or something, and out of instinct (and want to survive) they had to open fire; take no chances, trust no one.
For those that said this is sick, and that Hartley is a fucked up, sociopath and whatnot, you all are a bunch of tree-hugging, uninformed, brainwashed panzies that if you got punched in the face, you’d scream and yell peace. You wouldn’t retaliate. So where would that get you? Hm…killed?!?! I’d love to see you guys in war. Oh wait, what’s that? You won’t join? Hmm.. then SHUT THE FUCK UP! STAND UP OR SHUT UP!
We, the United States of America, is the mother country to all countries. When you guys are in trouble, who helps you? WE DO! When you guys are getting your asses handed to you, who helps to defend you? WE DO! When you need some kind of relief, who steps in? Can you answer this one or do I have to spell it out for all of you? W-E D-O!!! So imagine what would happen if we stopped helping you? You would no longer have your rights, get your relief when disaster strikes, and hopefully die <–to those who dare have the audacity to say we’re a horrible country.
To the person who calls himself “god,” your description obviously describes you. My God, you know, Jesus, the one who mistakenly made you, has kept your ass alive. Just think about that.
Alex- you=awesome :)
Xeno- get experienced.
Johdoe- get educated.
Rob- you=awesome also. :)
Angela- I LOVE your last comment. :) It made me laugh with agreeance. :)
Sam Lewis- I agree :)
Seth Hall- Love! lol.
I’ve read this blog about 5 times now and the title becomes more and more clearer to me. Maybe if the iliterates assholes on this site could/would read the “caption” to the picture, maybe they would have something intelligent to say.
p.s. People who don’t understand war or only think of it as the US killing people, think of it this way. We are the older sibling that steps in to open a can of whoopass on the bully. The goal is to get the younger sibling to be able to stand on their feet and be able to fight back next time.
Or-
Someone comes to your home, destroys things and kills your family, you better believe that burglar/murderer/evil do-er is going to get their ass handed to them and make sure they hear loud and clear, to not mess with their home again.
If someone does that to you, what are you going to do? Slap them on the wrist and say “Bad dog! No biscut!” ?? HELL NO! You grab your gun and open fire!
It’s not like our soldiers “love” dead civilians. In his blog he states “how the DRIVE to be violent precedes the PURPOSE.” And if I understand correctly, the battalion that was more informed and experienced was more able to be analytical in this situation while the second battalion used their instinct. They received word that a vehicle was heading their way and was holding their attackers. They didn’t want to die. They didn’t take that chance and opened fire. Hartley also continues to explain both sides as a “plausible and reasonable possibility.”
See, in our country, we have the freedom and right to go to school-to be able to read. Something you may not have. So, go learn to read if you think youre so great, read this blog, and really let it sink in and understand/comprehend/take in, what he really means by ” I <3 Dead Civilians.”
So Mr. Jason Hartley, I fully support you and all the troops over there. You have no idea (well maybe you do) how much you guys are prayed for and missed and loved.
Keep up the good work, I’m praying for a safe return for every soldier and for safety while over there.
We (greatful, understanding, appreciative Americans) love you.
Kelsie.
p.s. Like Alex said about having a beer waiting for you, same here, and with a hug of gratitude and salute of respect. :) :) And that goes for all of our brave men and women serving!!! :D