Our Troops: Americans just don't understand that we're just not ready to leave

Cross posted from Wake up America The other day I posted about my 25 minute interview with Pete Hegseth, Executive Director of Vets For Freedom, a non partisan organization that represents a group of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans that are fighting to have their voices heard in the debate about supporting the troops and their mission in Iraq. The interview was fascinating and if you have not read it, you should. One of his quotes in that interview in answer to my question about whether he is still in contact with the troops over in Iraq was this:

Q: Are you still in contact with the soldiers that are in Iraq right now? A: Oh, absolutely, I am in touch with soldiers in Iraq and in touch with Iraqi interpreters ... that we had, and I get fairly regular updates and, actually, because of the position I am in now, I get a lot of unsolicited e-mails from troops over there, saying, "Thanks for what you guys are doing" and "Here is my experience that backs up what you are saying 100 percent." So I have heard more and more from the troops than I would have otherwise, and it has all been encouraging, and it all reinforces the principle that we have been talking about and shows that, in fact, things are improving. So we see our work as nothing but an extension of our service and nothing but our opportunity to have the backs of the guys that are still there. ... What we want to do is set the conditions for a fair reception for what [Gen. Petraeus] reports, and that is what we are trying to do. And then beyond that, we are going to continue to make sure that our voice is heard in the debate.

That portion of the interview was published by the Washington Times. Today I see another article, this one from Popular Mechanics that has more words from our troops in Iraq. They understand, by virtue of being there, risking life and limb, how important their work in Iraq is.

During last month’s heated, all-night debate on Capitol Hill about when and if the U.S. should withdraw from Iraq, I asked several military officers of different ages and ranks about their thoughts on a potential pullout. Nearly every one stressed how important his or her work here has been—and will be. “If we leave within months, Iraq will be a province of Iran,” one colonel said. “Everyone with any education or skills who hasn’t already left will end up leaving.”

They wonder why America isn't hearing more that just "body counts".

A mortarman with the 25th Infantry stationed in Tal Afar stressed that he thought the American media has not been reporting what really goes on during daily ops across the war zone. “It’s all about body counts,” he said. Marines out in the former Wild West of Anbar province said the same. They are proud of the job they’ve done in cleaning up what was once considered a lost, Al Qaeda-infested area. They wondered why America hasn’t heard MORE of that news.

One sergeant 1st class with the 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry, says that Americans don't understand that "we’re just not ready to leave.”

A sergeant 1st class with the 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry, whose unit is attached to the Marines near Habbaniyah, patrols daily around Al Anbar province. This is his third tour, and he’s confident that progress is being made, despite what he calls early missteps in policy. “I think [Americans] understand our sacrifice, but they don’t understand that we’re just not ready to leave.” The sergeant expressed an opinion I’ve heard from dozens of line and support troops and commanding officers about the continuing effort to rebuild, piece by piece: “We need a little more time—some places are more violent than others. But that’s how things happen. This country can’t be built in five years. And don’t we have a responsibility to help them build it?”

The war has become so politicized that the voices that understand the stakes, have first hand knowledge and experience, the men and women that everyone is trying to "speak for" are talking to us but it seems that half the American population is either not listening or not being told. You cannot claim that you "support the troops" and yet ignore everything they say. By ignoring them, your claim is nothing more than empty words. Keep up with who is talking about this article at memeorandum. .