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Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds
    #2012809 -

URL

A broad survey of U.S. troops in Iraq by a Pentagon-funded newspaper found that half of those questioned described their unit's morale as low and their training as insufficient, and said they do not plan to reenlist.

The survey, conducted by the Stars and Stripes newspaper, also recorded about a third of the respondents complaining that their mission lacks clear definition and characterizing the war in Iraq as of little or no value. Fully 40 percent said the jobs they were doing had little or nothing to do with their training.

The findings, drawn from 1,935 questionnaires presented to U.S. service members throughout Iraq, conflict with statements by military commanders and Bush administration officials that portray the deployed troops as high-spirited and generally well-prepared. Though not obtained through scientific methods, the survey results suggest that a combination of difficult conditions, complex missions and prolonged tours in Iraq is wearing down a significant portion of the U.S. force and threatening to provoke a sizable exodus from military service.

In the first of a week-long series of articles, Stars and Stripes said yesterday that it undertook the survey in August after receiving scores of letters from troops who were upset with one aspect or another of the Iraq operation. The newspaper, which receives some funding from the Defense Department but functions without editorial control by the Pentagon, prepared 17 questions and sent three teams of reporters to Iraq to conduct the survey and related interviews at nearly 50 camps.

"We conducted a 'convenience survey,' meaning we gave it to those who happened to be available at the time rather than to a randomly selected cross section, so the results cannot necessarily be projected as representing the whole population," said David Mazzarella, the paper's editorial director in Washington. "But we still think the findings are significant and make clear that the troops have a different idea of things than what their leaders have been saying."



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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: PsiloKitten]
    #2012971 -

Quote:
half of those questioned described their unit's morale as low and their training as insufficient, and said they do not plan to reenlist.




So we're about to lose half our military. Does anybody else feel a draft coming?


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https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-renee-goods-wife-and-son

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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: Baby_Hitler]
    #2012994 -

We only need about half our military,IMO.

I don't know about a draft.There would probably be rioting in the streets and shit.


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People think that if you just say the word "hallucinations" it explains everything you want it to explain and eventually whatever it is you can't explain will just go away.It's just a word,it doesn't explain anything...
Douglas Adams

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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: Baby_Hitler]
    #2013042 -

Quote:
Does anybody else feel a draft coming?



Yeah, Jesse Ventura talked about that Saturday. He told some pro-draft politician that he doesn't want to see a draft until politicians sons get drafted. Which of course, I agree with totally.

What do you guys think the age cut-off for a draft would be?





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Mp3 of the month: Wild Things- Another Colored Ink Drawing (A.C.I.D.)


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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: Learyfan]
    #2013132 -

A Draft?

Ive been harping on this for ages:
http://csf.colorado.edu/mail/psn/2002/msg00123.html

It's way worse then a Draft.


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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: PsiloKitten]
    #2013208 -

That's not a draft, silly, that's just a conscription....... :rolleyes: 

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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: hongomon]
    #2013253 -

I didnt say it was a draft.



http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Clark-Civilian-Service.html


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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: PsiloKitten]
    #2013711 -

I'm curious.

Anyone know what the average percentage that feels that way is for comparison?


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You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity. What one person receives without working for another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for that my dear friend is the beginning of the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it. ~ Adrian Rogers

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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: PsiloKitten]
    #2014304 -

People in the military are dissatisfied? Stop the fucking presses.

Most people do one enlistment under any conditions. I was pretty disgruntled after my active enlistment. It's a tough job under shitty conditions for little reward. Anyone ever watch MASH, or see any war movie at all?

There is a saying, far older than anyone on this board, that it is a soldier's sacred right to bitch. Most avail themselves of that, and it doesn't much one way or another.


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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: wingnutx]
    #2015178 -

Im no stranger to the bitching of soldiers, sailors or marines. I grew up in two of the branches and have enough experience in the other to make an educated opinion.

You are right, there is a whole lot of bitching going on.

But perhaps you should read the article and see just what they are bitching about.. and then, maybe you can go do some history about what they bitched about in prior conflicts or lack thereof.

There are differences here, you cannot deny them.



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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: PsiloKitten]
    #2015294 -

As far as im concerned if you signed up, shut up. You get what you deserve.


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"Know your Body - Know your Mind - Know your Substance - Know your Source.

Lest we forget. "

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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: PsiloKitten]
    #2015438 -

Actually, that sounds like the same shit soldiers always bitch about. Sounds like the stuff they were bitching about in WWII, too. If you kept that crap bottled up you'd explode.

They should keep it in-house, though.

You were a military dependant?

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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: wingnutx]
    #2016744 -

Nah, I think you'll find most of the soldiers in WW2 felt they were fighting for a worthwhile cause.


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Don't worry, B. Caapi

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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: wingnutx]
    #2016911 -

Yup, I sure was. And a military significant other.

Oh yeah, and a civilian contractor.


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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: PsiloKitten]
    #2016930 -

Article

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon (news - web sites)'s top general expressed concern on Thursday over a survey suggesting major morale problems among the 130,000 U.S. troops in Iraq (news - web sites), saying he was sometimes allowed to talk only to "happy" troops.


Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters he was personally worried that when he and other top officers visited troops, they were only allowed to talk to "all the happy folks."


"I want to see the folks that have complaints. And sometimes they won't let them near me," Myers said when pressed about the Stars and Stripes newspaper survey in which half of 1,939 troops responding said morale in their unit was low or very low and that they did not plan to reenlist in the military.


The newspaper, which receives funding from the Pentagon, also said that a third of the survey respondents complained that their mission lacked clear definition and characterized the war in Iraq as of little or no value.


"It is useful insight," said Myers. "Morale is really important because it's people who get the job done."


Four in 10 respondents to Stars and Stripes said jobs they were doing had little or nothing to do with their training. Some called their tasks "make work."


The findings conflicted with statements by U.S. commanders in Iraq and Bush administration officials that portray the forces there as gung-ho and well-prepared.


The survey also suggested that difficult conditions in Iraq and prolonged tours of duty have left the U.S. military so stressed that it could cause a major exodus from the armed forces.

...snip


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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: PsiloKitten]
    #2019404 -

Fritz Hollings' Draft Bill

"Specifically, the bill mandates a national service obligation for every U.S. citizen and permanent resident, aged 18-26. To that end, the legislation authorizes the President to establish both the number of people to be selected for military service and the means of selection. Additionally, the measure requires those not selected specifically for military service to perform their national service obligation in a civilian capacity for at least two years. Under the bill, deferments for education will be permitted only through high school graduation."

Rangel's version

"Under his bill, the draft would apply to men and women ages 18 to 26; exemptions would be granted to allow people to graduate from high school, but college students would have to serve. "

OHHHH.. So many choices, so few wars.


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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: PsiloKitten]
    #2019467 -

Forgive my ignorance on this point, but is Hollings a Democrat? I know Rangel is.

The drafts in Viet Nam and WWII were also the creations of Democrats, no?

What is it about Democrats and the draft, anyway?

pinky


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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: Phred]
    #2019482 -

Yeah he is.

Filthy Dirty Democrats.


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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: PsiloKitten]
    #2019526 -

Well, I dunno about the filthy dirty part, but I have always been puzzled about the whole draft thing. I mean, aren't the Dems the ones who usually decry government restricting personal freedoms (Patriot Act, WOD, lack of Gay marriages, etc.)?

I dunno about the rest of the readers of this forum, but I have a hard time envisioning a greater restriction on personal freedom than forced military servitude.

But that's just me.

pinky


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Re: Many Troops Dissatisfied, Iraq Poll Finds [Re: Phred]
    #2019543 -

If we only had half of our Army,' we coud only march over these feeble arab armies in a few months, rather than weeks. I can tell you that noone that is in the service in a war zone is happy, and i'd thinkt hat would be raher self evident. Being placed in a hot place with ugly people that you can't have sex with who want to bomb you (some ofthem) isn't a fun happy experience. Is that a huge shock to people? Why?


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In response to an attack killing 15 American Servicemen
PsiloKitten said:
Just give em a little more time, the iraqis are making great progress. And this is unorganized. Wait till they get organized.

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