[KillarneyRose]

Originally posted by KSig RC

They're over there because they're trying to protect our interests. Now, if you're a cynic, you will say that our interest is solely oil. If you're like me, you'll say our interest is in keeping the US safe by quashing those who would harm us. Most likely, it's a little of both.

our interests?

well, we can argue the semantics of the thing later, but that goes nowhere

This isn't the main gist of this post, but I was wondering what you meant by this? I said they're protecting our interests, which I conceded involved both oil and keeping the US safe. I used the plural because oil and our safety are two separate interests. When I wrote only of oil, I used the singular and when I wrote only of our safety I also used the singular. If I could go back, I would write that "our sole interest is oil" instead of "our interest is solely oil" so if that is what you figured was worth arguing about -- you win



. . . but honestly, the reserves being called up have earned every prayer, thought, etc you can give them, b/c for the most part these aren't professional soldiers, not at all. They are regular people, taking a very honorable path to increased benefits and a better life.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "professional soldiers" (guys who wear cammies all the time, pick their teeth with a bowie knife and read "Today's Mercenary"?? lol). I'm guessing you mean that being a soldier (sailor, Marine) is not their fulltime job? You're right about that, but please don't get the idea that these men and women are untrained and are sent overseas having learned nothing about tactics, weapons, shipdriving, what-have-you. Many enlisted Reservists spent several years in their branch of the military before becoming Reservists. In addition, many of the officers are graduates of West Point and the Naval Academy who did their owed time or more then decided to get out and take a fulltime civilian job.

Before my husband's naval reserve unit was shipped out, his men received months of training pertaining to the specific assignment they were given in the middle east. This is in addition to years of training they had while they were on active duty (or, if they were never on active duty, during bootcamp and their Annual Training). I believe that all of my husband's men had qualified for Expert Marksman pistol and rifle medals before they left and the majority were surface warefare qualified. From what I understand, they all perfomed admirably.

Blah, blah, blah...sorry! I didn't mean to keep going on and on. I guess all I wanted to say is that, although the Reservists are by all means regular people taking an honorable path, they are also well-trained and competant soldiers, sailors and Marines.

That said, please keep them all in your prayers and thoughts anyway!


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