thedrifter
05-01-07, 06:45 AM
Local Marines: Early Troop Withdrawal Would Be A Disservice
April 30, 2007 11:39 PM
NASHVILLE, Tenn.- The debate over when to pull out of Iraq gained renewed momentum this week.
President George Bush said he'll work with Democrats. But a war spending bill with an exit plan, Bush said, simply will not work.
Local Marines who recently returned from an overseas tour of duty in the Middle East, reacted to the news.
"I actually had a pretty interesting deployment," said Sgt. Bob Schultz of Spring Hill.
Schultz spent the last three months last three months rubbing elbows with the Iraqi army.
"I got to tell you, they're good," Schultz said. "I was expecting it to be completely different, but once I picked up on the language a little bit, got to know the guys, I mean, they're all about 19 to 30 years old. They're just like us."
But are they ready to take the reins?
Schultz and 67 others from India Company, 3rd battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, wrapped up a seven-month tour of duty Saturday night. Their return comes at a time when talk of troop withdrawal has never been more heated.
Bush is promising to veto a war spending bill that includes an exit timetable.
While local marines will not play partisan politics, Marines such as Capt. Sean Roche said a hasty exit would be a disservice to his fallen comrades.
"By pulling out now, we're essentially telling that country we came in here, we fought this war, and now that things aren't going quite the way we want them to, we're ready to leave," said Roche, who went twice to Iraq. "I think that's the worst thing we could do."
Roche said American casualties should be incentive not to pull out, but to stay and finish the job.
April is turning out to be the deadliest month for American troops this year -- motivation democrats will surely use to bring soldiers home.
The military is reporting the deaths of five U.S. troops over the weekend pushes April's death toll for American forces to 104.
Ellie
April 30, 2007 11:39 PM
NASHVILLE, Tenn.- The debate over when to pull out of Iraq gained renewed momentum this week.
President George Bush said he'll work with Democrats. But a war spending bill with an exit plan, Bush said, simply will not work.
Local Marines who recently returned from an overseas tour of duty in the Middle East, reacted to the news.
"I actually had a pretty interesting deployment," said Sgt. Bob Schultz of Spring Hill.
Schultz spent the last three months last three months rubbing elbows with the Iraqi army.
"I got to tell you, they're good," Schultz said. "I was expecting it to be completely different, but once I picked up on the language a little bit, got to know the guys, I mean, they're all about 19 to 30 years old. They're just like us."
But are they ready to take the reins?
Schultz and 67 others from India Company, 3rd battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, wrapped up a seven-month tour of duty Saturday night. Their return comes at a time when talk of troop withdrawal has never been more heated.
Bush is promising to veto a war spending bill that includes an exit timetable.
While local marines will not play partisan politics, Marines such as Capt. Sean Roche said a hasty exit would be a disservice to his fallen comrades.
"By pulling out now, we're essentially telling that country we came in here, we fought this war, and now that things aren't going quite the way we want them to, we're ready to leave," said Roche, who went twice to Iraq. "I think that's the worst thing we could do."
Roche said American casualties should be incentive not to pull out, but to stay and finish the job.
April is turning out to be the deadliest month for American troops this year -- motivation democrats will surely use to bring soldiers home.
The military is reporting the deaths of five U.S. troops over the weekend pushes April's death toll for American forces to 104.
Ellie