How do you think the military is doing, are they doing a good job, what do you think?
113123
The military does a great job, it is the leaders of the military industrial complex that does a crappy job.  All military personnel should recieve raises, increased benefits and a strong VA network.
1106076
They are helping to rebuild the country and keep the insurgents down.  They're not intentionally killing anyone and having the constant threat of IED's definitely is not "just hanging around".  It's still very dangerous and volatile over there.  What the news doesn't tell you, that our soldiers know, is that the Iraqi people do appreciate all we're doing and sacrificing for them.  Very slowly, they are starting to help themselves, but we'll be assisting for quite some time.
247011
They have done a pretty good job of that, don't you think?
844735
I can tell you I'm pleased. This allows a new, fresh face to take over and we can see how his leadership is, and Rumsfeld was no good leader. He mismanaged troop numbers before the war. The generals said they needed at least 400,000 troops to fight, and he gave them about 100 some-on thousand. He denied many well experienced people's requests and that harmed him. He did not give the military vehicles aduquate armor, and not much has still been done about that. He always argued with people and actually seemed like he had quite a temper at times. Many generals who oppose Rumsfeld say they wish that Colon Powell was Secretary Of Defense still, because of his good military experience, compared to Rumsfeld's poor experience. The War in Afghanistan was Powell's responsibility, and as far as I know, it went a lot better than the Iraq War is going. Hopefully the war will go better without him.
734951
Why was he willing to help get more soldiers in the guard. I would like to say that all soldiers are doing a job. They signed up for it. If he does not like the way they conduct business don't reenlist. I think he needs to get out and shut his mouth up. We has military family are proud of our soldiers. We support them no matter what. It is something we have no say where the go and what they do.
755660
very good.\n\n:> peace
725712
Like any other job, some are and do and some aren't and don't.\n\nIn general, the soldiers I've known have been quite smart and together and do well. Some of them are doing very well since retirement, making more per month than most pay in taxes in a year, which is so opposite of what they were making in the military. Their training and the way they learn to work for what they want generally puts them ahead of much of the population in that respect.\n\nAnyone who would suggest that people are in the military because they aren't smart enough to do anything else is a moron and doesn't know what real intelligence is.
553524
George W. Bush and Dick Cheney have lately been touting three sets of statistics to justify their claims of great progress in Iraq. First, they say, we've trained 100,000 Iraqi security forces. Second, 31 other countries are contributing troops as part of the vast international coalition. Third, Iraqi reconstruction is moving along on schedule, thanks to the $18.4 billion in U.S. economic aid.\n\nYet the U.S. State Department's most recent Iraq Weekly Status Report, dated Oct. 6, reveals that all three of those claims are either false or so misleading that they might as well be.\n\nFirst, it's true there are 100,000 Iraqi security forces, about three-quarters of whom are police, army troops or National Guardsmen. But that falls far short of the 272,000 forces that the report calculates are required. (For a breakdown of how many trained security forces exist and how many are needed, by category, click here.) \nSecond, about those 31 coalition members: All told, according to the report, they're contributing about 24,000 troops. The British alone are supplying about 8,000. So the remaining 30 countries have a total of 16,000 troops in Iraq—an average of just over 500 troops per country. The United States has about 130,000 troops over there—more than five times as many as all the other 31 countries combined. (For a full list of the countries involved—which include such powerhouses as Albania, Azerbaijan, and Tonga—click here.) This is not a coalition in the recognized sense of that word.\n\nCompare those figures with these: During the 1991 Gulf War (according to U.S. Central Command's official history of that conflict), 37 other nations took part, sending a total of 270,000 armed forces, flying 30,000 air sorties, and suffering one-third of combat fatalities. Among the nations sending at least one army division were Egypt and Syria. Now that's a coalition.*\n\nMore damning are the report's figures on Iraqi reconstruction. Yes, the U.S. Congress has appropriated $18.4 billion for this effort; but, according to the report, the authorities on the ground in Iraq have spent just $1.3 billion—about 7 percent of the money set aside.\n\nThe specifics of this disparity are still more depressing. For security and law enforcement, $3.2 billion was appropriated, but only $646 million has been spent. For electricity, $5.4 billion was appropriated, $330 million spent. For water resources and sanitation, $4.2 billion was appropriated, a pathetic $23 million spent. For oil infrastructure, $1.7 billion was appropriated, just $47 million spent. For justice, public safety and civil society, $1 billion was appropriated, $55 million spent. For health care, $786 million was appropriated, but $4 million spent. For transportation and communication, $500 million was appropriated, $12 million spent. And the list goes on.\n\nAlthough the State Department issued this report, you will not find it—or its weekly updates—on the State Department's Web site. Nor will you find it on the site of the Agency for International Development (though AID does have a similar report, with far vaguer and rosier figures). Instead, you'll find it on the Web site of the U.S. Commerce Department's Iraq Investment and Reconstruction Task Force—in short, on a site for businesses that need to know what's really happening over there. \n\nWhat's really happening—in numbers as clear as day—is that the training of security forces is proceeding way too slowly, the coalition is a misnomer, and reconstruction has barely got off the ground.\n\nCorrection, Oct. 8, 2004: The piece originally misstated the number of non-U.S. forces in the 1991 Gulf War coalition. It originally said that the non-U.S. coalition partners sent "a total of 800,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines, as well as 300 combat support battalions, over 225 naval vessels, and 2,800 fixed-wing aircraft. Those aircraft flew 112,000 sorties and droppe
877274
YES!!! most certainlt,i may not totally agree with all of our goverments policys,but i feel nothin but respect and honor for military,they deserve our best
376138
I think it is literally drilled into their head that their particular branch of the armed forces is better than the rest.  My father thought that the Navy was the best as he was in there for 10 years.  He left the Navy and went into the Air Force for 11 years and during that time the Air Force was the best.  I think it's just the military mentality.  But to me all of the branches of the military are great and the men and women who are in them serviing our country are even better!!\n\nBy the way, thank your husband for me for serving in the Marines and protecting our country!  And a big thanks to you for being by his side!! :o)
1115129
The answer to the question of how good is the Iraqi army is going to depend on who you ask - and when they were there.\n\nBy our standards they suck.  By Arab standards they are pretty good.\n\nAlso remember that the Iraqi army is still in the process of being created.  They desperately need experienced leaders and the only thing that will get their leaders this experience is time.\n\nThey are getting better.  But this is a painfully slow process. (And there is no way to speed it up.)
259977
The US military is trying to help provide the two prerequisistes for a 'working democracy': prosperity and security. People have to be able to believe their families will be able to function and thrive before they can start to trust the government to work.\n\nI think we as Americans should start addressing the problem that these two prerequisites are starting to disappear on our own national scene instead of calling each other vile names over fringe issues.
391778
sstooc2001: Have YOU ever served in the military?  I doubt it.  And,. I'd like to see if you'd compare the military to criminals to anyone of our faces..  I doubt that as well.
932055
Do you want us to?  We could you know.\n\nI think we'll outsource the part about reconstructing your country, but should make quick work of your military.
327222
Ehtnicity and race are very low on the list of things noticed.  Ability to do the job required and attitude is more often noticed and commented on.  \n\nConsidering today's military is comprised of some of the best , brightest and most educated of our people, considering them to be poor and underprivildeged is an insult to each and every one of them.
735243
As a soldier that just came from i raq 2 weeks ago. the only way to stop is just to call an end to it and leave, but the problem with that is that the military is so developed overthere that it would really make the US look weak, but who cares we would be out of there. Man you wouldn't believe all the money the US goes through just being over there. We are not accomplishing anything over there and that is how i see it, they don't even what our help.
989216
the way i see it our troops are not fighting for our country. where do we benefit from this war? I'm tired of our troops loosing there lives for other country's.  our troop are suppose to be fighting for our country. \n\na military wife