U.S. expects rise in troop casualties

[TheStripey1]

An inconvenient truth, that.

true... for the republicans... did you see the news this morning? A majority in the Iraqi Parliament wants us out... Now the question arises... is the Iraqi government a real government or is it subservient to the wishes of washington?

Iraqi bill on troop pullout discussed

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA Associated Press Writer
© 2007 The Associated Press
May 10, 2007

BAGHDAD — A majority of Iraqi lawmakers endorsed a draft bill calling for a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign troops and demanding a freeze on the number already in the country, lawmakers said Thursday.

The legislation was being discussed even as U.S. lawmakers were locked in a dispute with the White House over their call to start reducing the size of the U.S. force in the coming months.

The proposed Iraqi legislation, drafted by the parliamentary bloc loyal to anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, was signed by 144 members of the 275-member house, said Nassar al-Rubaie, the leader of the Sadrist bloc.

The Sadrist bloc, which holds 30 parliamentary seats and sees the U.S.-led forces as an occupying army, has pushed similar bills before, but this was the first time it garnered the support of a majority of lawmakers.

...snip

 

[CSM]

tho there is that old adage, sarge, I'm married, not buried...

you don't mind if I call you sarge, do you?

Personally I dont care but just so you know:

The appropriate term is Sergeant Major, the "sarge" term is only acceptable at E-7 and below and only if the person being addressed doesn't mind. First Sergeants should ALWAYS be addressed as First Sergeant (not "top"; "first shirt" or other endearing terms) Master Sergeants (E-8) and all others are appropriately called "Sergeant"

Not being snotty, just providing some military protocol insight. I have seen some First Sergeants rip people's heads off for calling them sarge. I have never heard anyone call a CSM or SM "sarge"....I suspect they would never find the body if they did.

 

[CSM]

true... for the republicans... did you see the news this morning? A majority in the Iraqi Parliament wants us out... Now the question arises... is the Iraqi government a real government or is it subservient to the wishes of washington?

My comment was about the elected government in Iraq, not the position it has taken on the presence of US troops. I am willing to bet they want the troops out but US dollars "in"...and for a whole lot longer than the troops would have to stay.

 

[TheStripey1]

lol...keep poking that anthill!

I have ant spray, sarge... Safer... and it's gooooood stuff too... works right now without chemicals... annnnnnnnnd it has a pleasant smell...

it's a win win unless you're an ant...

 

[CSM]

I have ant spray, sarge... Safer... and it's gooooood stuff too... works right now without chemicals... annnnnnnnnd it has a pleasant smell...

it's a win win unless you're an ant...

Interesting but as I am sure you know, ant spray has been around a looooong time....there are still plenty of ants around despite prolific use of same.

 

[TheStripey1]

Personally I dont care but just so you know:

The appropriate term is Sergeant Major, the "sarge" term is only acceptable at E-7 and below and only if the person being addressed doesn't mind. First Sergeants should ALWAYS be addressed as First Sergeant (not "top"; "first shirt" or other endearing terms) Master Sergeants (E-8) and all others are appropriately called "Sergeant"

Not being snotty, just providing some military protocol insight. I have seen some First Sergeants rip people's heads off for calling them sarge. I have never heard anyone call a CSM or SM "sarge"....I suspect they would never find the body if they did.

After 20 years of being an army brat and four years of military service (USAF) of my own, I never learned that, CSM... the tiger will revise his terminology...

 

[CSM]

After 20 years of being an army brat and four years of military service (USAF) of my own, I never learned that, CSM... the tiger will revise his terminology...

I guess you have to live it...I have no 'steenken' idea what they call an Air Force E-9 other than his official title....

 

[TheStripey1]

My comment was about the elected government in Iraq, not the position it has taken on the presence of US troops. I am willing to bet they want the troops out but US dollars "in"...and for a whole lot longer than the troops would have to stay.

of course... everyone wants our money... and I'd rather send them that than send them that and keep our troops there forever, too...

 

[TheStripey1]

Interesting but as I am sure you know, ant spray has been around a looooong time....there are still plenty of ants around despite prolific use of same.

I don't care if they are out there, waves paw towards the window, I just don't want them in here... waves paw towards the kitchen...

 

[CSM]

of course... everyone wants our money... and I'd rather send them that than send them that and keep our troops there forever, too...

Truthfully, if I were emperor at the time I would have gone into Baghdad, levelled it, captured whatever leadership I could, and then left. I suspect the repurcussions would have been far easier to deal with. By the way, on my way out of that country I would have left a VERY clear message...."Don't make me come back here again! If I do, it wont be as pleasant a visit as it was this time"

 

[CSM]

I don't care if they are out there, waves paw towards the window, I just don't want them in here... waves paw towards the kitchen...

Isn't that what some say about the terrorists?

 

[TheStripey1]

I guess you have to live it...I have no 'steenken' idea what they call an Air Force E-9 other than his official title....

It's been a long time since I wore the uniform, over 37 years... but I think it was chief master sergeant... I was an E-4 way back when... aka sergeant but everyone called me sarge... I didn't know then that it wasn't a good thing...

laffs...

 

[TheStripey1]

Truthfully, if I were emperor at the time I would have gone into Baghdad, levelled it, captured whatever leadership I could, and then left. I suspect the repurcussions would have been far easier to deal with. By the way, on my way out of that country I would have left a VERY clear message...."Don't make me come back here again! If I do, it wont be as pleasant a visit as it was this time"

At the time I would probably have been appalled, but now, after seeing how incompetently the war has been prosecuted, I would tend to agree... it would have saved a few thousand troops lives, billions of dollars and our military wouldn't be broken.

 

[CSM]

It's been a long time since I wore the uniform, over 37 years... but I think it was chief master sergeant... I was an E-4 way back when... aka sergeant but everyone called me sarge... I didn't know then that it wasn't a good thing...

laffs...

The title for an Air Force E-9 is Chief Master Sergeant so you are correct. I think the term "sarge" became unacceptable (at least in the Army) sometime in the mid 80s

 

[TheStripey1]

Isn't that what some say about the terrorists?

laffs...

ants aren't terrorists... are they? well maybe, in large numbers... reallly large numbers...

 

[CSM]

At the time I would probably have been appalled, but now, after seeing how incompetently the war has been prosecuted, I would tend to agree... it would have saved a few thousand troops lives, billions of dollars and our military wouldn't be broken.

Not sure the ENTIRE military is broken, though I would say the Army and Marines are dented up pretty good. The Air Force and the Navy are pretty much intact.

 

[CSM]

laffs...

ants aren't terrorists... are they? well maybe, in large numbers... reallly large numbers...

If they aren't Army ants they must be terrorist ants.

 

[TheStripey1]

The title for an Air Force E-9 is Chief Master Sergeant so you are correct. I think the term "sarge" became unacceptable (at least in the Army) sometime in the mid 80s

wow... my memory is still good? laffs...

my daddy was an E-7 and his men called him sarge too... he got out in '68... then did another 20 in civil service... yep, he was a double dipper...

now however, he is in the ground down at the San Joaquin National Cemetary... that happens to old soldiers... old civilians too...

 

[CSM]

wow... my memory is still good? laffs...

my daddy was an E-7 and his men called him sarge too... he got out in '68... then did another 20 in civil service... yep, he was a double dipper...

now however, he is in the ground down at the San Joaquin National Cemetary... that happens to old soldiers... old civilians too...

You have every right to be proud of your Dad....and your own service too.

I am not a double dipper, but managed to hook up with the military-industrial cabal after 30 years goofing off in the Army...took me that long to figure out I didn't fit in there.

 

[TheStripey1]

Not sure the ENTIRE military is broken, though I would say the Army and Marines are dented up pretty good. The Air Force and the Navy are pretty much intact.

well, there was this in my email box this am... planes, like those that service and fly them, don't last forever...

Air Force Fleet Wearing Down
USA Today | May 08, 2007


LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. - The Air Force's fleet of warplanes is older than ever and wearing out faster because of heavy use in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the service's top combat commander.

Gen. Ronald Keys, who leads the Air Combat Command, points to cracked wings on A-10 attack planes and frayed electrical cables on U-2 spy planes.

Compared to 1996, the Air Force now spends 87% more on maintenance for a warplane fleet that is less ready to fly, Air Force records show.

They also show that as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue, Air Force and other military aircraft are flying more missions in harsh environments.

Keys said he's concerned that policymakers will only pay attention when a plane either crashes on takeoff or over a city "because a wing falls off."

..snip

The average Air Force warplane is 23.5 years old compared with 8.5 years in 1967. In 2001, the average plane was 22 years old.

The Air Force says it wants to buy new planes to lower the average age of its fleet to 15 years over the next two decades. That will cost an estimated $400billion.

There are 356 A-10s in service. The plane is often used to support ground forces in close combat. The A-10 carries missiles and bombs, but its cannon is particularly effective in strafing.

The Air Force recently bought replacement wings for 132 of its workhorse A-10s at $7 million per plane. The Air Force wants another $34 million for more replacement wings this year.

..snip

"Chronological age is only one measure of aircraft health," Bolkcom said. "Age is not a safety issue."

While refurbished planes often fly as well as new ones, they may also require more crewmembers to fly and maintain them, said James Jay Carafano, a military analyst at the Heritage Foundation. "These life-cycle costs really matter," he said.