Can We Handle the Truth?

[bikerboyzx6r]

If you want a real insite into a Vets thoughts:
Darrell "Shifty" Powers

Powers spoke on camera about the soldiers he fought and also hinted at the intrinsic tragedy of combat.

"We might have had a lot in common. He might've liked to fish, you know, he might've liked to hunt," Powers said. "Of course, they were doing what they were supposed to do, and I was doing what I was supposed to do.

"But under different circumstances, we might have been good friends."

RIP Darrell Powers!
Cheers
Dan

[Gary J]

"War" in the modern day is mainly based on speculative business.
(Arms trading, Oil, Government contracts.)

"War" of old mostly had a justifiable moral purpose.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Civvies will never understand what squaddies go through. They may read about it, they may even try to understand our actions. But unless you actually experience the (at times) sheer terror experienced in conflict, you would never be able to understand why they sometimes seek revenge. I remember a soldier being shot dead, and we knew the gunman who did it. When he was captured a few weeks later, he was made aware of our feelings. Do not sit in judgement on our actions. The experience of warfare dehumanises the soul. You enter it with a strong sense of what is right, and come out of it with a different set of values. It takes time to become a civilised person again.

Harry.

[jws54]

I have met many WW2 vets and made friends with one in particular. He told me when they met the Russians, one of the Russians made him and his Sargeant take a drink of vodka. They did not want to, so they took only a polite sip. The Russian pointed his gun at them and made them drink the entire bottle.
The Sargeant takes the empty bottle over to a fuel truck and fills it, goes back to the Russian, points his gun at him and says,"Drink!" The Russian does, and is made to drink the entire bottle.
I asked my friend what happened to the guy? Probably died! He said he did not care.
I have a great respect for Vets. They were and are Heros to me. I did not like hearing the outcome of that story, yet, there it is.

He told me a lot over the years. I just listened. He wanted to be baptized in the creek he played in as a boy. Then he passed on. He is my Friend.

[John Brandon]

Civvies will never understand what squaddies go through. They may read about it, they may even try to understand our actions. But unless you actually experience the (at times) sheer terror experienced in conflict, you would never be able to understand why they sometimes seek revenge. I remember a soldier being shot dead, and we knew the gunman who did it. When he was captured a few weeks later, he was made aware of our feelings. Do not sit in judgement on our actions. The experience of warfare dehumanises the soul. You enter it with a strong sense of what is right, and come out of it with a different set of values. It takes time to become a civilised person again.

Harry.

Been there Harry. It takes one to understand another, Still bitter, but not so twisted

[LAS VEGAS]

Gary j seems to have the same opinion as me.I have an idea that if fat arsed politicians want to start a war then make them go into combat first ,(I THINK WARS WOULD END QUICKLY )For any country who starts wars for a money making excercise is dispicable .That one human should die to feather the nest of some wicked person or group is vile.If ever you get a chance to see a documentary on the head of security of twin towers who sadly dies in the attack,trust me you will hear a man of wisdom,he was speaking after the first attack years before the downing of the twin towers.He put the earlier attack into a rational perspective that no corrupt vote seeking politican would dare.little did he know a more devastating atack was coming.A true man of wisdom and honour.

[tud jones]

Acts of kindness might also occur...A German pionier vet told me of a night he and a couple other mates sought shelter in a hay filled barn on a cold winter night. While they were digging into the hay, they realized some others were in the barn as well with the same idea. They just assumed they were other German soldiers. The next morning, they got up and realized the other soldiers were Russians. The next morning, both groups had their guns pointed at each other but no one opened fire. My friend said that they waved goodbye each other and went their separate ways. It has been a number of years since I heard this story but that is my best remembrance of the situation he described.

[Soldierblu]

I agree with you John and Harry the Mole. I too was in the Gulf, and experienced things I am not able to share, my father also took part in operations against the terrorists in Aden at the height of the atrocities and during the withdrawal of HM Forces and lastly my son who has done tours in Iraq and Afghan with the 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regt. The Vikings, I explained to him before he went my father told me and my brother to write down our feelings after the events to clear our minds, it certainly helped me remain sane even in NI, I spoke to my son about similar approaches before he deployed. He seems to have come through stronger than I had hoped but he still suffers from issues that he lost several of his best friends in action in Afghan, His Battalion Lost 9 KIA. his replacement after he came out was the Battalions first casualty on their 3rd tour, this worried him more than a little.. I may be rambling but it helps when people share similar insights. I am to my knowledge 4th generation Military with my Grandfather fighting at 13 in the 1st Boer war as A Bugler , 2nd Boer war Ambulance Driver, WWI RAMC, and WW2 RAMC.

[John Brandon]

I agree with you John and Harry the Mole. I too was in the Gulf, and experienced things I am not able to share, my father also took part in operations against the terrorists in Aden at the height of the atrocities and during the withdrawal of HM Forces and lastly my son who has done tours in Iraq and Afghan with the 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regt. The Vikings, I explained to him before he went my father told me and my brother to write down our feelings after the events to clear our minds, it certainly helped me remain sane even in NI, I spoke to my son about similar approaches before he deployed. He seems to have come through stronger than I had hoped but he still suffers from issues that he lost several of his best friends in action in Afghan, His Battalion Lost 9 KIA. his replacement after he came out was the Battalions first casualty on their 3rd tour, this worried him more than a little.. I may be rambling but it helps when people share similar insights. I am to my knowledge 4th generation Military with my Grandfather fighting at 13 in the 1st Boer war as A Bugler , 2nd Boer war Ambulance Driver, WWI RAMC, and WW2 RAMC.

You are not rambling on. You must be very proud of your son, I am!
I share your sentiments, and I salute you. and your familly. I too was a Royal Anglian, and wore the Minden Falsh with pride................ Tell your son to take care

[HARRY THE MOLE]

I can cope with my memories of incidents in NI in the very early 70's, a time when the casualty-rate was higher than is currently experienced in Afghanistan. Our war is largely forgotten now, but at times it was every bit as bloody as any other wars. As for the question of 'Can we handle the truth?' some of us NI vets are very bitter about what went on over there. Most of the guns used to kill so many British soldiers were supplied by the good citizens of our friends accross the pond. We were on our own in our fight against terrorism directed at our country. How many can handle THAT truth?