C-SPAN Vignette: U.S. Army Patrol in Diyala Province, Iraq

[agalvan1981]

I was there. We built relationships and lives.

[lrcdert2010]

How come I saw mostly only Hispanics being interviewed?

[lrcdert2010]

@SHINYABOY You have to understand it's different fighting a standing army and some people without a uniform.

[1lostinspace]

I had a question to all the US army troops. What do you think of ACU/UCP out there, does it work?

[SHINYABOY]

you got america nato europenas like over 80 countrys if u cant defeat talibans in flip flops how could u defeat a standing army what joke what a shame

[SHINYABOY]

the real enemy is lost people fighting for someone else america fighting for jews chritianity and afghans fighting for arabs isalam

[67DieHardPatriot454]

insurgents would kill 20 iraqis to get a truckload of Americans. IF theres a chance we'll kill 1 iraqi civilian around terrorist we will make sure we don't fire till that civilian is clear or we wont fir at all if hes not. So what does that tell you.

[RIEKSONE]

cant wait to join already shit it just year away

[samuserunavailable]

people that werent there shouldnt talk about it

[morbidcannibal1]

yeah, i was there when this video was made, and i know from direct expierience that we did alot to build that region over there. Unless youve actually been there than you really cant have an accurated image of what its like for the people there. All i know is that i spent alot more time rebuilding pumping stations and trying to get microgrants for chicken farms than "doing more destuction than good". Id would be wiser to get your info from being on the ground than the news, miranut.

[Californianboy626]

see every terrorist is leaving iraq and going to afghanistan were they have numbers on us thos fuckers!

[badmintonho]

not true. most 'insurgents' in iraq during the beginning of the war were only trying to defend their country from foreign fighters. after changing our tactics, they realized we weren't just invading iraq but trying to fight insurgency, and that's why we are freinds with them. afghanistan has always been an insurgent stronghold, with allies from pakistan and iran

[4everUSNavy]

@badmintonho

weel before we invaded the Coalition did excist. they helpe us during the invasion

[blakasassin1]

u think u.s likes to kill civilains they do it on accident the real enemy is the insurgents

[Dengwazhere]

Keep up the good work, its about time they show the good America is doing in iraq although they have stuffed up in the past under their previous government. You can see Obama's vision which is help the Rural areas prosper and let the Iraqi's mature in being able to take of themselves, After 6 years of dissapointment I can finally start clapping.

[AZDACKSGaming]

Wait what is he doing now??

[Dengwazhere]

Obama is clearly pulling out the major cities, which what people have been calling for, but he is now emphising on the rural economy and development of the Iraqi security and civil sectors. By pulling troops out of the major cities of Iraq he can put greater emphasis on the defeat of the taliban in Afghanistan which is what bush should have done in the first place by not going to Iraq. Sure Sadam was evil but were are the WMD's . Going to Iraq was a bad decsion, Obama is trying to his best.

[AZDACKSGaming]

So he's helping people in other countries but not ours. He is much worse then Bush. Oh going to Iraq was a good idea. If you haven't been their then don't say anything.

[Dengwazhere]

Are you so naive, When did obama become president 2009, when did the economic crisis start July 2008, When did the iraq war start 2003, Have i been to Iraq no but i know this republicans media campain seems to have got to you, Ps Palan come on and Macain dude hint if ur clever, Just because they are not in power doesn't mean they dont controll how you think. Afghanistan war thats fighting terrorism with a cause, Iraq bad waste of valueble soliders and civilian lifes. Only PMC's will benifit.

[AZDACKSGaming]

Who ever said I was a Republican or I liked McCain you pissed me off right their and then like the saying goes with other past wars "If you haven't been there shut up". I'm a American I don't care about the first black president any of that bs. All I know is I fight for my country and I don't let some stupid Republican or Democrat "get to me". Plus learn what you type behind your little computer screen. Have a fun life.

[Dengwazhere]

You sound like solider, well let me tell something about my self, i am from South Sudan were more than 2 million people were massacred in a brutal civil war, my father was a rebel solider as was many others, my cousins were child soldiers as so i would have been. My life will never be filled with fun until i see my nation truly be a peace full nation. My life will only belong to me as soon as every south Sudanese child will have the same opportunities as any normal child. peace out.

[JTFYEE]

Sorry to inform you that this "vision" has been happening before Obama took office. I was in baqubah when it was bad, and worked there from 2007-2008. We were handing over areas after we cleared them to make it easier for the local police and military to control. Hostile actions went from 50 a day to 1-3 a week. Unfortunately the press doesnt always cover whats really going on over there.

[mitch5771]

i applaud C-SPAN. they show the real deal, not this crap about every one of our guys being killers. Bless our servicemen

[LordDirus007]

Well IDK if my oppion matters, I can tell you that is my company. I am in the diyala provence as I write this. Im a infantry joe. I dont care about politics. This war is over. only time will tell if we won. Its on the iraqi people to sustain there own government. It rest in there hands now.

[LordDirus007]

Well IDK if my oppion matters, I can tell you that is my company. I am in the diyala provence as I write this. Im a infantry joe. I dont care about politics. This war is over. only time will tell if we won. Its on the iraqi people to sustain there own government. It rest in there hands now.

[calebtown]

Thats my cousin Jeb Townsend 1st LT....Our prayers are with you and the rest of your platoon

[dubadudu1]

This terms town, house , my father has a lot of apartments drives me crazy.

Hello we are all GOD children in the beginning.

What houses what ever.?

[dubadudu1]

Did you know that even Muslims agree monotheistic religion started from Judaisam/ Jewish/Jews.

[HudsonRand]

Let me offer some insight into the term "embedded journaist." In this case, 'embedded' means that Doug has Uncle Sam's big fat circumcised kosher Hebrew hotdog rammed so far up his ass, he knows if he say's anything contrary the wishes of the Zionist protection racketeering thugs, he will die.

[ileaf1234]

We are know all reporting from Iraq is controlled and filtered so we can make an educated guess that this unit and village was selected purposely for propaganda. Any embedded journalist didn't report favorable thing will be on the next ride out of Iraq.

[Ivannahumpalo1]

I've been there... you don't know what you're talking about. I'd enlighten you as to the massive challenges that Iraq faces and, quite frankly, is doing pretty well with, but I'm sure you'll just chalk it up to a bias, rather than informed, comment.

I liked you guys way better when you were whining about rich people and religion... can we switch back to that?

[ileaf1234]

Wow!!! That's quite an assumption you're making about me "whining about the rich people" since I'm paying 34k in property tax per year where I live which is probably what you get for entire year worth of salary. You know what they say, assumption is mother to all f*ck-ups and doesn't say much about your IQ level.

[Ivannahumpalo1]

LOL... talk about assuming... I'll indulge you, disregard your poor reading comprehension skills, and let you forget about you and your friends whining about the "wealthy few." Tell me, oh mighty property tax paying diety of all things humanist, what is happening in Iraq? Please, enlighten me and the rest of the poor unwashed masses who clearly lack the intellect to criticize organized religion and rich people. We want so badly to be angry dicks like you... in the name of progress, of course.

[HudsonRand]

Get your stinking protection racketeering 'welfare with guns' thug sociopaths out of the world. Load them all up on a big container ship and blast there stupid, amoral and insular asses to the moon, Alice!

[skyrere]

Actually... WE were the ones who founded this country. If you don't like it, get out.

[HudsonRand]

skyrere, you are a fucking dangerous idiot, like most mind fucked hyper- religious USAnians. You are blind to the "true character" of the US. You know nothing real. Though, sadly you as much a victim as the original inhabitants of the North American continent, as a walking Anglo-God-Zombie, you are a danger to others. Now, fuck you!

[skyrere]

and I wish you a lovely day as well.

[HudsonRand]

Yes, every moment a miracle. Let's hope the US welfare with guns program and their Zionist mafia bosses can't figure out how to make a buck shooting up my neighborhood.

[ileaf1234]

Forgive Skygere, he's suffering from a brain disease named stupid, not very well read and clueless when it comes to historial facts.

[y2knoproblem]

Wow. This is just like Vietnam! Good job Bush! Mission Accomplished. Oh, what happened to that WMD?

[sakimo84]

Oh what's that about Obama bringing all the troops home? Wait, he asked for $83.4Billion in war funding? Pretty strange thing to do for such a terrible, no good, very bad "illegal" war.

But really, It is a bad thing to fight an unnecessary war, but it's a hell of thing to lose one. Glad we haven't done the latter. Aren't you?

[y2knoproblem]

What did the Bush accomplish by invading Iraq? What was won? Where is the trophy? I only see 5,000 dead soldiers and 25,000 permanently disabled. What for? So McDonald's can open up more restaurants in the middle east?

[skyrere]

Yes. It's a hell of a thing to lose one.

[ileaf1234]

"It is a bad thing to fight an unnecessary war, but it's a hell of thing to lose one. Glad we haven't done the latter." You never heard of Vietnam, aren't you?

[leatherneck7476]

Your premise is incorrect. Fact: We went into Iraq to fulfill the UN mandate 1441. Crystal clear unless one is misled by the media.

[y2knoproblem]

1441 was not a declaration for war. Neither was a declaration of war made by our congress as required by the Constitution. No matter how you look at, Bush created a disaster that will go down in infamy.

[ileaf1234]

i wonder if anything in the u.s constitution saying the UN can declare war on behalf of U.S.

[y2knoproblem]

Al Qaeda? I don't think so. What kind of propaganda is this?

[Impressive8404]

GOD bless America and our troops!!!

[nghivu]

if GOD blessingg our troops then why almost 5000 of them lost their lives, what kind of incompetent GOD is this? or he's just not there or just don't give a shit.

[Impressive8404]

God has given you and I free will. He, God, loves us with a love we can never comprehend... he calls it agape. Because of that love he gave us free will to either chose him or reject him. You can not force someone to love you. That wouldn't be true love. Those 5000 who lost their lives did it willingly for something greater than themselves.

[jtownstomp]

Very true

[ileaf1234]

Since God gave everyone freewill than God gave those insurgents freewill to kill our troops.  I hate God than.

[skyrere]

That's ok. He still loves you enough to let you hate him... Just like any good parent.

[HudsonRand]

"...something greater than themselves." Yup, they gave their lives for the unimaginable personal wealth of a very few elites that have relied on fear and misinformation to augment the weird ass ChristoIslamoJudiasism bullshit hey've been feeding the ignorant masses. You know shit about "God."

[MiranUT]

100% correct, HudsonRand.  Well said!

[Ivannahumpalo1]

Do you drive a car, heat a house, have electricity in your home, or have a job? None of that would happen without oil. Accepting the leftist arguement that this is the real reason for the war, you benefited from the war in ways that enhanced your wealth and quality of life, etc... judge all you like, unless you live like the Unibomber, you're as much a part of the problem as anyone else.

[jrrydha]

"None of that would happen without oil" really? o because there.s no such thing as alternitive fuels, there are houses heated by them jobs created by them and cars runing on them. your accepting the neocon argument that oil is the only way to go and always will be. not even counting climate change, its a dirty fuel period, there's no arguing oil and coal is harmful.

[Ivannahumpalo1]

OK, let's step bak and accept the REALITY that the vast majority of our cars, homes, and industry rely HEAVILY on oil and will for a long time even with new alternative fuels. Addressing only cars, how long would it take for the current fleet of cars crisscrossing the world to completely turn over? 10 years? 15 years? Probabaly more. you can accept this REALITY, or, be a useful idiot and go chase some mythical NEOCON boogymen who want only to "ruin the world" and be "warmongers"... have fun

[MiranUT]

I don't drive a car -- have never owned one. Trains and bicycles for me. My home is heated/cooled by nuclear power (not that I support nuclear power). Don't eat meat either (the second largest oil-consuming industry).

The "problem" is that the gov/elites are struggling to keep an unsustainable system. Same thing is happening now with banking, GE, etc. Obama (and Bush before him) is just prolonging the inevitable. It's time to think outside the box. Too bad Obama brought in old DC blood.

[Ivannahumpalo1]

It is all well and good that you avoid meat and it is certainly healthy to ride a bike, which is probably far more practical in a place like Japan than it would be in a place like, say, the rural mid-western United States. Personally, I grew up in a very urban area and didn't have a license until I was an adult... but the fact remains that what I said is true. Oil is here to stay for a long, long time and no one can say that their lives are devoid of its uses/consumption with honesty.

[MiranUT]

I didn't write that my life was "devoid" of oil -- just that I don't use-- and it's possible to not use -- nearly as much as the typical American. I disagree with you about the impracticality of using a bicycle in the USA . My parents live in the Midwest and use their car to go 10 or 15 minutes away -- doable on a bike. The Tokyo metro area is not ideal for riding bicycles; a lot more could be done to encourage their use.

Oil is not "here to stay". It's a limited nonrenewable resource.

[Ivannahumpalo1]

I lived in the rural midwest for quite a while until recently. You'rea flat wrong about bikes and their practical uses outside of larger cities. Why does anyone bother with this? Until a areaaalisatic approach to the problem is adopted, which clearly won't be anytime soon so long as there are multitudes of self-righteous sock puppets ready to lecture the rest of us, we'll never solve our energy problems. How does any of what you said fix anything? Should we all ride bikes down county highways?

[MiranUT]

I'll concede that using a bike in sub-zero temps is not a good idea. But then, I think going out in a car any considerable distance in such weather is also not a good idea.

How far was you commute when you lived in the rural midwest?

I know that I'm fortunate to live in a place with perhaps the best public transportation system in the world, but the US doesn't even try. Last time I visited Chicago and Boston I felt like I went back in time 40 years.

[Ivannahumpalo1]

My commute was about 20 minutes. This was a function of the fact that nothing is very close to anything else in farm country.

I tend to agree with you about the "T" in Boston (never rode mass transit in Chicago). I had to use it nearly every day when I was in college. Still, it was free where I lived on Commonwealth Ave, so I can't complain all that much.

[meepthegreat]

Wow! Thanks for the great video C-Span.

[kashmiriguycali4nia]

right on MiranUT

[skyrere]

War is Hell.

None of us know or can guess what is really going on over there, and it's out of our hands. The soldiers see what they are fighting, and they know how to do it. We have to stop trying to tell them how to do thier job... Stop Backseat driving this war. Support our troops. They aren't evil. They are fighting evil.

[jx14aby]

Insanity.

[MiranUT]

skyrere, you're right: war is hell.

But could you define "evil"? That sounds like part of the propaganda to me.

Admitting that the US war of aggression in Iraq was a mistake seems to me the best way to support the troops. From my vantage point, the "evil" is the US Empire not the individual soldiers who who have been indoctrinated to think they are fighting for democracy, but the US oligarchy.

[malcolmvanatta]

We have a Republic in the United States not a Democracy or an Oligarchy.  Get over yourself.

[nghivu]

we think we have a "republic" but in fact MiranUT is correct we have a oligarchy where politicians are pay for by a small group of elite with lots of money.

[skyrere]

THAT is propaganda.

[sakimo84]

You mean because it doesn't make US troops look like baby killers? It doesn't show tanks running over unarmed civilians? It doesn't show troops raping and pillaging? Well then it MUST be specious propaganda clandestinely funded by the vast right wing conspiracy! Because we all know that's what they really do all day every day.

Hell, that's why we went to war, to give our troops an opportunity to kill brown people. Right? Naturally.

[skyrere]

You are a sad sad person, and I will pray for you.

[ileaf1234]

keep on wasting your breath praying to your imaginary friend, because it won't have any affect whatsoever.

[skyrere]

When I see responses like this to my concerns, I see just how much the Politics of emotion and entitlements have saturated this once great country. You have been convinced that we are the evil when in fact, we have tried to make things better wherever we can. It wasn't our job, but we tried anyway because when you have power, you have responsibility.

Be responsible.

I am.

[nghivu]

we are not there with the intention of making it better. we are there because the oil is there. all the misery/hunger/genocide in africa many folds worst than iraq, do you see we there? no. BTW, where are the WMD's? were they all lies to rally our support for an unjust/unprovoked war?

[leatherneck7476]

We are in Iraq to fulfill UN mandate 1441. Crystal clear to anyone who will go back and search out the facts. BTW We removed tons of "yellowcake" (WMD) in the past year or so. You are regurgitating the media bias. No offense intended.

[nghivu]

yellowcake is far from being WMD. it was declared with IAEA in comply with international treaties. iraq has no way of enrichment nor can they obtain the capability without IAEA knowing. weapon inspectors were on the ground, it's just the matter of time before it's being located if the war hasn't derail the inspection effort. countless innocent iraqis/u.s soldiers lost their lives at the cost of trillions to accomplish something that weapon inspection would've pick up anyway if it was allowed to

[skyrere]

that's right. absorb the propaganda... everything bad that has happened in the world in the last 200 years that we have been a great nation is all our fault.

[nghivu]

you're very delusional for thinking "everything bad that has happened in the world in the last 200 years that we have been a great nation is all our fault. " so quit your crying already.

[skyrere]

I am sorry that you are not able to detect Sarcasm when it's leaking out of your computer screen.

I feel that America is a Great Country, and that we need to start standing up for ourselves again instead of letting our Coward of a President Apologize to every other world leader for THEIR troubles.

[nghivu]

"I feel that America is a Great Country, and that we need to start standing up for ourselves" is this another example of your Sarcasm? if you think america is a great country, why do we need to "standing up" for ourselves? only shitty country needs standing up. let me guess, you're a follower of the dual-moronic oreilly and hannity.  since they are only two i know on the media holding this type of illogic.

[skyrere]

One of the great brainwashed masses. Go ahead and hate yourself. Go ahead and hate this country because I don't believe you belong to it. That just means that you hate us for what we stand for. You hate our freedome becasue it's not yours.

If you DO live in this country, then you hate us because someone else has made you feel guilty for having while they have not.

The true character of this nation is that if you get up off your ass and work, you can have.

[MiranUT]

skyrere, Open a history book (not one from public high school) and read it.

[skyrere]

get up off your ass and pay more taxes...  Obama is going to need your money when he runs out of the "wealthy" people's money.

[nghivu]

support our troops by not sending them to kill and die for an unjust cause. support them by bringing them home so they can live.

[leatherneck7476]

see prior post.

[walkertexasranger33]

@nghivu shut up fag they want to be there

[MiranUT]

Propaganda.

There're flaws and contradictions in this footage. Doug makes it seem like al-Qaeda was here all along. In fact, years ago the US Military obliterated the infrastructure (water, electricity) so no one could live or work here.

Can you imagine what this agricultural area looked like 7 years ago? If you can, youll understand the damage the US has done.

Americans need to do some major self-reflection in order to resolve the so called war on terror.

[kashmiriguycali4nia]

well said my friend :)

[Ivannahumpalo1]

Actually, there has either been war or insurgency in Diyala for decades. Diyala, bordering Iran, saw combat during the Iran/Iraq war and a litany of insurgencies, YES, SOME WERE ISLAMIST, opposed Saddam throughout the 1990's.

The date industry, once one of the biggest exports from the province, was destroyed during the Iran/Iraq war. Last October, with the Help of the US Army and Department of State, Diyala exported dates for the first time since the early 1980's. I saw it happen first hand.

[Ivannahumpalo1]

Not to belabor the point, but it is also worth noting that much of the infrastructure that you are referring to was junk to begin with or was neglected by Saddam because Diyala has a large Shia population. Add in a now-three year old drought (soon to be four) caused by a combination of a lack of rain and the construction of new dams in Turkey that prevent water from reaching the Diyala river and you have a far better explaination for the woes in the province.

[kbals]

Why is it that whenever their is some positive reporting about the situation in Iraq, you liberal fuck heads are so quick to denounce it and call it "propaganda"? You and people like you do not want this war to succeed. Why??? Having Iraq as an ally is better than Iraq being an enemy. The U.S.A. is leading the charge for world peace.

[MiranUT]

"The U.S.A. is leading the charge for world peace"?

"Iraq as an ally..."? LOL

You need to read a little more, kbals. What makes you thinks I'm liberal? Why do you think the Iraq war is/was a sucess? It was botched from before US troops even went over.

Why do I denounce this "news" at propaganda? Because the US is doing a lot more destruction than good with its "bring democracy & freedom to the world" BS. If you believe that's the goal, there's no point in discussing this with you.

[xxtricker93xx]

Someone for once with a functioning brain producing functional thoughts about the U.S.

[rooroo1988]

wow how do they last 30 min?

[CivilRadiant]

Pathetic that C-Span is the only channel covering newsworthy content.

Thank you C-Span for posting this!!

[eric3141k]

night and day all day every day in every way

[nghivu]

i just wonder how much of these is really and how much is because the camera is on? what really happens if the camera wasn't around?

[Blue387]

Please, no political bickering in the comments.

[vandal9202]

LOL right on