if you have family in Iraq or Afghanistan,

• if you have family in Iraq or Afghanistan, - sm

The messages you are viewing are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select the boards given in left menu

I'd like to send a gift/gifts to my nephew in Iraq. This is his first Christmas away so I know it will be hard for him. If possible, I'd like to include something personal just for him and maybe some stuff for his buddies to share. I asked him point-blank what he'd like and, typical guy, he says "anything" which is of NO HELP at all. I have no clue what they're allowed to have or not have.

You guys have any ideas? Thanks!

Marine Corps Base Hawaii is investigating a shocking video of a smiling Marine throwing a puppy off the top of a steep hillside in Iraq into a gully below.

The video today gained widespread attention and condemnation on the Internet.

"The video is shocking and deplorable and is contrary to the high standards we expect of every Marine," the Kane'ohe Bay base said in a release.

Base officials said the video came to their attention this morning. An investigation has been initiated. Maj. Chris Perrine, a Marine spokesman here, said "it's looking like" the Marine is based out of Hawai'i.

"We do not tolerate this type of behavior and will take appropriate action," the base said.

Two Marines are seen in combat gear smiling as one holds a white-and-black puppy by the scruff of its neck. The dog seems to be about 8 weeks old and is motionless as it is held.

"Cute little puppy, huh?" says one Marine as he smiles broadly.

"Oh so cute, so cute, little puppy," says another in a child-like voice.

The Marine holding the puppy is then seen throwing the animal overhand into a desert-like gully below. The animal yelps until it thuds to the ground at the bottom of the gully.

"That's mean," one Marine says afterward.

The 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment of about 1,000 Hawai'i Marines recently replaced a sister unit in Iraq, the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.

Marine Corps Base Hawai'i said the vast majority of Marines "conduct their duties in an honorable manner that brings great credit upon the Marine Corps and the United States."

There have been numerous stories of Marines adopting pets and bringing them home from Iraq or helping to arrange life-saving medical care for Iraqi children. Those are the stories that exemplify what we stand for and how most Marines behave."

======================================

The video is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlCiUMoFu84
(Safe for work because it's blurry, but still very disturbing)

Some people have claimed it's possible the video is fake, but it doesn't seem likely.

Really, really sick.

This kind of twisted lack of humanity seems to stem partially from the brutal brainwashing soldiers go through in bootcamp, combined with the severe emotional stress of the field.

Whoever those guys are, I hope they're both discharged immediately, but I also hope they receive serious emotional help.

***UPDATE*** The Associated Press reveals more details about the shooter:

The suspect had been disarmed after an earlier incident at the center but returned with another weapon, according to a senior military official in Washington, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation into the shootings was ongoing.

***UPDATE*** The American soldier who shot dead five fellow soldiers at a U.S. base in Baghdad is in custody.

"The shooter is a US soldier and he is in custody," US marine corps lieutenant Tom Garnett, a US military spokesman in Iraq, told reporters.

The New York Times adds some perspective to the tragedy:

The killings appeared to be the worst case of soldier-on-soldier violence among the American forces based in Iraq since the invasion more than six years ago.
The shootings, which took place at a stress clinic, highlight the problem of post-traumatic stress disorder among U.S. soldiers, notes the Guardian:

Stress is one of the biggest killers of US soldiers in Iraq. About a fifth of all US troops are thought to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, contributing to high divorce and suicide rates. An estimated one fifth of the 4,292 members of the US force in Iraq have died from non-combat causes, either in accidents or from suicide.
***UPDATE*** According to Fox News, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs Monday relayed President Obama's response to the tragedy. Obama expressed shock and sadness and is promising to fully investigate what exactly transpired at Camp Liberty, so as to prevent such incidents in the future.

***UPDATE*** AP has another update. The shooting was at a 'stress clinic':

Pentagon officials say five Americans are dead after a U.S. soldier opened fire at a U.S. base in Baghdad. They say the attacker is in custody.

The officials say the shootings happened on Camp Liberty at a stress clinic, where troops can go for help with the stresses of combat or stress from personal issues.

One senior military official in Washington says it's unclear whether those killed are workers at the clinic or were there for counseling. He says officials also are unsure whether all the dead are members of the military.

***UPDATE*** ABC News reports that the U.S. soldier who attacked fellow troops on a U.S, base in Iraq has killed five of them and is now in custody. Initial reports suggested that he had turned the gun on himself after his rampage.

***UPDATE*** AP now reports that the U.S. soldier who went on a rampage against his fellow troops in Iraq may have survived the incident:

Pentagon officials say five U.S. soldiers are dead after an American soldier opened fire at a U.S. base in Baghdad.

The officials say the shootings happened Monday at Camp Liberty near Baghdad's airport.

One senior military official in Washington said it was not yet clear whether the shooter was among the dead. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the circumstances surrounding the deaths are under investigation.

Initial reports indicated the Army soldier shot several others, then turned the gun on himself. But it was unclear whether he, too, had died.

***UPDATE*** CNN reports that 3 other U.S. soldiers were wounded during the friendly fire incident that has left 5 U.S. troops dead. An American soldier killed 4 of his fellow troops before killing himself.

According to the Washington Post, it is the single greatest loss of life in a single incident involving U.S. soldiers since a truck bomb last month took the lives of 5 American soldiers.

***UPDATE*** CNN has just sent out a breaking news alert reporting that senior defense officials have told the network that a US soldier killed 4 of his fellow troops before killing himself. Check back for more information.

McClatchy is reporting that a shooting at a U.S. base in Baghdad has left 5 soldiers dead. The shooting occurred at Camp Liberty, a base near the Baghdad airport.

since an addition is being made to a family during pregnancy, a lot of families see themselves as pregnant - as one - as a whole unit...nothing wrong with it - actually makes the entire family participate in it, which is a GREAT thing............not like the men of the 1950s who went to work and the moms did absolutely  everything else....I like men/families who WANT to take part and be involved.

Old fashioned or not - I prefer the way the men participate today in all of it..........makes for better communication and all know what's going on in the family....

FYI to all, keep your old fashioned minds open because a closed mind will make you old WAY before your time.

My biological mom moved out of state when I was in 3rd grade, and my stepmom's first husband had died in a car accident. Plus my sister and stepbrother are less than 2 months' apart in age, which mostly didn't get noticed because she moved out of state with my mom while I stayed with my dad. The only thing that caused confusion was that my stepsister and I have almost identical names (similar first name, same middle name, last name with same first initial), and the oldest 4 of us all have names starting with M. When my brother was born, they gave him name starting with J

I find it interesting that when a young woman posted that her mother and grandmother were abusing her, no one felt sorry for her.  Everyone one told her to forgive and forget.  I also find it interesting how judgemental everyone was about who was the victim. That the grandmother and the mother were the victim and not the daughter.  It seems ironic given the long, long, long, posts on domestic violence this morning.

Wanted to let you know you are not alone.  I went through a similar situation myself.  I married this wonderful man, and while I knew he had really down moments, I did not realize they were to that extent.  After moving 10 hours away from my parents and support system of friends I found out some very shocking news.  He had bipolar manic depressive disorder.  I loved this man, I even allowed him to adopt my son.  Then the worst thing happened, I came home to find him sitting on the floor with a knife.  I was scared so of course I called his father and mother.  We checked him into  a facility and while doing the interview/intake my MIL relates to the nurse that he had previously attempted to take his life.  He had done this several times.  I sat there in shock I knew nothing of this.  I can clearly remember the look in my FIL eyes when he seen that I was not privy to this information.  I was hurt and angry and still am to an extent.  I still love this man to this day but had to let him go as that is what he wanted.  My inlaws and I had several long talks one resulting in me becoming so angry I told my mother in law that she was allowing this behavior and I thought she was to blame for all of his problems.  If she had been a better mother this would not be happening.  I hurt her that night and I regret it now.  When I did make amends she told me she knew I was just hurt scared and needed to vent.  I think you will find that is what you have done.  There will come a time for you to make your amends, when you are ready. I do not feel that you were being out of line when you said these things.  That is how you feel.  We have to own our feelings because running from them will never help.  You are hurting right now.  My guess is you are frustrated as well.  Help was all you asked for and none was provided.  You have a right to those feelings.  I would just drop this idea of another email.  Why do you have to be sorry?  You have children and a husband who is ill concentrate on them.  They need you.  Best of luck to you and your family. 

My mom used to do that. UPS was always stopping at her place delivering something from QVC or HSN EVERY DAY! I soon found out that she had maxed out all her credit cards. She was going into early dementia stages and really didn't remember ordering all that stuff, and all she really had was $500 a month SS, yet her CC payments were close to that a month because of it. That's when I stopped watching, too.

If this woman has family, I'd let them know about it, so they could try to stop it before it gets out of hand.

I need some advice.  I married my husband almost 3 yrs. ago.  I have an adopted son from a previous marriage.  My husband's family is very close, sisters all live within walking distance of each other.  They have never experienced life without the other.  I did not have family very close like that while growing up so it took some getting used to.  Which I thought I had.  Until this.  Little over a year and a half ago my husband's grandmother died.  My father in law put together a  memorial CD to be played at the service, afterwards we all recieved a copy.   Which was very nice.  I still have it. 

Since my husband and I both work and we have a son who at this point in time cannot stay by himself, and because my husbands mother loves him he goes there until one of us get done with work.  Yes I make sure she is paid.  My son came home last week and asked me if he would be sad like everyone at grandmas house when I died.  I was taken aback.  Mainly because I haven't really thought about dying and I was confused about the question.  When I asked him to explain to me what he was talking about this is what I got.

Well every morning at grandmas she makes us watch the great grandma video her and the other aunts all cry and carry on.  It is to the point that the youngest in the family who was only 3 weeks old when grandma died comes over as well and cries.  Grandma died in January of 07. 

I approached my husband with this and he sees no problem with it.  That is just how it is.  Ever since I brought up my concerns he has shut me out.  I am not invited to family things.  If I make an effort to try they shut me down.  I can't go to my husband because he is the same way.  I guess I am not sure what or how to handle this.  My husband and his family are great people.  I am just getting tired of being called a liar and trouble maker. 

I told my son it is not healthy for this to happen he is 12.  I told him when something does happen to me, I know he will be sad for awhile but I would not want him to carry on like what is happening right now.  We all have a season to love, live, give, and make the world we know a  little better just by being here.  I know grandma would be sick  if she saw this.  I am concerned this will break apart our marriage as the family bond is VERY THICK.  Please let me know what the appropriate thing to do would be in this case.

Thanks

This saying is on the grave of one of Mark Twain's daughters, written by Robert Richardson.

Warm summer sun
shine kindly here,
Warm southern wind
blow softly here,
Green sod above Lie light, Lie light,
Good night, Dear heart,
Good night, Good night.

Maybe I could've forgiven her for putting her hands on me, but now she is 100% lying and saying that didn't happen.  This I don't think I can forgive.

I'm done with this and am going to move on.  Unfortunately, my family dimensions are different now and that is sad.

You made my day!!  Faith and love is still alive in this world of ours.  Thanks for sharing.