U.S. Soldiers In Iraq Mark July 4th

Business As Usual For Most, But Some Larger Bases Try To Bring Touches Of Home

(AP)  It's Staff Sgt. Edgar Covarrubias' second Fourth of July in Iraq. No family barbecue, no fireworks, but Covarrubias says he'll call his mom, wife and kids to share the day anyway.

Across Iraq, America's Independence Day was a normal work day for most U.S. troops. But the military threw in a taste of home at larger bases with ribs, corn on the cob and red, white and blue cake.

The holiday is even leaner at smaller outposts closer to the violence, where it comes with a can of meat, some cookies and a job not yet done.

"We are not going to stop our operations to celebrate the Fourth of July," said Sgt. Mark Johnson, 26, at a small joint U.S.-Iraqi outpost in the city of Iskandariyah, some 30 miles south of Baghdad.

"Nothing special is planned for today and that's OK because we didn't expect anything," added the 3rd Infantry Division soldier from Waterport, N.Y.

He heads home later this month on his mid-tour break to be with his girlfriend when she gives birth to their first child.

At least things were quiet Friday at the outpost, giving the men who weren't on duty time to watch movies on their laptops and instant message with friends back home.

"It is the same every day since we got here in October," said 1st Lt. William Kuebler, 24, who is nine months into his 15-month tour in Iraq.

"The holidays are not important," added the 101st Airborne Division officer from Moville, Iowa.

Things were a bit more festive at Forward Operating Base Warhorse in Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad. There was a special menu in the chow hall and a three-on-three basketball tournament.

Before hitting the court, Covarrubias from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment planned to call his wife and kids and also his mom to wish her a happy birthday.

"If I was home, I'd get together with my family and barbecue, and we'd have carne asada, a family reunion," said Covarrubias.

But the 29-year-old from Hawthorne, Calif., said that although he misses his family, the holiday still made him feel good.

"For me, on the Fourth of July, you remember there's people out there that think about you out here," said Covarrubias.

For others, the day was a reminder of their duty to their country.

At Camp Victory outside Baghdad, 1,215 troops from the Army, Marines and other services re-enlisted in a mass swearing-in ceremony led by top U.S. war commander Gen. David Petraeus. At least two husband-and-wife couples were among those signing up for another military stint.

Before an immense American flag hung in the rotunda of the palace headquarters of the U.S. military in Iraq, the troops saluted Petraeus, then sang "God Bless America."

Back at Warhorse, Sgt. Jacob Fultz, 22, of Gardner, Kan., was focused on the day's meaning.

"It's kind of like the fight's never over," said Sgt. Jacob Fultz, 22, from Gardner, Kan. "It started on July 4, 1776 and now it's 2008."

[samsel3]

Reuters UK December 30, 2007 Reports: "Bin Laden says U.S. seeks to exploit Iraqi Oil". OBL states: "America seeks, alongside it''s agents in the region, to create an allied government...that would accept in advance the presence of major U.S. bases in Iraq and give the Americans all they wish of Iraqi Oil.

The true intent for the Iraq invasion was to gain control of world oil markets for BIG OIL. US oil interests and British petroleum were tired of Saddam flooding the market with cheaper priced oil and then charging US oil companies more for oil then Russia, France, Germany, China and Korea.

The administration is not interested in what you have to pay at the pump. The bottom line is profit for BIG OIL, which is the reason BIG OIL put up 150 million dollars for the election campaign of G.W. Bush.

[samsel3]

On September 14,2002 Rep. James McDermott at a Capitol Hill Briefing said that politics and oil, not fear that Iraq will use WMD are driving factors behind the presidents call for regime change. McDermott said there was an organized effort to squelch such discussions. "The political operatives in the white house have been very careful to spin it away from oil. Anytime anybody sees a connection they spin it the other way".

In an interview published by the French, dedefensa.org journalist Amy Goodman''s interview with General Wesley Clark, Clark stated he viewed a defense department memo that described how the U.S. was going to take out seven countries in five years...."starting with Iraq,then Syria and Lebanon, then Libya,then Somalia and Sudan, and back to Iran."

[feddupp]

May God bless and protect the brave soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines of the United States!

[rowdywicca]

The administration is not interested in what you have to pay at the pump. The bottom line is profit for BIG OIL, which is the reason BIG OIL put up 150 million dollars for the election campaign of G.W. Bush.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by samsel3 at 05:44 PM : Jul 04, 2008

As they have for Barak Obama...since he voted for *** Cheney''s energy bill like they told him to.

[mcvet]

It was great today to see Bush get his. HE defied the wishes of WE the People and He and his PARTY have to pay the price. When the American People go to the Polls and vote to end a War, the President had better listen. Now we have troops on their 3rd or 4th tour in Iraq and Afganistan is heating up. Now that is what we used to call in the Corp a Butt Whoopin. We need a change and we need it NOW.

[mcvet]

May God bless and protect the brave soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines of the United States!

Posted by feddupp at 06:00 PM : Jul 04, 2008
+ report abuse

I''d say IF you were one of those who were screaming at the top of your lungs for this piece of human trash a few call a president to STAY in Afganistan, YOU are someone who has shown REAL Blessing on our Troops. Oh the OTHER HAND if you ARE one of those who STILL defends this kind of treatment of our YOUNG people for OIL.. I''m truly sorry for you!! SIEG HEIL BUSH

[mcvet]

As they have for Barak Obama...since he voted for *** Cheney''''s energy bill like they told him to.

Posted by RowdyWicca at 06:16 PM : Jul 04, 2008
+ report abus

You know to hear someone say such TRASH as this when the ENTIRE nation KNOW Obama would NEVER have sent these troops off into that Desert looking for OIL... How do we know that? HE said so but not just AFTER we all knew Bush was LYING and we were making a MISTAKE!! OH NO! He said so when Bush was pounding his chest and sending Justice Department Lawyers to "get" every Politician who even DARED to be a Democrat. No Sparky IF there is ANY MAN, WOMAN or PERSON running for the office of President it is a MAN with that VISION and Judgement... THAT''S call a LEADER with COURAGE! Now lets salute the Gestapo of Cheney''s!! SIEG HEIL BUSH!!

[mcvet]

God Bless our troops for what they are doing for us abroad. God bless you all!! Don''''t let these nasty libs get to you! We appreciate what you are doing and what you have done!! Don''''t ever forget it! We love you all!!

Happy 4th of July!

Psalm 33:12

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord

Posted by globalcool08 at 06:48 PM : Jul 04, 2008
+ report abuse

I didn''t see any "I''m Sorry" in there because YOU believed in a Commander in Chief who LIED to their PARENTS! You DO KNOW that YOU put this grievous Piece of Human Trash in that position don''t you? I know YOU do not know want combat is like... so let me tell you. You are TIRED 90% of the time BECAUSE you can NEVER drop your Guard. It''s so hot during the day you can hardly breath and there is NO sleep at night. There are insects you''ve never seen, rats the size of House Cats and then there is the RESISTENCE... YES! Those CITIZENS who do NOT want you there... THEY are going to KILL you if they get the Chance. Suddenly the earth stops... everything stops as the world around you is on fire. Then come the Screams... The Blood from your best friend IF you are lucky is all over you! THINK about that for a few seconds and go to the Site of the 935 LIES.. READ them and go pull up the VIDEO of that ARROGANT LITTLE FASCIST called BUSH! Tell ME he cared about those kids dying... tell me then if it was necessary! Now knock off the Joe McCarthy garbage... we are AMERICAN''S all of us!! SIEG HEIL BUSH

[ubrew12]

feddupp said: "May God bless and protect the brave soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines of the United States! "
Amen. And most of all, may God grant them real leaders who would never trivialize their sacrifice for something as mundane as oil. May God grant them Democratic leadership.

[getrealnow2]

Say it Loud Osama for Obama 2008

[wardoglrs]

Here''s a thought for those that support these morons that kill innocent women & children. Read your constitution if you can read. Oh aim sorry you take your orders from the central banks. These poor slobs don''t fight for America they fight for the Bankers and there oil.

When you wake up to the truth then you will have true Freedom. So don''t give any of your BS sad tails of bravery when there a bunch of chickens taking there orders from the col Sanders that run this country. They don''t care about you or your future.

All the wars were fought for the Banks not from the enemy you Americans falsely fear. You have been lied to and you better wake up.

Read your history and you will see that government is like a condom It makes you think you get protection but in fact your getting screwed

[laura grondin]

I would venture to say that you more than likely have not spent 2 minutes let alone 2 days or 2 years even in Iraq. If you had you would most certainly see and spew forth a different side of the story. You should be Thanking God for the brave troops and civilians who risk their lives daily to secure this place from fanatic''s and extremist who think nothing of strapping a bomb to themselves and murdering innocents all in the name of their God and a Holy war that they refuse to end. Open your eyes and stop trying to make this into something it is not. For not one time have I heard a native of Iraq claim this to be over money and or oil. And I''ve been here for quite some time now. God Bless every man and woman who serves in Iraq whether it be military or assisting the military as a civilian. They are truly hero''s in their own right.

[laura grondin]

I would venture to say that you more than likely have not spent 2 minutes in Iraq let alone 2 days or 2 years. If you had you would most certainly see and spew forth a different side of the story. You should be Thanking God for the brave troops and civilians who risk their lives daily to secure this place from fanatic''s and extremist who think nothing of strapping a bomb to themselves and murdering innocents all in the name of their God and a Holy war that they refuse to end. Open your eyes and stop trying to make this into something it is not. For not one time have I heard a native of Iraq claim this to be over money and or oil. And I''ve been here for quite some time now. God Bless every man and woman who serves in Iraq whether it be military or assisting the military as a civilian. They are truly hero''s in their own right.

[hungry1968]

"U.S. Soldiers In Iraq Mark July 4th
Business As Usual For Most, But Some Larger Bases Try To Bring Touches Of Home"





Like wives, children, girlfriends, mothers, fathers, etc, etc?

[hungry1968]

Posted by MedusaInIraq at 12:52 AM : Jul 05, 2008





"Here" is NOT where you will hear the Iraqi people call for our withdrawal from Iraq - THAT happens IN Iraq. (78% said they want immediate withdrawal of American troops in the last poll.)


MUCH more important than that, is WHY you apparently think we''re in Iraq. Don''t you remember that we invaded because of the LIE perpetuated by this regime, that Iraq had WMD''s? When did "radical Islamic extremists" or "al Qaeda" EVER factor in to the invasion?

Are you stupid, naive, or have an INTENTIONALLY short memory?

[naucoming4u]

I wonder why we celebrate "Independence Day" anymore when this country is FAR from being independent!

- We are DEPENDENT on foreign oil. No matter how much oil we *attempt* to drill in our own country, the vast majority will still have to come from other countries, Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, etc.

- We are DEPENDENT on foreign manufacturing for even the most basic necessities of living. Even our military is dependent on foreign manufacturing for some components.

- The typical "American Dream" is DEPENDENT on cheap gas in order to maintain the lifestyles the middle class once enjoyed in this country.

But mostly, this country (our government) is extremely DEPENDENT on foreign countries floating our debt so our government can create needless wars-for-profit and other wasteful spending!

This is what we get when Americans chose the corrupt two-party system, (some more corrupt than others), time and time again.

So with that being said...

HAPPY DEPENDENTS DAY!

I hope everyone enjoyed some fireworks shows!
(Dependent on fireworks imported from China)

[naucoming4u]

Here''s an excerpt of the Declaration of Independence, the excerpt commonly omitted among some ideologues on this board when discussing government.

Read carefully, the portion in CAPS:

[We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, THAT WHENEVER ANY FORM OF GOVERNMENT BECOMES DESTRUCTIVE OF THESE ENDS, IT IS THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO ALTER OR TO ABOLISH IT, AND TO INSTITUTE NEW GOVERNMENT, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.]

If any of you want to truly celebrate INDEPENDENCE Day, then consider becoming active in changing our government... and I mean BEYOND simply voting!

[patriot12436]

Why are we dependent on Arab oil ? We get 17% from them, the rest we import from Mexico and Canada.

[patriot12436]

McVet does not need counseling. He has been where noone should have to go. A place 99% of Americans cannot relate to. He has seen the evils of war. Until you have walked in his shoes you cannot criticize what you do not know or can imagine. I do not agree with his seig heil, but it seems to have become his trademark. I do not agree with McVets choices politically, but i will support his right to have them forever.

[patriot12436]

Medusainiraq
I do not believe in the war in Iraq, i do however believe in supporting our troops no matter what. They do not choose where they fight. My daughter just returned from Iraq and she said the people there were always screaming for us to leave. It was their problem, they should have been left to solve it. She said everyone she served with didn''t believe we should be in Iraq. They believed we should be fighting in Afghanastan.

[whiskyrocker]

Go get um'' guys. Kill as many of them camel jockeys as possible before you leave.

[patriot12436]

whiskeyrocker
Why don''t you join up and go after the camel jockeys.

[patriot12436]

medusainiraq
I agree the troops serving are all heroes, however troops do not get to choose where they fight. From what i know they all would rather be fighting in Afghanastan.

[patriot12436]

wardoglrs
I do not agree with the war in Iraq But i take offense at anyone who disparages our troops. Soldiers never choose where they fight, they go where they are sent. You owe all the troops an apology and a thank you for being willing to save your a-s-s and guraranteeing your rights to be here and voice your opinions.

[providence_j]

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS
When he 14 he was appointed Congressional diplomatic ambassador to The Court of Catherine the Great of Russia! He served also as foreign ambassador, Secretary of state, U.S. representative, senator and of course President!
SPEECH BY JOHN QUINCY ADAMS July 4, 1837
%u201CWhy is it that, next to the birth day of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day.%u201D The fourth of July.
%u201CIs it not that, in the chain of human events, the birth-day of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birth-day of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer%u2019s mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity?%u201D

John Quincy Adams said the biggest victory won in the revolution was that Christian Principles and Civil government would be tied together in an indissolubly bond!

[barocalto]

Drill baby drill.

Please note that it is the democrats that want to keep us dependent on foreign oil.. Sending our petro dollars to the middle east and to Hugo Chavez...

The reason pure and simple that gas prices have gone up is that the Democrats now control congress and the speculators are betting that the Democrats won''t do anything to solve the problem and the speculators are right. And to make it worse the Democrats don''t care if you pay more for gas all they care about is getting back all the power.

[providence_j]

Time, Today
Place,
We are looking at the statue of liberty? You see she has been wounded and there is no one who can stop her from bleeding? God can you help Miss Liberty from bleeding? The flame that she holds has been put out by people like us who just want what we want? We want the wrong that we do without the consequences? We want to shed the liberty of truth to other lands by our diplomacy but there is no one shedding the liberty to our own that are starving, homeless and dying! Yes Miss Liberty is dying and only God can stop her from bleeding! Lets help others in strange lands to know we are there but lets not let someone here know that she is here for them!
Miss liberty idea for liberty for all I thought was those who hold the truths of our founding fathers to be self evident a belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ to bring salvation to an individual and a country. Not a butchery of innocent babies who only crime in life is that they exist in the mother%u2019s womb who wants to love and be loved! We do not care for the lives of our men losing their lives in strange lands for a cause few understand there that it is liberty one should choose to guide their cause. Will anyone out there shed a tear for Miss Liberty when she is no more?

[sidvicious75]

Democrats are anti-jobs.

[providence_j]

Does a Nation answer to God?

GEORGE MASON
The father of the bill of rights.

%u201CAs nations cannot be rewarded or punished in the next world, so they must be in this, by an inevitable chain of causes & effects, providence punishes national sins by national calamities.%u201D
God will deal with a nation here and now!

[providence_j]

Strong Winds Hamper Calif. Fire Efforts? We have fires, floods, tornadoes, crime and a bad economy? Sounds a bit like Pharaoh saying no to God when Moses told him about the Lord?
Maybe, if we wanted a healthier better America we should turn to God to heal our land? Just think? It happened another time in the annuals of history? Yeah God was going to destroy this place called Nineveh and the people repented and God spared them. We could do this in America?

[whiskyrocker]

patriot12436:

I''ve already served 2 tours in that $hittthole.How bout'' you coward.

[whiskyrocker]

posing patriot12436:

Before you ask: 4th Infantry Div.-Camp Victory. Don''t pretend to know we would rather be fighting. We all know it won''t be next to you.

[patriot12436]

whiskey rocker
I am 100 % disabled Vietnam vet, my oldest son was hurt with army rangers and is 100% disabled, and my daughter just returned from Iraq and will be medically discharged in next few months 100% disabled. So who are you calling a coward. I would still meet your *** any day any where.

[providence_j]

Hello my name is America,
And I am dying?
Who will help me?
I am about 230 years old.
I had been born out of the prayer in men%u2019s hearts who understood what true liberty is.
My name is America and God knows about me, but people do not care about God they have kicked Him out of politics and schools someday they may show Him the door out of the country!
People do not care about me America. There is no more love of being an American!
People are murdering every day in regard to aborted babies and again they do not care of what true liberty is for all!
Hello I am America who will save me! People raise flags in remembrance of me, but who will raise their heart in the principles by which we stand?
Hello I am America and I am crying for the injustice being done in my name. Where O where are the citizens that will help me and turn towards God to heal me? Where are the Americans who will fight for me? What will happen to me? My name is America who will love me?

[sandy19731]

"Before an immense American flag hung in the rotunda of the palace headquarters of the U.S. military in Iraq, the troops saluted Petraeus, then sang "God Bless America."

I remember reading about those pesky British who insisted on hanging their flag in our homeland and occupying our country. Fortunately brave insurgents took care of that!

[barocalto]

Providence_J
Who have no idea who or what or even if there is a God all you know is what you have been indoctrinated with.

I get big chuckle out of those think they know what God is all about. What an ego.. And please don''t say anything about the Bible as being the word of God.

[whiskyrocker]

patriot12436

In your dreams old man.

[barocalto]

"Before an immense American flag hung in the rotunda of the palace headquarters of the U.S. military in Iraq, the troops saluted Petraeus, then sang "God Bless America."

I remember reading about those pesky British who insisted on hanging their flag in our homeland and occupying our country. Fortunately brave insurgents took care of that!

Posted by sandy19731

Sandy it wasn''t our homeland it was part of the British empire and the insurgents weren''t blowing up children, or setting off car bombs in markets. Nor cutting the heads off there captives well praising God.
So please don''t try and compare our history and our revolutionary hero''s to a bunch of scum sucking terrorist. By the way are you wearing your burka today in honor of your terrorist brothers.

[barocalto]

In your dreams old man.

Posted by whiskyrocker

If it happens let me know I''d travel to see this...

[providence_j]

Providence_J
Who have no idea who or what or even if there is a God all you know is what you have been indoctrinated with.

I get big chuckle out of those think they know what God is all about. What an ego.. And please don''''t say anything about the Bible as being the word of God.

Posted by Barocalto at 11:08 AM : Jul 05, 2008

I understand that you are limited to just your understanding. But I am not just stoping on just my limited understanding? I choose to look at the stars and know in my heart that God almighty put them there. So my friend you can just bury your head in the sand or you can turn to the one who made that sand.

Ps. stop selling your intelligence short!

[patriot12436]

whiskeyrocker
Hs to be in my dreams because you never have the balls to back up anyhing you say

[patriot12436]

time to put up or shut whiskeyrocker

[patriot12436]

baralcalto
Won''t happen his type is all talk and no walk. Probably never wore a uniform

[patriot12436]

I run into talkers like this all the time on websites. I am a peace lover but will fight for my honor and my country any day. They always slide away back under the rocks they came from.

[patriot12436]

I may be old but he has never went up against a real man or a ranger. Probably on the phone crying to his mama right now, that someone on the web wants to kick his ***.

[patriot12436]

See what i mean, nothing but silence. All talk. I even offered to come to his turf.

[patriot12436]

nite everyone, have a good chat

[whiskyrocker]

patriot0

Don''t you have a baby to kill somewhere?

[providence_j]

See what i mean, nothing but silence. All talk. I even offered to come to his turf.

Posted by patriot12436 at 11:32 AM : Jul 05, 2008

Most people do not have any backbone patriot12436!

[patriot12436]

whiskeyrocker
Wnted to se if you tried to slink back after i said i was going. I made the challenge, your turf, you pick the place andi will be there