Something You Should Know About Iraq

The size of the article does not always indicate it’s importance. I ran across a short story in a Department of Defense newsletter the other day that is far more significant than it appears at first glance. It gives us a window into one of President Obama’s little secrets. Something I really think the American people should know.

It seems an email was sent by a soldier currently serving in Iraq to his family. For obvious reasons I can’t identify the soldier. He’s Army and he’s in what was called, until the Obama administration officially declared an end to Operation Iraqi Freedom combat operations, a Heavy Brigade Combat Team. His email was sent to explain why he was not coming home even though the President had told everyone that all combat forces had been removed from Iraq last month.

“The reason I’m sending this out is because I have had a few people ask if I left Iraq early because all of the combat troops are out of Iraq and I wanted to let everyone know the real deal. Take our Brigade for example. We were originally called a HBCT (Heavy Brigade Combat Team). Well, since Obama said he would pull all of the “combat” troops out by Aug, all they did before we left was change our name from a HBCT to an AAB (Advise and Assist Brigade). We have the same personnel/equipment layout as before and are doing the same missions. The ONLY difference is that they changed our name from a HBCT to an AAB and that’s how we pulled all of the ‘combat’ troops out. There are other Brigades just like ours that are doing the same missions that are still over here. So anyway now you know the REAL story, so that’s why I’m not coming back early.”

The politics of all this are irrelevant, since American troops are still in Iraq. I read this and I suddenly remembered a saying a friend of mine used to repeat –“Stop pissing on my leg and trying to tell me it’s raining.” This is exactly what the Administration is pulling. I just wanted to make sure everyone heard the voice of someone authentic, not someone facing election or worrying about public opinion. The President is pulling a fast one and putting our troops in harms way without the decency of letting the American people know about it.