[Hoot Gibson]

Do me a favor and read this and tell me truthfully if you have heard of it. No one's fault if they haven't of course, the point is the fact that this sgt and many, many others are "looked over" by the nation it seems because it was Iraq...like not thinking about the damn thing will cause it to magically go away like it never happened (a lot like Vietnam, but not nearly as bad). http://projects.militarytimes.com/citati...entid=3836

I've had the great opportunity to meet SSG Bellavia. You'd pass him on the street now and never picture that he was the guy that did all of that. Just in case anyone doesn't want to click and read a bit, I'll summarize here. This was Fallujah in 2004, the second battle in November. After 4 Blackwater (private military contractors) employees were attacked, in soft skin SUV's, while escorting a food company's vehicles through the city, killed, had their remains stomped on and hung by a bridge by citizens of Fallujah, we went in in the first battle. It was called back because of the severe ass-kicking our Marines and soldiers handed out in late April 04. The enemy our guys beat down was as hardcore as it gets...they even got high on multiple drugs, amphetimines or speed, which made them tough to kill and also made them not give a thought to fighting us face to face. They knew that our troops would be back, and they pretty much made hundreds of houses and building into fortresses fully stocked and barricaded with defendable positions...perfect for sitting back and waiting for us to kick in the door and then open up on our guys with machine guns. Essentially, so I don't drag this out much longer lol, SSG Bellavia and his squad at first prepared to clear the building. They stacked on te door and entered, and immediately got out up. Multiple soldiers were hit, and SSG Bellavia and his guys got out of there. He has said, in his book and in interviews, that he literally felt cowardly for being repelled and running out of the house. They called for a Bradley Fighting Vehicle to come down the street and put quite a few 25mm High Explosive rounds (imagine a .50 rounds, supersize that sucker and put some explosives in it and you can picture a 25mm round and the damage it can do) into the house. The enemy laughed at it pretty much and starting yelling at the squad, essentially telling our boys to bring it on. So he decided to pick up a machine gun, went in to the first floor area and emptied a couple hundred rounds into the enemy to get their heads down and or his guys move in. He then handed over the MG to the soldier he grabbed it from, grabbed and M16 and cleared the entire house. Killing 3 of these dudes before getting upstairs to one more. He saw him, put a few rounds into him but the insurgent kept his feet and went into a bedroom. SSG Bellavia followed, started choking the guy out before the dude fought back...keep in mind that there was another enemy on the roof, just a few stairs up. This fight was so fast and close up, one on one, that he had to grab his knife and end it. For those of you that know something about basic military tactics, you know fighting with a knife is about as last resort as it gets. After he finished with that one, the upstairs guy drops down from the roof right in front of him as SSG Bellavia stepped out onto the second story balcony. Luckily he was able to end the last enemy fighter quickly and avoid another hands on approach, then his reloaded and patched up squad came busting in. He cleared an entire fortified multi-level house by himself, including a knife kill. That is just absolutely mind-blowing. And what did they do after? They pillars back a bit just after to allow for an air strike, and then continued clearing more houses just like that one for the next 18 hours.

<SNIP>

We are a great people and a great country, no matter the political or religious ideals we have. The great thing about us that we so often take for granted is that we can have such different ideals without fearing for our lives or businesses because of those beliefs. We not only can, we reserve the right to challenge any government official, at any level, who tries to supress those things and many others. Yes, we have contradictions and parts of our past we're not proud of, but what country doesn't? We have not only shown the ability to evolve as a society, we have shown that we can handle it. We've shown on numerous occasions, over multiple centuries, that we will die 100 times over for all of it.

On a day like this, when we remember one of the toughest events we've ever had to endure and those who are no longer with us because of the actions this attack caused, including Ambassador Chris Stevens and the 3 other Americans that lost their lives 1 year ago today, we have to also remember that we are not down and out. We may have some trouble at the moment, but we will kick it in the ass and carry on. I've been one to talk about our respect in the world diminishing, and it has a bit...but we carry on and not only survive, but prosper (with a side of ass-kicking thrown in). We have it made in this country that WE have helped build...no one built it for us, no one installed our government for us, and best of all, our beautiful ladies.

I not only think all that is well worth dying for, but it's something we should live for, and be proud of. Even though we have problems today, we have to work to get past those problems and excel. And obviously, we have many, many stories of bravery and courage in the face of steep odds like Staff Sgt David Bellavia's to draw from. We have so many of these amazing examples to follow in...the least we can do is learn and draw whatever we can from them.

Those who have died in all of our history for God, family and country, especially those since 9/11, did not die for nothing. I have to just laugh these days when someone says our people have died for nothing in these wars or anything else for that matter...usually those who say it are either so short-sighted that they can only see the here and now, or they have no idea what the hell they're talking about. We all have the power to make the world a better place, and even the little things go far...I think we should all do as much as we can to do so. Those actions, the things we take for granted, those are the things that change the world so much more than any amount of bombs or bullets ever has. In my opinion, that is how we should remember all the loved ones we have lost in these last 12 years of war.

Very well said, vundy. I hope that you did not interpret my post as saying that anybody died for nothing.

The brave men and women who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and every other war that this country did their jobs better than any military force that preceded them. The problem lies with civilian politicians and a few political hacks in the Pentagon who either have no understanding or no appreciation of the magnitude of the accomplishments of our military forces. Too many lives and limbs were sacrificed in Iraq and Afghanistan to risk having to send more troops to do the same job a few years from now.

As far as I know, the U.S. has left Iraq and will be leaving Afghanistan without even securing any assurances that either country will provide support to our forces if it becomes necessary to go to war with Iran.

Obama is the worst president in U.S. history. It was bad enough when about 40 to 50 percent of Americans realized that fact. Now, our friends and allies around the world are seeing it for themselves as Putin ties Obama into illogical diplomatic knots. I fear that our military will once again pay the price for weak leadership in the White House.