<<For a U.S. soldier in Iraq, today, to walk away from their unit, would be suicidal. Where would he go? >>>
I was talking about deserters under moderm combat conditions, and left it to Bilow to drag in all wars and
AWOLs from anywhere.
But it was useful to research the area. Apparently about 4040 went missing fron the Viet-nam era. Of which 4000 occured within the US and 40 in Viet Nam. And very few of those 40 occurred during combat, most just did not return from leave or report to their next assignment.
If anyone wants to leave the service its is fairly easy.
Several men left my outfit in the US while waiting overseas assignments during wartime. They just hired lawyers for about $250 (nearly 1 years pay for a Private).
One of those men was an heir to an auto company fortune, he had the $250 (hehe). And certainly he would have been much more valuable to the country in that position than repairing airplane gun systems. We were too young and stupid to be afraid- being in the service appeared to be a great adventure- and it was. And it is today.
My client is limping, my client cant see well, my client has family to support, my client is more valuable in a civilian job etc.
What was even more interesting was reports of Iraqi deserters that went to the Kurdish areas.
They were paid $2 per month, had perhaps two slice of moldy bread and a bit of rice per day, and got their water from puddles on the ground. And were permitted no radios so had no idea what was going on elsewhere.
My guess is that Saddam had no idea they were treated like that, and that he thought he was providing enough money. But the graft and corruption down the chain was so great there was nothing left for the troops at the end of the chain.
Our shock and awe campaign must have worked as they needed great incentive to desert. They would be shot if caught deserting, the were told the Kurds would shoot them if they went over, their families in Iraq would be punished.
Life is an adventure. One man near here is a Commander in the Naval reserve, and a commercial jet pilot. He flew more missions off a carrier in the Gulf than any other pilot,and is now back with an airline.
We all have to go sometime, and perhaps his airplane will be hijacked, but I will bet he has a gun and will not die easy.
H$$l, he would just do a swift roll and plaster the hijackers who are not strapped down onto the the cabin roof. And than shoot'em.
Oh, I forgot, we are not supposed to kill people, so maybe he will just let them terrorists take over.
Sig |
