wow, it usually takes a lot for me to call someone ignorant, but you take the cake. I have been all over Iraq, from just over the Kuwait border all the way to LSA Anaconda (1/2 way between Baghdad and Mosoul). When the insurgents kicked up their offensive last April and kidnapped PFC Maupin, I recognized that intersection because I used to drive by it 2 or 3 times a week escorting gasoline convoys. Shortly before Maupin's kidnapping, a 28mm anti-aircraft cannon was found in one of the apartments along that ASR, pointed at the highway, locked and loaded.

I escorted Burger King to BIAP (Baghdad International Airport, for you civilians). I wasn't just driving a HUMMWV, I was in charge of the convoy. We got shot at with a RPG (idiot misfired it and he blew himself up) on the way. That Burger King became the most profitable BK in the world (limited menu, and somewhat deprived, captive customers).

I was shot at on my convoys so much that my Battallion HQ nicknamed me Bullet Magnet. I've been attacked with AK-47's, RPGs, mortars, Grenade Launchers, anti-tank and anti-personnel mines, Russian made claymore-style AP mines, 152mm and 155mm mortar/arty rounds buried along the MSR as IEDs (still have pieces of those).

I've taken my squad out and conducted hasty checkpoints and searched hundres of vehicles. I've confiscated more weapons than I can remember. I've personally seen acres of unguarded munitions dumps throughout Iraq. I've seen tracers zipping by my head and returned fire. I've escorted prisoners both North and South of Baghdad. I've seen the fear in a driver's eyes (Iraqi) when I told him I was going to leave him behind if he didn't drive his truck faster. I've stood on checkpoints where I was completely exposed due to serious lack of manpower and only through an act of God was I spared from some madman driving up with a car-bomb. (Oh, our compound was attacked with a car bomb too, I have pictures of that also).

Your notion that numbers of enemy were not fudged in Viet-Nam is also laughable. I would have thought that our military would have learned their lessons from that war, but apparently not.

Lastly, if you are not going to live in reality, then there is nothing I can say that will bring light into your ignorance. But don't pretend to ever tell me what my experience has taught me or try to dismiss it somehow. Until you have been there and pounded that ground, you can shut the [censored] up.

95 Contour SE ATX V6- SOLD 2001.5 VW Passat GLX V6 Tiptronic 2004 Honda VTX 1800N1 There are no stupid questions. There are a LOT of inquisitive idiots.