Had my first check-in during my tour here in Japn who reported from a Seabee battalion in Northern Iraq. I only mention this because he's the first Sailor I've met who has a Purple Heart from duty in Iraq.

In his opinion the situation in Iraq is not as bad as the media has portrayed it throughout the conflict. He believes most of the insurgents are not Iraqi and those Iraqis are forced to help the insurgents. He told me a story about an Iraqi officer (0-5 level) who was surrounded by the insurgents and negotiated his surrender in trade for the release of his soldiers. The insurgents agreed. In captivity they beat his feet into mush with hammers trying to get information from him. In the end they couldn't break him and shot him in the head.

I must also admit this particular Seabee believes there will be an all out civil war and that we should abandon Iraq. He thinks the place is totally corrupt and most of the people just don't give a fuck. He's claims that while all this is going on over there that the beach resorts in places like Fallujah are packed with Iraqi people who want democracy for sure but ain't gonna lift a finger to help fight for it.