Some troops in Iraq look longingly to Afghanistan

[unhappycamper]

Some troops in Iraq look longingly to Afghanistan
By Michael Gisick, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Sunday, October 25, 2009

COMBAT OUTPOST PALIWODA, Iraq — In many ways, the war in Afghanistan looms over the waning months of the U.S. effort in Iraq, an ironic reversal after years in which attention and resources were diverted here.

The counterinsurgency directives of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, now hang on the walls at some bases in Iraq. Logisticians are busy planning ways to shift at least part of the massive accumulation of military hardware to Afghanistan.

And as U.S. units increasingly take a hands-off approach in Iraq, troops based in places such as this small outpost north of Baghdad can’t help but notice that there’s a lot of fighting going on in a country 1,000 miles to the east.

But while many in Iraq see a future deployment to Afghanistan as likely, and some see it as desirable, most say they’re content to stay where they are.

“Some of the younger guys say they wish we were in Afghanistan, but you know what they say, be careful what you wish for,” said Staff Sgt. Todd Hegeman, 35, from the Bronx, who is on his fourth deployment. “We got it pretty good right here.”


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=65629

[msongs]

1. war without end Amen - corporate/military welfare never ending Amen - nt