IRAQ

MacGyver in Mesopotamia

Silly String, tampons, Saran Wrap: U.S. soldiers in Iraq get innovative.

By Silvia Spring | NEWSWEEK
From the magazine issue dated Dec 3, 2007

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  • Posted By: cnstanceybangz @ 08/22/2008 12:10:41 AM

    hello mah name is hinga but people call me cnstancey bangz....um i wish i could join the military like u and um i watched 2020 and it was da boom

  • Posted By: Letusdoourjob @ 12/09/2007 1:00:09 AM

    WOW! Thank you Silvia for this positive story. I really appreciate you as a journalist and as a person. Especially because I am the SPC you quoted. :) Thank you.
    "All you winning people, pour yourself a nice cup of SHUT the He^^ up. And let us do our job."
    As for the rest of you: I am here in Iraq, are you? I see what happens here, do you? I hear the weapons and t he car bombs, do you? Exactly! Some days it is people like you that make soldiers rethink why they joined the military. The ungrateful pieces of dirt that I step on everyday. Who do you think you are to go on a blog and hurt soldiers like that. There is good things going on here. We are helping this country defend themselves and helping this country in ways you can't even imagine. I see Iraqi civilians put their life on the line everyday. That motivates me to continue to protect them and to continue to do my job the best I can because they are relying on me to do so. In times of need we are supposed to stick together til the end. Moral of me posting this is that Silvia did a good thing...don't make it negitive. For more positive information for those of you that can appreciate it go to MNF-IRAQ.com. For the rest of you: if you get off hurting someone look in the mirror don't put someone down because your life is useless. Get off you but and do something about it. Join the military, become a senator but until you do something about you have no right (even as an American) to complain about something that you dont' understand.

  • Posted By: Charlie777 @ 12/04/2007 10:07:23 PM

    Great reporting Spring our soldiers are brave and imaginative. We are learning to fight a new war and we are wining . That is why casualties have diminished

  • Posted By: Charlie777 @ 12/04/2007 10:05:26 PM

    Great reporting Silvia our soldiers are learning how to avoid the dangers o a new type of war or police action and that is why casualties have diminish. Keep us inform of our Iraq heroes. Charlie

  • Posted By: Reaper01 @ 12/04/2007 10:00:05 PM

    This isn't news, we've been doing this for years. Semper Fi

  • Posted By: Reaper01 @ 12/04/2007 9:57:38 PM

    This isn't news, we've been doing this for years. Semper Fi

  • Posted By: StBernardus @ 11/26/2007 8:27:31 AM

    In terms of ingenuity - perhaps speak to some Australian soldiers. They engage in a lot of desert warfare and having saved US ass in Afghanistan more times than there are snowflakes in NY can pass on some useful info. OH, they also use different tactics than the US. Remember Vietnam all them years back - the Aussies won their Vietnam war (look at the province of Phuoc Tuy.) same as the UK in Malaya which they won as well. But being the US means you can't learn from anyonr else and here America again goes and loses another war. Gee you guys need to kick ass in Grenada again to return some self esteem...

    • Posted By: mikeca @ 11/29/2007 4:33:37 PM

      StBernardus, if you can look at a map you will see all of Vietnam fell to the Communists including Phuoc Tuy, and as far as the Australian military ,they are top rate soldiers, But just like Australia the US has some uninformed dorks that speak with out knowing what they are talking about. We call it freedom of speech, the constitution is why I served and would do it again even for uninformed dorks. Thank you.

    • Posted By: OohrahMan @ 11/27/2007 3:42:43 PM

      StBernardus - Have you ever served? Have you ever put your life on the line? If not you have no room to speak of self esteem, for you are in no way involved. Its easy to sit back and criticize. Go lace up some boots, lock a round in the chamber, and sight down your barrel at another human being who is trying to kill you. Then, and only then, can you criticize our military. Remember, for those who fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know. And honor is apparently above you.

      • Posted By: stateside man @ 11/28/2007 12:00:59 PM

        listen man stupid people will talk crap about things they dont understand. like the war no one understands what you guys are going through so dont listen just keep doin your duty the best you can and when you get state side then do somethin. i havent served im still a senior in h.s. but me and my bro have plans to join and posting tactics that you guys use is great for people like me who dont no yet what to expect but atleast we can be up to date on what you guys are useing to survive. so thank you to all our troops.

  • Posted By: Bored Spectator @ 11/28/2007 1:34:10 PM

    Wha'ts "soooo sad" about this? Improvise, Adapt, Overcome. This is something that has been done by (American) military personnel in all previous wars. Even the wars you might approve of. It's not sad, you're just, well....ignorant.

    • Posted By: mikeca @ 11/29/2007 4:10:13 PM

      The sad part is that someones Mom had to send the Silly String with her money, Thank you

  • Posted By: mikeca @ 11/29/2007 12:48:13 PM

    Silly String, tampons, Saran Wrap? Silly String to cover your eyes, Tampons in your ears, and Saran Wrap to cover your mouth. Hear no, See no, and Speak no.

  • Posted By: dkelley72 @ 11/28/2007 3:55:30 PM

    Ignorant? Yes you improvise adapt and overcome but when there's no reason for our people to have to live like this. I hate 9/11 happen but what we should be going on is building our sercurity here and look at whom we allow in our country. Ok bored spectator if you love it so much there how about you move there and improvise adapt and overcome. Have you even been there?(Iraq) Oh I got your ignorant. Sorry you can't be a MAN OR WOMAN and have a debate without calling names. Who's the ignorant ONE?

    • Posted By: mikeca @ 11/29/2007 12:44:50 PM

      What did 9/1 have to do with Iran or Iraq?

  • Posted By: stateside man @ 11/28/2007 12:06:10 PM

    i think instead of trying to dawg on our military StBernardus should try joining so he knows what the hell he is talking about unless you have better ways of surviving modern warfare. my brother and i are joining as soon as we graduate in may.

    • Posted By: sot_doc @ 11/29/2007 12:22:28 AM

      stateside, what branch will you join?

  • Posted By: sot_doc @ 11/29/2007 12:08:25 AM

    Very inovative and comendable, but please do not provide ttps on an open source news media outlet. You need to understand we are observed daily, and terrorist also adapt and overcome as well!

  • Posted By: dkelley72 @ 11/28/2007 1:02:53 PM

    This is soooo sad. We have movie stars and ball players and please don't forget the one's in congress that are the main reason our troops are there, making all this money and our troops having to live like this. Where is the common sense?

  • Posted By: dkelley72 @ 11/28/2007 1:01:47 PM

    This is soooo sad. We have movie stars and ball players and please don't forget the one's in congress that are the main reason our troops are there, making all this money and our troops having to live like this. Where is the common sense?

  • Posted By: davidgraham @ 11/27/2007 11:20:01 PM

    Just checking to see if this will post. Testing 1,2,3.

  • Posted By: SpitfireGirl @ 11/26/2007 6:59:23 PM

    StBernardus.....you definitely got a huge chip on your shoulder.......post something RELEVANT to this story, how about it, smart fella?
    Regardless of nationality.....when it comes to survival whether a soldier or civilian...the human imagination is limitless.....props to the American troops.

  • Posted By: SpitfireGirl @ 11/26/2007 6:59:10 PM

    StBernardus.....you definitely got a huge chip on your shoulder.......post something RELEVANT to this story, how about it, smart fella?
    Regardless of nationality.....when it comes to survival whether a soldier or civilian...the human imagination is limitless.....props to the American troops.

  • Posted By: f16poo @ 11/26/2007 8:55:58 AM

    Soldiers = grown-up Eagle Scouts -- this is why they are receiving so many medals :). I am so proud of our soldiers! They are very smart and creative.

  • Posted By: cingi @ 11/26/2007 8:23:18 AM

    THIS IS AN URGENT ACTION ALERT:


    S 1959 "Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007" must be stopped at all costs.

    Pick up your phone today and contact your US Senator's office to instruct them to vote "NO" on S.1959.

    Full PDF text of the bill:
    http://tinyurl.com/3a3y2z

    If this bill is passed, and becomes law, your words and actions could be considered terrorism. S 1959 EVISCERATES FREE SPEECH, and empowers the govt. to declare ANYTHING they deem an "extremist belief system", instantly make you a terrorist, resulting in stripping of US citizenship, torture, and/or execution, with no habeas corpus rights, no ability to challenge even in the US Supreme Court.

    Contact your Senator and let them know they will be looking for another job if they vote yes on this bill, which is now introduced into the Senate as S.1959 THIS BILL **MUST NOT** BECOME LAW, PERIOD.

    If this becomes law, your words could be considered "promoting an extremist belief system", and all they have to say is that you are using PLANNED OR THREATENED *FORCE* (DOES NOT HAVE TO BE VIOLENCE) --FORCE by exposing CORRUPTION, CRIMINALITY against "THE CIVILIAN POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES, *****OR ANY SEGMENT THEREOF" READ THE BILL MANY TIMES AND VERY CAREFULLY--YOU ARE THE TERRORIST (WHICH MEANS THEY CAN STRIP YOUR CITIZENSHIP, AND HAVE YOU TORTURED AND EXECUTED).

    Senate is back in session today, do not hesitate, call, fax, email your Senator ASAP.

  • Posted By: adirondack_1 @ 11/26/2007 8:06:58 AM

    Yankee ingenuity! The entire issue is about adapting, first to a world without Saddam or his kind and then all the way down to the bottom of our hearts. What is certain is no one in the US can adapt to being killed just because he is a foreigner. That applies to religion too.

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