Intense Urban Combat in Fallujah | Elliot Ackerman

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American Veterans Center

American Veterans Center

Жыл бұрын

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Marine Captain Elliot Ackerman (Ret.) served five tours of duty in Iraq where he fought in the second battle of Fallujah and Afghanistan, where he received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart. He later became a CIA paramilitary officer and operated along the border of Pakistan.
Ackerman is now an award-winning author and just released his seventh book on the conclusion of the war in Afghanistan, The Fifth Act. The Fifth Act is an astonishing human document that brings the weight of twenty years of war to bear on a single week, the week the war ended.
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Пікірлер: 816
@americanveteranscenter
@americanveteranscenter Жыл бұрын
Please subscribe to our channel so you don't miss future interviews with American heroes.
@simplythebesttowingandreco3217
@simplythebesttowingandreco3217 8 ай бұрын
So WMD's? Don't worry Bush was able to make a good joke about it at a Presidential Dinner
@ericgibson2079
@ericgibson2079 7 ай бұрын
On it
@ericevans9507
@ericevans9507 Жыл бұрын
I too was a Marine in Fallujah. I was a Sergeant in the Marine Corps. I was with 3/1. We were adjacent to 1/8 and we were the focus of the push. I remember losing my first friend. It was so fast, yet so slow. Time almost stood still. Now, almost 20 years later, I still feel that loss like a fresh cut. What he said about PTSD being heartbreak is spot on. I miss my friends. My heart is broken, and it will never be whole again.
@jasoncarpenter6187
@jasoncarpenter6187 Жыл бұрын
I was with 1/3 on the other side of 1/8
@travisfleenor2418
@travisfleenor2418 Жыл бұрын
The japanese art of Kintsugi is a method for repairing broken objects in such a way that they are more beautiful than they were before they were broken. Maybe the point is not to be whole again but to be restored to greater than you could have been. Perhaps your love for your friends can be a golden glue that holds you together. The cracks will always be there but that doesn't mean you're in pieces. I hope this helps 🙏 en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintsugi
@michaelschmidt5179
@michaelschmidt5179 Жыл бұрын
You shouldn’t fight wars for 🇮🇱. Your friends died because of a lie.
@jeremiahwilson1255
@jeremiahwilson1255 Жыл бұрын
Friggin gut wrenching man😖
@jeremiahwilson1255
@jeremiahwilson1255 Жыл бұрын
@@michaelschmidt5179 they died protecting each other not for a flag or “the cause”.
@c.edwards1814
@c.edwards1814 Жыл бұрын
“The opposite of fear is love.” Never heard a vet package it so well.
@jonathanwestlake5527
@jonathanwestlake5527 Жыл бұрын
“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:15-18‬
@reallyhappenings5597
@reallyhappenings5597 Жыл бұрын
In psychological terms, the opposite or antidote to fear is aggression. They have the effect of canceling each other which is what antidotes do.
@darssig3809
@darssig3809 Жыл бұрын
@@jonathanwestlake5527 tbh , if you really want ppl to follow your religion , stop speaking in riddles and just lay it out .So many layers of double talk , no wonder the tik tok youth are running away from this in droves.
@jonathanwestlake5527
@jonathanwestlake5527 Жыл бұрын
Where’s the riddle? I just made the comment because it talks about love driving out fear haha. But I do want everyone to follow the Truth (Jesus is referred to as Truth). Clearly nothing didn’t give rise to this world! Clearly we were created. Jesus was a historical figure - verified by the most secular sources. Call me a liar or crazy but when I called out to Him, He answered me. God wants us (His creation) to be like Him. We sin when we don’t act like the way He created us to be. That sin (murder, theft, lying, lusting after women, committing fornication, etc) is a violation of His law (His law to be like Him), the punishment of which is death. Jesus who is fully God and man, being sinless, was able to pay for that price of death by dying in our place, being perfect He was able to pay the price for others (you and me). He rose from the dead and God says that if we believe in our heart and confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, then we will be saved from our impending death (physically and spiritually in Hell). God loves you and wants you to come to Him. He is smiling at you with open arms waiting and wanting for you to come to Him. I guess that’s my “religion” explained clearly.
@MMattes
@MMattes Жыл бұрын
@@jonathanwestlake5527 well put brother.
@stylz1
@stylz1 Жыл бұрын
Very articulate guy. Never heard Iraq /Afghanistan war stories told so well. Going to have to look into his books and pick one out to read.
@TheMMObro
@TheMMObro 18 күн бұрын
True
@aumarigan
@aumarigan 5 күн бұрын
He grew up in the UK. Hence.
@kiwi_comanche
@kiwi_comanche Жыл бұрын
That was one hell of an honest interview. I worked with the USMC in Basra in 05/06 and they were superb warriors. Massive respect from a UK service member.
@davewylie654
@davewylie654 Жыл бұрын
I worked with several former SAS members in Iraq 04-05 in a civilian context and they were among the finest men i ever met. Your country is pretty damn good as well my friend
@kiwi_comanche
@kiwi_comanche Жыл бұрын
@@davewylie654 Thank you brother!! Glad you got home ok!! 🤙🏻🍻♠️
@jasonhutter7534
@jasonhutter7534 Жыл бұрын
As a former enlisted infantryman I can tell you that, like Capt. Ackerman, the infantry officers that America produces are at the same time the finest young men that the country produces. Unlike the Rambo stereotype, America's combat officers are insanely smart, driven, self disciplined and goal driven. I don't know how the military keeps doing it but God bless them. In my short enlistment I encountered only one officer that I would not want to follow into combat. The others...I would follow them anywhere.
@aaronduvall1075
@aaronduvall1075 Жыл бұрын
Highly Debtable🤣🤣🤣🤣
@Cbenz280
@Cbenz280 Жыл бұрын
You should see Easy Companies interview.
@aaronduvall1075
@aaronduvall1075 Жыл бұрын
@@Cbenz280 They had like three solid officers compared to the 8 others who were soup sandwiches
@Cbenz280
@Cbenz280 Жыл бұрын
@@aaronduvall1075 yup
@lukedobbins8245
@lukedobbins8245 Жыл бұрын
@sheldon fords the strongest form of the russian army couldn’t even take afgan so cmon now 😂. it all ends the same except alexander the great
@m8kingArt
@m8kingArt Жыл бұрын
What an incredible interview. One of the more honest and unique post-combat interviews I've ever seen. Elliot seems like he would be an amazing leader to serve under.
@GACKER1143
@GACKER1143 Жыл бұрын
Hello cousin Elliott! You served with honor! And you are are credit to the family name god bless! You served our nation the way the Ackerman family has since before we were a nation! MSgt. USAF Ret.
@Orcinus1967
@Orcinus1967 Жыл бұрын
Never heard anyone describe the fraternal love within a group of soldiers, the esprit de corps, the building and destroying of the unit in the cause of the mission in such a way. A great analogy.
@volusian95
@volusian95 Жыл бұрын
His last point was so good, I never thought of that before. A war is a completely different thing when it's all 'free' due to being paid for by building up debt, it can just go on forever and the public will be ambivalent.
@EricRush
@EricRush Жыл бұрын
I, too, was taken aback by that simple fact. We put the war on the national credit card. The war was "over there."
@thankfullyredeemedmaderigh7436
@thankfullyredeemedmaderigh7436 Жыл бұрын
👌🏻
@av8tore71
@av8tore71 Жыл бұрын
@@EricRush just look at WWII there are nations still paying today OCT 13, 2022 still paying the US & UK debt from WWII for instance the Lend/Lease program Russia still owes the US or UK still owes the US. Poland just paid off their debt. Germany still owes debt, something like 300 billion from what Hitler did. The Afghan people will be paying debt for the rest of their lives but the question is when?
@PauluzP
@PauluzP Жыл бұрын
@@av8tore71 Germany actually finally payed off their debt in recent years. I dont remember the exact year anymore but it was in the last 15 yrs for sure
@brodydezeeuw
@brodydezeeuw Жыл бұрын
Yup
@calib373589
@calib373589 Жыл бұрын
One of the best, most articulate, and compelling interviews I’ve ever listened to
@maureenorourke3292
@maureenorourke3292 Жыл бұрын
Absolutely agree from an old USAF RN Capt. aero-medical unit, March & Travis AF bases.
@mgunny05
@mgunny05 Жыл бұрын
This Marine gave one of the best and most thoughtful interview of his experience in Iraq and Afghanistan. He pulled no punches told us how it was and why “love” for your fellow Marine is a thing, doesn’t matter if it’s male or female but a MARINE. And his comments working a a CIA operator….it was eye opening and I would encourage folks to watch it. It is EXCELLENT! Semper Fi Marine.
@jasonhutter7534
@jasonhutter7534 Жыл бұрын
It explains why we will self sacrifice for our loved ones and put fear and self preservation aside.
@elchucabagra
@elchucabagra Жыл бұрын
The CIA is an enemy to every US servicemember
@sumguyman8656
@sumguyman8656 Жыл бұрын
"You're heart can't break if you weren't in love." Soooooo on point there. Well said sir.
@TheBeerCityDiver
@TheBeerCityDiver Жыл бұрын
I really hope this channel thrives. I dig it.
@treyyoungley6171
@treyyoungley6171 Жыл бұрын
Hit the like button help it out
@americanveteranscenter
@americanveteranscenter Жыл бұрын
Us too! Thank you for the support and we hope you subscribe.
@TheBeerCityDiver
@TheBeerCityDiver Жыл бұрын
@@americanveteranscenter I think I've been subscribed for a while now
@thankfullyredeemedmaderigh7436
@thankfullyredeemedmaderigh7436 Жыл бұрын
🤝🏻I concur
@emmanuelawosusi2365
@emmanuelawosusi2365 Жыл бұрын
@@americanveteranscenter great channel
@simonacland9028
@simonacland9028 10 ай бұрын
I've never been in the military but I have to say the composure of this man is astounding and I would highly recommend him as a counsellor for vets, very good.
@leeadams5941
@leeadams5941 Жыл бұрын
Probably the best interview Ive seen in years, wish him all the best
@imixmuan9081
@imixmuan9081 4 ай бұрын
writes for ny times now so doing ok
@Smootus
@Smootus Жыл бұрын
Amazing story of the fog of war, God bless Elliott…. And all the men he served with
@BlueWaterSTAX
@BlueWaterSTAX Жыл бұрын
Thanks to all our hero's. God bless
@thezuck8157
@thezuck8157 Жыл бұрын
Heroes
@loubega5140
@loubega5140 Жыл бұрын
If we had men and women of this caliber in charge of this country we would constantly be reminded of why this great nation came to be the example of power and freedom. This guy is the real deal!
@joelbeaver1093
@joelbeaver1093 Жыл бұрын
Exactly right
@stratowhore9051
@stratowhore9051 Жыл бұрын
Lou, that it total bullshit. Learn your American history from the get-go up to today and, like the history of most other major countries, it was dirty, corrupt, violent, and the public bore the brunt because they had always been lied to. And the beat goes on.
@randallruble7941
@randallruble7941 Жыл бұрын
If this guy ran for any political office I'd vote for him.
@trentcook8021
@trentcook8021 Жыл бұрын
Freedumb
@darkerdaemon7794
@darkerdaemon7794 Жыл бұрын
Men and women like this have been running the country already, and it's why we are fucked.
@garylongden
@garylongden Жыл бұрын
A hugely impressive and intelligent man with a shrewdly observed postscript on the price of war.
@DeadPixel1105
@DeadPixel1105 Жыл бұрын
Oh wow, small world. I've read a few books about the battle of Fallujah and Elliot Ackerman was mentioned quite a bit. The books even contained some actual combat footage photos and Elliot was in a few of the photos. If I remember correctly, one of those books was "No True Glory" by Bing West.
@LARPing_Services_LLC
@LARPing_Services_LLC Жыл бұрын
Such a professional and well spoken warrior.
@TictacAddict1
@TictacAddict1 Жыл бұрын
The most excellent and articulate description of war and the men involved in it. Thank God for patriots!
@Mike-hn4uu
@Mike-hn4uu Жыл бұрын
This man is not only a silver star recipient but his parents and brother all have Wikipedia pages for the incredible work they’ve done for this country and the world. You’d be hard pressed to find a better family that’s ever existed.
@tommychew6544
@tommychew6544 Жыл бұрын
His story spoke to me in many ways! As a Marine it told why we fight for one another, no matter what. And so much more that I would have write multiple paragraphs that only a Marine in the same instance would really understand, not to bust on the basic Army guys who learned the same things and the Seals go without saying. This one was a gem, and I would love to read his book!
@zacharypeery4082
@zacharypeery4082 Жыл бұрын
The battlefield changes with advanced weaponry, tactics, etc. However, the one constant is that Soldiers, Marines, and Sailors fight for one another. That is the bottom line.
@marcellracz8113
@marcellracz8113 Жыл бұрын
"The opposite of fear is love" That has to be one of the most beautiful things I've heard in a long time.
@kenferber4381
@kenferber4381 Жыл бұрын
As a former Marine, who lost a biological brother in Iraq, I can tell you that there is no victory in war - only loss. I never want to hear another person say we fight for freedom or democracy again. Young men and women fought and died for literal dirt, which we don’t have anymore.
@alexwright3799
@alexwright3799 10 ай бұрын
In other words ya'll died for Israel 😅
@nealrichman8022
@nealrichman8022 5 күн бұрын
Your correct sir thanks for your comments .
@goodvibes3939
@goodvibes3939 Жыл бұрын
thank you to all your brothers you served with. I am beyond grateful for anyone who served for this great country. God bless
@mickmacy6161
@mickmacy6161 Жыл бұрын
An intelligent disciplined warrior. Thanks to all that served.
@kevinirving109
@kevinirving109 Жыл бұрын
I’m 29 and I’ve always admired every branch of service. I always wanted to join and be one of the best ever I just didn’t have the balls lol. Much love to all vets and those who are still serving
@shanemiller6982
@shanemiller6982 Жыл бұрын
Awe man , I am so sorry. Testicular cancer?
@mountainrescue777
@mountainrescue777 Жыл бұрын
You have until 37 years of age
@ktmcrush2290
@ktmcrush2290 Жыл бұрын
@@shanemiller6982 damn bruh😂
@kevinirving109
@kevinirving109 Жыл бұрын
@@shanemiller6982 😂🤣😂No, just not as brave and courageous as the others
@MidgetPunter
@MidgetPunter Жыл бұрын
When your balls drop which they should before you're 37 you can join. You could always join the Navy or Air Force as boot camp is far less demanding than boot camp for the Marines or Army. Just some food for thought.
@thankfullyredeemedmaderigh7436
@thankfullyredeemedmaderigh7436 Жыл бұрын
The meek will inherit the earth! Don't mistake kindness for weakness. Mr Elliot sitting there so calm and collected. Until it's time to turn it on!!!😎🤘🏻
@soundslikesight7876
@soundslikesight7876 Жыл бұрын
Brilliant fellow. Thank you for all you’ve done and do!
@FloridaSpook
@FloridaSpook Жыл бұрын
Humbling insight to things I have not experienced
@RobertJohnson-lp5yv
@RobertJohnson-lp5yv Жыл бұрын
Loved this interview, I've never gotten a better picture of what our soldiers deal with/go through.
@woofbark4475
@woofbark4475 Жыл бұрын
Very honest and straightforward interpretation of the bond between soldiers and thus the struggle with losing a brother.
@-.Steven
@-.Steven Жыл бұрын
23:25 ... the opposite of fear is love. Powerful words! We have not been given a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love.
@bl9291
@bl9291 Жыл бұрын
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear" 1 John 4:18
@thomasfx3190
@thomasfx3190 Жыл бұрын
I knew right away when I finished ROTC and got commissioned as a 2LT that I was not cut out for infantry. It was a miserable, hot, tiring frustrating work and it wasn’t for me. The Army figured that out in like a day, and they assigned me to Artillery and I was off to Artillery OBC @ Ft. Sill. Sometimes this thing you didn’t do sticks with you, I wasn’t going to do the finest infantry in the world any favors but I could serve my country in the Artillery.
@dougtowsley6791
@dougtowsley6791 Жыл бұрын
Actually Artillery is critical, look how important it is from WW2 to now in Ukraine
@theskyizblue2day431
@theskyizblue2day431 11 ай бұрын
@@dougtowsley6791 artillery wins the ground
@Rico11b
@Rico11b 6 ай бұрын
As an Infantryman, I love my Arty guys and our Mortar platoons. They were on the other end of the radio, but they were still there with me whenever I called in a fire mission. I always knew our Artillery units had our backs. If things got too hot, steel rain could cool things off.
@Mazz38
@Mazz38 Жыл бұрын
Thanks for your service Elliot. God bless
@dennisreeves632
@dennisreeves632 Жыл бұрын
Great interview, thank you!
@shoresy1668
@shoresy1668 Жыл бұрын
What an excellent interview and so well spoken. Thank you for your service and sacrifice. As a Marine that never got the opportunity to deploy these interviews give me a feeling of selfish jealousy and failure. I have nothing but love and respect for all who sacrificed so much.
@thetir0
@thetir0 Жыл бұрын
Thank you for putting down those lessons.
@ruck27
@ruck27 Жыл бұрын
Great interview. It’s got to be very difficult for those who faught hard and long in Afghanistan to see it end the way it did. An absolute tragedy.
@thomasfx3190
@thomasfx3190 Жыл бұрын
I think it ended as well as it could have. We fought Al Qaeda and the Taliban and protected the mainland US for 20 years. No terrorist attacks in that interval. We killed tens of thousands of terrorists and caused them to understand that they really didn’t want to fight us ever again. Trump negotiated a crease fire and we departed company after destroying nearly everything of value. There are so so many ways that it could have ended in a worse fashion. Nobody died in vain Im Afghanistan.
@Rob-vv5yn
@Rob-vv5yn Жыл бұрын
It ended how the Afghans said it would they waited the US out it was predictable that the US couldn’t win. The streams of war fighters that were killed mainly came over the Pak border, the Afghans out country were certainly a part of fighting force but I doubt the general Afghan people were never international terrorists, the real terrorists came from your so called ally Saudi Arabia.
@matt2.052
@matt2.052 9 ай бұрын
I’m glad 6 days brought me to these story’s
@brucebooth4489
@brucebooth4489 Жыл бұрын
Very articulate telling of his experiences, great interview
@johncalia8598
@johncalia8598 Жыл бұрын
This man breaking down his thought process and out look on his experiences and what he took from them all is extremely inspiring and invaluable and really is a excellent description of the true and raw realities these young men learn in such a fear driven and violently animalistic environment that they have to learn as they go and their is no redos or 2nd chances and these young men have to face this reality while they are deep in it just makes my heart hurt for the one's who had to realize that this is it their time has come and their love for there country and fellow country men standing beside them and the love for their family's, friend's and community they left to go protect is so strong that they take that step terrifying step forward and they repeat that motion over and over as they fight for all are lives back home and all while knowing that next step forward could very well be their last but that fear these young men are able to over come it's such a underappreciated mind set that these young soldiers selflessly exhibit over and over again for months over it makes me proud to be an American knowing that we produce this caliber of warrior right here on are soil bless you all and great interview It was extremely insightful and i appreciate you sharing it with us all!!!💯🇺🇸🙂👍🇺🇸💯
@tbluge
@tbluge Ай бұрын
So well spoken and articulate. I'm constantly amazed at the quality of person who is in the military.
@DOGFOODACTUAL8541
@DOGFOODACTUAL8541 Жыл бұрын
Proud member of Alpha 1/8, 1st Plt, 1985. Outstanding Sir!
@loudog1547
@loudog1547 Жыл бұрын
Wow what a great interview!! i wish this interview lasted longer i could listen to Elliot speak for hours. You can tell he is very intelligent and he speaks from a point of experience and intelligence.
@larrydecker881
@larrydecker881 8 ай бұрын
This man is excellent at explaining things and has expanded my understanding of War in general and the personal and cultural effects of war. I will search for his book.
@jasonbuck489
@jasonbuck489 Жыл бұрын
Captain Ackerman.. Thank you for your service....
@liljohn3152
@liljohn3152 Жыл бұрын
This interview was sooooo good. He's such an articulate, intelligent man. So impressive. Wish I could be half the man he is. Thanks for posting this.
@shadowguy525
@shadowguy525 Жыл бұрын
"Who here is in charge" "Doc is"
@charlesanzalone5846
@charlesanzalone5846 Жыл бұрын
Brilliant interview
@DocM.
@DocM. 3 ай бұрын
So well said Sir. Thank you for sharing and thank you for your service and sacrifices 💜
@Christian-gf2ef
@Christian-gf2ef 5 ай бұрын
This was the best articulated insight I ever heard.
@connorcallan4978
@connorcallan4978 Жыл бұрын
Wow this is by far one of your best videos
@alecstaley1017
@alecstaley1017 Жыл бұрын
This guy is absolute amazing! When he touched on the subject of love I really started to understand what love is, I've struggled with that concept for a while...
@a.N.....
@a.N..... Жыл бұрын
Amazing story, love hearing from veterans about the GWOT battles
@christopherrodriguez6545
@christopherrodriguez6545 10 ай бұрын
Great interview... what a smart and insightful guy. Thank you for your service Sir!
@lappin6482
@lappin6482 8 ай бұрын
well said....much respect
@michaelbierlein5642
@michaelbierlein5642 Жыл бұрын
Really enjoyed hearing his perspective and of course his call to duty.
@dirus3142
@dirus3142 Жыл бұрын
The man gave some good insight. Kinda guy who should be running for office.
@PrayedForYou
@PrayedForYou Жыл бұрын
"Opposite of fear is love." Beautifully explained.. thanks for your sacrifice.
@interstellar618
@interstellar618 Жыл бұрын
Awesome interview.
@anthony93878
@anthony93878 Жыл бұрын
Thank you for your service and sacrifice 🙏🏻🙏🏻
@av8tore71
@av8tore71 Жыл бұрын
Great interview
@thetruth1862
@thetruth1862 Жыл бұрын
Thank you for your service
@evan5294
@evan5294 Жыл бұрын
Anyone else think he looks like Recker from the BF3 campaign? Just a thought. This man's undeniably a hero
@au_gmentedreality
@au_gmentedreality Жыл бұрын
This guy is awesome. He's very straight forward, and I'm glad he was doing good work. I did not serve, I was unable to serve (due to education). But I'm happy a guy with his head on his shoulders, and not an anxious panic stricken person(me) was fighting. Thank you sir! I was 19, in 01. And I cried alot(shame,fear)for what the future held
@robblack7949
@robblack7949 7 ай бұрын
Truly a professional and articulate soldier. The Marines were very fortunate to have you.
@micahmann6967
@micahmann6967 9 ай бұрын
So cool looking back on older videos of you hunting. Talking about how you should make stuff to use. Now you've got that scoop sifter and all of your methods you use. Just so cool to see your progress as well. Much love man ❤ your one of my favorite people on here - for real lol. I absolutely love your content! Keep it up!
@to8860
@to8860 Жыл бұрын
Thanks for this!!!
@xXB.FunkXx
@xXB.FunkXx Жыл бұрын
This man's point of view is brilliant! Every American in this country should watch this video. Sir thank you for your service and wisdom that you have given all of us, it is a priceless gift to those who listen.
@charlesdavis7940
@charlesdavis7940 Жыл бұрын
Hero’s all. I am humbled. Please, never think any of you who actually got shot at, that it didn’t matter. Yeah it was a s* show due to politics. But you made a real difference in the lives of ordinary Iraqi’s and humanity: then, now, and forever.
@nickc1398
@nickc1398 Жыл бұрын
my nieces dad was deployed a few times..(marine LMG'r) Kosovo and Bosnia at the least I know of ... You guys are hero's on levels.... we owe you more than we are worth for keeping us safe at night is the reality. thank you for dyeing and getting your faces blow off an worse
@oneblood100
@oneblood100 8 ай бұрын
Very raw amazing video
@johnstaley6337
@johnstaley6337 Жыл бұрын
Very clear eyed take on two conflicts involving multiple ’wars’.
@purplecow5150
@purplecow5150 Жыл бұрын
amazing. thank you very much.
@matthoran711
@matthoran711 Жыл бұрын
this interview really made me think.
@MrIzzy11B
@MrIzzy11B Жыл бұрын
Thank you sir I know no other words
@jeffn.918
@jeffn.918 Жыл бұрын
Brittany Speers? No Metallica? Black Sabbath? Very well spoken soldier. Very interesting point he made about the men over there, have been at war since 1979, most of them have never known peace.
@Matt-xc6sp
@Matt-xc6sp Жыл бұрын
More like Teenage Dirtbag
@travisfleenor2418
@travisfleenor2418 Жыл бұрын
It's because of the lyrics. "Hit me baby one more time" while bullets are bouncing off the tank. Pretty hilarious when you think about it. I bet those tankers have amazing senses of humor.
@NELLY-jg2rx
@NELLY-jg2rx Жыл бұрын
I cruised highway 10 summer 08', These Marines are legends, Operation Phantom Fury is lore like Iwo Jima, Inchon, and the Belleau woods
@christos1698
@christos1698 Жыл бұрын
Very good interview respect
@ralphralpherson9441
@ralphralpherson9441 Жыл бұрын
The part about the lance corporal running into an RPG attack just to lay down suppressive fire for his squad cmdr... just because it was his brother from another mother... that part was touching. You don't see that crap from every military. That's bravery and honor mixed with a little self-sacrifice... it's beautiful... leave no man behind. As for the war in Afghanistan, having seen some of its casualties personally, here's what I'll say. First, it's hard to encapsulate 2 decades of combat operations into a paragraph. And what the "first-in" saw vs. what the "last-out" saw, well, totally different scenario... like night and day. So, in terms of making OBL pay for his crimes on 9/11/01 - mission accomplished. Insofar as dismantling his terror network and gathering crucial intel while sending key players to Gitmo - mission accomplished. Insofar as our nation being largely free of major Islamic terror attacks for 2 decades since, - mission accomplished,... but in terms of the US govt. losing focus and trying to play nation-building daddy, *Epic failure*... You simply cannot take people who live in a dirt home, who raise goats, who own basically some cups and a rug and only know Sharia Law as their moral code, and then enchant them with some Western ideals of financial stability, modernization, feminist equality and an egalitarian society. They just do not have that program running like we do... It's not installed in their firmware. Point blank period, they don't VALUE those things... And why would they? They've never seen anything like it and nothing can or will make them value those things. These are people that often have less than a 3rd grade education. Hard stop. A third grade education... and you expect them to gradually take over defense of a nation which has been at war for the past 40+ years, in part with a tribal Islamic fundamentalist group, and often also with either the USA or Soviet Union. Pure Insanity. Frankly, I blame the Obama administration for knocking the whole campaign off the rails and creating rules of engagement that are impossible to follow in such a setting. When it shifted from "The hunt for OBL" and somehow meandered to "building the Afghanistan of tomorrow" they drastically miscalculated. You cannot "win hearts and minds" and create a well-trained homegrown force under an installed puppet regime when there is such a vast philosophical, ideological, and societal gap to overcome... What ass-hat high-brass thought the ANA was going to be a real thing? Many of the ANA recruits were junkies, some raped kids, some used their newfound power to exploit and bully the locals worse than the damn Taliban did, while others just took the money and then went right to the Taliban with crucial intel... and oh yeah, some were just dumb as a brick. A few became good allies, but they were the minority... and we eventually screwed them in the ass too. Some were captured, tortured, and had their families killed for partering with the U.S. I knew that plan was f--ked from the jump. I really think the early seeds of wokeism and trying to wage a PR campaign at home for fear of Afghanistan becomming a "2nd vietnam" caused so many of our men and woman to suffer irreperable damage in that,... nation. Not to mention the poor Afghanis who trusted us... God... I'm speechless there. That's legit the nicest thing I could say about Afgahnistan... nothing. But in trying to fight a PR war instead of a military war, and in trying to present a sanitized view of war to the people at home, they actually brought about the outcome they most feared. A second Vietnam. As choppers left the embassy in Kabul, we saw almost a xeroxed copy of the fall of Saigon from '75. The best way I can put it is this... Say you find a posse of stray cats in your backyard. They are scraggly and mangey and covered in fleas but because they are helpless and cute, you befriend them... then you get them spayed and neutered, and set out food, and start to make friends with them... you discover you have a common foe, (a big dog) and then after years of combat, you finally take out the big mean dog who has been chasing and tormenting them.... So you start to take away the food and instruct the cats to form a software firm, file articles of incorporation, hire a tax attorney, and start writing software code... it's *THAT* crazy to think what we tried to do there would work.
@zacharypeery4082
@zacharypeery4082 Жыл бұрын
Lolz, hire a psychiatrist to tell your life story...
@jacobgill4808
@jacobgill4808 Жыл бұрын
While everything you said is true....I will say this...Afghanistan had a taste of freedom...and the taliban is already dealing with defiance of sharia law...women refusing to cover their face...ect...only Afghanies can build the country they want...but I hope we have planted the seed of freedom in their minds
@ralphralpherson9441
@ralphralpherson9441 Жыл бұрын
@@jacobgill4808 I mean... we did SOMETHING yes... but we screwed over so many. People lost their entire families, or lost their lives for working with the US. Frankly, I think you have to let people come to those conclusions on their own. Personally, Im really encouraged by the protests in Iran. That is a nation dying for a shot at freedom and the older folks and regime are holding them back. Afghanistan is too badly infested with Taliban now, sadly I think they are still decades away from anything you or I would recognize as stable democracy.
@LitCentralMillennialXLIII
@LitCentralMillennialXLIII Жыл бұрын
@@jacobgill4808 Afghanis didn’t taste freedom , it was most kinetic in ISAF controlled areas
@cotystiehl7260
@cotystiehl7260 Жыл бұрын
Best comment I've ever hear how things went in Afghanistan in a nut shell. Thank you for your service bro.
@alecstaley1017
@alecstaley1017 Жыл бұрын
He's got the Ackerman blood he's of course a valiant soldier
@Kitsui16
@Kitsui16 Жыл бұрын
Love your comment haha
@annmarie1569
@annmarie1569 9 ай бұрын
I Love the Honesty and Integrity of this Marine. He is very articulate and to the point. God Bless the Military men and women and Thank you all for your service.
@mtnride4930
@mtnride4930 8 ай бұрын
In a word EXCELLENT.
@charleshenry8075
@charleshenry8075 9 ай бұрын
Thank you.
@giovannyortiz3934
@giovannyortiz3934 Жыл бұрын
Very well spoken and nuanced perspective from Elliot here.
@mattkaustickomments
@mattkaustickomments Жыл бұрын
Sharp guy! Thanks for your service.
@finnanutyo1153
@finnanutyo1153 Жыл бұрын
God damn. This guy's a badass. Such a humble and honest person.
@OlJarhead
@OlJarhead Жыл бұрын
Excellent video!
@pattysoucie24
@pattysoucie24 Жыл бұрын
Amazing video. Amazing videos overall.
@petergreenwald9639
@petergreenwald9639 Жыл бұрын
Thank you. I understand a bit more today. But never enough.
@tobigforyou
@tobigforyou 7 ай бұрын
What a man. Awesome story.
@evanhaddad1960
@evanhaddad1960 Жыл бұрын
Thanks for your service. Very insightful and articulate interview. It’s incredible how technology changes how we wage war, but tremendous fear and love for your comrades remain the core driver for being able to function in such a stressful environment. Great men and women.
@oldcowboy4624
@oldcowboy4624 Жыл бұрын
Nailed it. From one vet to another thank you for exposing it for what it is! Iraq vet 04-05
@petegarrido5406
@petegarrido5406 6 ай бұрын
Very articulate man discribing chaos
@JEJAK5396
@JEJAK5396 7 ай бұрын
Amen! And Semper Fi Sir!
@ofraggy8428
@ofraggy8428 Жыл бұрын
Your words. You have a great mind. just wow.
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