I worked a retail job during the pandemic. I once helped a guy from syria. He asked me what was wrong with this country? I asked what he meant by that. He said he lived in Syria during a civil war. Air raids, bombed out buildings, active gun fire, sirens, etc, full out war, amidst all that turmoil and chaos, they never ran out of toilet paper. I remember having a good laugh with him, and walked away thinking, he had a good point.
@jabande1 , right?! I remember finding some stashed in the back of this mom and pop Korean store. I ran to the car with it thinking someone was gonna try to steal it from me
Pretty simple. It's because most Americans are incredibly dumb and selfish. Almost every person bought 3 months or more worth of toilet paper at once. Of course there would be a shortage. The same amount of toilet paper, or more, was being produced. There were no shipping problems at that point. The shortage happened because of greedy dumb panicked people. If everyone tomorrow went and bought 30 24 packs of water for no reason, we'd have a bottled water shortage too. Not that complicated. A lot of people somehow still don't understand there literally was no shortage. It was like a 20 fold increase in purchases. The same would happen for any product.
If that doesn’t tell you that people that come from first world countries like America, England, Australia etc (Which all these countries had that issue during the pandemic of panicking over running out of toilet paper lol) that tells you we don’t even know what to value if the world were to crash… to be fair I remember seeing a lot of wom*n that were the ones panicking over running out of toilet paper, that makes sense because wom*n wouldn’t know the first thing to do if the world crashed (and tbh they don’t need to know) it’s up to us men to get together, to strategise and prioritise water and food over silly toilet paper. I mean if we are all locked down in our homes and restricted to go most places then instead of panicking over running out of toilet paper (to wipe our asses) then why not get in the shower and clean yourself!? COMMON SENSE ISN’T SO COMMON NOWADAYS! That’s how you can tell humans nowadays are all just a bunch of sheep that follow the next person, there isn’t a coincidence that people from all over the world were worried about the same thing (most likely after watching silly videos of others around the world panicking over running out of toilet paper)
I remember an interview with an Iraqi doctor who said, “Under Saddam, there was no light at the end of the tunnel. Now there is no tunnel.” Reeeally caught my attention.
Chaos is the absolute worst state a human being can find themselves in. If there is a measure of order, but that order is overseen by a truly evil person, then that is 100% preferable to true chaos like what happened during/after the invasion. Tragic.
And you believe America military members lies compared to the horror of reality Middle East families had to deal with knowing that their husbands fathers brothers and son are being hunted by tyrants with technology 🤢😂
In fairness they are way better trained than rangers and recon (recon would be a boring movie. 2 hrs of talking in a radio, with a dramatic high point of a dude poopin in his pants to avoid moving). Delta never get any publicity. Special forces has a completely different job. Pjs are cool but no where near as combat oriented (they got one movie, it had Owen Wilson). People just like the idea of a squad of men doing a simple self contained mission. It fits well into movies and video games. So the standard we’re going in, reaching an objective, killing the objective, reaching an extraction, then riding off as the sun rises model just fits an easy to tell story. A movie about a special forces mission would be a 10 part mini series and 80% would be a bore on screen. It’s why there are so many battle specific movies, or squadron mission movies. But if you making a zoomed in more personalized type movie direct action, short mission teams are the easiest format. Think like enemy at the gates… a sniper and his immediate support crew is the best all the way zoomed in model.
Because a lot of Seals have become public, going on podcasts, etc. The first who started were the ones who were on the Bin Laden operation. Before that, special operators kept their mouths shut.
Former Royal Marine Commando here. The reaper is on the money about blokes not getting theyre combat fix. Its like having a fighting dog trained to fight and loosing purpose when hes not used to fight. I knew men whom took theyre own lives die to issues such as this. Not fulfilling what at least they were trained to do and signed up for. Its really sad, as in my time in the military I was certainly suppressed and not given the chance to persue my goals. They royal marines have a graveyard for such. It is called Comms Squadron. Where Commandos, careers go to die. Most leave bitter and unhappy after serving out theyre time there.
I grew up in Northern Ireland through the worst of 'The Troubles'. I lost friends (murdered), walked past bombs, watched gun battles in my street, literally almost ran into the middle of a riot.... It's a long list. And those memories never leave you. I was back in Belfast a couple of years ago and went to the Ulster Museum (excellent, by the way!), where they had an exhibition about the Troubles. I choked up. Had to leave. It all just came pouring back. And I didn't suffer like so many did. Unless you experience it you have no idea of the anguish. It's in the blood and bone.
I read a few books about "The Troubles" growing up in the US. One book about a soldier's life in Belfast talked about how he was helping a new recruit through training. Not even a week later, the new guy was dead when he accidentally stepped on an IED while they were searching for suspects in a tunnel leading to the sewers. That book gave me nightmares and I've never forgotten some of the chilling accounts in it. Have you seen the movie " '71"? Excellent film about a soldier who struggles for survival in Belfast after he gets separated from his group while breaking up a riot.
@@largol33t1 Thanks for the thoughtful feedback. I've seen the movie. There was a similar true story in the early Troubles when a young soldier was separated from his unit and he hid in an outbuilding or garage. I remember my father telling the story to my aunt over from Canada. No happy ending. The terrorists (they were all terrorists, BTW, I make no distinction for either side) went in and killed the soldier, and came out holding the his rifle. There's an endless list of these types of stories. For perspective, Northern Ireland's population was around 1,5M people. There were 3700 killed in total, and tens of thousands injured. If that were scaled up for the USA for example the death toll would be about 138,000. It was a shit situation all round, for everyone.
@@johnpaulslater2924 It was. I was 22 when I first left NI, and seeing how other people lived (peacefully, and security free entrance to shops, no concerns about where you went, or which schools your friends attended...), wow!
100% about the shovel thing. I was in Iraq from 05-06 and if you were walking around before dusk with a shovel, you were a fair target. We even had a huge op where we set up at all the turnarounds and crossroads overnight and the shovel carriers had to divert away from their normal routes - right into designated sniper ambushes. Things went about as well as you’d expect. I don’t really ponder till much later that it’s possible that some of those folks may have been just going to work.
Okay, I'm lost. Why were people with shovels a threat?? I'm racking my brain trying to figure it out but I got nothing lol. Idk. Actually I'll go google it because now I really want to know what the deal is with that
@@anothergamingchannel2656 Depending on the timeframe and location (08-09 mostly north of Baghdad speaking here), word in briefings was that IED/EFP emplacement involved three people, or at least three steps. Emplacement payments were something like $10 to dig the hole, $20 to place an IED in it and run the wires out (for the command detonated or run-over-the-crush-wire type), and $10 to film it going off. You had to film it to get paid if you were doing it for the money instead of for ideological reasons. No rational Iraqi by that timeframe would consider walking around with a shovel when it was dark anything but asking to get shot. Reflecting much later, I have the same thought as above: How many people were just trying to go to work? And I never saw, much less shot, anyone carrying a shovel.
I was at Camp TQ in 2005 ( I was with a Texas Guard infantry unit ) and we had standing orders ( these came down from our battalion ) to kill anyone with a shovel walking around highways,local roads,etc,etc,..before dusk too. We also had a 10:00 pm curfew,no civies out and about at all. And man were the Iraqees angry about that,but,it was for their own safety. I volunteered for 4 deployments to Iraq with Texas Guard units,also did 2 tours back-to-back. I was gone so long from my civilian jobs ( this was due to those back-to-back tours ) that my co-workers thought I had quit. LOL. I was gone for 2 yrs & 8 months total.
I was nervous moving from nyc to North Carolina and this MAN moved through war zones to war zones bro ur courage is amazing TY FOR TELLING UR STORIES I RESPECT YOU SO MUCH TY TY ❤
lol I hope that seems like a silly fear now. It’s America brother. If anything, NYC is the outlier you should be concerned about. Nothing natural about that city.
What is with you new yorkers moving to NC lol SC is open yk but on a real note you couldn't pay me a billion dollars to live in NYC and I got chased by drones in Ukraine
He’s a good guy and a Great Ranger. He has been exposed to a lot of religious beliefs over his life and believes his own version of Christianity and has a belief in a Higher Power he calls “Ja” or “Ya”. I saw him talk about it on another podcast. RLTW
I like you all pointing out the implications of what actions that the Military had to execute because of orders from on high. The families who had their doors kicked in will never think of the politics or politicians. They will always remember boots, weapons, and the foreign people who invaded their personal space. They are scarred, our troops are scarred and the politicians were far removed from the real world. But hey, I am just an old man. You all Rock on! Keep up the great stuff! We need this to out for everyone see.
Humanity does not need a reason to fight itself. I have the utmost respect Nick Irving from all I have seen of him. Well spoken, and someone I would not want to f*ck with. He strikes me as someone you would never feel the need to to begin with.
@@martbau25 Nah. They're good dudes. They just have a large presence in media so they get more exposure. And honestly, every branch has some shit talking about one another. It's all brotherly love.
If you weren’t they after their oil They’d live in peace and good ways W A SOLDIERS AND GOVT ARE THE SCOURGE OF HUMANITY AND THE REASON THESE PLACES SUFFER
Numbers are always suspect in wartime. In Vietnam, the numbers of reported enemy killed was, sometimes, staggering. I’ll never forget watching Walter Cronkite in the evening and seeing the “body count” icons (enemy vs Americans) on the screen. It was over as soon as Cronkite came back from a first-hand account and said, on air, we were not winning the War, er, Conflict.
So true. Our team experienced SEALs on a ship stealing food (boat was on rations) and then threw all the workout equipment off the ship before going ashore because they didn't get their way. Then two of them died on a routine mission. It was an odd experience. I don't think my mind could take the toxicity for a career in the Teams.
Additionally, their children need to be in direct combat units, such as cavalry, infantry, armor, etc. If they don't have children, their siblings children.
I think a mandatory two years when they turned 18 might just turn out country around. Young people have nothing on the mind except garbage... just ask one a simple question. Count back change, learn to spell, and tell time. ❤
I’ve never met a SF guy or combat veteran who didn’t end their career as a completely disillusioned cynic. Once the veil is lifted it can’t be replaced.
so I guess you are not talking about WW2 guys or older cause most of them still honored their country after their war probably cause they were allowed to win and were treated like hero's when they returned home
I'm an OIF and OEF veteran. I honestly didn't care too much about the government before a joined. Now? I trust the government less than I do my ex-wife's parents. Local, state, or federal.
"The Navy Seals are the premiere special forces guys that are just next level and man, do they have the haircare products to prove it." -Delta Force Veteran ((not me, heard this quote on a 2000 TV Show Combat Missions lol))
My father Jerome R Jackson . Came from a broken home originally from Washington DC but also was born in Richmond Virginia. He was never drafted into the Marine corps he voluntarily signed the papers or got his mother to sign the papers at the age of 17 as a African American. I guess you could say he's one of God's misguided children. He served two tours in Vietnam. And you were right. I was born later years after he got out of the military and served this country. He suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and talked a lot about how he was spit on when it came back home to the states It's a black man with his country didn't even honor him correctly instead they just sent him back to the hood to figure it all out for after all he has done for the red white and blue. But they're also wear a lot of times where he couldn't tell us everything that he saw and done for his country. He passed away February 2nd 2018. And at the end of the day all he got was a letter from President Donald Trump at the time to my Mother and a 21 gun salute for his service. Now he's buried at Quantico military memorial, but what I see today things haven't really change that much with the structure and leadership for the people that's supposed to be in charge. All I see is a selfish agenda at the end of the day. But for some reason I still think this is the greatest country. And he felt the same way after all he went through it was always out his mouth once a Marine always a Marine and he loved this country as well because it's his. Because he was willing to die for it. And lost a lot of brothers over there in Vietnam for what.I give it to my father even after all the mortarounds and l strapnel in his body. He never complained🪖👢⚔️🇺🇸
Yeah… hope he didn’t take it personal. Just… people being upset with what they heard soldiers were doing over there and their gov’t lying to them. Personally, I see no reason why we were over there to begin with.
@1Deep43VA it didn't really bother him but it did wake him up to the propaganda. But it did make him a tough old angry bastard with a good heart once you get past the first layer of toughness pain and suffering. He was just a kid when he went in and came home a man who was still treated as a boy when he got back. And I want to say thank you thank you thank you
After they got out those guys had to deal with public abuse, humiliation, and isolation. They could only rely on one another to understand. It was such a disgraceful time. I joined in the mid-1980s. By that time the stigma had mostly vanished. I got to serve with several Vietnam Vets. They were the best dudes. A Master SGT in the USAF that I worked under had been a marine in Vietnam and had 2 purple hearts. Those of us who signed up wanted to be there. God bless your father for doing what he thought was right. When we no longer have people like that we will no longer have a country.
My first deployment was operation desert shield/storm. When i got home my mom handed me a stack of news articles. It was crazy how different the news was from reality. I came back after 9/11 and i never bothered with the news
I remember working in camp anaconda in 2005 as a contractor and watching the news, then having to call family back home to tell them not to believe anything until we call Crazy times
Hey,amigo,I was at Anaconda in June 2006 with a Texas Guard Aviation Brigade ( and man we had some very-PRETTY-women in our brigade-LOL ) before going to Iraq,we did a 5 month train-up at Ft Hood,Tx ( now renamed Ft Cavazos ) and i have some-WILD-stories about folks hooking up there and Iraq too. LOL. Once the unit got to Ft Hood the vd rate went-up 30 % on the entire post. And Ft Hood is-HUGE-too.
The media will do whatever to get views. Earlier this year, I was stuck in Niger and the media was over exaggerating a little bit. Was it the best situation? No, but it wasn't like what the media was saying. If anything, I felt like due to the election, they were trying to keep us stuck quiet so it wouldn't hurt the elections. I felt stranded by the U.S. if anything. You can Google about the U.S. getting kicked out of Niger. It was a political shit show.
@@devildwg82 Yeah,I went there in June 2006 with a Texas Guard unit ( an aviation brigade ) full of-FINE-gorgeous asian,black,mexican and white women. LOL. I remember they had a Pizza-Hut,Burger-King,etc,etc,..I was at Camp TQ in 2005 with a Texas Guard infantry unit and we had none of these things,at all.
My uncle was drafted did some pretty heroic things in Vietnam save some lives got some medals mentally I'm not sure he ever came back went to prison got raped by black dudes didn't like black dudes anymore died a wild man in his 50s back in the 90s, rest easy uncle Eddie thank you for your service and your bravery you were pretty fun dude the little bit I got to know you see you on the other side.
A warrior philosopher is a rare thing. They are remarkable. I lived at AR Ramadi Iraq in 2005. The idea that what people were told wasn't true is beyond real. We would sit there asking what country are they talking about. To be part of an operation and have the entire thing misrepresentation.
10:41: I was a young army veteran when Bush started the WMD BS. I was in the minority of people saying that it was complete BS. I agreed that Sadam was not a good guy, but that region was stable. Most people believed Bush's lie and thought I was crazy. I was mechanized infantry, had a lot of combat training in a desert environment, was towards the end of my two year inactive reserve component and was expecting to get called to do stupid ish in the desert. I was happy to get my official discharge papers a month before my IR ended when we were ramping up to go to Kuwait. Bush should be brought to the Hague to face a war crimes tribunal.
Yep. VP Dick Cheney was also the CEO of Halliburton who also happened to supply all of the food, buildings, etc. to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Follow the money and you’ll see why we went to war and why it’s been dragged out for so long.
We know and many service members who are still in know that the Iraq War was BS. Dick Cheney and G.W. B. went full warhawk for petty reasons and destabilized the whole region. That war created ISIS. there was no Al Quaeda in Iraq that was another lie.
He did have WMD, actually CBW, that we gave him to fight our mortal enemy, Iran, during their 8 year chemical war in 1980-88 that everyone forgot about cause the media focused on the Soviet Afghanistan war. If it was chem weapon in inventory, saddam was given it. Army Combat Engineers blew up huge chemical weapons ASP (kismayah or something) that exposed hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops in its downwind hazard area that DOD itself acknowledged. This was after being told by EOD to not blow up anything. As the EOD element is driving away, off it the distance the whole thing goes up in smoke and chemicals 😂. The explosive formula for safely getting rid of CBW is 5lbs of HE for every 1lb of CBW materials. All those engineers did was disperse everything. So all you GW Syndrome folks, ya can thank the Engineers 🥸. Decades later, teams ran WMD calls, all US Munitions 🙄.
I am a Vietnam era veteran. The public saw me in uniform I would get spit at. I was in San Diego at the time the people would tell us to go home. I’ve been a biker most of my life and I wear a leather vest with a lot of biker patches on it. I a patch that say Veteran on it. I was at a biker party and some young man walked up to me and he shook my hand and thanked me for my service. No one has ever told me that
I'm a retired POL guy. I can tell you that I have had more issues with SEAL team members than Green Berets, Rangers, or Delta. Those Army guys would always thank you for your help and support. Really cool guys. Plus, my dad is a retired Ranger, so I always had a spot in my heart for them. Maybe it's not that they are SEALs and it's more of the Navy mentality? Like a Navy Chief would not talk to a Staff Sergeant... they would always ask for a Senior NCO to talk to. I HATED my time in JTF-HOA....
30 plus years ago I heard a bus in Somalia full of passengers was used as a target for US military testing a new weapon and all that was left of the passengers was their shoes and feet with quarter inch of bone left sticking out, the rest of them gone
I feel him on the cool part about being over there and experiencing the reality vs the news. When I was over there back in 2020 (drawdown) and I went back for the evacuation out of Kandahar (2021) and while in Afghanistan we would get briefed on threats in the area before going out to do our “medic thing” haha. But we were hearing about ISIS-K (not actually their real name) and other groups that the news had not mentioned. I remember asking my Colonel if this group was the same as the previous ISIS group. On a sidenote, one of the evacuees actually explained what ISIS-K was as well as other things. The evacuation was a cluster fuck for those of us over there, but it was cool that we got to talk to the people of the country this time, unlike the previous time where we mostly did patient care and Covid Ops. Deployments were the best, it’s the only time I actually felt like I was “earning” the uniform. Shout out to “Murica 🇺🇸” ✊🏿💪🏿. I’d do it all over again 10x over.
I know a christian Iraqi that had no beef with Sadam. He said that so long as you didn't actively mess with Sadam, you would have no problems. Life was fine.
9/11 is when the U.S. found out what terrorism is. Real negotiations over Ireland began. 9/11 was not gangsters going at each other, but war fought without uniforms. And America changed.
@ look up eisenhowers death camps where he interned 2 million German pow’s but didn’t treat them as pow’s, he starved them on the Rhine to death, American Generals formally apologised in 2011 , read the book “other losses” where in detail allied soldiers detail the mass starvation
On 9/11, I was a 6th grader at a large public middle school with 1,500 students. Classes were abruptly halted, and we were made to watch the news on repeat for an hour as the Twin Towers had already fallen, our school day began at 8 AM PST. That experience stayed with me. I later joined the Air Force as a CCT and deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. Ever since, I’ve wondered, who decided it was appropriate for middle school kids to watch that? Was it a nationwide directive?
It's a really terrible thing. On one hand there are legitimately a lot of very bad people out there who get shot up by these guys. On the other hand there are the innocents caught up in all of it. They are the terrible tragedy in this.
@@jimmyboy131 theres a lot of twisted people, theres a lot of people that take up arms that are just defending their people/land/freedom, theres innocents in the crossfire, theres locals defending themselves and yet, none of that pesky morality applies to who these types of dudes take out. All that matters is where the US empire will benefit from the violence. Case in point, Al Qaida and Daish went from being enemy number one to being on US payroll. You can be sure they didnt stop being twisted lunatics in the meantime. Its us, we are the baddies. These guys are just the hammer/knife/scalpel/spear that enforces the imperial agenda.
No the CIA tested it on criminals and mentally ill homeless people here first. When you see that crazy homeless man yelling "get away from me" to some "random" person in public, they probably aren't that "crazy," and the random might not be that "random."
@lukebryant5017 I can comprehend. I know exactly what he said, and I don't think they wait until war time situations to see if something works or not. I believe they test newly developed, non-lethal technologies, on "undesirable" citizens here at home as well.
I appreciate how the reaper mentioned civilians in Iraq didn’t even know about 9/11… cause they didn’t do it!! All the research and facts surrounding that event prove it!!!
No one ever claimed they did it, the claim has always been Saudis in Al-Qaeda used Afghanistan as a base to plan it and train under the protection of the Taliban.
11:11 yep. I had a family member who served in the USMC. I think he was a Gny at the time. He told me about the ROE and civilians could not use cell phones out in public or they could get shot.
In addition, curfews at night and being on rooftops specifically using a cell phone, I mean people use their rooftops to wash their clothes dry them. It was crazy.
8:00 - they're getting it wrong. The reason there are now 'cycles' of vindictive fighters is because none of the wars really conclude. They're all executed with the intent of PROLONGING the conflict for political and financial purposes. In order to not have such cycles, the war has to be ended VERY CONCLUSIVELY. Example: the total, utter defeats of Germany and Japan in WW2. Their defeats did NOT generate a generation of vengeful warriors because the defeat was absolute.
War will always exist. I am old Vet now from GWOT. The cycle is perpetuated by young kids on all sides. This is why war is said to be fought by young men. Kids seen their fathers killed or in my case my country attacked in 2001. Battle instinct kicks in. Of course after 20 years, the side with less combat theaters heals first and then queue in the questions, the last samurai reflections, the conspiracy theorists. The side that sees most of the combat theater gets ready to inflict damage in the next 20 years. The cycle endures. Add adults with 6 grade literacy level into the mix and you have another attack in 20 years and instead of taking responsibility and performing an after action review, the same illiterates initiate a conspiracy theory. Cycle repeats
I like how 98% of you clowns have never volunteered to serve anything but hamburgers or hot dogs yet you have so much to say about men who risk their lives to provide you with the freedoms you so liberally enjoy. Yet you have the nerve to disrespect and downplay what they do and then judge all of them by the actions of a few.
He’s spot on about the Rangers pulling taking a back seat to Team 6. Most of the Ranger platoons are tier 2 as are most of the seal teams. Delta and Team 6 are tier one. The JSOC commanders switch out between former team 6 guys and former Delta guys. The bickering usually culminated on who got the best seats in the helicopters. Completely stupid but it was always there. Lol. Rangers pulled blocking positions and perimeter security while Team 6 hit the compounds. However when the SHTF Rangers carried the day cause Rangers carried the firepower. Seals didn’t carry shit and it showed when it got…hairy.
There haven't been tier 1 and 2 units in decades....maybe in the Navy with DEVGRU and the rest of the SEALs. Delta has been recruiting from all units because the Green Berets/Special Forces aren't that interested anymore. They understood Delta/CAG is a far more specialised unit and they might not like that. If that's not enough there's at least 1 other unit that recruits from Green Berets so there's also competition. In think in the 2000s or the 2010s they lowered the rank/pay grade Delta can recruit from an E-5 Sergeant to an E-4 Specialist. Worth mentioning that SEAL Team 6 was disbanded and replaced by DEVGRU.
I seriously can relate to Nick Irving about everything he is talking about. I have done four deployments to Iraq and i was in the National Guard when i was in Iraq 🇮🇶. On my first deployment i lost two soldiers in my platoon to a suicide bomber in Mosul, Iraq 2004. I'm pretty sure that Nick was in Iraq for part of the time i was there. I was a Combat Engineer that was building fortifications, EOD Security, Kicking in doors with the infantry and we didn't even have armor on my first deployment. I watched how the environment changed from my first deployment in 2004 to my last deployment in 2022. For all of my military awards i would still want all of my brothers and sisters to be here right now. Here is a list of my awards: Ribbon Bar Combat Action badge Meritorious Unit Commendation Valorous Unit Award Army Commendation Medal "V", "C", "Silver Leaf" Army Achievement Medal Army Good Conduct Medal National Defense Service Medal Iraq Campaign Medal "3 Bronze Stars" Operation Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal "Bronze Star" Global War on Terrorism (Expeditionary) Global War on Terrorism (Service) Armed Forces Service Medal Armed Forces Reserve Medal "Silver Hourglass", "M", "3" Army NCO Professional Development Ribbon "2" Army Service Ribbon Army Overseas Service Ribbon Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon Now after 26 years i'm still serving and now in the Army Reserves. But for 26 years i was in the National Guard with the 276th Engineer Battalion and 29th Infantry Division and multiple units in the 29th Infantry Division where i deployed with Infantry and Field Artillery
@nickb- Do you need to be worrying about a veteran that wasn't even talking to you? Do i owe you money or something? You are looking at a video of one veteran but questioning another veteran for posting his experiences. Last time i checked this is the United States where both Nick Irving and myself fought for you to have the right to harrass people on TH-cam. If i wanted validation that bad i would be on the streets asking for money for my trauma but i don't. One thing i can say is that i share my experiences so that someone can understand whaat veterans go through that most people can never undersstand.
We never should have gone into Iraq in 2003. I still think it was just Bush and Cheney wanting to finish daddy bushes unfinished business from the first gulf war.
1 month into Iraq the Iraqis keep asking me “where is our Japan? Make us Japan?” To which I said “you have to build it.” The Iraqis didn’t like when I said that. That’s what rule under a dictator does to the human psyche. They thought we were going to make them into Japan overnight. 12B 2003-04 BIAP “Sappers lead the way.” ps Reaper; I told my wife this after I got back. “Unless we take over their education system like we did in Japan and Germany this insurgency will never end.” I’m sorry you had to experience the mess brother.
I worked a retail job during the pandemic. I once helped a guy from syria. He asked me what was wrong with this country? I asked what he meant by that. He said he lived in Syria during a civil war. Air raids, bombed out buildings, active gun fire, sirens, etc, full out war, amidst all that turmoil and chaos, they never ran out of toilet paper. I remember having a good laugh with him, and walked away thinking, he had a good point.
LOL - I swear that was the weirdest situation with the toilet paper lmao
@jabande1 , right?! I remember finding some stashed in the back of this mom and pop Korean store. I ran to the car with it thinking someone was gonna try to steal it from me
@@sliderx1897😂
Pretty simple. It's because most Americans are incredibly dumb and selfish. Almost every person bought 3 months or more worth of toilet paper at once. Of course there would be a shortage. The same amount of toilet paper, or more, was being produced. There were no shipping problems at that point. The shortage happened because of greedy dumb panicked people. If everyone tomorrow went and bought 30 24 packs of water for no reason, we'd have a bottled water shortage too. Not that complicated.
A lot of people somehow still don't understand there literally was no shortage. It was like a 20 fold increase in purchases. The same would happen for any product.
If that doesn’t tell you that people that come from first world countries like America, England, Australia etc (Which all these countries had that issue during the pandemic of panicking over running out of toilet paper lol) that tells you we don’t even know what to value if the world were to crash… to be fair I remember seeing a lot of wom*n that were the ones panicking over running out of toilet paper, that makes sense because wom*n wouldn’t know the first thing to do if the world crashed (and tbh they don’t need to know) it’s up to us men to get together, to strategise and prioritise water and food over silly toilet paper. I mean if we are all locked down in our homes and restricted to go most places then instead of panicking over running out of toilet paper (to wipe our asses) then why not get in the shower and clean yourself!? COMMON SENSE ISN’T SO COMMON NOWADAYS! That’s how you can tell humans nowadays are all just a bunch of sheep that follow the next person, there isn’t a coincidence that people from all over the world were worried about the same thing (most likely after watching silly videos of others around the world panicking over running out of toilet paper)
I remember an interview with an Iraqi doctor who said, “Under Saddam, there was no light at the end of the tunnel. Now there is no tunnel.” Reeeally caught my attention.
Chaos is the absolute worst state a human being can find themselves in. If there is a measure of order, but that order is overseen by a truly evil person, then that is 100% preferable to true chaos like what happened during/after the invasion. Tragic.
And you believe America military members lies compared to the horror of reality Middle East families had to deal with knowing that their husbands fathers brothers and son are being hunted by tyrants with technology 🤢😂
@Kyle97xdid you know that was a lie? Did you know the WMDs was a lie? Did you know the yellow cake was a lie?
@Kyle97xbut That's What you get for being a passive aggresive btch instead of making a clear question or statment, Baby girl.
Fkd up a whole country a whole fkn nation for Israeli Jews and control over remaining couple of nations that were not under federal bank’s control
I’ve never seen a dude this open and honest on this podcast before. Seems like he’s done a lot of genuine reflection on his time in service as well.
Distance gives a unique perspective from the stuff you go through
The Ghost's he Created are still thinking....,
What happened..?
@@joshrawlings2621 just a story now...
Don't be too easily fooled. He's a paid shill. NO better than Marcus Luttrell.
Hes a liar
Seals definitely have a crazy PR team. People forget about Delta, Berets, Black Op Rangers, USMC Recon, Air Force TACP & PJs
In fairness they are way better trained than rangers and recon (recon would be a boring movie. 2 hrs of talking in a radio, with a dramatic high point of a dude poopin in his pants to avoid moving). Delta never get any publicity. Special forces has a completely different job. Pjs are cool but no where near as combat oriented (they got one movie, it had Owen Wilson). People just like the idea of a squad of men doing a simple self contained mission. It fits well into movies and video games. So the standard we’re going in, reaching an objective, killing the objective, reaching an extraction, then riding off as the sun rises model just fits an easy to tell story. A movie about a special forces mission would be a 10 part mini series and 80% would be a bore on screen. It’s why there are so many battle specific movies, or squadron mission movies. But if you making a zoomed in more personalized type movie direct action, short mission teams are the easiest format. Think like enemy at the gates… a sniper and his immediate support crew is the best all the way zoomed in model.
@@humpteedumptee8629What about Marine Raiders?
It’s almost like SEALs exist so the others can really be clandestine
You have zero clue about the rangers@@humpteedumptee8629
Because a lot of Seals have become public, going on podcasts, etc. The first who started were the ones who were on the Bin Laden operation. Before that, special operators kept their mouths shut.
Former Royal Marine Commando here.
The reaper is on the money about blokes not getting theyre combat fix. Its like having a fighting dog trained to fight and loosing purpose when hes not used to fight.
I knew men whom took theyre own lives die to issues such as this. Not fulfilling what at least they were trained to do and signed up for.
Its really sad, as in my time in the military I was certainly suppressed and not given the chance to persue my goals. They royal marines have a graveyard for such. It is called Comms Squadron. Where Commandos, careers go to die. Most leave bitter and unhappy after serving out theyre time there.
Got to train with some Royal Marines in Quantico, Va. in 2001. Standup gentlemen and such a dry sense of humor. Good times.
I read this in Captain Prices voice
*their
*their
*losing
*their
*their
Shocking that the Royal Marines don't prioritise grammar lessons 😉
@@TeacherTom1 Who gives a fuck, show some respect.
I grew up in Northern Ireland through the worst of 'The Troubles'. I lost friends (murdered), walked past bombs, watched gun battles in my street, literally almost ran into the middle of a riot.... It's a long list. And those memories never leave you. I was back in Belfast a couple of years ago and went to the Ulster Museum (excellent, by the way!), where they had an exhibition about the Troubles. I choked up. Had to leave. It all just came pouring back. And I didn't suffer like so many did. Unless you experience it you have no idea of the anguish. It's in the blood and bone.
This explains depression too...in your soul
I read a few books about "The Troubles" growing up in the US. One book about a soldier's life in Belfast talked about how he was helping a new recruit through training. Not even a week later, the new guy was dead when he accidentally stepped on an IED while they were searching for suspects in a tunnel leading to the sewers. That book gave me nightmares and I've never forgotten some of the chilling accounts in it. Have you seen the movie " '71"? Excellent film about a soldier who struggles for survival in Belfast after he gets separated from his group while breaking up a riot.
@@largol33t1 Thanks for the thoughtful feedback. I've seen the movie. There was a similar true story in the early Troubles when a young soldier was separated from his unit and he hid in an outbuilding or garage. I remember my father telling the story to my aunt over from Canada. No happy ending. The terrorists (they were all terrorists, BTW, I make no distinction for either side) went in and killed the soldier, and came out holding the his rifle. There's an endless list of these types of stories.
For perspective, Northern Ireland's population was around 1,5M people. There were 3700 killed in total, and tens of thousands injured. If that were scaled up for the USA for example the death toll would be about 138,000. It was a shit situation all round, for everyone.
We didn't think anything of it at the time, it was totally normal, very strange what ppl get used to
@@johnpaulslater2924 It was. I was 22 when I first left NI, and seeing how other people lived (peacefully, and security free entrance to shops, no concerns about where you went, or which schools your friends attended...), wow!
The first casualty of war is the truth.
War is politics by other means.
The first casualty of TH-cam is the click bait clip....
@@benjaminwalkley4761 War is simply politics with violence.
@@benjaminwalkley4761 you missed the entire point…
100% about the shovel thing. I was in Iraq from 05-06 and if you were walking around before dusk with a shovel, you were a fair target. We even had a huge op where we set up at all the turnarounds and crossroads overnight and the shovel carriers had to divert away from their normal routes - right into designated sniper ambushes. Things went about as well as you’d expect. I don’t really ponder till much later that it’s possible that some of those folks may have been just going to work.
Okay, I'm lost. Why were people with shovels a threat?? I'm racking my brain trying to figure it out but I got nothing lol. Idk. Actually I'll go google it because now I really want to know what the deal is with that
@@anothergamingchannel2656 I can only guess potentially for burying mines/IEDs
@@anothergamingchannel2656Emplacing IEDs.
@@anothergamingchannel2656 Depending on the timeframe and location (08-09 mostly north of Baghdad speaking here), word in briefings was that IED/EFP emplacement involved three people, or at least three steps. Emplacement payments were something like $10 to dig the hole, $20 to place an IED in it and run the wires out (for the command detonated or run-over-the-crush-wire type), and $10 to film it going off. You had to film it to get paid if you were doing it for the money instead of for ideological reasons. No rational Iraqi by that timeframe would consider walking around with a shovel when it was dark anything but asking to get shot. Reflecting much later, I have the same thought as above: How many people were just trying to go to work? And I never saw, much less shot, anyone carrying a shovel.
I was at Camp TQ in 2005 ( I was with a Texas Guard infantry unit ) and we had standing orders ( these came down from our battalion ) to kill anyone with a shovel walking around highways,local roads,etc,etc,..before dusk too. We also had a 10:00 pm curfew,no civies out and about at all. And man were the Iraqees angry about that,but,it was for their own safety. I volunteered for 4 deployments to Iraq with Texas Guard units,also did 2 tours back-to-back. I was gone so long from my civilian jobs ( this was due to those back-to-back tours ) that my co-workers thought I had quit. LOL. I was gone for 2 yrs & 8 months total.
Understandings are necessary, excuses are not. One of your most excellent guests!!!
The SEALs are the best of the best. Just ask them. They'll tell you.
How do you beat a SEAL?
Tell them there's a podcast around the corner!
@@thechrisandphaedrusshow 🤣
😂
@@Mad.Maxx.77 if that isn't the most capt obvious comment idk what is, did you just wanna hear yourself talk...
@@702TifosiGambler his point went so far over your head it almost reached the stratosphere.
I was nervous moving from nyc to North Carolina and this MAN moved through war zones to war zones bro ur courage is amazing TY FOR TELLING UR STORIES I RESPECT YOU SO MUCH TY TY ❤
lol I hope that seems like a silly fear now. It’s America brother. If anything, NYC is the outlier you should be concerned about. Nothing natural about that city.
Nervous about what? Half of New Jersey moved there, it sucks now with taxes , high prices, and leftie weasels you’ll feel right at home
How’s nc treatin ya?
What is with you new yorkers moving to NC lol SC is open yk but on a real note you couldn't pay me a billion dollars to live in NYC and I got chased by drones in Ukraine
Please tell me you left your voting habits at home. Charlotte has fallen to the yankee hoards!
Jesus man...the actual content I was looking for his over halfway into the vid..
15:20 is where he speaks of beef with Seals
Thanks! 😊
Thank you
Thanks, I was switching off after listening to the host pontificate about whatever...meanwhile his guest patiently listens. LET YOUR GUEST SPEAK!
Thx
Thank you!
I love this Ranger. He is a a badass warrior yet so humble and soft spoken.
I had no idea he is a Christian. God Bless this man.
He’s a good guy and a Great Ranger. He has been exposed to a lot of religious beliefs over his life and believes his own version of Christianity and has a belief in a Higher Power he calls “Ja” or “Ya”. I saw him talk about it on another podcast. RLTW
I like you all pointing out the implications of what actions that the Military had to execute because of orders from on high. The families who had their doors kicked in will never think of the politics or politicians. They will always remember boots, weapons, and the foreign people who invaded their personal space. They are scarred, our troops are scarred and the politicians were far removed from the real world. But hey, I am just an old man. You all Rock on! Keep up the great stuff! We need this to out for everyone see.
Great Interview, you make these guests very comfortable.
Humanity does not need a reason to fight itself. I have the utmost respect Nick Irving from all I have seen of him. Well spoken, and someone I would not want to f*ck with. He strikes me as someone you would never feel the need to to begin with.
what a cowardly spew
Former 3rd batt here 🤚🏼from 03 - 08. He was dead on about everything he said about seals.
1st Bat 2006-10. Can confirm lol
1st airborne mechanic division. I do agree!
Wow the seals must be seriously over rated
@@martbau25 They go through a lot of shit just to ride in a HUMVEE
@@martbau25 Nah. They're good dudes. They just have a large presence in media so they get more exposure. And honestly, every branch has some shit talking about one another. It's all brotherly love.
This guy is the epitome of a patriot and hero.
Lol
How?
How is he a hero? Taliban don't care about America
Clown
Julian? Yeah he's an absolute legend hey.
Spent a little time in Iraq on the press side. What he says about glossing over civilian casualties and assorted screw ups is spot on.
If you weren’t they after their oil
They’d live in peace and good ways
W A SOLDIERS AND GOVT ARE THE SCOURGE OF HUMANITY AND THE REASON THESE PLACES SUFFER
Numbers are always suspect in wartime. In Vietnam, the numbers of reported enemy killed was, sometimes, staggering. I’ll never forget watching Walter Cronkite in the evening and seeing the “body count” icons (enemy vs Americans) on the screen. It was over as soon as Cronkite came back from a first-hand account and said, on air, we were not winning the War, er, Conflict.
So true. Our team experienced SEALs on a ship stealing food (boat was on rations) and then threw all the workout equipment off the ship before going ashore because they didn't get their way. Then two of them died on a routine mission. It was an odd experience. I don't think my mind could take the toxicity for a career in the Teams.
I heard that the SEALS attract many mentally unstable individuals that think way too highly of themselves
Chicken Hawks and Paper Tigers, they should pass a law that you can’t promote War, unless you enlist and actually put your life on the line
Or your country is invaded by neighboring country that has a immoral, despot megalomaniac that lusts after your country's resources.
Youd trust mccain to send you to war?
Additionally, their children need to be in direct combat units, such as cavalry, infantry, armor, etc. If they don't have children, their siblings children.
I think a mandatory two years when they turned 18 might just turn out country around. Young people have nothing on the mind except garbage... just ask one a simple question. Count back change, learn to spell, and tell time. ❤
it's funny too because the politicians that began their govt. careers in military service are vocally anti war / anti military overspending
I thought it was only me who shat on SEALs. Gotta say this is a refreshing change of pace.
“Nobody ever wins a fight”- Dalton, Roadhouse bouncer.
ghost
@@pacmanmcgavin7034 haha. right on
False
That whole independence thing was just a consolation prize, I suppose.
"You can borrow some sugar" twisted 🤣
right. That was a bar.
Ngl I chuckled too when he said that.
I bought & read this dude's book, The Reaper, several years ago. Cool to see him on podcasts.👌🏻
I’ve never met a SF guy or combat veteran who didn’t end their career as a completely disillusioned cynic. Once the veil is lifted it can’t be replaced.
Soooo true. Almost to a man.
I’m so glad you said combat veterans and not just SF guys. It’s true.
I met a lot od them, most are humble and kind. But i'm Polish and around Polish vets.
so I guess you are not talking about WW2 guys or older cause most of them still honored their country after their war probably cause they were allowed to win and were treated like hero's when they returned home
I'm an OIF and OEF veteran. I honestly didn't care too much about the government before a joined. Now? I trust the government less than I do my ex-wife's parents. Local, state, or federal.
"The Navy Seals are the premiere special forces guys that are just next level and man, do they have the haircare products to prove it." -Delta Force Veteran ((not me, heard this quote on a 2000 TV Show Combat Missions lol))
😂😂 No they are not
@@Zee-yh4ow Are you doubting the quality of their haircare products? Haircare is important for a professional. 🤣
@@Zee-yh4owdo you not know what a Navy Seal is??? It doesn't get more elite than that.
@@Sub-Zero-C6-ZO6 UH...there are AT LEAST 4 other SOF units just in the US arsenal more elite than SEALS.
@Rationalreason777 so what you're saying is that you smoke fentanyl.
My father Jerome R Jackson . Came from a broken home originally from Washington DC but also was born in Richmond Virginia. He was never drafted into the Marine corps he voluntarily signed the papers or got his mother to sign the papers at the age of 17 as a African American. I guess you could say he's one of God's misguided children. He served two tours in Vietnam. And you were right. I was born later years after he got out of the military and served this country. He suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and talked a lot about how he was spit on when it came back home to the states It's a black man with his country didn't even honor him correctly instead they just sent him back to the hood to figure it all out for after all he has done for the red white and blue. But they're also wear a lot of times where he couldn't tell us everything that he saw and done for his country. He passed away February 2nd 2018. And at the end of the day all he got was a letter from President Donald Trump at the time to my Mother and a 21 gun salute for his service. Now he's buried at Quantico military memorial, but what I see today things haven't really change that much with the structure and leadership for the people that's supposed to be in charge. All I see is a selfish agenda at the end of the day. But for some reason I still think this is the greatest country. And he felt the same way after all he went through it was always out his mouth once a Marine always a Marine and he loved this country as well because it's his. Because he was willing to die for it. And lost a lot of brothers over there in Vietnam for what.I give it to my father even after all the mortarounds and l strapnel in his body. He never complained🪖👢⚔️🇺🇸
Yeah… hope he didn’t take it personal. Just… people being upset with what they heard soldiers were doing over there and their gov’t lying to them.
Personally, I see no reason why we were over there to begin with.
@1Deep43VA it didn't really bother him but it did wake him up to the propaganda. But it did make him a tough old angry bastard with a good heart once you get past the first layer of toughness pain and suffering. He was just a kid when he went in and came home a man who was still treated as a boy when he got back. And I want to say thank you thank you thank you
@@MrFuture804 God, couldn’t imagine what that would do to a kid. But thanks for sharing your story!
After they got out those guys had to deal with public abuse, humiliation, and isolation. They could only rely on one another to understand. It was such a disgraceful time. I joined in the mid-1980s. By that time the stigma had mostly vanished. I got to serve with several Vietnam Vets. They were the best dudes. A Master SGT in the USAF that I worked under had been a marine in Vietnam and had 2 purple hearts. Those of us who signed up wanted to be there. God bless your father for doing what he thought was right. When we no longer have people like that we will no longer have a country.
God bless you and your family.❤
Nick needs his own pod. Everyone told him he was lying and he never said a word... "death needs no words"
Love both of you guys. In 2008 or 9 we went into a village that was so secluded they thought we were Russians lol
I'm glad vets have a place to vet
My first deployment was operation desert shield/storm. When i got home my mom handed me a stack of news articles. It was crazy how different the news was from reality. I came back after 9/11 and i never bothered with the news
"Hatred only breeds more hatred and then it all just feeds on itself"
(Kei Nagase, Ace Combat 5)
Islamb breeds hatred all by itself.
“They won't let me go on a "Black Op," because I'm too little, and nobody ever lets you do anything when you're little.” - Major Payne 😂
Our government isn’t about winning wars it’s all about a small group making lots of of money
True. All wars are bankers wars.
It’s been said since at least the civil war it’s a rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight.
Sundowner from Metal Gear was right on the money.
That's what all wars throughout human history have been fought for. Any history book/person that says otherwise is just following propaganda.
@@Michael-en7of never heard that term ever bro stfu hahahahha
Wow, what a chilling perspective to actually know the truth." Ben they're done that", takes on a whole new meaning.
This is one of your best interviewees,,he’s very smart ,and just different from the others..I like this guy 👍
What others
I know this is really therapeutic for him to speak about his experience ❤
Thank you for your service. You are a hero
After the Vietnam war the Seals have had serious leadership issues that allow BS to happen without correction.
Vietnam G.I r war criminals. Free Fire Zone policy.
Joe do the 🇺🇸 a favor and STFU lol
Luv when this man is interviewed!¡
I remember working in camp anaconda in 2005 as a contractor and watching the news, then having to call family back home to tell them not to believe anything until we call
Crazy times
Hey,amigo,I was at Anaconda in June 2006 with a Texas Guard Aviation Brigade ( and man we had some very-PRETTY-women in our brigade-LOL ) before going to Iraq,we did a 5 month train-up at Ft Hood,Tx ( now renamed Ft Cavazos ) and i have some-WILD-stories about folks hooking up there and Iraq too. LOL. Once the unit got to Ft Hood the vd rate went-up 30 % on the entire post. And Ft Hood is-HUGE-too.
The media will do whatever to get views. Earlier this year, I was stuck in Niger and the media was over exaggerating a little bit. Was it the best situation? No, but it wasn't like what the media was saying. If anything, I felt like due to the election, they were trying to keep us stuck quiet so it wouldn't hurt the elections. I felt stranded by the U.S. if anything. You can Google about the U.S. getting kicked out of Niger. It was a political shit show.
I passed through Anaconda in 2003. It is crazy it was still around in 05 and 06.
@@devildwg82 Yeah,I went there in June 2006 with a Texas Guard unit ( an aviation brigade ) full of-FINE-gorgeous asian,black,mexican and white women. LOL. I remember they had a Pizza-Hut,Burger-King,etc,etc,..I was at Camp TQ in 2005 with a Texas Guard infantry unit and we had none of these things,at all.
@ “mortaritaville”
Something was happening on a daily
Interesting memories forsure
I feel so at home watching your podcast with the Reaper....thanks a million....LRSU...
Audio Sounds Really Good on This Episode. 👍
That opening had me laughing. Definition of a SEAL😂😂😂😂
Vietnam. Drafted in June 1972. Never got further than Virginia.
@pmh1nic welcome home brother
@@Fuxerzyou’re a loser
You deadass? I have SO many questions but have a feeling you wont respond. Either way, welcome home man
My uncle was drafted did some pretty heroic things in Vietnam save some lives got some medals mentally I'm not sure he ever came back went to prison got raped by black dudes didn't like black dudes anymore died a wild man in his 50s back in the 90s, rest easy uncle Eddie thank you for your service and your bravery you were pretty fun dude the little bit I got to know you see you on the other side.
thank u for ya service og💯
All of this guys in a forces and teams are the best im proud of all of our guys and ladys
There's a line from the movie War Games. "The only way to win is not to play"
Cool story bro
A warrior philosopher is a rare thing.
They are remarkable.
I lived at AR Ramadi Iraq in 2005.
The idea that what people were told wasn't true is beyond real.
We would sit there asking what country are they talking about.
To be part of an operation and have the entire thing misrepresentation.
10:41: I was a young army veteran when Bush started the WMD BS. I was in the minority of people saying that it was complete BS. I agreed that Sadam was not a good guy, but that region was stable. Most people believed Bush's lie and thought I was crazy. I was mechanized infantry, had a lot of combat training in a desert environment, was towards the end of my two year inactive reserve component and was expecting to get called to do stupid ish in the desert. I was happy to get my official discharge papers a month before my IR ended when we were ramping up to go to Kuwait. Bush should be brought to the Hague to face a war crimes tribunal.
Yep. VP Dick Cheney was also the CEO of Halliburton who also happened to supply all of the food, buildings, etc. to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Follow the money and you’ll see why we went to war and why it’s been dragged out for so long.
We know and many service members who are still in know that the Iraq War was BS. Dick Cheney and G.W. B. went full warhawk for petty reasons and destabilized the whole region. That war created ISIS. there was no Al Quaeda in Iraq that was another lie.
@@VagabondAdventures1 Cheney should be in prison but sob probably owns them.
He did have WMD, actually CBW, that we gave him to fight our mortal enemy, Iran, during their 8 year chemical war in 1980-88 that everyone forgot about cause the media focused on the Soviet Afghanistan war. If it was chem weapon in inventory, saddam was given it. Army Combat Engineers blew up huge chemical weapons ASP (kismayah or something) that exposed hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops in its downwind hazard area that DOD itself acknowledged. This was after being told by EOD to not blow up anything. As the EOD element is driving away, off it the distance the whole thing goes up in smoke and chemicals 😂. The explosive formula for safely getting rid of CBW is 5lbs of HE for every 1lb of CBW materials. All those engineers did was disperse everything. So all you GW Syndrome folks, ya can thank the Engineers 🥸. Decades later, teams ran WMD calls, all US Munitions 🙄.
He was following the directions from Israel and Cheney saw OIL profits and chaos started.
"They got guns, we got guns. Let's go." jesus christ this might be one of the most metal quotes I've ever seen lol
Jesus a figment of W.A.S. imagination and false media
Has nothing to do with this whatsoever ….
I am a Vietnam era veteran. The public saw me in uniform I would get spit at. I was in San Diego at the time the people would tell us to go home. I’ve been a biker most of my life and I wear a leather vest with a lot of biker patches on it. I a patch that say Veteran on it. I was at a biker party and some young man walked up to me and he shook my hand and thanked me for my service. No one has ever told me that
Colonel Kurtz was on point: “Your just a grocery clerk, sent by the grocer, to collect the bill”
"War is an extension of politics by other means" -Prussian military guy
Carl von Clausewitz
Real hero with no super powers just powerful words thanks for sharing your story nick!
The "never ending circle" is the plan in action.
It isn't a side-effect, it is the goal.
Recognise.
I believe it's how these mega corporations make their money. "War is business.....and business is good."
No to mention war helps depopulate..
Thank you for your service
Great interview. Nothing but facts. Took me back to my thoughts from 2 tours in Iraq.
I'm a retired POL guy. I can tell you that I have had more issues with SEAL team members than Green Berets, Rangers, or Delta. Those Army guys would always thank you for your help and support. Really cool guys. Plus, my dad is a retired Ranger, so I always had a spot in my heart for them. Maybe it's not that they are SEALs and it's more of the Navy mentality? Like a Navy Chief would not talk to a Staff Sergeant... they would always ask for a Senior NCO to talk to. I HATED my time in JTF-HOA....
30 plus years ago I heard a bus in Somalia full of passengers was used as a target for US military testing a new weapon and all that was left of the passengers was their shoes and feet with quarter inch of bone left sticking out, the rest of them gone
30 plus years ago I heard they killed sandy claws.
him saying, im gonna come find you. holds alot
The REAPER is a NATIONAL TREASURE. I hope he runs for office in some fashion. WE NEED MORE LEADERS WITH HIS EXPERIENCE & INTELLIGENCE!
S Jersey boy huh. Philly here yo. Go Iggles 🦅. Just stumbled on your podcast. Very good guest so far and you’re a good interviewer. Best of luck.
Used to work with and know a few. Jerks is a pretty good word.
GREAT INTERVIEW
I feel him on the cool part about being over there and experiencing the reality vs the news. When I was over there back in 2020 (drawdown) and I went back for the evacuation out of Kandahar (2021) and while in Afghanistan we would get briefed on threats in the area before going out to do our “medic thing” haha. But we were hearing about ISIS-K (not actually their real name) and other groups that the news had not mentioned. I remember asking my Colonel if this group was the same as the previous ISIS group. On a sidenote, one of the evacuees actually explained what ISIS-K was as well as other things. The evacuation was a cluster fuck for those of us over there, but it was cool that we got to talk to the people of the country this time, unlike the previous time where we mostly did patient care and Covid Ops. Deployments were the best, it’s the only time I actually felt like I was “earning” the uniform. Shout out to “Murica 🇺🇸” ✊🏿💪🏿. I’d do it all over again 10x over.
Oh shit!! The Reaper said the quiet parts outloud 😮😮😮
I know a christian Iraqi that had no beef with Sadam. He said that so long as you didn't actively mess with Sadam, you would have no problems. Life was fine.
Im from ireland. I moved to NY in 2000 amd left in 2002. I was there when the towers fell. I remember it like it was yesterday.
9/11 is when the U.S. found out what terrorism is. Real negotiations over Ireland began. 9/11 was not gangsters going at each other, but war fought without uniforms. And America changed.
Wow, what a time to become an American and New Yorker especially
General Eisenhauer once president said "I hate war only as a soldier who has lived it can have and seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity".
He also murdered 2 million German prisoners
@@nelsongrant6882how? Or do ypu mean he just let the ussr do it?
@ look up eisenhowers death camps where he interned 2 million German pow’s but didn’t treat them as pow’s, he starved them on the Rhine to death, American Generals formally apologised in 2011 , read the book “other losses” where in detail allied soldiers detail the mass starvation
On 9/11, I was a 6th grader at a large public middle school with 1,500 students. Classes were abruptly halted, and we were made to watch the news on repeat for an hour as the Twin Towers had already fallen, our school day began at 8 AM PST. That experience stayed with me. I later joined the Air Force as a CCT and deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. Ever since, I’ve wondered, who decided it was appropriate for middle school kids to watch that? Was it a nationwide directive?
We don't ever think about the family of the enemies that are killed
We also don't think about who told us they "are enemies"...
Why would we? They don't care about or think of ours.
It's a really terrible thing. On one hand there are legitimately a lot of very bad people out there who get shot up by these guys. On the other hand there are the innocents caught up in all of it. They are the terrible tragedy in this.
@@infiniterer287 very true
@@jimmyboy131 theres a lot of twisted people, theres a lot of people that take up arms that are just defending their people/land/freedom, theres innocents in the crossfire, theres locals defending themselves and yet, none of that pesky morality applies to who these types of dudes take out. All that matters is where the US empire will benefit from the violence.
Case in point, Al Qaida and Daish went from being enemy number one to being on US payroll. You can be sure they didnt stop being twisted lunatics in the meantime.
Its us, we are the baddies. These guys are just the hammer/knife/scalpel/spear that enforces the imperial agenda.
Great content..
"This we do that others may live."
There is no such thing as the "Best". Situations and circumstances. It's best to be trained for the moment.
A very interesting conversation
No the CIA tested it on criminals and mentally ill homeless people here first. When you see that crazy homeless man yelling "get away from me" to some "random" person in public, they probably aren't that "crazy," and the random might not be that "random."
They’re talking about the surveillance/intel gathering using phones and appliances
@lukebryant5017 I can comprehend. I know exactly what he said, and I don't think they wait until war time situations to see if something works or not. I believe they test newly developed, non-lethal technologies, on "undesirable" citizens here at home as well.
Dude your more schizo then those crazy homeless people...
Hearing some sharp thinking shared here.
I appreciate how the reaper mentioned civilians in Iraq didn’t even know about 9/11… cause they didn’t do it!! All the research and facts surrounding that event prove it!!!
No one ever claimed they did it, the claim has always been Saudis in Al-Qaeda used Afghanistan as a base to plan it and train under the protection of the Taliban.
"Peace between man will never be certain, not until our numbers fall to one or less"
11:11 yep. I had a family member who served in the USMC. I think he was a Gny at the time. He told me about the ROE and civilians could not use cell phones out in public or they could get shot.
In addition, curfews at night and being on rooftops specifically using a cell phone, I mean people use their rooftops to wash their clothes dry them. It was crazy.
@ around 12:00 "Hearts and minds" = two rounds to the heart, one to the mind.
I think he's got a point. How are they watching listening to all of us.
^ America signed away its right to privacy when we passed the Patriot Act
@dsphillips16 absolutely 💯
Every country is jealous of the other, for 1 or two reasons
The phone tells you this when you buy it. As well as all the apps you use.
While I agree the government should not spy on us, I am doing nothing wrong so it is not a big deal to me.
Had to keep watching
Is there actual conspiracy theorists in 2024? Because lately we just call them facts.
Yeah I’m kinda running out of conspiracy theories at this point.
Sure. There are still people who think Trump works for Putin.
Spoiler alerts
We now live in a world where there are is no way to debunk anything. The big excuse is that you can't trust the media...even when the facts are real.
By "we" I think you must mean maga idots and q-anon idiots.
Would love to hear more details about the old ROEs. I know what they were when I was there...would be cool to hear the changes, progression, etc.
8:00 - they're getting it wrong. The reason there are now 'cycles' of vindictive fighters is because none of the wars really conclude. They're all executed with the intent of PROLONGING the conflict for political and financial purposes. In order to not have such cycles, the war has to be ended VERY CONCLUSIVELY. Example: the total, utter defeats of Germany and Japan in WW2. Their defeats did NOT generate a generation of vengeful warriors because the defeat was absolute.
exactly japan loves the united states even after we gave them 2 gifts and ended it
Not really. It's incompetence.
@@xSDxReaper
No. Not the case.
@@xSDxReaper
😂 Good one. They don't.
@@bobfg3130 japan literally relies on the united states bud
This guest is kick ass. I’ve seen him on some other interviews. His ghost story is Wild to.
War will always exist. I am old Vet now from GWOT. The cycle is perpetuated by young kids on all sides. This is why war is said to be fought by young men. Kids seen their fathers killed or in my case my country attacked in 2001. Battle instinct kicks in. Of course after 20 years, the side with less combat theaters heals first and then queue in the questions, the last samurai reflections, the conspiracy theorists. The side that sees most of the combat theater gets ready to inflict damage in the next 20 years. The cycle endures. Add adults with 6 grade literacy level into the mix and you have another attack in 20 years and instead of taking responsibility and performing an after action review, the same illiterates initiate a conspiracy theory. Cycle repeats
Really interesting comment about big countries vs little countries
Navy Seals are the Tiktok'ers and Instagram models of the Operator community.
That’s unbelievably disrespectful to generalize all team guys in that capacity.
I like how 98% of you clowns have never volunteered to serve anything but hamburgers or hot dogs yet you have so much to say about men who risk their lives to provide you with the freedoms you so liberally enjoy. Yet you have the nerve to disrespect and downplay what they do and then judge all of them by the actions of a few.
Yea like you are in the know and have a clue as to what goes into becoming and being a SEAL. Typical keyboard princess.
@@lucasmontgomery7016anyone who has the guts to serve . Deserves respect 🫡
Says some douche bag on TH-cam
The coffee cup 😂
He’s spot on about the Rangers pulling taking a back seat to Team 6. Most of the Ranger platoons are tier 2 as are most of the seal teams. Delta and Team 6 are tier one. The JSOC commanders switch out between former team 6 guys and former Delta guys.
The bickering usually culminated on who got the best seats in the helicopters. Completely stupid but it was always there. Lol.
Rangers pulled blocking positions and perimeter security while Team 6 hit the compounds. However when the SHTF Rangers carried the day cause Rangers carried the firepower. Seals didn’t carry shit and it showed when it got…hairy.
There haven't been tier 1 and 2 units in decades....maybe in the Navy with DEVGRU and the rest of the SEALs. Delta has been recruiting from all units because the Green Berets/Special Forces aren't that interested anymore. They understood Delta/CAG is a far more specialised unit and they might not like that. If that's not enough there's at least 1 other unit that recruits from Green Berets so there's also competition. In think in the 2000s or the 2010s they lowered the rank/pay grade Delta can recruit from an E-5 Sergeant to an E-4 Specialist.
Worth mentioning that SEAL Team 6 was disbanded and replaced by DEVGRU.
One thing i liked about the seals is their rules of engagement was much better than the armies when i was in Afghanistan
I seriously can relate to Nick Irving about everything he is talking about. I have done four deployments to Iraq and i was in the National Guard when i was in Iraq 🇮🇶. On my first deployment i lost two soldiers in my platoon to a suicide bomber in Mosul, Iraq 2004. I'm pretty sure that Nick was in Iraq for part of the time i was there. I was a Combat Engineer that was building fortifications, EOD Security, Kicking in doors with the infantry and we didn't even have armor on my first deployment. I watched how the environment changed from my first deployment in 2004 to my last deployment in 2022. For all of my military awards i would still want all of my brothers and sisters to be here right now.
Here is a list of my awards:
Ribbon Bar
Combat Action badge
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Valorous Unit Award
Army Commendation Medal "V", "C", "Silver Leaf"
Army Achievement Medal
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal "3 Bronze Stars"
Operation Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal "Bronze Star"
Global War on Terrorism (Expeditionary)
Global War on Terrorism (Service)
Armed Forces Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal "Silver Hourglass", "M", "3"
Army NCO Professional Development Ribbon "2"
Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon
Now after 26 years i'm still serving and now in the Army Reserves. But for 26 years i was in the National Guard with the 276th Engineer Battalion and 29th Infantry Division and multiple units in the 29th Infantry Division where i deployed with Infantry and Field Artillery
Freaking stellar !
WTF would you post this? Do you really need praise from complete strangers that badly?
@nickb- Do you need to be worrying about a veteran that wasn't even talking to you? Do i owe you money or something? You are looking at a video of one veteran but questioning another veteran for posting his experiences. Last time i checked this is the United States where both Nick Irving and myself fought for you to have the right to harrass people on TH-cam. If i wanted validation that bad i would be on the streets asking for money for my trauma but i don't. One thing i can say is that i share my experiences so that someone can understand whaat veterans go through that most people can never undersstand.
My dad and his brother volunteered to join the USMC during Vietnam.
My dad didn’t want someone to die in his place.
You know how you know a guy is a SEAL? He will tell you.
The reaper is such a nice guy
We never should have gone into Iraq in 2003. I still think it was just Bush and Cheney wanting to finish daddy bushes unfinished business from the first gulf war.
All wars are bankers wars.
"Only the dead have seen the end of war." -Plato
I watched Black Hawk Down, too
1 month into Iraq the Iraqis keep asking me “where is our Japan? Make us Japan?” To which I said “you have to build it.” The Iraqis didn’t like when I said that. That’s what rule under a dictator does to the human psyche. They thought we were going to make them into Japan overnight.
12B 2003-04 BIAP “Sappers lead the way.”
ps Reaper; I told my wife this after I got back. “Unless we take over their education system like we did in Japan and Germany this insurgency will never end.” I’m sorry you had to experience the mess brother.
The seals would be like get out scrubbs we gitta work out!!! Lol