Humvee Drivin' in Iraq.

if i didn't know better i would have thought that was a dash cam from a mexican or any other central/south american taxi.

(for americans) don't get out of the way of a police car or firetruck and see how long it takes them to bump you. :)

As an Iraq vet I'll attest to the insanity that is urban Iraq. These guys were doing the right thing by observing ROE that protected their own forces. You do NOT sit and wait for the traffic in a combat zone. I was a turret gunner on a deuce-and-a-half, and I'll tell you, the scariest times were when we slowed down or stopped.

"# AK-00 Says:
January 28th, 2007 at 6:05 am

This is why no-one likes US troops. The only thing you can trust them to do is cover their own asses, first and foremost."

We cover our own asses and the ones of our comrades because it is clear that asshats like you never will even be able to cover yourselves, let alone anyone else.

I don't support the war. That's why I had to get out after the first tour. What really gets me are the people who live their nice comfortable lives, have had to sacrifice nothing, and dump on the soldiers for doing what soldiers do. If you're that opposed to what they are doing, you should have protested harder, written more letters, talked to more people, contacted your congressperson. You know, all the things that responsible citizen of a democratic republic are obligated to do in order to perserve their freedom, but most are too lazy or apathetic to.

Thanks, Rob, for telling it straight. Ignore the imbeciles posting negativity about the job you guys are doing. For every a$$hat with a negative comment, there are dozens of right-thinking individuals waiting to shake your hand and thank you for serving.

Keep up the great work. And thanks.

Pigs is pigs. The pig soldiers, the pig government and the jew pigs who started the whole thing.

pigs.

One of the reasons why I like this website is because it gives perspective and gives a reason for people to think. Given that, I’d like to make a few points:

1. The Iraqi people have been subject to, and for the most part are accustomed to, the presence of both foreign and military presence in their urban areas over the last few years. These military forces are both highly visible and heavily targeted by the enemy. It’s hard to miss them when they’re driving through the streets.

2. These highly visible and heavily targeted military personnel and vehicles are targeted daily by planted explosive devices that can take any form – from the parked and/or moving vehicles, plastic bottles, piles of trash, etc. – as well as sniper fire, especially the gunner (a brave soul who exposes the upper half of his/her body on top of the vehicle). Because both these threats often depend on timing by the trigger-man, speed and momentum are key factors in subverting the enemy’s attack. Compound this with the enemy tactic of purposely slowing down military vehicles in order to make their attacks more effective, or in other words, so they can kill more people when they bunch up.

3. These military forces also consciously avoid heavily populated areas unless necessary, exceptions being areas requiring a security presence. Finding safe (i.e., minimally populated either by location or time) avenues of movement is a key part of route planning, and includes minimizing exposure of locals to threats, and inversely, exposing military personnel to potential enemies, who also tend to hide within civilian populations.

While I don’t expect the average civilian to understand why Soldiers or Marines may drive like they have a case of road rage on steroids, or to look past that the fact they’re not driving their Honda Civic in the middle of the O.C., I would ask they would appreciate the point others have made in the comments in that these people are driving with the knowledge that they are sitting ducks, unflinchingly and sorely wanting to protect themselves and their comrades, all the while driving through an environment filled with an unseen, extremely deadly enemy, and surrounded by people who they also have to protect, but at the same time have to be be wary of. Makes your head spin, doesn’t it?

Finally, going back to the point about perspective, anyone who’s been to Egypt, Italy, Spain, or South Korea has seen much worse driving than this. In fact, the “guy picking his nose” would’ve been run over twice by Vespas if he was doing the same thing in Rome.

PS – not the right type of website to talk about it, but the Iraqis don’t hate Americans because of they way they drive. A lot of them congenially tolerate (God forbid, even like) the military there, as they realize they wouldn’t be as safe without them. A lot of the angst and resentment (aside from the west's history in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict... yeah, it's a hot issue in Iraq) comes from not being able to do enough to make their lives safer from terrorists, sooner... although it’s not for the lack of trying…