A French soldier's view of American soldiers

[Skybird]

http://www.warriorlodge.com/blogs/ne...in-afghanistan

[Schroeder]

Something positive about US soldiers form YOU?
The end of the world is neigh.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

Something positive about US soldiers form YOU?
The end of the world is neigh.

Well the rapture at least!

[Onkel Neal]

Is it genuine?

[August]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Is it genuine?

If it's about the Paratroops then it's probably understated.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Is it genuine?

Yup! I had the same thought and so read the French version (Original) for which the English translation is just off enough to give that "ring of verisimilitude" EXAMPLE: "...amplified by promiscuity and the loneliness of this outpost in the middle of that Afghan valley." In the Fench text it is "amplifiées par la promiscuité et la solitude du poste au milieu de cette vallée Afghane." Any American would never use the word promiscuity in the context of a advanced forward position since it has a primarily unsavory connotative meaning in standard Americanese ie Unchaste; whereas in the French it simply means 'way out in front'. The translator took the word and used it directly from the original French, along with some other minor awkwardness, to indicate it is genuine..imho

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

Any American would never use the word promiscuity in the context of a advanced forward position since it has a primarily unsavory connotative meaning in standard Americanese ie Unchaste; whereas in the French it simply means 'way out in front'. The translator took the word and used it directly from the original French, along with some other minor awkwardness, to indicate it is genuine..imho

That's good to know. I thought it a bit odd that a Frenchman would complain about Americans being promiscuous. That context explains a lot.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

That's good to know. I thought it a bit odd that a Frenchman would complain about Americans being promiscuous. That context explains a lot.

That would be libidineux ...not chaste; hardly the stuff of 'courtly love' as in the chansons ie: three formes fixes: ballade, rondeau, or virelai. The style is sophisticated, and the songs are evidently written for an audience with high artistic aspirations and a cultivated taste. The general subject matter was 'courtly love' ...as you are undoubtedly well aware.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

Something positive about US soldiers form YOU?
The end of the world is neigh.

Show me a single topic in the past 15 years where I ever attacked the simple soldiers or armed forces (if they were not the photographers of the Abu Graibh scandal pictures) for being "bad" people or "inapt" soldiers. You will not find such a topic by me.

I go after American politics and politicians like I go after German and European politicians and poltics, yes. I have attacked the political leaders of the defence sector, yes, the defence ministry, the bureaucracy and economic corruption behind it, yes.

The only thing I repeatedly questioned regarding the soldiers, was the naivety of many young men willing to serve regarding the political motives of those politicians by which they allow to be be commanded, the belief that one could indeed contribute to nation building in Iraq or Afghanistan, and I once had a long debate about the infiltration of American armed forces by Christian fundamentalism, because at that time there were several news stories and TV documentaries on this issue. The debate was a hot one, I remember.

[Skybird]

Steve, Aktungboy,

the original site I could not link becasue it had a word in its adress that got bot-censored by the forum software and thus the link would be non-functional. In that place however it is said that the article is a translation from the French that were a bit rough around the edges originally, and that therefore some unusual phrasing could be met.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Is it genuine?

okay, here is where I found it:

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3763720

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Is it genuine?

They have a terribly strong American accent - from our point of view the language they speak is not even English.

It must be

[Platapus]

Been a while since I heard/read the term "battle rattle".

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Been a while since I heard/read the term "battle rattle".

Was it flints or percussion when you last heard it?

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

Was it flints or percussion when you last heard it?

You get a little closer to my walker and I will show you percussion!

And turn down that durn music!