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“So Much Worse Than People Realize”: Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal Damage at U.S. Bases as Troops Describe Being Abandoned
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asg101 lemmy.ca asg101@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2023-10-30
Quote

lol.... "Greatest military in history." Right.

203   Original
sin_free_for_00_days sopuli.xyz sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz
Joined: 2023-07-28
#2 · Quote Reply

A family friend was working over there when it all started going down. She isn't military, but her checks come from the DoD. Bombs hit, shit went sideways, and the military...pretty much disappeared. They (the group of Americans living in the same area), had to charter a bus to ride to the other side of the country, then further travel until finally flying to Europe. They had to leave all their shit and still have no idea what's going on. Joke of a country.

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FaceDeer fedia.io FaceDeer@fedia.io
Joined: 2024-03-03
#3 · Quote Reply

And Trump's term is only half finished.

It's quite remarkable. Russia's military proved itself to be an unexpected paper tiger when they launched an unprovoked attack on Ukraine, a completely unforced error. And now America's done the exact same thing attacking Iran (though it's still a bigger paper tiger than Russia's military, so Cuba shouldn't breathe a sigh of relief just yet). Trump longs to be like Putin, and a monkey's finger curls on the paw...

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codydodd lemmy.ca codydodd@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2026-08-22
#4 · (edited) Quote Reply

A family friend was working over there when it all started going down. She isn't military, but her checks come from the DoD. Bombs hit, shit went sideways, and the military...pretty much disappeared. They (the group of Americans living in the same area), had to charter a bus to ride to the other side of the country, then further travel until finally flying to Europe. They had to leave all their...

To be fair living in UAE for a few years I got this inescapable feeling of how vulnerable they really were but the political culture was so blind. Now waking up to their mistakes but too late. Making private deals with Iran which means US influence in the region permanently peaked. Hubris at every level led to this.

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13igtyme startrek.website 13igtyme@startrek.website
Joined: 2026-09-21
#5 · Quote Reply

And Trump's term is only half finished. It's quite remarkable. Russia's military proved itself to be an unexpected paper tiger when they launched an unprovoked attack on Ukraine, a completely unforced error. And now America's done the exact same thing attacking Iran (though it's still a bigger paper tiger than Russia's military, so Cuba shouldn't breathe a sigh of relief just yet). Trump longs ...

The US military is also being led by a pathetic TV show host obsessed with testosterone therapy.

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thefluffiest feddit.nl thefluffiest@feddit.nl
Joined: 2023-07-03
#6 · Quote Reply

This has been criminally underreported. Failure of the media to not show reality and letting the incompetent fascists get away with it. Not just the MSM, all media. Thanks MTN.

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Tollana1234567 lemmy.today Tollana1234567@lemmy.today
Joined: 2025-06-04
#7 · Quote Reply

To be fair living in UAE for a few years I got this inescapable feeling of how vulnerable they really were but the political culture was so blind. Now waking up to their mistakes but too late. Making private deals with Iran which means US influence in the region permanently peaked. Hubris at every level led to this.

the oil money blinded them, the ME thinks its safe, because they can bribe trump or the gop for safety, turns out they are on the lowest totem pole as far as influence goes. russia, israel, billionaires have the most effect on trump.

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Tollana1234567 lemmy.today Tollana1234567@lemmy.today
Joined: 2025-06-04
#8 · Quote Reply

The US military is also being led by a pathetic TV show host obsessed with testosterone therapy.

2 actuallly, one is orange, one is drunk, but they both are obsessed with machismo culture.

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promitheas programming.dev promitheas@programming.dev
Joined: 2023-06-12
#9 · (edited) Quote Reply

At least the wife who talked about her children's PTSD now has an idea of what they do around the world to children. Her being from the US however, makes me doubt whether she will make that connection, instead of just looking at it from the lens of how it affects her own little bubble.

Good riddance to those United Statians who died

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tempest lemmy.ca tempest@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2023-06-30
#10 · Quote Reply

Exactly like the American Military personnel deserve.

None of them are innocent.

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P1nkman lemmy.world P1nkman@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-04-28
#11 · Quote Reply

Oh no, the people I am actively bullying is now bullying me, and that's not fair! Fuck the fuck off.

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Smaile lemmy.ca Smaile@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2026-01-28
#12 · (edited) Quote Reply

Only the 7th American death btw🙄

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ArmchairAce1944 lemmy.ca ArmchairAce1944@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2025-10-16
#13 · Quote Reply

And Trump's term is only half finished. It's quite remarkable. Russia's military proved itself to be an unexpected paper tiger when they launched an unprovoked attack on Ukraine, a completely unforced error. And now America's done the exact same thing attacking Iran (though it's still a bigger paper tiger than Russia's military, so Cuba shouldn't breathe a sigh of relief just yet). Trump longs ...

The myth of the 'masculine manly military vs. The gay inclusive loser military' should have been fully laid to rest by the Ukraine war. The Russian military is all male with homosexuals banned and they try to project a reputation of unfazed toughness. But they have, both now and historically have underperformed in military operations. The Ukrainian military, which allows women and is significantly more diverse and inclusive, has overperformed, by contrast.

Pete Hegseth's idea of running the military is based on entirely on puffery and talk. He is inept, incompetent, and cannot manage anything. All he can do is talk and take cheap shots that destroy any trust in the US internationally, like sinking the Iranian warship returning from exercises with the US and others.

Even in wartime there are agreements, written and unwritten, that govern behavior. During WW2 the Japanese did not attack the US supply ships going across the North Pacific to supply the USSR even though they were also at war with the USSR.

He thinks there are no rules, while Iran, despite being fairly brutal towards their own people, are highly restrained in their military attacks on their enemies, when they absolutely could be brutal and murderous if they wanted.

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Rentlar lemmy.ca Rentlar@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2023-03-14
#14 · Quote Reply

When military leadership cares more about operational optics than servicemember safety or even at least operational logistics and readiness, this is the result.

The US military is strong, yes, but it's like as if the strongest person in the world were given a lobotomy, you can't do much with the muscle if your brains are MIA.

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BeardededSquidward lemmy.blahaj.zone BeardededSquidward@lemmy.blahaj.zone
Joined: 2025-12-04
#15 · Quote Reply

We are getting our butts handed to us. We're in another quagmire forever war with no end in sight all so Trump could try to up his approval ratings.

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Phoenixz lemmy.ca phoenixz@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2023-06-10
#16 · Quote Reply

I dont think I've seen the US army being this pounded and wasteful and generally incompetent

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fyzzlefry retrolemmy.com fyzzlefry@retrolemmy.com
Joined: 2025-03-16
#17 · Quote Reply

When military leadership cares more about operational optics than servicemember safety or even at least operational logistics and readiness, this is the result. The US military is strong, yes, but it's like as if the strongest person in the world were given a lobotomy, you can't do much with the muscle if your brains are MIA.

A military's strength comes from logistics, not weapons.

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fyzzlefry retrolemmy.com fyzzlefry@retrolemmy.com
Joined: 2025-03-16
#18 · (edited) Quote Reply

Only the 7th American death btw🙄

Ok first that number is wrong but lets dig into it.

There is apparently a number of American deaths you find acceptable, how many is too many?

I assume Iraqi deaths are also acceptable and the number is higher? How many is too many?

How much money is too much money?

Here's an estimate of all those current numbers since we're self reporting wrong. https://militaryspend.org/iran-war-casualties

Once you have those answers can you help me with this? Why are we even there? What are people dying over?

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Smaile lemmy.ca Smaile@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2026-01-28
#19 · (edited) Quote Reply

Ok first that number is wrong but lets dig into it. There is apparently a number of American deaths you find acceptable, how many is too many? I assume Iraqi deaths are also acceptable and the number is higher? How many is too many? How much money is too much money? Here's an estimate of all those current numbers since we're self reporting wrong. https://militaryspend.org/iran-war-casualties On...

Media literacy is dead, this was the number Peet said it was at a few weeks ago claiming to be the real number of American deaths when it was obviously not true based on ground media already out, I'm not going to read the rest of your nonesense since you clearly think I'm a MAGAt and are so ready to get on your soup box it's be a waste of my time talking to you past this.

Edit: y'all care a lot more about being right and feeling good about it then actually being good people care about strong causes, your still saying I'm a maga despite the fact it's clear I'm disparaging the admin, go back to reddit.

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Burn_The_Right lemmy.today Burn_The_Right@lemmy.today
Joined: 2026-08-19
#20 · Quote Reply

ALL conservatives are traitors and should be dealt with as such.

It is immoral to keep a relationship with a conservative. Disown them. Do not employ them. Do not serve them. Exclude them from daily life in every way you can.

Conservatives are truly, deeply evil. Always have been and always will be.

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Burn_The_Right lemmy.today Burn_The_Right@lemmy.today
Joined: 2026-08-19
#21 · Quote Reply

We are getting our butts handed to us. We're in another quagmire forever war with no end in sight all so Trump could try to up his approval ratings.

And the distraction from the Trump-Epstein Files didn't work at all. We still demand them.

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Burn_The_Right lemmy.today Burn_The_Right@lemmy.today
Joined: 2026-08-19
#22 · Quote Reply

Only the 7th American death btw🙄

Can we nominate you for #8, since it's not really a big deal or anything?

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Burn_The_Right lemmy.today Burn_The_Right@lemmy.today
Joined: 2026-08-19
#23 · Quote Reply

Media literacy is dead, this was the number Peet said it was at a few weeks ago claiming to be the real number of American deaths when it was obviously not true based on ground media already out, I'm not going to read the rest of your nonesense since you clearly think I'm a MAGAt and are so ready to get on your soup box it's be a waste of my time talking to you past this. Edit: y'all care a lot...

😆 Your conservatism really shows up in your deep care for literacy. Not to steal your "soup box" or anything. 🤣

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TheSecondVariety lemmy.ca TheSecondVariety@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2026-10-11
#24 · Quote Reply

Wow, that place looks like a war zone. /s

Being more serious, I'm surprised at the incompetence on display.

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Smaile lemmy.ca Smaile@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2026-01-28
#25 · (edited) Quote Reply

Can we nominate you for #8, since it's not really a big deal or anything?

Not American you mental deficient. Read the comment chain if your even able to.

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Burn_The_Right lemmy.today Burn_The_Right@lemmy.today
Joined: 2026-08-19
#26 · (edited) Quote Reply

Not American you mental deficient. Read the comment chain if your even able to.

Right to the name calling. Very conservative of you. Still hoping you can get that #8 spot when the orange dictator you are defending adds your country to ours. Then you can suffer with the rest of us.

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Stormy thelemmy.club Stormy@thelemmy.club
Joined: 2026-02-16
#27 · (edited) Quote Reply

I dont think I've seen the US army being this pounded and wasteful and generally incompetent

Thats because it's on purpose, to destroy our bases there, our ammo our equipment and get us out of the gulf completely, but the people in power can't just say that outright because it's treason.

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Smaile lemmy.ca Smaile@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2026-01-28
#28 · Quote Reply

Right to the name calling. Very conservative of you. Still hoping you can get that #8 spot when the orange dictator you are defending adds your country to ours. Then you can suffer with the rest of us.

You just wished for my death because you can't be bothered to read, what else could you be other then a hollow headed moron.

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x00z lemmy.world x00z@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-07-26
#29 · Quote Reply

It seems the US military doesn't have any actual experience fighting against capable enemies. Probably because all previous invasions and wars have been against the weak kids.

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Burn_The_Right lemmy.today Burn_The_Right@lemmy.today
Joined: 2026-08-19
#30 · (edited) Quote Reply

You just wished for my death because you can't be bothered to read, what else could you be other then a hollow headed moron.

You just downplayed needless deaths while defending the dictator who killed them.

This is why I say all conservatives are pure evil, not just American conservatives.

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DeadEndLink lemmy.ca DeadEndLink@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2026-09-04
#31 · Quote Reply

I'm sure the genocidal occupiers appreciate it.

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Stormy thelemmy.club Stormy@thelemmy.club
Joined: 2026-02-16
#32 · Quote Reply

Media literacy is dead, this was the number Peet said it was at a few weeks ago claiming to be the real number of American deaths when it was obviously not true based on ground media already out, I'm not going to read the rest of your nonesense since you clearly think I'm a MAGAt and are so ready to get on your soup box it's be a waste of my time talking to you past this. Edit: y'all care a lot...

I don't think the eye roll hit the way you meant it to.

Were you saying it like, "yeah right" like the numbers are lies?

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mortemtyrannis lemmy.ml mortemtyrannis@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2023-10-21
#33 · Quote Reply

A military's strength comes from logistics, not weapons.

If the US military is unable to supply service men and women basic hygiene products then the collapse of America is inevitable.

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Smaile lemmy.ca Smaile@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2026-01-28
#34 · Quote Reply

I don't think the eye roll hit the way you meant it to. Were you saying it like, "yeah right" like the numbers are lies?

Yes.

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Stormy thelemmy.club Stormy@thelemmy.club
Joined: 2026-02-16
#35 · Quote Reply

Yes.

For sure, don't let it get to you then, its all just a misunderstanding. It seemed like you meant more like "you dumb fuck liberals, there's only 7 deaths, get over it."

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guyoverthere123 lemmy.dbzer0.com guyoverthere123@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2024-07-31
#36 · Quote Reply

Lol what a shame /s

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kent_eh lemmy.ca kent_eh@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2023-06-06
#37 · Quote Reply

It seems the US military doesn't have any actual experience fighting against capable enemies. Probably because all previous invasions and wars have been against the weak kids.

Also because competent military leaders have been pushed out and sycophants have been promoted to replace them.

16
kent_eh lemmy.ca kent_eh@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2023-06-06
#38 · (edited) Quote Reply

And Trump's term is only half finished. It's quite remarkable. Russia's military proved itself to be an unexpected paper tiger when they launched an unprovoked attack on Ukraine, a completely unforced error. And now America's done the exact same thing attacking Iran (though it's still a bigger paper tiger than Russia's military, so Cuba shouldn't breathe a sigh of relief just yet). Trump longs ...

so Cuba shouldn't breathe a sigh of relief just yet

True.

It's not unlikely Trump will be looking for a smaller (and weaker appearing) target that the Americans can pick on and actually beat.

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FaceDeer fedia.io FaceDeer@fedia.io
Joined: 2024-03-03
#39 · Quote Reply

so Cuba shouldn't breathe a sigh of relief just yet True. It's not unlikely Trump will be looking for a smaller (and weaker appearing) target that the Americans can pick on and actually beat.

I do think that the most dangerous point is probably past now, fortunately. The US would need to move a lot of assets around to make them ready for a full-scale attack on Cuba and I think we're close enough to the midterms now that there isn't time to get those in place before then. I could still see Trump launching some "decapitation strikes" between now and then though, maybe thinking he'd be doing the "Venezuela thing" and expecting the same results from that. Probably wouldn't work but it'd still be painful.

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Hadriscus jlai.lu Hadriscus@jlai.lu
Joined: 2025-06-10
#40 · (edited) Quote Reply

We were used as pawns in the war.

My children’s innocence was stripped from them.

Something something leopards' own medicine

I actually felt deeply ashamed to show my American passport

I hope that feeling lingers, lol

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Hadriscus jlai.lu Hadriscus@jlai.lu
Joined: 2025-06-10
#41 · Quote Reply

At least the wife who talked about her children's PTSD now has an idea of what they do around the world to children. Her being from the US however, makes me doubt whether she will make that connection, instead of just looking at it from the lens of how it affects her own little bubble. Good riddance to those United Statians who died
[deleted]
1
Tattorack lemmy.world Tattorack@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-10-28
#42 · Quote Reply

We were used as pawns in the war. My children’s innocence was stripped from them. Something something leopards' own medicine I actually felt deeply ashamed to show my American passport I hope that feeling lingers, lol

Yeah, let's Americans actually feel how the rest of the world has felt about them for decades.

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honesthenery thelemmy.club honesthenery@thelemmy.club
Joined: 2026-05-01
#43 · (edited) Quote Reply

tits.... I love seeing fascist get their shit pushed in. No more globalist/capitalist wars. I want my taxes back asap. Fuck this country I was born into. Fuck football and cheese burgers. Fuck cowboys and apple pie. Fuck fake ass hedonistic christianity. Fuck you if you don't like the freedom of speech you loser ass babies.

13
honesthenery thelemmy.club honesthenery@thelemmy.club
Joined: 2026-05-01
#44 · Quote Reply

Yeah, let's Americans actually feel how the rest of the world has felt about them for decades.

old man now has always felt like a outsider. I hated this place ever since I was a child. These people suck. It is hard to see at first. I hope we get nuked.

0
Doomsider lemmy.world Doomsider@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-01
#45 · Quote Reply

We were used as pawns in the war. My children’s innocence was stripped from them. Something something leopards' own medicine I actually felt deeply ashamed to show my American passport I hope that feeling lingers, lol

Vietnam 2.0

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Doomsider lemmy.world Doomsider@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-01
#46 · (edited) Quote Reply

Yeah, let's Americans actually feel how the rest of the world has felt about them for decades.

You mean American Troops? Because I can assure you the fascist US regime continuously kills and abuses its own citizens. They have destroyed millions of minority and poor families with the War on Drugs and terrorized tens of millions of civilians with police violence. They have lost more citizens to gun violence in the last thirty years than every US soldier that has died in every conflict since the creation of the US. They allow the wealthy to murder, rape, and steal from the populace with impunity. They still are engaged in multiple ongoing genocides with their own people.

14
kent_eh lemmy.ca kent_eh@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2023-06-06
#47 · Quote Reply

I do think that the most dangerous point is probably past now, fortunately. The US would need to move a lot of assets around to make them ready for a full-scale attack on Cuba and I think we're close enough to the midterms now that there isn't time to get those in place before then. I could still see Trump launching some "decapitation strikes" between now and then though, maybe thinking he'd be...

The US would need to move a lot of assets around to make them ready for a full-scale attack on Cuba

Assuming they were to do it competently, and not just on a crazed whim from Trump (or Hegseth).

And I can't discount that as being a possibility these days.

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TootTootComingThru lemmy.world TootTootComingThru@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-08-29
#48 · Quote Reply

Sucks to fucking suck.

4
turdburglar piefed.social turdburglar@piefed.social
Joined: 2025-07-03
#49 · Quote Reply

The myth of the 'masculine manly military vs. The gay inclusive loser military' should have been fully laid to rest by the Ukraine war. The Russian military is all male with homosexuals banned and they try to project a reputation of unfazed toughness. But they have, both now and historically have underperformed in military operations. The Ukrainian military, which allows women and is significan...

sorry i didn’t hear you over the kid rock and the diesel roarin’

5
Echo Dot feddit.uk echodot@feddit.uk
Joined: 2023-07-26
#50 · Quote Reply

tits.... I love seeing fascist get their shit pushed in. No more globalist/capitalist wars. I want my taxes back asap. Fuck this country I was born into. Fuck football and cheese burgers. Fuck cowboys and apple pie. Fuck fake ass hedonistic christianity. Fuck you if you don't like the freedom of speech you loser ass babies.

Oh god the Christianity thing the right of going on is so tiring. Every time they do anything bad it's "because Christian" and then the church doesn't call them out on it, so I guess it is because Christian.

5
mHtt lemmy.ca mHtt@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2026-08-10
#51 · Quote Reply

its all good because some stupid fan fiction 'religion' said so

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