THANKS FOR THE STRAIGHT TALK, SARGE

"I don't believe people in most of the free world really grasp the magnitude of (terrorism)," he said. "They couldn't imagine some of the things we've seen firsthand. Terrorists perform gruesome atrocities, and I have seen the true horror of war. I have walked in body parts of Iraqi adults and children. While I was in Mosul, terrorists cut the throats of nine Iraqis for working with Americans."

Sparkman said he is infuriated when watching stories of prisoner abuse by Americans at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad.

"Do I condone it? Of course not," he said. "Those were stupid kids in the Army doing stupid things and taking stupid pictures. There were hoods on their heads, but no one was beheaded. In America, everything is about political correctness. In Iraq, it's about life or death."