Support Our Troops. Bring Them Home Now!
Support Our Troops. Bring Them Home Now!
For an hour every Friday from 2003 to 2006 along with other war protestors, I held signs while standing on a Santa Fe, New Mexico street corner. One of my signs read “Support Our Troops: Bring Them Home Now”. Nowadays even most right wingers agree that the Iraq invasion and occupation were illegal, and five years later it continues to be a political quagmire and a bottomless money pit for the United States. Someday—when they’re no longer protected by their office—if there is a God, or at least a few genuine patriots, Bush/Cheney Inc. will be tried as war criminals.
According to the website icasualties.org, as of Memorial Day weekend 2008, 4081 troops have been killed in Iraq, with approximately 29,000 wounded. Sourcewatch.org reports that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs had treated 20,638 Iraq veterans for post-traumatic stress disorder by 2006 and had a waiting list of hundreds of thousands of other psychologically damaged troops.
You could make a case for all the deaths and trauma to our troops if something was actually being accomplished. But it isn’t. Simply stated, Iraq remains a war that was conceived under false pretenses and drags on today in a world far more dangerous than it was when it began. There are more terrorists than ever before, and thanks to Bush, Iraq has become a hotbed of terrorism, something it was not under Saddam’s dictatorship. Contrary to what neocons continue to want you to believe, the war was not fought to preserve the freedoms of Americans. There is compelling evidence that it was really fought so that Bush Junior could prove to his dad, who had his own much briefer Iraq war, that he had the cojones to finish what Bush Senior started.
But supporting the troops is something quite different from supporting a preemptive, needless war. I’ve heard war enthusiasts state that “freedom isn’t free”, and that’s true enough, but they never explain what protecting freedom has to do with the Iraq occupation because there simply isn’t a logical connection. In fact, our freedoms are threatened more than ever because of the enemies the United States has made through this terrible carnage carried out by troops who are either misled into thinking that it’s necessary or who realize that it’s wrong but face courts martial if they oppose it. And while these soldiers are supposedly over there defending our freedoms, through the Patriot Act Bush has methodically siphoned away many of those freedoms that right wingers apparently believe they still have.
Some pro-Iraq war veterans claim that they became soldiers because they were patriotic and wanted to fight for their country, and not because it was the only job available to them. That may have been true in the past, but the reality is that since 2003, fewer and fewer qualified people have been joining the military and more ex-felons, physically handicapped, uneducated, older and other less desirable soldiers are being deployed. A piece by Steve Coll in the April 14, 2008 issue of “The New Yorker” entitled “Military Conflict” reported that in 2006, the Army, desperate to recruit new troops to fight in Iraq, granted 380 “moral waivers” to recruits with a criminal past. And as the war continues, fewer high school graduates are joining up. Add to that the exhausted troops sent on repeated tours of duty even if they are physically or psychologically damaged, or both. Anyone who has a choice in the matter and values his life as well as his country simply will not consider the military a career choice these days because there’s an excellent chance that he will be forced to play a role in the tragic farce that is Iraq.
What does it all mean? That the troops desperately need our support, and most important, that they need us to save them from a conflict that, according to presidential candidate John McCain, could continue to spread its poison globally for a hundred years.
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The democrats Emotional Nation
Not only do you tell lies, Your darts are to be expected. Silly fool, even hitler knew the masses were to be manipulated like a woman. Emotion is the female side of the brain. It is on the recieving side of the brain. Which do you opperate from? What exactly are you? The weak sister or the silly woman? I have noticed. EVERY single first sentence in your xombyte here begins with an emotional sentence. Some are facts, but they are meant to stir emotions. Some are outright bald face lies. But still, meant to stir emotions. So again, I am going to ask you. Which side of the brain do you operate from? And what are you? The silly woman or the weak sister? Your references to these liberal websites here again have names meant to stir up emotions. Open them up and they throw darts tipped with emotion. This is expected and should not be a surprise. To be blunt this is some of the worst hogwash I have ever tried to read. It is plane that there are unrighteous men acting righteous in righteous mens houses. Quite frankly it turns my stomach. I understand when Jesus on the cross said that what they do turns his stomach to bile. It made Him want to throw up.
Emotions and war
Yeah, you're right, war is a cold-blooded, murderous endeavor meant to further enrich the already rich and kill the powerless.
Jesus would turn over in his grave if he knew how his reputation as a liberal and a peace-lover were being exploited by so-called Christian warmongers.
Even my 86 y.o. mother-in-law, who voted for Bush twice, now admits that she made a mistake and the Iraq war is a huge disaster. What are you waiting for? More soldiers coming home in boxes, maimed, or driven insane for a war that should never have happened?
Thank you for your comment.
Are you nuts?
You think what veghead wrote was all crap? Wake up buddy! Mr Bush has led us down the wrong path for 8 years. You also need a spell checker. And keep the Christian chat out of this.
Interesting ~
First of all Jesus has no grave ~ He's risen and lives.
Second of all WHY keep 'Christian chat' out of it??
I have been reading about gay marriage, war, and you all fighting over all this with each other. Why can't Christianity be brought into it??!
All kinds of rude talk is all over this site ~ I think I will be bringing Christianese here! Praise God Almighty. : )
Ok, I'll leave you alone now. Go ahead and continue fighting with each other...
Figures You Would Say That
Being the holy roller that you are, at least from what I see. I say that because what does this whole war article have to do with Jesus on the cross? I've noticed that some of the holier than thou people on here have to bring up Jesus in every sentence. Makes me wonder....trying to convince me....or you?
Give Me a Break
The only reason I said that is that I have to hear all about what YOU believe... Why not add what I believe?? Really there is no difference in what you are doing and what you are complaining about me doing. Just different subjects.
Besides YOU brought Jesus up before I did!!! I'm not trying to convince you of anything. I have never been one to push Jesus on anyone.
ALTHOUGH, when I read insults and talk against Him, I will step in and say something. If you had not of said to leave Christian chat out of it, I would not have got involved. : )
Have a Wonderful Day ~ Oh, thank you, I will also. : )
mrbronco is right
Amen. You will probably remember that one of the Christian oldies but goodies is "Onward Christian SOLDIERS". Jesus was a decent man, but a lot of what has been done in his name since his untimely death is a real sin. There are many reasonable, peace-loving Christians out there who truly heed the ORIGINAL teachings of Jesus Christ, but unfortunately they're gradually being coopted by fanatical Christian warmongers.
Bobbi
I don't mind hearing it once in awhile but come on! Everything you write mentions Jesus. If you feel so strongly about Jesus and his teachings, why don't you be honest and update your picture :)
Thought pattern of obama supporters
In response to what has been written about what I wrote. It is shameful to see the type of justification used to write these comments, full of garbage, nonsense with no intelligence behind it and emotional darts meant to hurt others emotionally to edify self. With no clue of how many American Soldiers they are killing in the process. I would say stop stomping your feet and start using your intellegence.
Can't speak for others, but I'm not obama supporter
Actually I'm a Kucinich supporter.
Re: your last sentence--> "I would say . . . start using your intellegence(sic)."
Great idea! I think you should start by heeding your own advice. ;)
And Gawd bless us everyone!
hath
shewn,