listening to our troops
In the Words of our Troops
Lying on my cot, I came to the point that many people reach in a situation where they stop what they’re doing and say, "Wait a second. This is bullshit. This isn’t right." Two guys in our battalion were dead, two families ruined. And try as I might, I couldn’t figure out what the purpose of that was.
Things that had been welling up inside me all summer suddenly exploded in my head like a dozen Roman candles. I hated the president for his ignorance. I hated Donald Rumsfeld for his appalling arrogance and his lack of judgment. I hated their agenda. I hated Colin Powell for abandoning the Army—for not taking care of his soldiers—when he could have done something to stop these people. I hated them because the Army had seen this insurgency coming. I hated them because they didn’t listen to the people who told them this was a bad plan. I hated them because now, it meant that my guys could be next. It meant that I could be next. And I didn’t want to die like this—not in a confusing mishmash of ideologies, purposes, and bullets.
I felt like we had been taken advantage of. We were professionals sent on a wild goose chase using a half-baked plan for political reasons. Lying there restlessly, I was reminded of a Schwarzenegger line in one of his movies—when, after being used and lied to, his muscle-bound character had expressed perfectly what was now on my mind: My men are not expendable. And I don’t do this kind of work.
I longed for the clarity of purpose we’d had in Afghanistan.
Iraq quagmire | Iraq war | listening to our troops
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Real Soldiers Take On Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh, the Republican Chickenhawk who ducked out of Vietnam duty because of boils on his ass, took on the organization VoteVets.org, calling them "fake soldiers."
Well, here are some responses from real soldiers.
Isn't it time Rush Limbaugh just shut up.
chickenhawks | listening to our troops | Rush Limbaugh | VoteVets.org
Why Do Republicans Hate our Troops?
This comes from Americans Against Escalation in Iraq:
Like the majority of Americans, many of our brave men and women who have served in Iraq are calling for an end to the war. But on Wednesday, Rush Limbaugh called troops who favor Iraq withdrawal “phony soldiersâ€, sparking outrage across the nation...
“Limbaugh’s outrageous statement is emblematic of a party which has been out of touch with the American people on the war in Iraq every step of the way,†said Moira Mack, spokeswoman for Americans Against Escalation in Iraq. “While the vast majority of Americans want our troops brought home safely, President Bush and his allies continue to block a safe end to the war in Iraq. Americans are fed up. President Bush and Republican members of Congress should immediately denounce the offensive statement and demand an apology on behalf of America’s veterans and military families who have sacrificed so much.â€
Limbaugh’s outrageous statement comes on the heels of House Republican Leader John Boehner’s remark that the U.S. is paying “a small price†in Iraq. The anger over Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner’s comments that the costs of the war and the sacrifices of our troops in Iraq are a “small price†continues unabated around the country.
Americans Against Escalation in Iraq today released youtube video testimonials from Iraq war veterans and military family members denouncing Boehner’s remark and calling on Congressional Republicans to demand an apology from Boehner. Boehner’s statement sparked a backlash against him and his fellow republicans since 3,800 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq, 28,000 more have been injured or wounded and about $452 billion has been spent.
listening to our troops | Americans Against Escalation in Iraq
