Stars and Stripes letter (Real National Tragedy....Bush)

[lebkuchen]

Real national tragedy

Stars and Stripes’ front page on Nov. 3 published the headline, “Deadly day in Iraq.” The caption under the front-page photo of the downed CH-47 Chinook helicopter included a statement by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. He called the deadly downing of the Chinook “a national tragedy.”

The downed helicopter with its killed and injured U.S. military personnel was not a national tragedy. It was a needless and terrible loss of our brave soldiers. In my opinion, the real national tragedy is George W. Bush. Why? He didn’t get elected fair and square, and his politics are making a mockery of America. Further, I feel he took us to war over the objections of many Americans under false pretenses. President Bush used weapons of mass destruction as his reason when his real, diehard reason was to take control of Iraqi oil for himself, his father, and his cronies – some of whom have personal involvement/interest in oil and oil support companies.

I’m also of the opinion that President Bush’s burning desire to control and capitalize on Iraqi oil has alienated many countries and allies and further infuriated the Muslim world with more hate for America. No wonder we’re going it almost alone in Iraq and losing good soldiers every day.

It is again my opinion that President Bush has traded American blood for Iraqi oil. Now he and Secretary Rumsfeld have the proverbial “tiger by the tail” and don’t begin to know how to turn it loose.

In my opinion, the real story on this whole sordid mess that President Bush has gotten America into can be found in Gore Vidal’s book, “Dreaming War: Blood For Oil and the Cheney-Bush Junta.” I urge every registered military voter, as well as those personnel who are not registered voters, to read it.

Phil Williamson II
Sicily

http://estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=18896

[DoctorMyEyes]

1. One more than one level

It was a needless and terrible loss of our brave soldiers.

I read that the Chinook was not properly equiped with the latest missile defense system.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2003/031105-guard-aircraft.htm

[MoonAndSun]

2. I am so glad that soldiers are finally realizing what this administration

is up to. But what is really shocking to me is that Stars and Stripes is actually publishing these letters that are against bush*. It gives me hope.

[opihimoimoi]

3. Peace is OVER DUE

[GainesT1958]

4. That letter demonstrates...

Just what levels of bravery our troops really DO have!:D

I salute this soldier--hope he'll get as many of his buddies to feel the same way--and vote the same way--next year. This guy has a lot of guts writing that--and I know he's NOT alone in his thoughts. For Phil Williamson, among many others, we should support our troops now, when the flag-waving, sabre-rattling right-wingers have abandonned them and forgotten them as so much "flypaper". :mad:

B-)

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Adp[t a trooper

learn to talk military

They are in play

They have been betrayed by the GOP and this is not only a political
calculation... but a human to human contact

[lebkuchen]

8. Headline in today's Stripes is "Mosul teens abuse bodies of 2 dead GIs"

The story is an AP report by Mariam Fam.

Rarely a day goes by lately when some catastrophic or otherwise depressing news report isn't a Stripes headline.

When Bush entered the public arena, he brought with him a cloud of pain and suffering.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Well abouit half of the letters were very good

my personal favorite of this batch, for the consequences, is the
Staff Sergeant who has lost his son and business because he went
from a "weekend warrior" to full time soldier... and he left that crap
because of the personal cost.

The social cost we are going to pay for things like this we will never
be able to calculate

[lebkuchen]

7. Having read these letters for 14 years....

Stripes has not seen this overt/covert level of criticism of a president in that period of time, if ever. It's extraordinary, and had most certainly inspired Stripes to initiate its "morale" survey, forcing John Warner to take a second look at the devastating effect Bush has had, not only on morale, but on reenlistment and recruitment.

Stripes published a report two weeks ago claiming that the army had reached its most recent recruitment goal, the caveat being that the Bushies had lowered the bar twice, by 3000 troops each.

Lower the standard enough and goals will eventually be "met."

[TacticalPeek]

9. "Lower the standard enough" defines the 43rd presidency.

:puke:

[opihimoimoi]

10. Even POGO/BULLWINKLE/ and DAFFY DUCK had more courage

smarts than the Shrub.

The Standard is down to cartoon level, people over the world are laughing at us.

We have allowed a nutcase to lead us.

Then, to exacerbate the matter, roughly 50% luv his stupid ass.

Revealing to the World, Half of us Americans are LOLOs. And defiantly, arrogantly, we luv it this way.