I Had A Discussion with Iraq Soldier on Leave

[louis c]

It was unbelievable.

I would give the name, but it wouldn't be the right thing to do.
His father is a good friend and I attended the soldier's going away party a year ago. My friend is a businessman in Lynn, Mass.

We were together, with friends. I have a cousin who is the father's best friend. My cousin is also a businessman, but hates Bush. We had decided, with our wives, not to talk politics when we visited them. After all, the 21 year old soldier didn't need our aggravation if he was committed to this very dangerous mission.

Another cousin of mine had a son who served in the first Gulf War, and is a Veteran for Kerry. We all considered the situation, and decided to talk about the Red Sox and Patriots. You know, keep it light.

After about an hour of small talk, the soldier finally recognized the elephant in the room. He didn't know any of our political positions.

The soldier said to my businessman cousin, "You're probably voting for that asshole, Bush."

Well, you could have knocked us all over with a feather.

The soldier said, "Can you imagine that we're there, risking our lives for something like $30 a day. The f**king assholes serving the food for Halliburton get over $100,000 a year. The war is a mess. Anyone who falls for Bush's bull shit is out of their minds."

None of us went into detail, but we all said we are working our asses off for Kerry. In fact, one of my cousins is traveling, at his own expense, to Florida to link up with a third cousin who lives there, to campaign for Kerry.

I'm working in New Hampshire for Kerry. We here in Massachusetts know where the political battlegrounds are, my friends' son should just stay safe, he is the true hero.

What an inspiration he was to all of us. Support our troops. Bring them home.

[Kikosexy2]

1. Beautiful!..

Bravo--a major salute to him!

[mindfulNJ]

2. Great story...

thank you for sharing it :)

[lilymidnite]

3. Oh wow.

I'm speechless.

[louis c]

9. I was the one

that was told to keep my mouth shut before we went to the soldier's house.

If I go to someone's home, or they come to mine, if they are for Bush they will either convert to Kerry or only two things can happen.

Either they leave my house angry, or they throw me out of their's.

So I had to agree, in this instance, to hold my tongue. When the soldier's statement against bush was made, everyone just sighed in relief.

[skygazer]

4. Here's hoping you friend's son comes home safe

My father insists that "most" veterans are for Bush. I don't know about that but I've sure heard a lot of stories like this about the people who are fighting this one.

Support our troops indeed. They need our help to get them home safe.

[babylonsister]

5. Thanks for that!

Would love to know the TRUE percentage of soldiers who feel the same way.

[Booster]

11. If it's true that most soldiers are for Bush, the the Michael

Moore was absolutely right that the recruiters are looking for the uneducated, poor, uniformed young people who are just walking the streets doing nothing with their lives. Comes back to, if we re-select this asshole, we deserve him.

[Eloriel]

12. Uh, we didn't elect him the first time

no, not even in FL.

And if he "wins" again, it won't be because he was duly "elected."

And, btw, what kind of voting machines are used in your voting location?

[DemExpat]

6. Thanks for sharing this....

yes, bring them all home.

DemEx

[killbotfactory]

7. Privatize the military!

They are obviously doing a wonderful job if they can make enough profit to pay a cook $100,000 dollars a year! Imagine how powerful we'd be if we got rid of all that wasteful government bureaucracy and let the invisible hand of the free market deal with our military threats! Yeah!

[B Calm]

8. Speaking as a veteran of the Vietnam war

I have to say that anybody who comes back from war and is still pro war, are NUTS!

[Blue Gardener]

10. If you get a chance

Tell him how much the people at DU want him and every other soldier to come home as soon as possible. I can't imagine how horrible it has been over there for them.

[Eloriel]

13. Amen to that

Tell him, please, how we "liberals" absolutely DO support our troops and always have, and that most of us were against the war from the start because we could see through all the lies (thanks to the alternative and foreign press).

And also tell him we said: Thanks for serving. We'll try to get you home asap.

[Iceburg]

14. Revealing story Louis C

And keep up the great work in NH. Being your foreign neighbour to the great white north, and frequent vistor to NH is have been following the editorials and LTTEs in the small town newspapers in your state. Seems like the NH folk are coming out of "independent" hibernation and are swinging to Kerry.
Thanks for sharing the story.

From Canada with love.

[Disturbed]

15. A thorny situation aint it?

The war on Iraq was an illegal invasion. The Occupation is illegal.
US Troops are dying and being maimed because the Pres. and his oil goons lied to Congress, the American people and the world at the UN.
What do we say to those troops?

I say that most of the troops are honorable and that they are doing the job that they have been ordered to do. It isn't their fault that the people in power are War Criminals, War Profiteers, thieves and liars.

[Iceburg]

16. What do we say to those troops?

It hurts to even pose the question, doesn't it Louis?

With the unprecedented mess that Bush created, it won't be easy for anyone to take over the reins and get this horse back on the track. That said,I'm no pushover with politicians, but I have to say I have tremendous respect and admiration for John Kerry's abilities. If anyone living on this planet can bring America back on track it is THIS man.

After his inauguration, I will personally ensure that on his first field trip to Ottawa to meet our PM, the streets will lined 10 deep with supports showering him with flowers (well,and maybe hockey sticks).

Salute mon ami

[louis c]

17. Sometimes

We get intimidated. We have family and Friends fighting overseas, we see the lies, and feel that we are doing a disservice to our men and women there.

When you get a first hand account that the folks actually fighting recognize the same lies and deceit, and are willing to express their anger with them, it makes one feel vindicated in our opinion that this administration is full of shit.

[Iceburg]

18. Courage Louis Courage.

An famous American once said ...
"Never has so much military, economic and diplomatic power been used so ineffectively.... If, after all of this time and all of this sacrifice and all of this support, there is still no end in sight, then I say the time has come for the American people to turn to new leadership, not tied to the policies and mistakes in the past. I pledge to you we shall have an honorable end to the war...."

That American was Richard Nixon (1968)

[louis c]

19. kick