My nephew just got his orders to go to Iraq

[Poiuyt]

He's in the Air Force (Security). I'm not sure where he's going, I think somewhere southeast of Baghdad.

GOD DAMN GEORGE BUSH TO HELL!!!!!!!!!

[JohnLocke]

1. God bless.

May he come home safely and just as he went.

[mourningdove92]

2. He is in the AIR FORCE??????

When did Air Force security personnel start going to Iraq?

My son is in the Air Force. He works in computers...my worst nightmare is that he will be sent. I asked him once if it was possible...he was obviously uncomfortable with my question (no doubt visions of hysterical mamma), but let me know that anything is possible.

I am so sorry about your nephew. Please, what is his first name? I will add his name to my nightly prayers.

[punpirate]

6. They're at the airport...

... now named Baghdad International. It's probably the largest enclave of military personnel in Iraq. Airport security is still very, very high, hence the need for security personnel. Camp Cropper (mostly a tent jail for Baghdadis under suspicion) is nearby, I believe, although there was some talk of closing it.

Amazing to think that the administration was happily talking, a year ago, of running Iraqi tourism through Baghdad International....

[Cleopatra2a]

18. Air Force goes all the time

At this base they finally had to hire rent-a-cops to man the gates, we are so short of people. Your son is part of the communications squadron, right? In the AF, you are assigned to a AEF (Air Expeditionary Force). There are 8 of them, made of people from all different bases. They are sent at different times of the year (2 each), for 4 months at a time.

[Poiuyt]

26. Thank you

His name is Chris.

And I don't know who he voted for. He doesn't like to talk about that too much.

[shanti]

40. i'll join you, mom

i also have a son in the air force, but he's got desk duty in germany. i would totally freak out if he was sent to the middle east. my nephew is also in the AF, and he HAS been to iraq, but he's a jet mechanic, so i can sort of understand that one.

let's cross our fingers, and praying certainly doesn't hurt!

[leesa]

47. If they are sending Grannies from the National Guard with zero combat

experience, why not these guys? I don't wish your son there, but I don't think they are being real selective.

[CountAllVotes]

3. well be assured

that * will rot in hell - guaranteed!

I hope you nephew will return safely and unharmed.

I pray that he stays safe!

:kick:

[ChairOne]

4. Who did he vote for? /eom

[beam me up scottie]

5. Why?

[ChairOne]

8. If he voted one way, I would congratulate him, and...

... if he voted the other way, I would feel badly for him...

(a) Whether or not to feel bad for someone depends in large part upon *that person's* feelings about whatever is happening. Lots of the troops over there don't feel like (most of) us here - many of them are happy to be kicking some a-rab ass n shit like that.

(b) In any case, I'm a firm believer in the idea that you deserve what you vote for. Is that a completely outlandish idea on DU? If so, my apologies.

[beam me up scottie]

9. So by your logic, if he dies over there, he deserves it?

"In any case, I'm a firm believer in the idea that you deserve what you vote for."

[ChairOne]

11. I'll ask again: Am I really the only one who thinks that?

... even tho you butchered it by divorcing it from its conditional context...

And you you deliberately made no mention of my (a)....

But in any case, to answer your question directly: (1) that's not what I said, and (2) If he is a war supporter, and he dies over there, then he will have died thinking he was doing his duty, and helping out both his country and (possibly) another. I can think of worse ways to die. For that reason, under this hypothetical, I could see congratulations being in order.

[beam me up scottie]

19. oops, I'm sorry I overlooked it.

I mean,
" Lots of the troops over there don't feel like (most of) us here - many of them are happy to be kicking some a-rab ass n shit like that."
was such an intelligent comment.

I don't wany any of our troops over there, regardless of whom they voted for.

[CountAllVotes]

7. yeah really!

:wtf: does "who" he voted for have to do with this exactly? :grr:

:kick:

[mourningdove92]

10. It seems to me that the point is obvious.

Anyone who voted for Smirk should square his/her shoulders, lift their heads high and march proudly to Iraq. After all, anyone who voted for Smirk, according to Smirk, "confirmed his Iraq policy".

Those of us who voted against Smirk and against the war, have a right to be pissed if we have to go and fight in an illegal, immoral war, those who voted for Smirk and the war, deserve to go. After all, thats what they wanted, right? Of course, in reality, what the Smirk supporters really want is for "someone" else to have the honor.

[beam me up scottie]

13. It was a stupid question to ask someone who fears for their

nephew's safety.

[ChairOne]

15. So you acknowledge the *relevance* of the question....

... and are now changing tactics, attacking it on the grounds of insensitivity? Those ground are fair grounds for criticism.

[beam me up scottie]

20. no, I think it was irrelevant AND insensitive.

[leftchick]

23. I think it is totally relevant...

My Marine nephew is off to Iraq soon. He is a bushbot, and is happy to go kill Iraqi "ragheads" for our freedoms! As sad as it is I can look at the reality here. Many military people are brainwashed into killing for corporate AmeriKa thinking it is really to 'keep us safe'. I know my nephew has been. Perhaps yours has been as well?

peace,
lc

[noamnety]

14. It's directly related

If he voted for the war, he should be one of the ones over there fighting it, instead of expecting others to deal with the consequences of his decisions. I hope he comes back safely, but if that's what he voted for, I don't feel sorry for him that he's going now.

If he didn't vote for *, it's a different scenario completely.

It's like comparing a person who totalled their car because they were driving drunk, and a person who got hit by a drunk driver. It's a fair question to ask.

For the family, I understand, it doesn't make a difference.

[Downtown Hound]

12. Ah, shit

I'm so sorry. If it makes you feel better, he is in the air force so he's not going to be in the line of fire as often as some of the other troops are. But Iraq is still a dangerous place all over, so we'll all keep our fingers crossed for him.

[Sperk]

16. I'm sorry, I wish him a safe return. My nephew is in OK at Officer's

school or some such thing. Waiting for the ball to drop on him.
But he and his whole family voted for ^. Go figure. He has no idea what he's in for.

Damn Bush and his whole crooked crew. :mad:

[AngelAsuka]

17. Oh no :(

Poiuyt, my heart goes out to you. I pray your nephew comes back safe and sound, body and mind. I know this must be horrible to hear. All of us at DU (presumably) wish him the best, even us newbies. :grouphug:

~~AA~~

[beam me up scottie]

21. I'm sorry he has to go, hopefully he'll be okay

Both of my brothers are in the guards but they haven't gotten the order yet.

[pinto]

22. Hope your nephew remains safe and returns safely, soon...n/t

[bluestateguy]

24. If I were him I'd go to Canada

That's what I would do.

[Selatius]

25. What is with all this damnable crap with who the guy voted for?

Everyone, whether they acknowledge it or not, knows the implicit risk of signing on the fucking dotted line before they join the armed services. They will own your body when you do. Sure, the gig is set up so that you join to pay for college or try to leave the goddamn ghetto you grew up in and other such things to "advance" yourself, but when you agreed to join, you also agreed to take on all the inherited risks and costs of joining the military. Military life involves war and death. There's no getting around it. That's the shit they don't advertise in pamphlets and tv commercials. He signed the dotted line, so he knows damn well what he is in for.

If people join the military to pay for college and crap, then they ought to know that it's not a free ride and that the costs could be--how should I put it--"too high." Bush started the war, but he signed the dotted line. Regardless of Bush's actions, he wouldn't be in the position he is today without him signing the papers. Nothing can be gained without first giving up something else. There is a price to pay for every major decision you make in life. If you want to advance yourself through the military, that's great, but the price is you give yourself up to the machine, and if the machine orders you to fight and possibly die for your country, then you are expected to do so. That's what you REALLY agree to do when you join up.

To the starter of this thread: Good luck to your nephew. It's up to Providence now.

[ClarkUSA]

52. The dotted line for the NG did not include a backdoor draft

[smbolisnch]

27. I'm sorry to hear that Poiuyt.

I will be wishing for his FAST and safe return home, where he belongs. :hug:

[diamond14]

28. will you STAND UP and try to save your nephew's life/mind????

or are you just waving a 'little' American flag and sending him off to DEATH AND DESTRUCTION in an immoral and illegal war?

[MichiganVote]

42. Or do you just post pic's on a message board?

[diamond14]

49. I am PROUD to post bush* war photos on message boards....

it was PHOTOS that helped shut down the Vietnam war....


and it was PHOTOS that brought Abu Garib POW abuse into the light....
as long as bushites just keep it in the 'printed word' is seems so less of an issue....

and it will be PHOTOS that bring down bush* illegal and immoral wars...


there will ALWAYS be people trying to keep the bush* WAR PHOTOS off of the internet, and out of newspapers and off TV....but then, there are PATRIOTS, real Americans, who will POST WAR PHOTOS as much and as often as they can...and THAT'S ME....I will never be hindered by your insults, and those who claim bush* war photos upset them, and those who claim "oh oh, crying oh oh", to try to stifle the TRUTH....too bad...bush* wars are real UGLY...and the REALITY must not be stifled.... for if you stifle the bush* war photos, you are supporting bush* wars.....and that is very UN-American....


SEE what your taxes pay for: bush* went on a $200 BILLION dollar killing spree with OUR taxes and OUR soldiers...most $$$$ went to WAR-PROFITEERS, making CANNON FODDER our of war-on-the-cheap soldiers....tax money STOLEN from healthcare, schools, highways, water, seniors and more....




Iraq had NOTHING TO DO WITH 911...Iraq NEVER had any "Weapons of Mass Destruction"....Iraq was NEVER a threat to the USA (they could't even get a missile to Israel, and certainly NOT to USA)...

[Stella_Artois]

59. A small point

That first pic is Afghanistan, not Iraq





Same wrecked aircraft.

[diamond14]

60. OK...here's some more PHOTOS...it's real hard with TWO bush* wars

going on...difficult to figure out who's KILLING who....and of course, nobody knows why....no "Weapons of Mass Destruction" at all..."Of course, it's worth it" says bush* "Bring it on"


January 10, 2005, Iraq







I'm busy entertaining my WAR-PROFITTEERING friends at my $ 40 Million party..."I don't care what you think"

[Mad_Dem_X]

29. Sorry to hear that...

My friend's older brother is over there. He has a wife and two small daughters at home. I pray for his safety every day.

[jazzjunkysue]

30. So sorry for him, and his family. Run to canada.

[Bouncy Ball]

31. My brother-in-law is in Mosul with the Oklahoma National Gaurd

He does intelligence, used to be infantry.

I'm worried sick. Here's hoping your son will be fine.

[diamond14]

32. continues to AMAZE me...that most military families are so accepting

of the carnage....sacrificing their own relatives for bush* wars, and NOT STANDING UP...


STAND UP on January 20, 2005 in DC because your children/husband/brother's life depends on YOUR ACTION...

STAND UP in front of the White House to stop the carnage...

STAND UP to show real RAGE at bush* and his minions....

most military families are just sitting in front of their TVs, waving 'little' American Flags, and putting yellow plastic stickers on their cars...happily sending off their own relatives as CANNON FODDER....as long as this continues, YOUR relatives will continue to be GROUND UP in bush* wars....








Purple Hearts: Back from Iraq....bush* DISPOSABLE HEROES
http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0412/purplehearts_intro.html


burned


blind with one leg


brain-damaged and blind

[Bouncy Ball]

34. I know you aren't telling me I'm doing nothing

are you? Because that would be an amazingly offensive ASSumption to make, wouldn't it? You almost make it sound like I don't care, which would be another amazingly insensitive and untrue assumption.

And by the way, my brother in law voted for Kerry.

[diamond14]

35. no, I'm certain you are doing something...PLEASE list here your activism

many of us military people/families would certainly like to LEARN and keep informed of what others are doing to stop bush* carnage...'


PLEASE TELL US...we want to know....what are YOU doing????

[Bouncy Ball]

36. I'm doing plenty

and I really don't need to list it all for you. Do a search on my user name if you wish.

I did NOT send my family member off to be cannon fodder, I do NOT have a magnetic ribbon on my car and I don't even WATCH TV, much less sit there and wave a little flag while doing so. Your post was horribly insulting and hurtful.

[diamond14]

37. we could all learn from you, if you wanted to help by listing your

activism....


nobody wants to search you out...that is illegal here on DU....


but if you cared to HELP other military and their families, then just list a few of your activist efforts, so we can learn....


sorry about the REALITY of bush* wars...it's TRUE that about 12 % of OUR troops come back DEAD or INJURED like in those photos....AND all of OUR troops are exposed to the blowing sand, containing radioactive depleted uranium, which continues to injure and damage all their cells for the rest of their lives....deforming their offspring, hurting their spouses...causing horrible full-body cancers.....FACT: 100,000 troops from bushI Gulf War are paid by the Veterans Administration as PERMANENTLY DISABLED, from depleted uranium, and other toxic exposures....that's a FACT...

[Bouncy Ball]

39. THANK YOU

I KNOW THOSE FACTS. My own husband was in Desert Storm, you think I don't know that stuff?

I have no problem with sharing, but to be quite honest, your attitude is so off-putting, I am through with this thread. How do you think it helps someone who already knows all that stuff you said and who HAS a loved one over there to read all that?

Thanks. I'm crying again.

This is just going to disenigrate if we continue. Suffice to say, I write letters to my elected representatives (all of them REPUKES so a lot of good THAT does), I have put together massive efforts to send care packages and pre-paid phone cards to the troops, I have marched and marched and fucking MARCHED against this war, written LTTEs, debated people until I was blue in the face, hell I was in Crawford last March on the one year anniversary of the invasion marching and asking neocons there HOW MANY MORE TROOPS HAVE TO DIE?

I've spoken out continually since this started (really since before) and I will continue to. We help to financially support my sister in law and their two kids (my nieces) because they weren't exactly doing well financially before this and now it's even worse. The youngest girl is a baby so my sister in law doesn't work. It's hard all around. So we send her things and money. She lives in another state. I email my brother in law all the time, I pray for him every single day.

What the hell more do you want me to do?

[MichiganVote]

41. I'm sure you'll want to share first diamond.

[Name removed]

43. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MichiganVote]

44. I'm sorry for your pain...standing up for some means being able to take

the next breath, yet you do far more.

[diamond14]

45. I'm NOT in pain...that's a sly misrepresentation.....I am a Patriot

and I am angry at what bush* has done to OUR military, by LYING us into more illegal and immoral wars....

all bush* wars could be SHUT DOWN in a New York Minute, if only the Military and their families would STAND UP....sadly, only a very very few have decided to STAND UP...the rest just continue to send their relatives off to be CANNON FODDER, with their little flag waving and their plastic yellow ribbons stuck on their cars....


the Vietnam War was SHUT DOWN, because active duty military
joined JOHN KERRY, with returning Veterans, to march on Capital Hill and all over America....THAT's what shut down the military war-profiteers....

Now, these bush* wars will NOT be stopped until active duty military and their families IN LARGE NUMBERS start to be OUTRAGED.....and so far, it's just not happening....they go like sheep to be bush* CANNON FODDER, and their families wave little flags as they leave...


Military MARCHING against nixon's war...WITHOUT A PERMIT..led by John Kerry....Congress erected the large fence to keep OUR military out...but they were not deterred...it'll take this kind of RAGE to stop bush* wars...a RAGE that isn't here at all....

[diamond14]

64. OK

My nephew is currently in Iraq. He signed up to get a college degree under a PEACEFUL administration, President William J. Clinton. Just as he finished his college degree, bush* started his WARS, and my nephew has been unable to get out, even though he finished his duty a LONG TIME AGO....right now, my nephew is considering some options that we suggested....he lungs are already ruined....



Here's part of my activism:

1. I did that HARD WORK for coordinating 17 Marches since November 2003...and Marched for Peace in DC, NYC, Chicago, and Denver....

2. I SHAME our Congressional reps....letter from soldiers needing equipment, first aid, supplies are SHAMEFUL...everything should be provided to OUR troops BY CONGRESS....so I write to congress and bush* about this....and with other military families, SHAME them into providing stuff for OUR Troops....we go stand at their offices, put letter on their desks personally, and hold vigil in front of congressional offices...

All of our packages, from our military family group, NEVER made it to the troops...we think supplies for OUR troops should be PAID FOR BY CONGRESSIONAL ALLOCATIONS, so we no longer send 'care packages' that never arrive...instead we spend that time GOING TO CONGRESS, demanding that all supplies, first aid, equipment and food be sent to OUR solider by our tax money....our military family group REFUSES to allow congress to skip on supplies for OUR troops, and fool us into sending those packages that never arrive...WE DEMAND ACTION from CONGRESS...we will not be fooled again....


3. I voted for Kerry, registered thousands of others to join me in voting for Kerry, volunteered at the National Kerry Headquarters, the National DNC, and the Virginia Kerry Headquarters...and wrote down complaints of voter intimidation and disenfrancisement at my local voting place...went to Ohio....


4. I am working here in DC on the CORONATION effort....it takes a LOT of volunteers to make this happen...so here's a good link where others can also volunteer, or share rides to DC, or get free housing at volunteers homes, and find all the events:

http://www.counter-inaugural.org/

5. I work fulltime, and send a LOT of my money to organizations focussed on STOPPING BUSH* WARS....

[GreenPartyVoter]

33. I'm so sorry *hugs and prayers for you all*

-------------------------------------
Would Jesus love a liberal? You bet!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/

[Cuban_Liberal]

38. May God watch over him.

:hug:

[BellaLuna]

46. I know a couple guys over there and they HATE it

They're getting out of the military as soon as they can. They had to learn the hard way I guess.

[leesa]

48. So sorry for you and I hope your nephew comes back OK.

[Taxloss]

50. The best of luck to him.

I am thinking of him this evening.

They're there for all the wrong reasons, but individually they can still do good.

[Minimus]

51. My nephew returned in November and already has his orders to go back

this summer. He is a Navy Seabee (CB-Construction Battalion) so he was over there building or should I say re-building stuff we bombed. He was working near Baghdad.

He will probably have to re-build what he already re-built when he goes back.

I agree with your sentiments about bush!

I wish your family the best of luck, I know how hard it was for my family, especially my sister, his mother. We worried all the time and just prayed in between his phone calls. My sister hated it when it would take so long between calls.

And for anyone interested in who my nephew voted for. He voted for bush. We are a Democrat family and of course voted Kerry. The way my nephew talked when he got back was almost like he was brainwashed. I guess it is easier to do a job, if you feel you are doing it for all the right reasons. So I feel the comment about bush voters deserving how they voted is crap.


Poiuyt, take care and keep us posted. Tell your nephew godspeed.

[diamond14]

53. "He voted for bush*".....well...as bush* said "that's a vote FOR the Iraq

war".....all soldiers, voting for bush*, were fully aware of what they have done...they VOTED for more WAR...no mistake about it...

THAT vote gave bush* the total justification for his illegal and immoral wars....that VOTE gave bush* the MANDATE to continue the KILLING....

so, it's real hard to feel empathy for those voting for WAR....they should all be PROUD to serve bush*....without armour or concrete lunch areas, or vehicle protection or bullets...it's bush* war-on-the-cheap, where most money goes to bush* war-profiteers and OUR soldiers serve as the expendable CANNON FODDER.....those voting for bush* should be PROUD to serve as his CANNON FODDER and disposable heroes...

[Minimus]

58. As I stated he is in the Construction Battalion, therefore IMHO

he most likely feels what he is doing is for the good. Even our soldiers in combat need to feel they are doing what is asked of them. Not all just want to kill, kill, kill.

You have to know that the military that was serving during the time of the election was not privy to all the information that we were. We are able to sit in our homes and watch TV and search the Internet for all the mistakes bush & co. made concerning this unjustified war.

I have a niece in the Navy also. She was stateside and voted Kerry. Both of them are proud to serve their COUNTRY. They will still be in the military long after bush's administration ends.

My father was in the military for 25 years and he told his grandson (my nephew) before he left for Iraq. If he got in a situation of kill or be killed - don't think, just shoot. He would rather see him tried by twelve, than carried by six.

That is the reality of war for our troops whether or not the war was justified.

Not that you care but you have the honor of being the first DUer I have ever put on my ignore list.

[diamond14]

61. ahhhhhhhh "don't think, JUST SHOOT".....gaawwwddddd.....

What kind of Grandfather tells his grandson to KILL KILL KILL ????

That's just ghastly...."DON'T USE YOUR BRAIN, just be a man-without- a-brain and KILL KILL KILL"....


My nephew is over in Iraq, and he would NEVER "don't think, JUST SHOOT".... my nephew actually has a BRAIN and uses it....and my own Father served in WWII (purple heart), so did 5 of my uncles (all purple hearts, one a POW), one uncle served in Korea (two tours, and still has schrapnel in him), my cousin was KILLED in Vietnam (silver star, purple heart)....and now my nephew is serving in Iraq...BUT nobody in my family says DON'T use your brain... "don't think, JUST SHOOT"....such advice just creates monsters from disfunctional families that encourage KILLING KILLING KILLING, without any thought...
---------------------------------------
From Albert Einstein:
"He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at commmand, senseless brutality, deplorable patriotism, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be part of so base an action ! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder."
----------------------------------------




"don't think, JUST SHOOT" testimony from the Mai Lai Massacre...

Q: What did you do?

A: So I did, rounded up the people. There were five or six, mostly women and children. They were unarmed and huddled together.

Q: "What did you do with them?

A: I brought them back to Calley on the trail. There were others there. Thirty or forty. All women and children I remember one old man. They were in their sixties to infants.

Q: What were they doing?

A: Just standing there.

Q: Who was with them?

A: The only GI I remember was Meadlo.

Q: What happened then?

A: Calley told me and Meadlo to take the people off and push them in a rice paddy. We took them out there, pushed them off the trail and made them squat down and bunch up so they couldn't get up and run. We stayed there and guarded the. At this time, I see a young child running from a hootch toward us. He seen us and he took off. I dropped my gear and checked out a hootch with a woman and a child in it. There was an old woman in a under. I took her out and put her on the ground. Then I saw a man running away. I took the other woman and child to the group. The old woman wouldn't go, so I left her there.

Q: What was Meadlo doing at this time?

A: He was guarding the people?

Q: Where was he?

A: He was standing on the village side of the people.

Q: Then what happened?

A: Lieutenant Calley came out and said take care of these people. So we said, okay, so we stood there and watched them. He went away, then he came back and said, "I thought I told you to take care of these people. We said, "We are. He said, "I mean, kill them. I was a little stunned and I didn't know what to do. He said, "Come around this side. We'll get on line and we'll fire into them. I said, "No, I've got a grenade launcher. I'll watch the tree line. I stood behind them and they stood side by side. So they -- Calley and Meadlo -- got on line and fired directly into the people. There were bursts and single shots for two minutes. It was automatic. The people screamed and yelled and fell. I guess they tried to get up, too. They couldn't. That was it. They people were pretty well messed up. Lots of heads was shot off, pieces of heads and pieces of flesh flew off the sides and arms. They were all messed up. Meadlo fired a little bit and broke down. He was crying. He said he couldn't do any more. He couldn't kill anymore people. He couldn't fire into the people any more. He gave me his weapon into my hands. I said I wouldn't. "If they're going to be killed, I'm not going to do it. Let Lieutenant Calley do it, I told him. So I gave Meadlo back his weapon. At that time there was only a few kids still alive Lieutenant Calley killed them one-by-one. The I saw a group of five women and six kids -- eleven in all -- going to a tree line. "Get ‘em! Get ‘em! Kill ‘em! Calley told me. I waited until they got to the line and fired off four or five grenades. I don't know what happened....

[Maat]

54. I don't want any of 'my' sons and daughters (America's young ..

adults) dying over there - no matter who they voted for. People don't always make the best judgments when they are young. I know I didn't.

God bless your nephew, Poiuyt; he will be in my prayers.

[stavka]

55. ...tell him not to go. (NT)

Action, not words...

worst he'll get is a year...lot better than being dead, but I don't know how his life is going otherwise.

[diamond14]

57. just one year if he refuses to go ?? THAT's a great deal....

one year here, nice peaceful book-reading environment....

or continuous duty in Iraqmire for years and years....exposed to "Depleted Uranium" in every blowing sandstorm, everyday carcinogens from burning oil pipelines, weird diseases everywhere from insect bites, and LOTS of third-world country sickness...and "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder"....gawd, you get BOMBED just driving to work, eating lunch or sleeping...it's got to be nerve-wracking...and all the KILLING and maiming....


seems that ONE YEAR here is a hell-of-a-good-deal under the current circumstances....hopefully, more troops will take that BARGAIN and skip the war altogether....


to bush*, these are just DISPOSABLE HEROES....18,000 so far, with more added every day....
http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0412/purplehearts_intro.html



Brain-damaged and blind...being cared for by his parents at their home in Ohio


lost right hand and use of left leg....
Quote from Purple Heart Vet: "At Walter Reed, it tripped me out because there were a lot of guys there messed up. I guess you hear about guys getting hit and this and that but you don't realize until you actually see them. Because when somebody gets hurt, they're out of there within hours, and you hear rumors, you hear stories, some guy got hit, some guy that, but you don't really see the reality of it until you get there and see them in the hospital. It's a trip when you're one of those guys too. I'm 20 years old and these guys are like between 18 and 23. It's weird.

I mean we would go to the mall and it would be like me missing my hand, my buddy Ed missing a leg. My buddy Chris missing his whole arm. We're all in crutches or wheelchairs, whatever, and they're just like five or six of us going through the mall, soldiers just back from the war, mad at the world just talking shit to everybody.

......nobody really knows what the soldiers are going through, what's happening to them. They see on TV, oh yeah, two soldiers got wounded today and they think, yeah, he'll be alright. But that soldier is scarred for life both physically and mentally, but like they don't understand. They see one soldier wounded and they'll forget about it like as soon as they change the channel, you know.

But the reality of it is, seeing all that crap, fucks you up in the head man. I can't sleep at night. It sucks. It really sucks. They don't understand.

[Mend]

56. Anybody who voted for bush put themselves and our kids at risk

In our family we are all Democrats, we all voted for Kerry, we all sent money, we helped locally. Two of us are draft age. We deeply resent anyone who supported this carnage by voting republican and we will be furious if there is a draft. At some point the soldiers become responsible for this mess if they voted for this monster. At some point the ones that come back need to refuse to go back. They can't have a war if no one goes and there wouldn't be war if they had protested. Even bush said the election was a mandate for war....

[spunky]

62. I wish him the best.

My cousin-in-law shipped over there last week with the National Gaurd.

And IMO, it doesn't matter who they voted for, I wish them ALL safe return.

[Kablooie]

63. Iraq? Isn't that just north of the US?

Does draft dodging work for the militarily ensconced?

[julialnyc]

65. I wish him the best and wish you comfort in this time of fear

And I don't care who he voted for. I support out troops 100% and wouldn't make them take a test to see if they deserve my support.......in many case I also imaginer that some soldiers need to believe that they are doing good over there, so that they can get past their fear.

In any case, they didn't start a war, Bush and the gang did, and it is their fault and theirs alone (well, I could blame the media too for not doing their jobs!)

[knitter4democracy]

66. What is up with you people! She needs support, not attacks!

God help us all! What does it matter whom he voted for? He's one of our sons being sent off to a dangerous and illegal war, and that's all we need to know. He's a patriot and won't just run away from his duty, no matter how he feels about it, and that doesn't make him evil or stupid. Can't you just feel bad for the whole situation and pray for his safe return to whom/whatever you pray to?

Btw, Poiuyt, if he wants a helmet hat (a knitted hat to go under those hard things to help him stay warm at night), let me know. I have a good pattern and plenty of black yarn. It'll take me a bit with the other projects I've got going on right now, but I will get it to him if he wants one.

[diamond14]

68. there's no DUTY to an 'illegal' and immoral war....

It's very smart to refuse duty, when even you admit it is an 'illegal war'.....over 5000 PATRIOTS have refused to go....they are SMART, PATRIOTIC and all-American Heroes....


otherwise, you come back like these bush* DISPOSABLE HEROES....read about them, LOOK at their injuries...bush* has denied these 'purple heart' soldiers medical care, many are living in cars, trailers or their parent's house...IS IT SMART TO WALK INTO BUSH* CANNON FODDER IRAQ OPERATION?? an 'illegal war'.....an 'illegal war' to make LOTS OF MONEY for bush* war-profiteers....
http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0412/purplehearts_intro.html


lost his right hand and use of his left leg...and suffers from PTSD

Quote from this bush* 'disposable hero'

"But the reality of it is, seeing all that crap, fucks you up in the head man. I can't sleep at night. It sucks. It really sucks. They don't understand.

Yeah I got a purple heart. I don't care. No soldier wants a purple heart. I'll tell you that much. No soldier wants it. Awards don't mean nothing to me. I don't need anything to prove I was there. I know I was there. I got a constant reminder.

I mean like all the reasons we went to war, it just seems like they're not legit enough for people to lose their lives for and for me to lose my hand and use of my leg and for my buddies to lose their limbs. Like I just had a big conversation with my buddy the other day and like we want to know. I feel like we deserve to know."



I'm busy entertaining my war-profiteers in a $ 40 Million PARTY...."who cares what you think"....

[knitter4democracy]

69. I understand your point of view, but not everyone feels that way.

It just makes people angry and hurts the one who posted. I would want my kids or my husband to be conscientious objectors, but I can't see my family members who are in the armed forces doing it. They really feel like it's their job and that they should do it the best they can. Part of it is the brainwashing and all, but most of it is a sincere love for our country. Don't rag on that.

[txaslftist]

67. So sorry. God bless you with a safe return.

[ekhunter]

70. our prayers go out to him. my thoughts are with you and your family.