Letter from a Father of Son(Alex) in Iraq to Randi Rhodes

[RamboLiberal]

Randi to her great credit is organizing her listeners to get Alex and his unit supplies. This is first radio personality I've heard of doing this. Are there any others? Where's the flag wavers in this? Seems we liberals may be the ones really supporting the troops. Since Randi read this on the air Friday and it's posted to her bulletin board I hope it's ok to post it all here.

Randi,
Thanks for taking my call today to talk about my son and the other soldiers stuck in Baghdad. Their conditions are deplorable and moral is non-existent. Not low. Non-existent. We send him packages every week. Always with food and other things that he requests. Bug repellent. Chopstick. Replacement sunglasses, etc. The Army gives them nothing. The combat troops; the guys you see every day on the news going door to door routing out the "evil doers", are still eating MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). He has gone from a robust 200 lbs to a very lean 170. He has asked me to send protein supplements and canned tuna fish and chicken because he is getting so little protein in his diet. But he doesn't complain. But he doesn't talk about re-enlisting any more either.

They have had three come home dates so far. All have come and gone. They are becoming hopeless that they will ever get to come home. He has been told now that he will be home in January and February for 2 weeks. Than a 10 month deployment to Korea than home again for 2 weeks. And the really bad news and what has him and us depressed is another 10 month deployment to Iraq. It is demoralizing to say the least. Gen. Meigs, a supporter of the war, said last week that the US is about to do what no other country has ever been able to do. Destroy the US Army. He said that we are running a thoroughbred into the ground.

Waking up in the morning is like waking up to the world's worst lottery when you hear that another soldier has been murdered in Iraq. It is heart stopping until you learn that it wasn't your son's unit or Division. It's a nightmare. A national nightmare. And there is no end in site. I say bring them all home now. Have them guard the boarders of Canada and Mexico. Tighten up the INS and do the things actually necessary to prevent future 9/11. Bush has obviscated the facts as you point out daily and continues to point the finger of blame at Bill Clinton. What nonsense! Bill Clinton lied about something that was NOBODY'S BUSINESS! George Bush lies and people die. WHY ISN"T BUSH BEING IMPEACHED!

In Viet Nam, we were taken in by the Gulf of Tonkin Incident that lead to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution that eventually lead to 51,000 American dead. I am amazed that no one has made the parallel between the "Resolution" and the Weapons of Mass Destruction. I guess Americans are just accustomed to being lied to by their leaders in order to get us into a war. But as you point out, Bush has no end to his lies and his accommodation of big business. I'd like to see how long the war would last if one of his or Jeb's kids had to be over there.

I am registered as a Republican. I wanted to vote in the primary for McCain and did. I was glad to hear you talk about Republicans for Dean. I will check that out. I worked for Sen. McGovern in the 1970 election because he said that he would end the war in Viet Nam. Dean makes similar claims now and his hands are clean since he could never have voted in support of the current fiasco.

But I digress from the purpose of my note to you. You asked for my son's address in Baghdad. It is:

<[EDITED>]

He and all of the guys only have mail from home to look forward to. It means everything to them. Alex is a graduate of <[edited>] High School and went one year to <[edited>] University. Until Sept. 11, 2001. He enlisted the following month. He wanted to do all that he could do to protect and defend our country. And his reward for being a valiant soldier and committed citizen is to live in a chicken coup in 130 degree heat in Baghdad with little hope of getting home or even having anything more than mail from home to look forward to. It is a disgrace. It's as if they are being punished for by their country for being patriots.

Thanks for talking up our troops. We need to get them home. I have never felt so helpless in my life.

Bill <[edited>]
<[edited>], FL

http://forum.therandirhodesshow.com/index.php?act=ST&f=19&t=1110&s=71f9350937eb76f3051f37f0d0ef8dd2

[proud patriot]

1. Thanks for posting this

I must ask , is the unit being discussed from a State
that went for Gore ? We are following an investigation
which makes the assertion that states that went to
Bush are getting their troops home before troops that
went to bush. Here is the thread .
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=339757

[ryharrin]

3. I'm pretty sure the son is from florida too.

I remember listening to the call, and he mentioned that the son went to a florida college and a florida high school. So, yes and no, it was and wasn't a state that went for Gore.

[ronnykmarshall]

2. Salute!

A wonderful letter. More parents are speaking out.