Kucinich: We Must Support Our Troops

[goodhue]

Kucinich: We Must Support Our Troops

"US soldiers are being held in Iraq and required to serve past the completion of their terms of service, while their families await their return. This practice must end. It must be made no more politically acceptable than a formal draft.

"About 2,500 soldiers who have returned from war are awaiting medical care at bases in the United States. They must be provided with treatment immediately, with the same urgency that the Administration places on sending more troops abroad or shooting a man to the moon.

"US troops in Iraq are committing suicide at an increasing rate, despite the work of special teams sent to help them handle stress. The US Army reports 21 suicides and has not completed all investigations into deaths. The Army began efforts to address this problem last year after soldiers returning to Fort Bragg, NC, killed their wives and themselves. But the effort has not identified any common thread, according to the Army.

"I can identify a common thread. These soldiers are all risking their lives. They are being shot at by the people that their commanders have told them they are in Iraq to serve. And they are being ordered to fight these people, to take actions that destroy homes and kill women and children. They see the situation growing worse every day, but they have been trained to do what they are ordered. The solution is not counseling. The solution is to end the US occupation of Iraq, bring in UN peacekeepers, and work through the UN to establish a democracy that will be viewed as legitimate by the Iraqi people.

"We owe our troops no less than to work to bring them home quickly and safely."

http://www.kucinich.us/statements.htm#SupportTroops

[LWolf]

1. kick for our soldiers

and the man who supports them.

:kick:

[IndianaGreen]

2. Another way to support the troops (non-political)

From the American Society of Military Comptrollers, here are 3 ways in which you can support our troops:

1. Donate Frequent Flyer Miles for Deployed Soldier R&R Visits:

Over the next several months, troops from Iraq will continue to return home for 2 week R & R visits at the rate of almost 500 soldiers per day. Unfortunately, they are responsible for paying for their own domestic air travel after arriving at one of three U.S. Airport gateways (Baltimore, Dallas, and Atlanta). Currently, the Department of Defense is not paying for this travel (money has been allocated by Congress, but the "rules" for its use are still being worked out by DOD). A web site, http://www.heromiles.org has been established by Congressman C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) to accept donations of frequent flier miles to help pay for these flights.

2. Care Packages for Deployed Soldiers:

Many Americans have asked how they can send "care packages" to the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Most organizations providing this service require that you send the package to a known solider. The historic tradition of sending a package to "any soldier" is more difficult in an era of terrorism. However, one proud father of a U.S. Army solider serving in Iraq has set up a web site, and with his son devised a system for sending care packages. The website is http://www.anysoldier.us and it is full of recommendations on items the soldiers need today.

3. Teddy Bears for Children of Deployed Soldiers:

"Helping Kids Bear Adversity" Operation TeddyCare is currently running a project to provide teddy bears to children of deployed troops and is having trouble keeping up with demand from military family service centers. The website is http://teddycare.coastside.net

[corporatewhore]

3. Support our Troops Vote Kucinich

[goodhue]

4. kick

support our troops
bring them home

[ByRillYAN]

5. Kick

has anyone seen those yards signs that say:
We support our troop
AND Pres. Bush!

There everywhere here. So i took about twenty from yards around my neighborhood, took a sharpie, crossed out the last line, wrote "brings our troops home!" and stuck in my front yard.

i put a Kucinich yard sign nex to the others.

i'm basically shuned by most my neighbors now. (except those sho agree with me, not many :( )

[arewethereyet]

6. we owe them what we promised them

That they would have care if they needed it and training to prepare them for what we required them to do.

Everything else was agreed to by them when they signed up.

[ThirdWheelLegend]

7. the greatest way to support the troops, Vote Kucinich!

TWL

[TeeYiYi]

8. kick

TYY :kick:

[AnAmerican]

9. Kick for Dennis and for our troops

and for ALL Americans

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

10. Support our Troops Bring them Home Alive - Vote Kucinich

:bounce: :kick:

[redqueen]

11. Kick for the troops and future draftees

Take the American face off of the occupation of Iraq.

UN in, US out.

:kick:

[no name no slogan]

12. It's "official": More troops dead in Iraq than first 4 years of Vietnam

According to "official" counts, we've now lost more troops in Iraq than we did in the first four years of Vietnam. If you use "unofficial" counts, we've gone all the way up to year seven.

Now, why should we continue to send more troops into this quagmire? Why should we not turn over control to the UN?

US OUT OF IRAQ. VOTE KUCINICH.

[redqueen]

13. Not enough dead soldiers yet.

Many many soldiers permanently disabled, though.

Eventually people may wake up. Then again, maybe not. Maybe unending war is what people really want. If it makes them 'feel safer'.