Uh Oh, I think Rove comments disrespected the Troops and Vets!

[WebeBlue]

There actually are soldiers who are Dems and vote Dem party and didn't vote for Bush. Bring the dem troops home and send repub soldiers in their place.

Vets, too, I'm sure there are dem vets who have already served.

I know in my family, military family with Viet Vet and 2 young Iraq vets that they voted dem party.

I know in my family, young man married to my daughter, dem, went from reserve to active enlistment in patriotic sense of duty to go off to fight the 'terrorists' right after 911. I think Rove with his comments just disrespected our troops. Wow, does that mean this Administration has just committed the dreadful sin of not supporting our troops in combat?

Maybe it's time for me, military family, to get outraged.

[acmejack]

1. Hope you have more luck than I!

One word sums it up: APATHY This crap is killing me... People are telling me I need to get a life other than politics, that I am an "extremist".

[aquart]

2. Where are you?

[WebeBlue]

3. The post was sarcasm, and not sure if I want

to go thru the motions of being 'outraged' as there has been plenty to be outraged about these past 2 + years. I've done my own fair share of speaking out. Point is that another take on Rove comments is that it could be construed by military families making the sacrifices (and vets who have made sacrifices) as an offensive remark that disrespects the service and sacrifice of their loved ones who may just happen to be dems serving in combat in response to 911 via the policies of this administration. Vets who have already served and consider their affiliation dem could construe Rove's remarks as a villification of their honor and service.

[Uncle Joe]

6. Is it apathy or fear?

I think apathy is the mask covering their fear, they are afraid of finding out the truth, it sounds too horrible.

[Uben]

4. Oh yeah!

My wife and I had the same conversation last evening. If they hate liberals and dems so much, why don't they just tell all the soldiers stationed in Iraq that if they are liberals or democrats, they can take an honorable discharge and leave? The sucking sound of the exodus could be heard world wide! I wonder how many soldiers, given the chance, would take them up on an offer like that?

With things going so sourly in Iraq, there will be a vast amount of voters looking to oust republicans in 2006 and 2008. Then, maybe we can get aroound to prosecuting these crooks and get some real justice!

[WebeBlue]

5. Watched the SAFC Report and much talk of 'How dare you not support

the troops' or 'undermining the troops confidence' and that has been a zinger jingoism since war in Iraq began. Sure seems to me like Rove with his comments did exactly that, undermined the troops confidence by disrespecting the active fighting troops political affiliations. Those 'liberals' over there who are wearing the uniform.... bad on Rove for his unpatriotic comment.

[question everything]

7. Letter to the strib: Liberals fight, too

Liberals fight, too

Liberals and Democrats alike are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan as we speak. Some may even have died or will yet die in these wars.

I ask you, is that what Karl Rove meant by liberals offering indictments and therapy?

I find it outrageous that my taxes pay a $157,000 salary to an unelected official to degrade troops in the field.

Mitchell T. Diers, Bloomington.

From http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/5475186-2.html

[WebeBlue]

8. Hey, wow, question everything, tx for posting that ltte

I'm pleased to see some others feeling the 'sleight' intentional or not to our troops. It's tiring how the political 'gaming' of what is reality for the troops daily, no matter their political beliefs, is itself a disrespect for the hard reality in the 'support the troops' gaming maneuvers.

[Catrina]

9. Great letter

He most certainly did insult all those in the military who are democrats. I have at least one in my family, Air Force, and many friends who are Democrats and who are serving in the military. My girlfriend's son has served in Iraq, Bosnia in SO and he has eight brothers and sisters.

I am outraged by his nasty dismissal of their service. Not to mention all those democrats who died in wars fighting for their country, SOMETHING HE HAS NEVER DONE!!

This entire Republican administration and their talk radio loudmouths who push their message, did everything in their power to avoid what he says Republicans were ready to do: 'Republicans were ready for war' ~ well, all that did for me was to remind me of all the Republican chickenhawks in this administration who were never, and never would be ready for war, no matter what the circumstances.

They are ready to PROFIT from war, was that what he meant???

And if Republicans were so ready for war, where are they? Why is it so difficult to get all those Republicans to sign up?

He should step down immediately. His comments are reprehensible, especially coming from a cowardly, draft-dodging, chickenhawk like himself. This should be the last thing he would want to remind us of. But it was the first thing I thought of when I heard him blathering that nonsense.

My question for him and his entire administration?

'Mr. Rove, you said that 'Republicans were ready for war' giving the impression that only Republicans are willing to fight for their country. So, my question to you is, why did you, Dick Cheney, George Bush, Wolfowitz, Tom Delay, Rush Limbaugh, Jeb Bush, Dennis Hastert, etc. etc. work so hard to avoid 'going to war' when your country needed you, while Democrats, John Kerry, Tom Daschle, George McGovern, Max Cleland, Gen. Clark, etc. answered their country's call? Can you explain that to us please, Mr. (I-love-war-so-long-as-I-don't-have-to-fight-in-it) Rove?

Don't we have any reporters who have the guts to ask him that in public and shame him in front of the entire country? Coward!

Outrage isn't a strong enough word to describe what his cowardly, lying comments evoke, especially coming from a chickenhawk who represents the country's most famous chickenhawks!! That's what I will include in the letters I write to the media and to my Representatives. How DARE he!!! And he should be reminded, his boss was AWOL!!

[WebeBlue]

10. Catrina, you Go! I can feel your outrage.

I'm keeping some distance here with my own feelings, but I've been a speaking out military family for 2 + years now and have done a fair share of being outraged and speaking in public media. I've come to expect the disrespect of this administration given their own past performance these past 2 + years over the troops in combat in Iraq. Just because I've come to expect less from this administration doesn't make it okay, and there ought to be outrage at Rove's callousness.

Be outraged, shout it, write it, keep making your points. I support your outrage. I have it too, and we all reach our threshholds at different times for different reasons. So Rove to me, is a nuisance, and a distraction, but if his comments can be turned back on him and will end this war more quickly, get our troops home sooner, I'm willing to outraged at his comments.

[Catrina]

11. Thankd you Webeblue

and thank you for speaking out :patriot:. I have not been doing that, just in online forums and in letters, emails and to those I know in real life ~

What I find out each time I tell people how many chickenhawks are in this administration, is that many people are not aware of that. They assume, because these phony patriots are so good at playing at being patriots, that they HAVE served in the military. I thought so also, until about three years ago when I saw the list of how many did not serve. It was a shock to me.

I couldn't imagine anyone calling someone like Clinton a draft dodger when they themselves were worse, chickenhawks!! That really was a moment of awakening for me.

The press was never shy about pointing out that Clinton didn't serve. This statement by Rove, had Clinton made it, would have produced a months long firestorm, accusing him of being a draft-dodging coward. Why has no one pointed this out about Rove?

*lol* ~ sorry, Webeblue, it's just that I despise hypocrites like Rove and even more, I despise a media that ignores his hypocrisy!! So, I will tell as many Republican friends as I can that he was 'never ready for war' so has no right to even talk about it!!

Btw, thanks for all you do ~ :-)

Edited to add that each time Rove or any other chickenhawk slams the patriotism of Democrats and Liberals, we should also mention that until he can prove otherwise, George Bush was AWOL. And they are chickenhawks! And, they set Dan Rather up. I know rightwingers hate it when we do that! :-)

[WebeBlue]

12. And get onto Downing Street Minutes too, it still has potential!

Rove surfacing at time when Downing Street Minutes is getting media play..not too difficult to see the transparancy.

AfterDowningStreet.org
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/


Cindy Sheehan, Gold Star Families for Peace, gave witness testimony at the Conyers Hearing on Downing Street Minutes last Thursday. Cindy Sheehan, military family, lost her son, Casey, in Iraq. She was the epitome of a collective military family Voice at the Hearing.

Also, Military Families Speak Out (www.mfso.org)
Military Families Against the War, UK (www.mfaw.org/uk)
Gold Star Families for Peace (www.gsffp.org)
Iraq Veterans Against the War (www.ivaw.net)

and I'm Military Families Speak Out, Pacific Northwest(chapter) (www.nwmfso.org)


Catrina, you're welcome to join and become a member family; not required that you speak out publicly, but lend your support and of course, you are welcome to speak out publicly and it sounds like you do have something to say from the sounds of your post.

[Catrina]

13. Yes, I agree

regarding the DSM. It is very relevant to Rove's statements, since he is still trying to tie the war in Iraq to 9/11. The memo/minutes make it clear that that this administration needs to answer some very important questions about the 'evidence' they presented as reasons for this war. I will include that in any letters I write to Representatives.



I did check out your excellent website www.nwmfso.org. I am familiar with the others and check them frequently. They are doing great work in informing the public ~

I am a moderator on a progressive forum, and often post links to those organizations on our site. We have many veterans who post there, also.

Thank you very much for your invitation ~ :-) I will certainly think about finding the time to do so, and to spread the word on the work they are doing.

[WebeBlue]

14. TY Catrina; spreading the word is the key and ty.

so put up a link to your own forum so I can pay a visit?

Spreading the word, yeah, however it can be done, imo, that is the key, more especially since we've lost credible msm reporting on other than the projected admin. pov.

[Catrina]

19. Yes, I agree WebeBlue

The forums were the old Alternet Forums. When Alternet decided to use a different format this year, we managed to save the forums and are working to build them up again. There is a wealth of information in the forums, which we did not want to lose, with lots of thoughtful discussion over the past three years.

Here is a link to the blog which we are now using as a front door to the forums, http://www.talknation.org/. Would love to have you visit! :-) I am 'trina' there, btw, but that name was taken here!

Check out the War Forum and the topic on the Troops. We have regular visits from veterans and from Sgt. Kevin Benderman and his wife Monica. He has been turned down for CO status. You may be familiar with his story!

I will post a link to your site ~ as you say, spreading the word is so important.

I am hoping that Veterans groups will let Rove know how they feel about his comments ~ on their behalf, and knowing how willing every one of them are to defend their country, I do feel outraged. He at least owes them an apology, imo.

[Totally Committed]

15. So, do you think he's staying up nights worrying about it?

I don't.

This is an administration that has done nothing but disrespect and dishonor the troops and the Veterans.

Rove and company should be ashamed, but instead, they just keep on keeping on. Someday (I hope, soon) they military families, the troops, and the Veterans will wake up and smell the the rats that they are.

Then, there will be a reckoning.

TC

[WebeBlue]

17. Totally Committed; We've been awake; MFSO, MFAW, IVAW, GSFfP

Perhaps I'm being over-sensitive, but the military family voice has not been quiet on this; nor the Iraq Veteran voices. I don't mean to land on your post, but I so often see posts that say 'yeah, maybe now the military families and troops will wake up and do something' or 'where are the military families and troops on this' or 'they shoot themselves in the foot' and other such posts.

We have been doing something, and we need more hands in more arenas to help carry the load, and there are many sympathetic activist organizations that do help. We need the average citizen to wake up to their civilian duty and speak out on behalf of supporting the troops authentic needs, better yet, bring them home.

[CANDO]

16. I am a Vet and vote Democratic

My cousin's boy spent six months in Afghanistan last year and registered Democrat and voted for Kerry.

[WebeBlue]

18. CANDO, I know more than a few troops who voted Not for Bush

and thank you for posting. And damn Rove for forcing again a divide where none should be. 911 = 1 America; policy of war sends kids who bleed the same be they in one political camp or the other or none at all.