Paul Rieckhoff says troops will be happy funding is coming.

[madfloridian]

He says Bush has done such a good job of framing it that they were actually afraid they might not get funded. He said now they are knowing they will be funded until fall...and then "another round of political cheapshots" will begin.

That is just plain bs, Rieckhoff.

[Skittles]

1. friggin' pathetic

what a repuke whore

[snowbear]

7. Skittles, Paul Rieckhoff is NOT a Republican!

And to call him a "Repuke Whore".. wow, that is just sad.

Paul is on progressive talk just about every other day it seems, and if you listen to him.. then you KNOW that he's not a Republican!!!

Do you listen to him on Air America? Or do you ever catch his blogs over at Huffington Post?

If so.. It's baffling that you'd call him a "Repuke Whore". No way.

A feirce, Bush hating Independent perhaps. A Repuke Whore. NO.

[Clark2008]

18. Just a note Larissa, not everyone gets Air America.

I am not offered ANY alternatives to Rethug radio in my town, nor can I either afford satellite radio or be allowed to stream it at work.

Maybe this poster HASN'T heard of this guy (neither have I) because of those reasons.

Correct him, of course, but don't assume everyone has access to liberal radio. In fact, most of the country doesn't, sadly.

[WCGreen]

2. It may be bizarro world time for a lot of people...

But Bush has framed it that way and the Dem's did not counter effectively...

It sure is easier when one voice talks for one side...

Especially when the other side has to caucus and gather support from hundreds of individuals...

[flpoljunkie]

13. Perhaps you're right. Dems signaled they would fund the troops from the beginning, and, in the end-

Bush dug in--and Congress caved--not enough of them willing to actually "stand up for the troops" by getting the policy right," as John Kerry so aptly puts it.

[madfloridian]

3. I wonder all over again if he really speaks for the majority of military?

I have heard him on shows before, sometimes agree, sometimes don't. But this time it was weird.

With the vote today, it was something that made me wonder if the Democrats only listen to certain people. Maybe they got the word from military that troops felt we would fail them. :shrug:

I do not believe he is right. I believe he was saying things that now are not basically true.

I just saw this poll.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/24/opinion/polls/main2846638.shtml

CBS/NYT poll
76% of Americans now believe the war is going badly.
72% of Americans disapprove of Bush's handling of the war.
72% also say the country is on the wrong track...the lowest number the poll has ever had for that question since it was started in 1983.

I do NOT believe that the military is relieved at four more months of an unrestrained Little Boots. I do not believe it, it boggles the mind as much as the bill they passed today.

[sanskritwarrior]

4. Here's what I know

we were in the middle of an exercise today for the Brigade. In our TOC inside a building an announcement came over the PA saying we had our funding........There was a loud and very celebratory CHEER........This TOC had E-1''s, E-5's and E-9 or two and all ranks of officers from LT to LTC, men and women........I'll say it again, there was a loud CHEER at the announcement that the Congress had funded the war.......Take that how you will but I think Rieckhoff is very astute on this issue.

[madfloridian]

5. Then that does it for me.

Anyone....anyone.. who is still gung ho for this war have just lost me.

I am sorry but that is how I feel.

[madfloridian]

6. In fact, to tell you more about how I really feel...

I believe that even military are responsible for being informed and making the right choice about who to believe.

The ones you heard cheer were not well-informed. I blame them for that. It is their responsibility.

[sanskritwarrior]

9. I tend to think they are quite well informed

just because they don't agree with you or I does not make them uninformed, there are PhD's in that room, people that are considered subject matter experts in certain international relations fields......They think differently, don't say they are uninformed because that simply is untrue.......

[madfloridian]

10. Ok.

Then it is a very good thing our Democrats gave Bush that 100 billion, wasn't it.

With no strings attached.

Apparently they think our Democrats were out to hurt them. Where did they get that?

[erpowers]

17. Think He's Right

I know many Democrats may not want to hear things like what Paul said, but I think he is right. I think many soldiers really believed that Bush would leave them in the war zone even if they did not have the material to fight the war. I was told last night that Bush could be impeached for doing that, so far nothing even the threat of impeachment has stopped Bush from doing what he has wanted to do. It is sad, but I think at least some troops thought they would be left without funding.

[madfloridian]

19. Well, now they don't need to complain...

because they got it. Now when injured and ill troops are sent back, they can't gripe because they got the funding.

Sometimes there needs to be responsibility to be informed.

Anyone still thinking GWB is a great commander...well, never mind.

[FrenchieCat]

8. Paul Rieckhoff is only 1/2 right.......

It's not Bush that did a "good job of framing", it's the asshole media that kept saying over and over the anyone who voted against this would have voted to cut off funding from the troops. Democratic pols know that the media ain't their friend, and that when it would come down to election 2008, the media would be pointing their fingers at the Democrats again, while ignoring the goddam monkeys in the room.

BTW, Paul Rieckhoff wrote this book, Chasing Ghosts: A Soldier's Fight for America from Baghdad to Washington
http://books.google.com/books?id=_MeEAAAACAAJ&dq=Paul+Rieckhoff,+book
The riveting, action-packed true story of the first soldier to challenge the war in Iraq.

He and his soldiers spent almost a year in one of the most dangerous and volatile areas of Baghdad. And what they encountered there was chaos: not nearly enough troops, no humanitarian aid, no body armor, no radios, and no real plan for what to do after Baghdad fell.

He created Operation Truth, the first and largest veterans' group specifically for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Through this organization, he has become a leading spokesman for troops, veterans, and their families, and a critical voice in the ongoing debate surrounding this conflict. Whatis really happening in Iraq? Should we be there? Should we stay? Rieckhoff is in a unique position to answer these crucial questions.

[beachmom]

16. So are you suggesting that Clinton, Obama, and Dodd are now in trouble?

That it'll be a replay of "I voted for it before I voted against it", and tortured responses, and a right wing chorus of "they hate the troops"?

God, I hate this war.

[snowbear]

11. Florida.. sweet Florida...

I'm worried about you.

You can't let this ordeal let you feel like all is lost with the Democratic Party. That's simply not the case!

PLEASE -- read the transcript of what Rieckhoff said to Keith Olbermann.. the entire thing. http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Olbermann_on_Army_fitness_ahead_of_0523.html

He's not the bad guy here.

That.. plus it will might make you feel (I hope) much better if you read the NY Times poll that came out tonight stating that the American public are actually in line with what the congress did.

Sure, the public wants us out... we ALL do.. yet still, an overwhelming percentage --- 87% --- did not want us to cut off funds.

Only 13% wanted all funds cut off >> http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/25/washington/25view.html

This is not going to affect the outcome of the 2008 presidential election.

Republicans are toast. History. Kaput!

I know it sucks right now. But it WILL be better.

[madfloridian]

14. The troops cheered that they are funded with no oversight...

and their beloved president has carte blanche to keep calling them back over and over again.

Yeh, let's talk about that, my friend. Let's do.

So now, there should be no griping when they are called back while injured or sick. It is their responsibility to be informed.

If they are informed and they were cheering for their funding, so be it.

[erpowers]

20. It Is Not That

I think the soldiers in that room were cheering more for the fact that they and their friends would not be blown up by ieds. At least they think they have a little less chance of getting blown up now that they will have money for the things they need. I know the defunding would not have kept them from getting the things they need, but the Democrats should have done a better job of getting out and talking to soldiers. It seemed like the Democrats just stayed in Washington, D.C. and did very little and said very little about this issue. They should have visited military bases and talked with soldiers about what the soldiers wanted and what Democratic members of Congress wanted. That way the Democrats could have shared their ideas with the soldiers while trying to figure a way to end the war.

[madfloridian]

21. They think funding will keep them from getting blown up by ieds?

Now that is sad.

My heart aches for our troops. But all the funding in the world will not keep them safe.

[Fabio]

12. Of course soldiers want the gear and the goods

Most want to fight (at least the active duty regulars). It is their chosen profession. More than half probably want to avenge a lost friend, or 'finish the mission'for prides sake. Or to make sense of their sacrifices.
This should be expected.

The larger point is that gop politicians have effectively sold us on "the troops want us to stay and finish" With all due respect, the american public and american politicians should not consider what the troops think in our calculus. These are by and large good people who, from the first day of basic training, are taught about the chain of command and authority. Questioning the policy is unhealthy to their mindset.

[Totally Committed]

15. Bullsh*t, Rieckhoff...

TC