There's no vacation for our troops in Iraq

[babylonsister]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/galloway/story/18377.html

Commentary: There's no vacation for our troops in Iraq
By Joseph L. Galloway | McClatchy Newspapers

* Posted on Thu, July 26, 2007

We're hard upon the dog days of August. Members of the U.S. Congress and the Iraqi parliament will soon slither away to the shade of cooler rocks, and President Bush will no doubt head off to Crawford to take his frustrations out on some brush with a chainsaw.

Meanwhile, in Iraq, the 60,000 American combat troops who daily patrol the most dangerous streets and roads in the world will carry on fighting, dying and bleeding in the broiling sun where temperatures nudge the 130-degree mark and 40 pounds of body armor and Kevlar helmet plus weapon and ammunition weigh more with every step an Infantryman takes.

The politicians in Washington and Baghdad will take their summer breaks, happy to postpone any further thought of Iraq at least until September, when the U.S. commander Gen. David Petraeus makes his progress report on the American troop surge to Congress, as though that may make some difference in how much longer this agony is going to continue.

Has anyone noticed that virtually every one of the players, political and military, have already begun chipping away at the September milestone? That, shock and horror, they begin to talk of the urgent need for American troops to remain in Iraq at the present level of 160,000 or maybe even more until 2009?

The Democrats in Congress — most of whom seem to be running for president — seem content to await further developments. The Republicans, especially those up for re-election in 2008, are wearing out the knees of their $4,000 suits praying for some miracle to remove Iraq and assorted other administration disasters from the voters' minds. The President has gone back to talking about his impossible dream of "victory" in a war that can't be won with the tools he's applying in the place where he's applying them.

snip//

Have a nice vacation all you politicians, and by the way, keep those bloody hands hidden. You wouldn't want to frighten the children on the beach.

[Cleita]

1. How about a new rule or ammendment to the Constitution?

No elected member of the federal government, whether it be Congress or the Executive office, can go on vacation at a time of war.

As long as we are waging war, no vacations or even long weekends.

[Zywiec]

18. Unfortunately, no war has been officially declared since WWII

So they would get around that rule.

[Swamp Rat]

2. "WHO CARES???"

[bonito]

3. K&R n/t

[mondo joe]

4. Recess isn't vacation, incidentally. NT

[babylonsister]

5. What is it? More speaking to constituents, who are on vacation? nt

[SammyWinstonJack]

9. Well what is it then? nt.

[mondo joe]

11. Recess:

Congressional recess is a period of time that Congress adjourns (subject to the call of the chair) and returns to their districts and states.

Recess is the time (outside of an election) when the member of Congress gets to hear from his or her constituents directly. Given that they are relatively isolated from their constituents while in DC, recess is important because it is the opportunity for a representative to pay attention to their constituents.

[babylonsister]

12. Hahahahaha! Those poor people! They get recesses for

Prez Day, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, etc., etc., etc. Thank goodness they don't take vacations!

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:kRZ_RjvJdQ0J:www.fws.gov/midwest/Congress/documents/2007RecessSchedule.pdf+when+is+2007+congressional+recess&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us

[Solly Mack]

6. Oh well...the more that die the more talking points, sound-bites and finger pointing

some will call it progress and some will talk about how unfortunate it is and some will talk about what a shame it is that troops have to die because nothing can be done to stop it

and even while there might be a truth in some of the politically advantageous talking points, the truth is the dying for lies and trumped up evidence continues

[babylonsister]

7. For you...

:hug:

[shadowknows69]

8. When I was in radio

we couldn't take our vacation time during a ratings period. I guess the death of a country is less important.

[babylonsister]

10. Ouch. So sad. nt

[mentalsolstice]

13. Yep, I have a nephew working out everyday...

he's running, daily, with his recruiter. He's entering his senior year in HS. He's already contractually obligated to the USMC, he reports for duty next July after he graduates.

My god, if the recruiters get this involved in their personal lives!

edited for misspelling.

[babylonsister]

14. Wow! That's young, and desperate. I guess there's no chance of

getting out of that.

[babylonsister]

16. .

[Zywiec]

19. I think that's good he's getting prepared this early

It will ensure he's successful when he gets to boot camp.

[calteacherguy]

15. Recommended for content pertaining to the realities troops face on the ground. nt

[genie_weenie]

17. Well, the troops signed up for this

and the price they have to pay for Americans being cowards is the waste of their lives.

[shadowknows69]

20. You storm the gates to the WH and we'll follow

any other suggestions?

[genie_weenie]

21. nice, keep calling me out

I understand why Americans aren't stopping this carnage, I'm fear too the Blackwater Mercs who are training in my "backyard" and the executive orders which clearly indicate the rights one has are determined by Dick Cheney

But shit to allow Americans the comfort of cajoling themselves with with the banal platitude I voted for Kerry... or I plan to vote for the Dem nominee.

I read DU often, and if one takes a stand against the D/R Murder Machine (like say Cindy Sheehan, or Ralph Nader, or Ron Paul) one can expect to be vilified for daring to have the temerity to question the WARFARE State and for not being an Authoritarian.

And actually I have been doing something but why should I explain anything of my life to you?
Hell I'm just a fucking coward...

[shadowknows69]

22. I said no such thing

Really I'll follow. I'm just a slow runner. B-)