25 US troops killed today...

[Fitswimmer]

why aren't we marching on Washington to ban alcohol or automobiles?
43 THOUSAND were killed in traffic accidents in 05, almost 17000 were alcohol related....where is the outrage?

http://www.madd.org/stats/11088

MADD has marched on DC. So have people that are against gun violence, the death penalty and all manner of other things that kill people.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

why aren't we marching on Washington to ban alcohol or automobiles?
43 THOUSAND were killed in traffic accidents in 05, almost 17000 were alcohol related....where is the outrage?

http://www.madd.org/stats/11088

It's odd you compare the two. Outrage at both seems appropriate to me. Alcohol related deaths are caused by the poor choices of many single individuals. The deaths of all those young American servicemen and women in Iraq were caused by the poor choices of one man.

My heart goes out to all those who have lost loved ones whatever the reason.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

My thoughts/prayers go out to the families. I am lucky right now as DH won't deploy again for a few months. Last years Afghanistan deployment was hard though since one of my little cousins (some of ya'll may remember him from my spider story) was killed in Iraq 3 days before my birthday. I wanted DH to come home (wasn't gonna happen of course) and I wanted to go home to FL to be with family but we couldn't afford it. I hope all the familiy members have someone close by to turn to when they get the news..getting it alone sucks.

I'm so very sorry for your loss, Angela.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

"No More" by Bob Seger
Are you sorry when the lights begin to fade
Are you sorry for the promises you made
for the burden of the ones who had to fall
When you didn't see the writing on the wall

It was forty years ago and I was young
and the jungle not the desert heard the guns
Someone said they had a secret plan
and the rest of us were told to understand

Well I don't want this, no I don't want this
I have had enough no more

Tomorrow is the price for yesterday
A billion waves won't wash the truth away
Someday you'll be ordered to explain
No one gets to walk between the rain
And I don't want this, no I don't want this
I have had enough no more
No I don't want this no I don't want this
I have had enough no more
No more

Thank you. I don't play this song when my husband is around. He's an old marine and it breaks his heart.

 

[DISUNC]

 

[crazyforgoofy]

My thoughts and prayers are with our Hero's and their families.

I believe you meant to say 'heroes'. The apostrophe makes no sense in the context in which you use it.

While their deeds may have been heroic I think of them as the children of broken-hearted parents, the lost mothers and fathers of orphaned children, the forever absent partners of so many devastated women and men.

 

[mefordis]

We need to send 22,000 more young American soldiers to kill and maime. Shut up for 6 to 9 months and give it a shot. What do we have to lose?

If those soldiers who have died are able to look down at the situation, do you think that is what they are saying? Or would they be saying for Christ sake, get them out of there!

 

[maddiemouse]

While their deeds may have been heroic I think of them as the children of broken-hearted parents, the lost mothers and fathers of orphaned children, the forever absent partners of so many devastated women and men.

This is so true.

 

[transparant]

I believe you meant to say 'heroes'. The apostrophe makes no sense in the context in which you use it.

While their deeds may have been heroic I think of them as the children of broken-hearted parents, the lost mothers and fathers of orphaned children, the forever absent partners of so many devastated women and men.

I'm sure everyone knew what I meant...but thanks for making sure you corrected me.

 

[LakeAriel]

why aren't we marching on Washington to ban alcohol or automobiles?
43 THOUSAND were killed in traffic accidents in 05, almost 17000 were alcohol related....where is the outrage?

http://www.madd.org/stats/11088

If there was one responsible party, in one location, you bet we would be marching there!
This does not relate, though very, very upsetting.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

I'm sure everyone knew what I meant...but thanks for making sure you corrected me.

My pleasure.

 

[LuvDuke]

why aren't we marching on Washington to ban alcohol or automobiles?
43 THOUSAND were killed in traffic accidents in 05, almost 17000 were alcohol related....where is the outrage?

http://www.madd.org/stats/11088

In light of the fact that 27 Americans died in Iraq, it might show some decency not to poo-poo those deaths by quoting statistics that have nothing to do with a war.

Really, you might show a little outrage over that.

 

[TheDoctor]

I fear that we are in for some bad months with the escalation of the conflict in Iraq.

 

[yo-ho-yo-ho]

My thoughts and prayers are with anyone who has lost a loved one from whatever side they're on.

 

[MassJester]

I look at the deaths of soldiers much the same way I look at the death of a police officer. These are men and women who have entered into service to protect me, my family and my country.

They dedicated themseleves to the tasks they are set to with heroic allegiance, and so I feel each death more keenly. I don't mean to minimize the impact of the passing of any other person under any other circumstances.

I have several employees in Iraq now. I appreciate the fact that when their orders came they put on their uniforms and answered the call. I am mortified that it was necessary for them to do so, but I honor them for their sense of duty and service.

Every loss there is a tragedy, because they are in harms way on our behalf. Many of us believe that they are there without cause, but we must never be confused about the service they individually render to us.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I look at the deaths of soldiers much the same way I look at the death of a police officer. These are men and women who have entered into service to protect me, my family and my country.

They dedicated themseleves to the tasks they are set to with heroic allegiance, and so I feel each death more keenly. I don't mean to minimize the impact of the passing of any other person under any other circumstances.

I have several employees in Iraq now. I appreciate the fact that when their orders came they put on their uniforms and answered the call. I am mortified that it was necessary for them to do so, but I honor them for their sense of duty and service.

Every loss there is a tragedy, because they are in harms way on our behalf. Many of us believe that they are there without cause, but we must never be confused about the service they individually render to us.

Good point. We've come a long way from how we treated soldiers during Vietnam, but we still need to keep our outrage over the war separate from our feelings about those who serve. I can't imagine what it is like to have to go off and fight a war that is so unpopular, that even the soldiers themselves don't agree with.

 

[Laura]

Good point. We've come a long way from how we treated soldiers during Vietnam, but we still need to keep our outrage over the war separate from our feelings about those who serve. I can't imagine what it is like to have to go off and fight a war that is so unpopular, that even the soldiers themselves don't agree with.

It must be hard. It's shameful how Vietnam vets were treated upon their return home. I hope we never sink that low again.

 

[dcentity2000]

Survivors

No doubt they'll soon get well; the shock and strain
Have caused their stammering, disconnected talk.
Of course they're 'longing to go out again,' —
These boys with old, scared faces, learning to walk.
They'll soon forget their haunted nights; their cowed
Subjection to the ghosts of friends who died,—
Their dreams that drip with murder; and they'll be proud
Of glorious war that shatter'd all their pride...
Men who went out to battle, grim and glad;
Children, with eyes that hate you, broken and mad.

~ Siegfried Sassoon



Rich::

 

[disneyfan67]

I look at the deaths of soldiers much the same way I look at the death of a police officer. These are men and women who have entered into service to protect me, my family and my country.

They dedicated themseleves to the tasks they are set to with heroic allegiance, and so I feel each death more keenly. I don't mean to minimize the impact of the passing of any other person under any other circumstances.
I have several employees in Iraq now. I appreciate the fact that when their orders came they put on their uniforms and answered the call. I am mortified that it was necessary for them to do so, but I honor them for their sense of duty and service.

Every loss there is a tragedy, because they are in harms way on our behalf. Many of us believe that they are there without cause, but we must never be confused about the service they individually render to us.

That was one of the best posts I've ever seen on this subject. Coming from a military family I have seen first hand all the sacrifices that the soldiers and their families have to bear. The low pay, crappy housing, difficult tours of duty, long periods being away from their loved ones, and the stigma of being a military family in a town that looks down on you, etc. It's a hard life for some and it's one of the reasons I dread seeing troops being sent off anywhere in a foreign land, regardless of what President sends them. I know some people will say "they signed up for it", but it doesn't make it any easier when they go off on a unpopular and dangerous missions that the public doesn't understand.

I do know it's sometimes necessary, but I wish all politicians could experience a day in the life of a American solider and what they have to put up with before throwing those troops in harms way. Whether it's Beirut, Haiti, Somalia, Bosnia, or Iraq, they just need to think long and hard before they commit those troops and ask the hard questions.

Is that country in question and it's people really worth the sacrifices and blood of our troops?

Will they make the changes necessary in their own country to validate the decision to send our soldiers in harms way?

Will this military action benefit the United States in the short and long term and is it absolutely necessary?


My theory is, if you can't answer yes to a least two of those questions, then you to take a hard look at why you're sending them there in the first place.

 

[Fitswimmer]

That was one of the best posts I've ever seen on this subject. Coming from a military family I have seen first hand all the sacrifices that the soldiers and their families have to bear. The low pay, crappy housing, difficult tours of duty, long periods being away from their loved ones, and the stigma of being a military family in a town that looks down on you, etc. It's a hard life for some and it's one of the reasons I dread seeing troops being sent off anywhere in a foreign land, regardless of what President sends them. I know some people will say "they signed up for it", but it doesn't make it any easier when they go off on a unpopular and dangerous missions that the public doesn't understand.

I do know it's sometimes necessary, but I wish all politicians could experience a day in the life of a American solider and what they have to put up with before throwing those troops in harms way. Whether it's Beirut, Haiti, Somalia, Bosnia, or Iraq, they just need to think long and hard before they commit those troops and ask the hard questions.

Is that country in question and it's people really worth the sacrifices and blood of our troops?

Will they make the changes necessary in their own country to validate the decision to send our soldiers in harms way?

Will this military action benefit the United States in the short and long term and is it absolutely necessary?


My theory is, if you can't answer yes to a least two of those questions, then you to take a hard look at why you're sending them there in the first place.

The first question is the one that's a real moral issue. What criteria do we use to determine who is worth saving? I thought we should have been in Rwanda during the Clinton Administration and I think we should be in Darfur now because there is genocide going on there. I thought Saddam should have been removed during the first Gulf War because of the way he and his regime were killing and "disappearing" innocent people. I agreed with our involvement in Bosnia because of the ethnic cleansing going on there at the time.

As for 2 and 3, those are questions upon which reasonable people will disagree. It's hard to predict the future. There's an expert on every side of every issue, so it's almost impossible to know with certainty that any decision is the absolute best.

There has to be a balance between shooting first and asking questions later, and asking so many questions that no decision ever gets made. I'm looking for the candidate that can be decisive after serious reflection on the many sides of an issue. I haven't had one in the last two elections, maybe I'll get lucky in 2008.