Those who oppose Bush and his policies being considered unpatriotic.

[Susan]

Peace vigils upset woman whose husband will deploy
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Over the last couple of days I have read in your paper and watched on various news channels coverage of these peace vigils.
As a military spouse, please allow me to add my thoughts.

Most of the coverage has angered and upset me as I am sure it has many here in the area who are getting ready to send our loved ones over to Iraq in the next few months. My husband will be leaving in approximately 30 days.

I saw one woman from Nashville say she was there to support the troops.

That is not the support we appreciate. Another idiot said this was a war all about "oil." These morons need to educate themselves to the pre-liberation conditions of that country.

As for the woman who was camped outside President Bush's ranch, she is wrong. I understand she is grieving. She needs to seek counseling.

Her son knew what his mission was and served his country nobly defending us with his life.

For a surviving family member to act any less noble is a desecration to his memory. There is nothing the president can say to this woman. He can't bring her son back and pulling out our troops before they are allowed to finish the job there would be stupid and demoralizing to our troops.

My husband is leaving our two sons and I here to go over to defend our nation and keep the terrorists out of our country and our backyards.

My family will be making sacrifices many cannot make. My children will be saying "goodbye" to their father so that many others will not have to.

I can guarantee you my husband would much rather be home tucking his boys in bed at night.

This incised me so I wrote the following response and sent it to the paper which published it.

Patriots should question government's policies

This is in response to the Aug. 24 letter, "Peace vigils upset woman whose husband will deploy."

Those protesting the war are exercising their constitutional rights that soldiers pledge to protect and defend. Those brave individuals are attempting to ensure this administration doesn't get away with lying to the American public and to Congress, manipulating intelligence to fit a preconceived plan of action, leading us into a war based on lies, and committing other acts which I am sure would qualify as high crimes and misdemeanors, that is if they didn't control our government.

Patriotism isn't placing a magnet on your car, wearing a yellow ribbon, or saying "I support the troops." It is not blindly following the policies of an administration, which clearly does not have its people's best interest at heart. Patriotism is speaking out against your government when it is wrong, immoral or unethical.

Few Americans objected to going after Osama bin Laden, but many people object to invading Iraq because the multiple justifications given for the invasion have been excuses.

Follow the money. Who benefits from this war? The military industrial complex, the oil companies who are reporting 30 percent-plus profits, and the futures markets that use the uncertainty we are creating to endlessly drive up the price of oil. Finally, the terrorists benefit because our actions in Iraq, our threats against Iran, and our imperial ambitions are their best possible recruiting tools.


What's your opinion?

[Chaunte]

Susan,

I could not agree more.

It was a very hard decision for me, as a Republican, to not vote for reelecting the President.  However, I believe that the present administration has seriously veered away from the key planks of the party.  Basically, smaller government, lower taxes and less spending.  Besides, peace is good for buisness.

The war in Iraq was started under false pretext.  I fully believed former Sec. of State Powell when he outlined the case against Saddam Hussain and Iraq to the United Nations. 

I first started to have my doubts when the present war started with an assination attempt on Hussain.  It CAN be argued successfully that Saddam Hussain was himself a military target because of his position in the government.  Nevertheless, US law strictly prohibits assination.

I fully support all of the troops deployed overseas.  They deserve the best weapons, the best armor, the best training and enough of them in-country to get the job done as fast as possible.  They are following their orders, and I am grateful for their sacrifices.

I do strongly question the motives of the President and the administration.  In hindsight, this seems more like a vindetta than a liberation campaign.

Patriotism starts with going to the polls on election day.  I would urge all of my sisters and brothers here at Susan's to exercise that privilege - vote.

Chaunte

[stephanie_craxford]

As an outsider looking in, I believe that the War in Iraq, and the reasons invented to start it,  will go down as one of the biggest deceptions in history.  Susan rightly stated the real reasons for this whole debacle, and anyone who can't see this is really being naive.  All the while, terrorists flourish and train in other countries such as Iran, Pakistan.  I don't think that the cost in lives both in the Coalition Forces, and Iraq, justify the numbers of terrorist who have been killed by the war, special ops could have done a better job.  Does anyone know if there has even been one single Iraqi national who has been identified as a terrorist.

Steph

[Leigh]

  They are following their orders,

The same thing was put forth as a defense by the SS and the Gestapo.  

[Chaunte]

The same thing was put forth as a defense by the SS and the Gestapo.  

Leigh,

There is a significant difference, and it is not semantics.

War is the last step when diplomacy fails.  Soldiers are deployed because they are that last step.  They have to trust that their leaders have made the right decision to deploy and engage another nation.

The SS and Gestapo swore their allegiance to Adolph Hitler, not the Third Reich.  As such, their moral compass was fixated on carrying out any order they received from Hitler.  Thus, the Holocaust happened for both Jews and Gays.

U. S. forces have sworn an oath of allegiance to the United States as the defenders of the Constitution.  As such, they are duty bound to follow the Constitution, not a fanatic.  This gives our soldiers the moral obligation to refuse any order that is immoral.  Executing someone because they are an Iraqi is murder and the soldier would be tried accordingly.  Likewise, an officer or non-com who gives such an order would also be arrested and tried.

As you can probably tell, I am a little sensitive on this issue.  If I come across as stomping on toes, I do deeply apologize.  It is not my intent. 

I am a member of the United States Air Force Auxiliary, the Civil Air Patrol, and hold the rank of captain.  This is a civilian support organization carrying out the duties of disaster relief/search & rescue and education.  Many of my squadron mates serve or have served in the military.  A significant percentage of these people have seen action.  These are men and women of action and whose moral compass is right where it should be.  Knowing them as I do, I needed to say something in their defense.

No hard feelings?

Chaunte

[Leigh]

My  serial number was @@@@@@@@.  I enlisted so I am more than acquainted with the inane reason that are given to do something. 

There was no imperative for going into any foreign country and failing to support the troops.  It is the leadership or lack thereof that I am bitching about.  The current person in the disgraced white house has nothing other than his own agenda and furthering the interests of those companies profiteering on the debacle taking place.

If you have never heard a shot being fired, then please do not placate me with how noble this cause is--it just ain't gonna wash.

No hard feelings.

This is going OT.  Maybe the PMS forum.