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The number of U.S. troops who have died in the Iraq war hit 2,000. If you add the number of Iraqi dead and troops that have been maimed, the toll from this terrible war of choice has been staggering. These were brave and courageous men and women and we owe them our deepest gratitude and utmost respect. We remain a free nation because of the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform. Let us take a moment to remember these heroes.
Unfortunately, our civilian leaders have let our military and our nation down. They fixed intelligence to get us into a war that we had no business being in. Bush & Friends concocted bogus stories of WMD with the intension of scaring moderates, Independents, Democratic members of Congress and even the subservient media into believing war was necessary.
The level of deceit is alarming, the lack of evidence damning and the loss of life tragic. What the Bush Administration did is unforgivable. When historians look back, they will judge Bush as perhaps the worst president ever, and much of this has to do with his lethal misadventure in Iraq.
All Americans, especially the parents of the fallen and injured, hope something positive comes from this sandy and bloody mess. No one wants to believe that their child died in vain. However, lack of vision and proper planning has left us in a quagmire with no exit in the foreseeable future. If we blindly "stay the course", the awful stench of death will continue. If we simply leave, a civil war will likely break out and America will have to return within ten years with twice as many troops. This means that our fifth graders may end up in coffins in a decade because of the poor choices Bush made today.
The 2,000 figure is shocking because the administration hid the coffins of the dead in an effort to spin the war. Bush wanted the vast majority of Americans to enjoy their lousy $200 tax cut and go shopping, and leave the war mostly to the children of our nation's poor. The more Bush could keep the ugly truth about Iraq off the television screen, the better. Today's sobering body count is a rude, frozen glass of water thrown in the face of denial, that says Americans better wake up. We are fighting a war, and unless something dramatic happens, we may lose.
Well, in many ways, America has already lost. We have run up a huge deficit, destroyed our standing in the world, weakened our military, created new terrorists, diverted money to Iraq that could be used to fight terrorism and caused 2,000 American deaths.
Why is our great nation on this hideous suicide mission? Are we insane? Does anybody have a clue why we are fighting this war? You know you are fighting a bad war when you walk into a pub and ask ten people why we are in Iraq and get ten different answers. The truth is, only a small "cabal" of people in the White House Iraq Group (WHIG) know and they aren't telling us.
In Iraq, we have not been good, so let's hope we can at least be lucky. Let us pray that our valiant men and women died for something other than a twisted Neo-Con fantasy gone horribly awry. They deserve better, and so does our nation.
11 Comments:
Those soldiers weren't brave they were robotic idiots who should have fled and gone to Canada. They were brave in the same way Nazi soldiers were "brave" when they fought for Hitler.
That is a terrible thing to say, you schmuck. Even a liberal, like myself, can separate the asshole politicians from the bravery of the soldiers. They did well by their country, even if America did not do well by them.
You liberals make me want to upchuck my lunch. Bush is fighting over in Iraq so you sissies won't get bombed by the Ayerabs at home. Don't you see that he is sacrificing a few people so the vast majority can be safe? This is what makes him a hero.
Most Americans get this. This is why we watch Fox news, which you idiots insult us for, and why Bush was re-elected. There are more of us, and as long as there are, America will remain strong and safe. Praise God for the Red States!
Brainwashed moron Paul; what is an Ayerab? Bush is psychologically deeply disturbed (read Bush on the Couch by Justin Frank M.D.) He was planning on invading Iraq BEFORE 9/11 to outdo his daddy. We are less safe today than ever before because of his lunacy. He's no hero, he's a murdering cowardly lying sack of shit and since when is TWO THOUSAND a few people?!; not to mention all the dead Iraqis and maimed and wounded American soldiers. You notice bush and his cauldron of cronies dont have any family members over there and I'd bet my paycheck you dont either! And he wasnt "re-elected" they stole Ohio through fraud just like they stole Florida in 2000 with the help of Katherine Harris and the supreme court. If Gore were president today as he should have been, our nation would be much safer, happier, richer and prestigious, with an extra 2000 troops in the military!
posted by Anonymous, at
10/26/2005 1:03 PM
If Paul thinks we're safer because of this illegal war, then let him explain why we're on orange alert one minute, red the next? If we were that safe, 9/11 would never have occurred. Its just a question of time before we're struck again. Bush even admitted yesterday that the US is facing a formidable foe. Doesn't say much for our strength or security does it? People like Paul think that because the Iraqis have accepted/ratified a new constitution that everything is going to be hunky dory. Dead wrong. The insurgents are already planning to foment civil war making the west even more vulnerable to terrorism than ever before. How moronic for anyone to think that winning this war makes us safer. We're not winning anything except perhaps cheaper oil from Iraq which is what this is all about anyway.
Ask the people in New Orleans how SAFE they were?! With bush at the helm his FEMA chief was busy worrying about dinner and 'down time' while his underling in New Or. was screaming for help and predicting the devastation. If the terrorists strike in a red state next time Paul, see how safe georgie will keep you. NOT!!!!
posted by Anonymous, at
10/26/2005 2:25 PM
Joe Joe JOe -- How dare you!?! You are making the same idiotic mistake many made during and post the Vietnam fiasco. Our men and women in uniform (many of whom are Gay and Lesbian btw) are fighting at the behest of their country doing their duty. It is not their fault that they are in Iraq ... it is our Leaders in Washington who bear this responsibility. W and his cohorts engaged in, as of yet unprosecuted, criminal activity to justify and get us into this "so-called war on terrorism" and the men and women - both Republican and Democrat, in both Houses of Congress who did nothing but Rubber Stamp this atrocity are all responsible! We the People are also Responsible for not Rising up and demanding accountability of our leaders. So Joe, do not denigrate our brave men and women in uniform - if there is anyone who should be on the receiving end of your rant - it should NOT be our military personnel!
If want to take your disgust and frustration out on anyone - direct it to Washington where it belongs!
Paul-Montana: If there was a credible link between 9-11 and Iraq - I would be on the band wagon and would fully support the Iraq War. However - Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11.
What happened to Osama? Or have you conveniently forgotten him? Our 'fearless' leader has gotten us into a war that cannot be won - there will never be victory in Iraq - it is un-winnable. Like our friend Joe (WEHO) - you've forgotten the lessons of Vietnam and how sad that is -- how many more innocent American men and women in uniform and innocent Iraqis are going to die in this folly?
Paul you've been drinking the Kool-Aid and its time to wake-up. The Billions of dollars we've spent have made us no safer - in fact, we are now more vulnerable than ever thanks to the misguided efforts in Iraq and here at home - just look at the fisasco post Hurricane Katrina to get your answer if we are anymore prepared for a major terrorist event post 9-11.
The willingness to blindly follow that idiot Dubya ... will be all of our undoing.
I completely agree with Paul from Montana. Seriously, 2,000 deaths in a 3 year war is the best death toll ratio the US has ever seen. In WW2 alone we lost over 2,000 men on d-day alone. THATS ONE BATTLE PEOPLE!!! Soldiers dying is not a good thing by any means, but 2,000 in a 3+ year war is nothing to complain about.
posted by Anonymous, at
12/14/2007 5:33 PM
