Liar liar your pants

[seacrestkristi]

The veteran I know that thinks Hillary is the smartest candidate out there lives in Jax and is 84 years old. He won all kinds of metals in the war. He saved lots of lives. He is so sweet. He's battling prostate cancer now.
Andy A you served and I thank you too. I am very you say your service may have been in vain. I don't really get it! Any other vets feel this way? Is it because of your fellow citizens or because of the government? Sorry.

 

[Bobby J]

GW isn't the only one who has f****d us. There is plenty of blame to go around. Witness the present Democrat House of Representatives. If there was ever an example for "term limits" it is them. As far as the Iraq war is concerned, no, I wasn't for "invading" Iraq. We should have just ignored Saddam's flaunting of UN resolutions and shooting at our planes in the "No Fly Zone" until he did something really bad and we had a better reason for what was done. Since I will soon be 77 years old, I could go on and on but what's the use? History will be ignored by those who won't learn from it or revised to their way of thinking. Sorry, but IMHO, that is America today. I wish it weren't so, but I'm afraid it is. And, Bob, thank you for your appreciation of my service, but from a lot I see today, it might have been in vain.

I would not believe your service is in vain at all. I salute folks that have served. I am just very confused on this war and everytime I look for someone to try to explain it they seem as lost as I am. They first start with the WMD theory. Then start talking about Saddam being evil and "they" are better off without him. The problem I do not get is: There are no WMD and Saddam is gone. What are we doing? War on terror? That is not what we were told going into this when everyone (Dems., Rep) agreed to go over to Iraq. It looks like our entire government needs a new way of thinking. The people of this country are way ready for that. I just do not seem to see the answer running or in office. Help!?

 

[GoodWitch58]

I What are we doing? War on terror? That is not what we were told going into this when everyone (Dems., Rep) agreed to go over to Iraq. It looks like our entire government needs a new way of thinking. The people of this country are way ready for that. I just do not seem to see the answer running or in office. Help!?

BobbyJ, I couldn't agree more: we need people to get outraged at what is happening, and contact their Congressional Delegation, the media, and anyone else they can think of...We need a revolution.

The general public is way ahead of the politicians and somehow we have to get their attention before more people die. I try to read everything I can find; and then contact the congressional leaders--sometimes they listen, sometimes not, but I feel it is my duty to at least bring my feelings to their attention. If enough people do this, then it does make a difference.

I believe we also need to hold the media accountable for the lousy job most of them did during the run up to the war; and many continue to do nothing even still. I have my own (strong) political opinions, but at this point, it doesn't matter where you are R or D or I...nothing is working and no one is doing much about it. Writing to the heads of the networks, the advertisers, and sponsors does get some attention.

For some of the background and to know just how bad some things are I suggest reading Fiasco by Thomas Ricks, the Washington Post reporter--who also wrote for the Wall St Journal for almost 20 years; State of Denial by Bob Woodward; and take a listen to the transcript of Gen Wesley Clark's address to the Commonwealth Club this week. Gleaned from all of this plus lots more...from the Weekly Standard and the National Review...is an answer for why we went to war. Not a very pretty picture, but the reasoning can be untangled.

And for those veterans among us, it is telling that a vast majority of the Armed Forces leadership opposed the war. Apparently Gen Myers was picked as Chairman of the Chiefs , rather than Adm. Clark, because he would not go against Rumsfeld; many of the "on the ground" troops and officiers have risked their careers to voice their opposition...especially for the lack of a strategy...and many state department employees have resigned in protest. Now, some of them are refusing to take an assignment in Iraq...

John Dean's book, Broken Government, seems to sum it all up...Ultimately, though, it is up to the people of this country to hold our elected officials accountable. If we don't, then who will?