Who's Counting

[drunkkenartist]

And to add more sorrow to all this, there's been close to 60,000 Iraqi civilians killed in this war. These are numbers our administration don't release.

They also don't tell us how many people, of all sides, are injured, dismembered, paralyzed, etc. Try visiting a VA hospital. Spend some time with the wounded. I do it every six months. I'm retired military and still actively involved with many friends still serving.

The truth will make you sick.
Hopefully the truth will make you take a stand. Write a letter. Tell all your friends.

OK, now I'll go look.

brb

dka

 

[drunkkenartist]

I copied and pasted this from the Typical Politrick thread, post #15, from January 12th. It was 3am-ish, I had finished watching this film and was so upset I couldn't sleep:

Brace yourself. A nerve has been hit that is recently raw and you are about to see a serious side of me that very few have seen.

As a United States Air Force retiree and one who is still involved with activities at Tyndall and Eglin, I wish I didn't know as much as I do about what is really going on over there. I have always felt that if the truth were known about WHY the war is costing the taxpayers so much that we would have a national uprising like we've never seen before!

Finally a documentary has come out bringing that very truth to light.

We've all heard of KBR Halliburton, but that is just the tip of the multi-billion dollar iceberg fiasco. (www.halliburtonwatch.org)

I highly recommend, if you haven't seen it yet, to buy, not rent, but to buy a copy of "Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers". I say "buy" because you should buy a copy and make sure everyone you know watches it!

Here's the synopsis:
Private contractors are getting rich while everybody else is suffering....Using whistleblower testimony, firsthand accounts, financial records and classified documents, (the director) levels charges of greed, corruption and incompetence against private contractors and shows the subsequent devastating effect on Americans and Iraqis.

Its not that we don't WANT to pull out of Iraq, but we CAN'T. Every day that we are there, these major corporations are making a fortune. Bloodmoney. Our troops are being held hostage in Iraq by these monsters. If we send 20,000 more troops they don't care. Soldiers are government issue, and expendable. But the biznesses will make 20 Billion more dollars off of them and I guess its worth it right?
It is blatantly criminal. Murder.

I did my time in the USAF as a Services Specialist. I turned down a job with KBR Halliburton 4 years ago when I heard first hand from my friends over there what was happening. They told me then that KBR stood for Kill, Bury and Replace, as that is how it treats its employees. As a D.A.V. Retiree, they welcomed me with open arms, (and open casket!) The only reason I looked into it was because I wanted to get more actively involved as a civilian since the events of that September morning.

Smiling Joe if you hated politicians before...you'll be in a complete rampage after watching this doc. This isn't just another "Fahrenheit 9/11", this is the real deal. And there is a huge media blackout over most of the coverage. I admire your intelligence and way with words and hope you'll watch this.

I've lost sleep over it. (its 3am-I'm still fuming!) I'm currently working with troops state side and abroad to get the word out, to be their mouthpiece, and say what they cannot say for fear of retribution.

When our Generals in charge of our troops are getting fired for speaking out....hell, I'm too pissed to keep writing.

Its sad that when someone has an email joke it circulates around the world in a matter of days, but when something like this comes out, no one has ever heard of it.

I encourage each of you, no, I challenge each of you to watch the film, only 1 hour 15 minutes, and tell at least two friends.

In the meantime go to the site www.halliburtonwatch.org. This is not hype. This is the truth. These Generals that are getting fired are finally able to speak out. My friends that are now high ranking (I've joined in 1984 and served during first Gulf War) are chomping at the bit to retire so they can go public.

(And yes, I served my country like my U.S. Marine Father (rest his soul!) and Marine Mother(combat boots and all) both in World War II, Army and Navy Brothers, (both in Viet Nam) before me, and yes, I even lied about my sexuality so I could serve, and if anyone has a problem with gays in the military they can kiss my ass. I enlisted. I went to Korea during the DMZ crisis. I put my life on the line. I served during the First Gulf War. AND I VOTE. What have YOU done?)

If this is one way that I can still serve my country, by letting the people know the truth, then this shall be my mission. No jokes. No smilies. No cute pictures. I've never been more serious.

And furthermore, this is not a Republican vs Democrat issue as there is much guilt on both sides. This is David vs Goliath. Us vs Them. Let's take back our country. We the people.

Serving your country does not mean donning a uniform and carrying an assault rifle. If doing your part means speaking out, writing letters to your congressmen, sending emails to your friends and family, then please do at least that much.

Just do the right thing.

Enuff said. I'm going to bed.

Kenny

Last edited by drunkkenartist : 01-12-2007 at 03:51 AM.

To this day my feelings have not changed and I have written several letters and forwarded these websites to all I know. I encourage y'all to do the same.
Thank you.

Kenny

 

[Bobby J]

I do hope someone comes forward and explains why they feel we are over there. I would love to see another point of view. At this point, even W knows it is a disaster...

 

[AugustInTransit]

In most of the previous wars the US has been entangled in, the government would send so many troops that any retaliation cannot function. We have not done this in the Iraq war.

Needless to say, 90000 more troops in the next five years isn't going to cut it.

We pull out now, the Middle East becomes even more of a political black hole.

And let's face it, the worse it gets in the Arabic states, the less safe everyone around the world is. Think aboug it, it wasn't the Iraq citizens that flew those planes into the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

And please, remember, this is coming from a girl who's father was in the Marine Corps for 27 years and who's best friends are mostly in the USMC.

If the US wants to claim to be the "greatest power in the world" we can't just sit on our laurels and watch people suffer no matter how far away they are.

 

[drunkkenartist]

In most of the previous wars the US has been entangled in, the government would send so many troops that any retaliation cannot function. We have not done this in the Iraq war.

Needless to say, 90000 more troops in the next five years isn't going to cut it.

We pull out now, the Middle East becomes even more of a political black hole.

And let's face it, the worse it gets in the Arabic states, the less safe everyone around the world is. Think aboug it, it wasn't the Iraq citizens that flew those planes into the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

And please, remember, this is coming from a girl who's father was in the Marine Corps for 27 years and who's best friends are mostly in the USMC.

If the US wants to claim to be the "greatest power in the world" we can't just sit on our laurels and watch people suffer no matter how far away they are.

You're right, but it should have been a United Nations issue from the get go. However, for us to pull out and have someone else come in is equivolent to having a building contractor walk off the job and expecting someone to come in and pick up where he left off. It ain't gonna happen.
Sure more troops are needed but from elsewhere in the world as well.
More attention needs to be paid to Iran; not just what they are doing now, but what their role was in this whole thing getting started.

 

[dbuck]

My hubby, a former Marine officer, went to Somalia in '92, shortly before our wedding. I remember how frustrated he was that the peace mission was not quite what it seemed to be, and that was before it got really bad. Somalia is still a nightmare ... will Iraq be any better in 15 years?

NO. We are dealing with a warring culture, this is what they like and this is what they live for.

 

[Bob]

In most of the previous wars the US has been entangled in, the government would send so many troops that any retaliation cannot function. We have not done this in the Iraq war.

Needless to say, 90000 more troops in the next five years isn't going to cut it.

We pull out now, the Middle East becomes even more of a political black hole.

And let's face it, the worse it gets in the Arabic states, the less safe everyone around the world is. Think aboug it, it wasn't the Iraq citizens that flew those planes into the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

And please, remember, this is coming from a girl who's father was in the Marine Corps for 27 years and who's best friends are mostly in the USMC.

If the US wants to claim to be the "greatest power in the world" we can't just sit on our laurels and watch people suffer no matter how far away they are.

How long have we been stuck in Korea??? Answer: 50+ years, 600,000 dead Koreans, and Fiftyfour thousand U.S.troops killed and 30,000 troops there now for what? Cell phones and Hyundais? We are stuck in Iraq. We started that war. We lynched their leader. We caused the problem, not vice versa. The payback for this will be as long as we consume oil for energy and personal transport. We have thrown the Middle East into chaos by our choice, and we fund our enemies by purchasing their oil. Insane situation, no? And GW says don't criticize me unless you have a solution. With that level of reasoning I fully expect he will bomb Iran to deflect. The situation in Iraq cannot be solved militarily unless we are willing to kill virtually everyone. That's precisely why it's stupid to pick fights with people in their own backyard.

 

[TheSheep]

In most of the previous wars the US has been entangled in, the government would send so many troops that any retaliation cannot function. We have not done this in the Iraq war.

Needless to say, 90000 more troops in the next five years isn't going to cut it.

We pull out now, the Middle East becomes even more of a political black hole.

And let's face it, the worse it gets in the Arabic states, the less safe everyone around the world is. Think aboug it, it wasn't the Iraq citizens that flew those planes into the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

And please, remember, this is coming from a girl who's father was in the Marine Corps for 27 years and who's best friends are mostly in the USMC.

If the US wants to claim to be the "greatest power in the world" we can't just sit on our laurels and watch people suffer no matter how far away they are.

Hopefully, you are a drunk. If not, then seek ye therapy. :shock:

 

[TheSheep]

NO. We are dealing with a warring culture, this is what they like and this is what they live for.

Having spent considerable time there, I asked the Mommies and Daddies and the Kiddies and to a one, they said "TheSheep, get your wool outa my face, we luv war, espcially since it kills our younguns! How else can we thin out the population?"

 

[TheSheep]

you know the reason - very poor leadership in this country - with really bad slogans like "war on terror" and "stay the course", and "weapons of mass destruction". America's image has truly suffered and with good reason. it is truly baffling how our own citizens elected such an administration.

Really, I think not.

The Bu****es, preferred for at least one decade, have come from my very own class(less) group of Baby Boomers. Mind you, idiot younger folks contributed but for the most part, the same early to mid 50s contemporaries of mine, those that watched the horrors of 'Nam, a few protesting against those horrors, they stepped right forward and voted their pocketbooks. Just like Mom and Dad did with Dick Nixon (any of you know who he as?).

How proud I am, those who should have known the best acted the least responsible. And I have the pleasure of knowing them in spades!

Excuse me.............