Sacrificing our Pawns

[Man in Black]

Let us not forget...



Troops in Iraq - Total 173,685, including 162,000 from the US, 5,500 from the UK, 1,200 from South Korea and 4,985 from all other nations

3,742 US Soldiers Killed, 27,767 Seriously Wounded (total excludes psychological injuries)

30% of US troops develop serious mental health problems within 3 to 4 months of returning home

I was watching the intense grilling of General Petraeus today. Meaty jowled politicians rattled off rhetorical jab after rhetorical jab at the other party, poorly disguising the blows as inquisition.

I couldn't seem to get out of my head the image of 19 year olds, fighting for their lives and our freedom, in a hot and hostile desert. Kids dying, in a region that for the most part resents their presence, while these stuffed suits sit back in D.C. using them as statistical leverage one way or the other to fuel their own agenda.

I don't even pretend to take a side, left or right, elephant or a$$. But good grief if these soldiers - heroes - are going to be "over seas" then let's quit positioning for the next election and give them the tools and numbers they need to finish the job. If not then bring them home. These aren't ceramic pawns in some twisted game of Battle Chess, they are people - Fathers, Mothers, Sisters, Brothers, Sons and Daughters.

Side Note
And will somebody please get that beard shellacking, cave dwelling, crap stirring, bad speech video making Bin Laden out of his hole in the ground and shut him up! I can't believe we've let him go this long.

[4C-696E]

admin said:

But good grief if these soldiers - heroes - are going to be over seas then let's quit positioning for the next election and give them the tools and numbers they need to finish the job. If not then bring them home. These aren't ceramic pawns in some twisted game of Battle Chess, they are people - Fathers, Mothers, Sisters, Brothers, Sons and Daughters.

Amen to that, MIB. Over the last couple of days I realized that none of my kids will remember what it was like pre-9/11. My oldest was born in April of 2001, and was just a few months old when the towers fell. In fact, that was the day I noticed his first 2 teeth, on September 11, 2001. I pray for our troops while the politicians play their games.

[Man in Black]

lynne said:

admin said:

But good grief if these soldiers - heroes - are going to be over seas then let's quit positioning for the next election and give them the tools and numbers they need to finish the job. If not then bring them home. These aren't ceramic pawns in some twisted game of Battle Chess, they are people - Fathers, Mothers, Sisters, Brothers, Sons and Daughters.

Amen to that, MIB. Over the last couple of days I realized that none of my kids will remember what it was like pre-9/11. My oldest was born in April of 2001, and was just a few months old when the towers fell. In fact, that was the day I noticed his first 2 teeth, on September 11, 2001. I pray for our troops while the politicians play their games.

It is a whole new world for our kids 4C. I pray that the outlook is better for them as they become adults. I truly hope that my son will never have to witness a awful event the magnitude of 9/11... however, with the state of things now... it doesn't seem likely.

God Bless your David Drago.

[Xenopaul]

they are heroes and it would be ashamed if all they have went through didn't result in the world being better

and I can't figure out why they don't have bin laden either MIB

[Hermy]

I pray for our soldiers constantly. To date, I've had two family members over there. I've also known three other soldiers who have gone, two who are in Iraq and Afghanistan at this moment.

God bless your boy, Drago!!

As for 9/11, today, OldSkool and I have tried not to watch all the sad stuff on TV. My memories of the day are sad enough and I want to try and move forward with good stuff. We've played with Sadie and we've celebrated the birth of my best friend's baby. She was so worried that he would be born on 9/11, but I kept telling her it would be okay - because now she has good memories for this day.

[Drago]

MIB and Hermy, thank you for the good thoughts for David. I didn't even see this thread until today. Otherwise I'd have said something sooner.

My perspective on this war has certainly changed over the past weeks. It can't end fast enough for me anymore, although I know that it's going to drag on far longer than any of us can stomach (and probably already has). My thoughts and feelings are in a state of flux right now. What's happening in Iraq and Afganistan is now very real for me. And far less palatable, not that it ever really was palatable. I just want the fighting to end. Now. David joing the Army has changed my perspective on so many things.

These men and women who serve, who give of themselves, who sacrifice more than should ever be asked and who give their lives for our security and freedom are like you guys said, nothing less than heroes. I've always felt that and now I have to include my son in it. My son has become one of my heroes. That doesn't surprise me, but it still makes my heart and head swim.

As for Bin Laden, he's the yellowest of cowards. I understand that his guards have been ordered to kill him if the U.S. were to get too close to capturing him. He has no courage and no honor. It's not that I would mind if he were to be killed. I would just like to see him be held accountable for his savagery....and then killed.