Topic: Iraq
Hey, we're still dying over here! Since the beginning of the year, 195 brave soldiers have lost their lives and another 1,476 have been wounded in Iraq.by USAF Vet Dan
(libertarian)
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Support the troops?
For those who may accuse me of "not being supportive of the troops", I want to make one thing crystal clear. It is not a soldier's duty to question the legitimacy of the mission. That duty lies with all Americans. A good soldier faithfully carries out the mission to the best of his/her ability. Nothing more can be asked of them. Those who have and are currently serving in Iraq are heroes in every sense of the word. They deserve the utmost respect and honor for their service to their country.
True support for the troops goes far beyond the lame, token gestures like placing a "support the troops" ribbon on the back of your car. It includes keeping them in the forefront of the political and social landscape - in direct, sharp contrast to the near silence of the main stream media, almost all politicians, and so many Americans who don't have family and/or friends currently or previously serving in Iraq.
True support for the troops damned sure doesn't include blindly supporting the illegal invasion / occupation that was foisted upon our nation with false pretenses. In fact, doing so is to be blatantly unsupportive of our soldiers. They are not expendable slaves to be pawned into slaughter for corporate profits, imperialistic foreign policies, and the neoconservative nation-building agenda. As a veteran, my blood boils at the abuse my brethren have suffered under the guise of protecting our freedom. They are literally treated like dogs - some of their bodies being cremated at a pet crematorium.
So I support our troops in every way I can... including writing this article. This is my small way of countering the main stream media gag that has been placed on this issue.
We're still dying over here!!!
Since the first of this year (and as of the date / time of this article), 195 brave soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. In that period, 1,476 were wounded. That's about 1.2 soldiers' lives lost and almost 9 wounded per day, every day, since the beginning of the year. Anybody who may smugly view that as insignificant deserves a 15 minute stint in a back alley with a veteran.
A total of 4,064 soldiers' lives have been lost and 30,182 have been wounded since the illegal invasion began. Using statistical averages, that means that about 5,000 children have lost a parent, 16,000 immediate family members will carry the loss of their loved ones for the rest of their lives, and about 2,700 are now widows / widowers. But it doesn't stop there.
We're still dying at home!!!
There is a tragically high rate of suicide for Iraq War vets. Conveniently, the military, government, and VA say they "are still researching this problem" so they don't provide actual statistics. But, according to CBS news and a variety of other, unrelated sources, about 120 vets take their own lives EVERY WEEK. That comes to about 6,240 per year!!! This is a direct indication that, instead of taking care of our vets by providing them with proper counseling and, if necessary, medication, they are cast off like stray dogs.
What can you do to TRULY support the troops?
Don't let them bury this issue. Counter the main stream media silence by distributing a link to this article to everyone you know. If you have a retail business, print some up and leave them on your counter top for your customers to take. Hand out copies at your church. You get the idea.
How does your US Senators and Congressman stand on the issue? If you don't already know, then do you really support the troops? Call your elected representatives and find out. Tell them its time to bring the troops back home. Do you really think there will ever be peace and stability in the Middle East so long as we occupy Muslim turf? McCain wants to keep our troops there permanently. Obama does not advocate immediate withdrawal. Also, tell them that our vets deserve much better. They need counseling and treatment for PTSS (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome). To do less is simply not acceptable.
Support for our soldiers and vets is only one of the reasons I'm running for Congress. Our economy is on the verge of collapse, our dollar is plummeting, and our rights to privacy and due process have all but been eliminated. Our federal government has expanded far beyond the confines of its Constitutional authority... encroaching on every aspect of our lives and businesses. I no longer recognize the country in which I grew up and served in its Air Force. What legacy will my children - your children - inherit?
Wake up and take action, America - before it's too late.
The views expressed in this
article are those of USAF Vet Dan only and do not represent
the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. USAF Vet Dan is
solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an
employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
Thank you for this article. I know you speak the truth. It is so wrong, our being there and it has always been for the wrong reasons, even before we went in there.
I agree the message needs to be spread. I will do what I can.
Of course the mainstream media is more concerned with Obama's past relationships with pastors and donors than they are with how the war in Iraq is going and the number of troops that have died in fighting for Iraq's oil, erm, I mean democracy.
Of course they are now making the case for war with Iran. Watch this rhetoric vamp up in the coming weeks. GW wants to go out on top! On top of the list of the worst presidents ever!
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