[Rhodes22-list] Politics: Stay the Course

[Bill Effros]

Brad,

You must have missed the new message from your government and your 
military.  "Stay the Course" is out.  "Cut and Run" is in.

Please adjust.

Bill Effros

Brad Haslett wrote:
> Bob,
>
> Thanks for the post.  There are letters like this quite often on the
> milblogs I frequent.  Also, I have a co-worker with a Marine son in 
> Iraq who
> forwards updates from time to time.  This may be a SHOCK to the 
> lefties in
> the world but our military is all volunteer and for the most part very
> motivated.  The reaction you got on the list was predictable and  not 
> unlike
> the reactions from the usual suspects anytime something that doesn't fit
> their perceptions gets published.  They get the New York times version of
> reality everyday from someone who's never been out of the Green Zone and
> believe that, but gawd forbid they listen to the wisdom of a common
> foot-soldier. No one likes this war, or any war for that matter, but this
> kid in the letter pretty much nailed it.  We fight them there now or here
> later.  Did you see on the news this evening that youths are burning 
> buses
> in France?  Nope?  What kind of youths?  Of course the French can't say
> it.  Radical Islamists!  Keep your head in the sand folks.  This ain't 
> goin'
> away anytime soon.  We can argue about the methods or the chosen 
> battlefield
> but the war declared by them a long time ago.  What was our first
> reaction?  Wear sweaters!
>
> Here's what really pisses me off.  Where are the new ideas?  All I 
> hear this
> election cycle is let's tuck tail and run, then hope for the best.  Is 
> this
> a strategy? Criticism and disagreement is one thing - attempting dialogue
> with, or worse, ignoring enemies who want to cut your head off is 
> stupid. Oh
> I forget, cutting off heads is only for old time's sake, until they 
> can get
> their WMD programs running again.
>
>
> Brad
>
> On 10/23/06, Bob Keller <r22yankeeclipper at hotmail.com> wrote:
>> Got this from my brother and wanted to pass it on.
>> Bob
>>
>> This is from a co-worker at HP who's son left for Iraq today. This comes
> to
>> me directly from his Dad. I will be getting periodic updates from him 
>> and
>> will forward. I will take the last name off so as to protect his 
>> privacy,
>> but forward on, because these brave troops need our continued support 
>> and
>> prayers.
>>
>> Bill
>>
>> Everyone,
>>
>>
>> Well after months and months of yakking about it the day is finally
>> here…well almost here, just have to go to sleep tonight (we'll see about
>> that) and it'll be here tomorrow.  I'm sure pretty much everyone is
>> wondering what I'm thinking right now, what are my feelings, and all 
>> that
>> other stuff…I guess I'm going to be super-cool and spill it for you, 
>> just
>> because I'm that awesome.  :c)
>>
>> I'm ready to get going, and I have been ready since my last visit to
>> Colorado…sitting around here this last week or so is just awful, waiting
> is
>> never fun…gives you too much time to think, and a lot of the time 
>> thinking
>> gets you in trouble.  I am ready to wage this war against 
>> militant-Islam,
>> because it is something that absolutely has to be done.  Some look at 
>> Iraq
>> and just see Saddam and WMD and that MY BOSS was wrong to go in there 
>> (btw
>> we found enough WMD to kill everyone in Baghdad, but I guess you didn't
> hear
>> or read about that anywhere, ask me if you really want details…oh, and
>> Saddam really was a horrible asshole…pardon my language to both my
>> grandmothers…), but it is well past that point…Iraq is the line in the
> sand
>> between civilized nations and Islamic fascism, because whether you 
>> want to
>> believe it or not, there are a large group of people out there who want
> you
>> and everyone else dead unless you convert to their way of thinking.  The
>> great thing about Iraq is that all these idiots have decided it is a lot
>> easier to fight us there than it is to come to the United States and 
>> fight
>> you…which I am fine with, because I'm going to be so horribly well armed
> and
>> armored that I welcome their best shot at destroying everything I have
>> dedicated my life to defend.
>>
>> While I'm gone I encourage all of you to live it up for me…I can't do 
>> it,
> so
>> you all should do it double for me…take those extra few days off of 
>> work,
>> take that trip, try for that double on your dirt bike, fish that run one
>> more time, let your kid stay up that extra 15 minutes, stay in the
>> duck-blind 15 more minutes after you think the birds have stopped 
>> flying,
>> drink that extra drink…I think you get the idea…everyone has that 
>> area in
>> their life where they can indulge, so I encourage you all to do it 
>> for me.
>> The only thing that I am worried about going into Iraq is letting my 
>> guys
>> down, letting all of you down, and letting my country down; and I can 
>> tell
>> you with all of my heart that it is NOT in my intention to do any of 
>> those
>> things.  I promise you all that I will be careful, but at the same 
>> time I
>> promise that I will kick the ever-living CRAP out of anyone that 
>> presents
> a
>> threat to me or you...they WILL die, and they'll do it before I do.  
>> This
>> war is the most important war that has been fought since WW2, easily, if
> not
>> more so.  The things that we do tomorrow and in the next five years will
>> shape the world as we know it for centuries to come…if we leave Iraq
> before
>> we win the fight then all of the western world is in danger, just 
>> remember
>> that…and I will elaborate on that fact in the future.  So happy 
>> trails to
>> all of you, and I will frequently be in touch, just say a 'lil prayer 
>> for
> me
>> and I'll do alright.
>>
>> God Bless and Love,
>>
>> Matt
>>
>> Matthew
>>
>> 1st Cavalry Division, Ft. Hood TX
>>
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