[Rhodes22-list] Political:Off to Iraq

[Ronald Lipton]

New idea?  Better ideas?

- Did I think invading Iraq was a good idea? NO
   Were there weapons of mass distruction - NO
   Were there real terrorist bases - NO
   Did we give any thought to the internal politics? NO
   Did we alienate our allies by our arrogance? YES.
   Have we crippled our volunteer forces by throwing
      away lives in a worse than useless situation?

   How many soldiers have been killed? (~2900)
   Maimed - many more
   How many Iraqi civilians?
   How many of their families blame the US and will take up terrorism?

We have been weakened to the point that we can't
effectively respond to real threats from N. Korea.
God what a mess.

I don't see any real thought given to actions which gravely
affect the US and the rest of the world.

I don't want to see this country continue to be run by a group
of idiots and ideologues who seem to be completely disconnected
from reality.  If soldiers are put in harms way there should be a
good reason.  I see nothing but negative consequences.

Do I have better Ideas?  It's like asking someone pushed out
of a window - how to get  back up there?
  Is there any path out of this mess - you tell me, but I believe that
this is the most disastrous administration in the history of this
country.  Nero probably did a worse job for Rome.

Ron
On Oct 23, 2006, at 10:42 PM, 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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