Troops React To Forced Extensions With ‘Anger,’ ‘Frustration,’ ‘Collective Groan’
Troops React To Forced Extensions With ‘Anger,’ ‘Frustration,’ ‘Collective Groan’
Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced yesterday that all U.S. Army soldiers in Iraq would have their 12-month tours in Iraq extended by 3 additional months. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO) called the policy “an additional burden to an already overstretched Army,” and warned not to “underestimate the enormous negative impact this will have on Army families.”
Now, newspapers are returning harrowing accounts from the ground, where U.S. soldiers reacted to the news with “muffled outbursts of anger and frustration laced with dark humor.” The Washington Post reports:
They found out by reading exasperated e-mails from their spouses, hearing somber announcements from their platoon commanders, seeing snippets of the secretary of defense at a televised news conference: The American soldiers who thought they were staying in Iraq one year would now stay 15 months. All of them.
From Texas to Baghdad and Baqubah to the Beltway, the reaction Thursday among U.S. soldiers and their families to the news of the mass extension was akin to a collective groan.
“It flat-out sucks, that’s the only way I can think to describe it,” said Pvt. Jeremy Perkins, 25… “I found this out today from my squad leader. I still haven’t told my wife yet. I’m just trying to figure out exactly how I’m going to break it to her that ‘Honey, uh, yeah, might be home before our next anniversary. Sorry I missed the last one.’”
Similar scenes of soldiers worried about their families and relationships were documented by the New York Times:
The soldiers wondered if their relationships back home could weather an extension and predicted that divorce rates in the military would spike. They muttered about three additional months of forced celibacy and fretted half jokingly about impatient wives and girlfriends. “Now a lot of cheating be going on,” said Sgt. Jonathan Wilson, 29. “I’m serious.”
Specialist Lawson had planned to take a vacation with his former wife, with whom he has two daughters, after he got back to the division’s home base in Schweinfurt, Germany. They were going to give the relationship another try.
“This has totally wrecked everything I had planned,” he said as he slumped on an empty explosives crate.
“Now I’m never going to get together with my ex-wife,” he said. “I’m scared that the longer it takes, more things could happen.”
The price that’s paid for a war without end.
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This is a criminal way to treat our soldiers.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:23 amI wonder if the Fox Propaganda network…
…(whom we all know Cheney’s directive said must be the ONLY channel they see)…
…had framed it to the troops…
…as…
…extensions in “Wonderland”…
April 13th, 2007 at 12:26 amWay to support the troops, Republicans. Way to go. Heckuva jobs, guys. Way to go. Same goes for Walter Reed. Way to go. Good job there. Keep it up.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:28 amThe price that’s paid for a war without end.
No shit, Nico. Except they’re not the ones who ought to be paying, are they? And they get to pay the whole gamut, from failed marriages to death.
F*ck this shit. When do we start rioting?
April 13th, 2007 at 12:30 amThe only thing missing from this outrageous experience is an insurgent equivalent to the Tet Offensive. For the sake of our men and women in uniform, I hope it doesn’t occur, but given the indisputable parallels between this debacle and the Vietnam War, past may yet prove to be prelude…
April 13th, 2007 at 12:33 amNico - What did YOU think they were going to say? HOOOORAY!!?? This story is a BIG “DUH!!!” NO ONE wants to stay longer - but sometimes events happen and deployments must be extended. Good thing these guys weren’t in the service during WWII - the deployments were much longer.
My sister-in-law, whom I love dearly, started whining and crying during the last deployment of my brother. I told her that he was doing his job - a job he had when he married HER. His job is not just practice flying - his job description is to defend our nation - PERIOD.
Of course, Nico, I realize reporting on disgruntled service members provides progressives with some sort of emotional uplift……
Sleep well….your back is protected.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:35 amSucks to be a sock pupet for the King.
Hating repukes daily.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:38 amI listened to the Fox “take” on it today. They rounded up some guy who had the responsiblity of providing supplies to the troop and he was all for it and didn’t see any problem. I wonder what would happen if they let those guys in the article “visit” with him for a few minutes in a closed room?
April 13th, 2007 at 12:38 amNO ONE wants to stay longer - but sometimes events happen and deployments must be extended.
Yeah, nevermind this is an illegal, immoral war without end that never should have been started in the first damn place that your beloved fascist cabal. All I can do is shake my head. Sad, really sad.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:38 amMy sister-in-law, whom I love dearly, started whining and crying during the last deployment of my brother. I told her that he was doing his job - a job he had when he married HER. His job is not just practice flying - his job description is to defend our nation - PERIOD.
Comment by valiant venus
Shut the f*ck up, you ignorant c*nt.
I suppose you’ll feel so proud and honored if your brother is killed, and your poor sister-in-law is left alone. After all, it’s a job he had when he married her — she knew what she was signing up for, didn’t she?
You heartless b*tch.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:39 amCome on guys….do you really think that Bush and his cronies are going to sacrifice their glorious place in the history books just to satiate the whining of a few peasants?
Be quiet and obey.
Why can’t people appreciate everything that Saviour Bush has done for us?
*sarcasm off*
April 13th, 2007 at 12:42 am#6 could only have been written by a repulsive b*stard.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:42 amand how again are the troops defending our nation?
April 13th, 2007 at 12:45 amComment by Zooey #10
Hey Zooey,
That bi*ch vapid vagina…
…probably sings…
…”Deutchland Uber Alles”…
…as her kid’s bedtime lullaby…
…notice how “it” (they) always seems to refer back to WWII?
April 13th, 2007 at 12:47 am#6 could only have been written by a repulsive b*stard.
Comment by VerbalKint
It’s what she does best.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:47 amHer soul has been gnawed through by rabid rats.
I served in VN there is no honor in doing what corporate and government cronies want you to do. I love my country but call a hault at criminal assaults on countried, either overt or covert, it is just wronge, not what I was brought up to believe what America stood for.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:49 amThis administration is so anti-american that I just can’t stand it anymore and am starting state my position on blogs, it seems that emailing or otherwise does not help with congressmen and women anymore.
So I have drawn a line in the sand and will attack with the same vicious spew of hate that we have taken from the rethugs, I for one am sick of them and will squish the trolls with everything I have, this is like…..war or something like that.
@ valiant venus
Is your sister in law hot?
April 13th, 2007 at 12:49 amSo valiant venus…superpatriot…
Sure is easy to talk crap about what it means to serve in the military while your fat ass is perched in front of your laptop in your cozy little pathetic civilian life.
You are right, our backs are well protected…but not by irrelevant sh*theels like yourself.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:50 amoh man, I need to spell check more. My bad. Was just so mad at the repugs at the moment I could not type straight.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:51 amZoooey - You’re not related to that other vulgarian, VVGFU, are you? Of course I don’t want any harm to come to my brother - he’s a great guy and we LOVE him very much!!! But my brother doesn’t need to be worrying about his wife, who had a clue what she was marrying. He needs to concentrate on his job and the men in his squadron. He didn’t exactly drop out of medical school and say “Honey, I’ve decided to live my life long dream and become a Navy aviator.”
When people ask if I am worried - I tell them truthfully, “No, what good does MY worrying do? Not a damn thing.” The salve for my heart ? I pray…and I bake. Every week, we send cookies, brownies, pretzels, toiletries, etc.?
What do YOU do for the troops you support so much?? Open your big mouth?? Allow vulgarities to escape….insert foot.
Good night.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:52 amNothing much the soldiers can do about this unless they stage a mutiny against the Bush Regime.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:52 am…it seems that emailing or otherwise does not help with congressmen and women anymore.
Comment by Buck Fush #16
…keep emailing…
…and encourage others to do like wise…
…phone calls help too…
…you’ll see…
…keep the faith…
April 13th, 2007 at 12:53 amHey Zooey,
That bi*ch vapid vagina…
…probably sings…
…â€Deutchland Uber Allesâ€â€¦
…as her kid’s bedtime lullaby…
…notice how “it†(they) always seems to refer back to WWII?
Comment by big papa
You mean her alleged dead child? The one she told the funny story about? Can you imagine the boiling slime that must be that Hag’s brain? I truly hope the brother and sister-in-law are fictional, as well. It makes me sick.
I’m outta here. Nice to see you back, big papa. :)
April 13th, 2007 at 12:54 am#18 - I am a veteran as is my husband - please STFU…..you’ll appear a tad less ignorant if you do.
Fat Daddy opines ,”…notice how “it†(they) always seems to refer back to WWII?” Comment by big papa
Notice how BP can’t seem to remember WWII?
Sleep tight.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:55 amYou heartless b*tch.
Comment by Zooey — April 13, 2007 @ 12:39 am
That’s one lucky brother and sister inlaw the byatch has. With a sister like that who needs enemies.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:55 amAllow vulgarities to escape….insert foot.
Comment by valiant venus
Your very existence is a vulgarity.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:56 amMA has NO children. She has already been exposed as a single white skinny female living in San Diego. She gets paid by the GOP to post on TP.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:57 amoh man, I need to spell check more. My bad. Was just so mad at the repugs at the moment I could not type straight.
Comment by Buck Fush — April 13, 2007 @ 12:51 am
That was a great post, didn’t notice any spelling issues. And you have the best name around!
April 13th, 2007 at 12:59 amThe salve for my heart ? I pray…and I bake. Every week, we send cookies, brownies, pretzels, toiletries, etc.?
Comment by valiant venus
Can you possibly think I care about how you tend your shrivelled heart? Are you praying your Christian prayers or your Jewish prayers? What is it this week? How many children have you baked into pies this month? No one believes a word you say — no one.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:59 amA vet? Really? Wow…why haven’t you re-enlisted?
That would probably be a bigger help than a few dried-out brownies.
Rear-echelon non-coms are always so gung-ho. What a joke.
You are still a nobody.
April 13th, 2007 at 1:01 am#18 - I am a veteran as is my husband - please STFU…..you’ll appear a tad less ignorant if you do.
Comment by valiant venus
Yet another lie, courtesy of the Mighty Hag. Remember Hag, you got busted for your lies. You are not a lawyer, not a veteran, not a mother, and not a human. You are simply an empty soulless vessel.
April 13th, 2007 at 1:02 amHave you noticed that every time Bush thanks the troops, he reminds us and them that they are volunteers?
There’s something oddly callous about reminding someone they volunteered while your sending them into the meat grinder that is Iraq. It’s almost like Bush is saying they are expendable because they volunteered.
How about saying, “I know y’all volunteered and I feel that the best way to honor your volunteerism and patriotism is to stop using you to referee a civil war in Iraq.”
April 13th, 2007 at 1:03 amValient Venus: MANN:HUMANITY:REVERSED
YOU HAVE MADE MANY ENEMIES AND THEY ARE READY TO MOVE AGAINST YOU.
Such is the message of the Universe to you. So mote it be.
April 13th, 2007 at 1:05 amWe’re simply fucked for the time being. Too many R-scumbags in the Senate who will vote against impeachment, people who couldn’t care less for our nation. Don’t waste time here with the drone-mutants who write in. Get out and join your democratic clubs, tithe your money, hit the streets and talk to your neighbors. Two elections were stolen because it came down to one state. Let’s make goddamn sure that doesn’t happen again. Our government has been stolen; we’re not going to take it back arguing with trolls who can spin reality from day to day. Repukes are going down hard, we can put them out for forty years. Get to work. Goodnite.
April 13th, 2007 at 1:08 amThis may sound strange, but everyone please,
send thoughts of love, of caring, and comfort, to the women and men in the Armed Services. They need such thoughts, now, more than ever.
April 13th, 2007 at 1:10 amBriseadh na Faire,
Amazing, and so perfect for that b*tch.
How can she keep trotting out that shit, her soul must be dead.
I have to get away from this. Goodnight, friend.
April 13th, 2007 at 1:10 amJay Randal @#21
Actually there is something the troops can do and that is to take inspiration from Lt. Watada and those military personnel in the 2006 documentary Sir! No Sir! [which focused on the GI resistance during the Vietnam War] by saying NO to the war machine. It is about time the soldiers acknowledge that they have a brain by realizing that they do not have to meekly submit to the illegal and immoral orders that are given to them by the military. The GIs helped to bring the war to a halt during the Vietnam War and it is long past the point that the soldiers today realize that they have the power to do the same thing to this idiotic and unnecessary occupation in Iraq. Tell them NO- now.
April 13th, 2007 at 1:29 amsend thoughts of love, of caring, and comfort, to the women and men in the Armed Services. They need such thoughts, now, more than ever.
Comment by Briseadh na Faire #34
BnF,
I take umberage at the notion that “WE” would think it “strange”…
…to send thoughts of love,caring and comfort to our troops…
…they’re (many of them anyway) just as much victims (by and large unwitting)…
…of the nationalistic, racist, vengeful post 9/11 propaganda…
…as the Iraqis…
…we’re not anti-Troops (I know you don’t MEAN to imply such, but it sounds like it)…
…that falls right into the right wing Bushites’ talking point…
April 13th, 2007 at 1:35 amI am not suprised at all by the hateful black hearted little troll M.A./VV…This is so typical of a truly miserable person…I have actuely see all her lies and a vision of her, it isn’t pretty…All this young person has is here, any attention even bad feed’s the never ending misery and lonelyness…Know this, we can’t fix her terrible problem’s and hate….Pity her and hope she will change in time to be worthy of a good life….
I agree with BnF, send love and Blessings to all our troop’s…..They and their famelies are being distroyed by this administration…Tomorrow is Friday the 13….A great day for people like me, not so good for other’s, send lot’s of email’s to all polatician’s to stop this war and impeach this administration now….
April 13th, 2007 at 1:37 amSoldiers need to do what they did during Vietnam which helped end that war - BALK ( thank you Raven for correcting my spelling of that word yesterday).
April 13th, 2007 at 1:38 amBnF,
…”umberage” sic (in #37) might’ve been too strong a word…
…how about “taken aback”?
…Peace…
April 13th, 2007 at 1:49 amSomething exceptionally bad is coming next week.
It feels like the criminals in the White House plan to bomb Iran - and they’re preparing the troops for the blowback they know will come - to the “Green Zone” - which will become the world’s largest bullseye.
For some reason, this administration seems hell bent on killing the
US Army AND the National Guard and replacing it with Blackwater Stormtroopers who will soon be enforcing Martial Law on the streets of America.
It’s Wild Cornered Animal Stage at the White House, and it’s up to the military leaders to put a stop to this madness once and for all.
Arrest the administration.
April 13th, 2007 at 1:55 amWhen the forced extensions are no longer keeping the troop levels where Bush wants them, what do you want to bet we will see the draft come back?
And the repugs wonder why Bush is SO hated???? The abuse, mistreatment of our troops over lies and so the bastard can save face is unbearable. He is keeping this illegal massacre going so history will write the troops were brought home with the next pres, not him, as he does not want to appear as the FAILURE he really is. ..
April 13th, 2007 at 2:06 amNico - What did YOU think they were going to say? HOOOORAY!!?? This story is a BIG “DUH!!!†NO ONE wants to stay longer - but sometimes events happen and deployments must be extended. Good thing these guys weren’t in the service during WWII - the deployments were much longer. Comment by valiant venus — April 13, 2007 @ 12:35 am
Yeah, they were much longer for ALL americans. Not just the few americans that were told they would only have short deployments, and were lied to by their own governments. If you really cared about these soldiers, you (a 23 year old girl from San Diego) would sign up. You won’t, because you’re too cowardly to put your money where your big fat st*pid mouth is.
My sister-in-law, whom I love dearly, started whining and crying during the last deployment of my brother. I told her that he was doing his job - a job he had when he married HER. His job is not just practice flying - his job description is to defend our nation - PERIOD. Comment by valiant venus — April 13, 2007 @ 12:35 am
Oh, heavens, another st*pid fake story from the resident liar. Tell me, did this relative make dead baby jokes like you do? While they were whining, I suppose you were *thrilled* that your brother might die for OCCUPYING a country that couldn’t possibly invade us? How is occupying a country that in the process is just creating MORE terrorism ‘defending’ us again? Wow, you really are a st*pid c*nt.
Of course, Nico, I realize reporting on disgruntled service members provides progressives with some sort of emotional uplift…… Comment by valiant venus — April 13, 2007 @ 12:35 am
Since you ALWAYS project your own st*pid attitudes, is that why you’re here whining? It gives you some ‘emotional uplift’ to make your st*pid comments? You think reporting reality, news, and the effects of these inept policies on our ARMED FORCES is just for an emotional uplift? Do you get an emotional uplift when you get bad news? How can you be such a sick st*pid c*nt to think others get that? You’re a lunatic!
Sleep well….your back is protected.
Comment by valiant venus — April 13, 2007 @ 12:35 am
Not by back stabbers like you! F*cking traitors like you are the reason Al Qaeda exists, and you’re the same sick f*cks that blow up health clinics, kill babies in your religious compounds, and blow attack our own government buildings. You only have knives in others backs, you sick, disgusting traitor!
April 13th, 2007 at 2:08 amWhen people ask if I am worried - I tell them truthfully, “No, what good does MY worrying do? Not a damn thing.†Comment by valiant venus — April 13, 2007 @ 12:52 am
Worrying would show you are a human being with a conscience, a soul and a heart. All of which are devoid of, you disgusting piece of sh*t.
The salve for my heart ? I pray…and I bake. Every week, we send cookies, brownies, pretzels, toiletries, etc.? Comment by valiant venus — April 13, 2007 @ 12:52 am
You don’t have a heart, and baked goods aren’t love, they’re what fat republicans feed their soulless guts on to avoid their personal misery and lack of consciences.
What you can do is work to bring your *family* (fake though we all know it to be) home from a bad situation that their presence is ONLY MAKING WORSE!
What do YOU do for the troops you support so much?? Open your big mouth?? Allow vulgarities to escape….insert foot. Good night. Comment by valiant venus — April 13, 2007 @ 12:52 am
A sick t*rd like you that makes dead baby jokes about your own *fake* children, and calls for the complete destruction of the Islamic world is the meaning of vlugarity. The words used to describe you and your vulgarity only exist, because you do. St*pid c*nt.
April 13th, 2007 at 2:13 amSomething exceptionally bad is coming next week. It feels like the criminals in the White House plan to bomb Iran…
Comment by ace
First, rummer had it we were bombing Iran 6th of April, then was extended towards the middle of the month. We are seeing on a daily basis multiple crimes being uncovered by these thugs and it would not surprise me if they bombed Iran for a distraction….or just from pure insanity. This administration IS the main threat to civilization.
April 13th, 2007 at 2:20 amI prefer Impeachment over a military coup any day.
Hey 2nd rock from the sun, bet you wish you was a boy:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=SXXckQcW-_0
April 13th, 2007 at 2:24 amThere is no Bin Laden
There is no AlQaeda.
It’s all smoke and mirrors.
The owners of Royal Dutch Shell and BP are running the game through David Rockefeller and George Bush Senior, who is on the phone to W constantly - all of which is monitored by Israel - who is blackmailing them.
April 13th, 2007 at 2:29 amThere is a possibility that Bush will claim the attack on the Iraqi Parliament cafeteria was orchestrated by Iran. He is looking for any excuse he can manufacture to justify bombing Iran.
April 13th, 2007 at 2:35 amChina will not stand by and watch Bush bomb Iran next week without responding - regardless of the manufactured false flag pretext.
Say your prayers that the military leaders put a stop to this.
Where are the Generals?
Where is Tommy Franks?
Where is Norman Schwarzkopf?
Will they actively work to prevent it, or to enable it?
Where are the Defenders Of The Constitution?
April 13th, 2007 at 2:56 amI dont think people fully grasp the concept of what an extended deployment does. See, all the units in the army are basically on cycles of deployment, so when you get back from a deployment and it is time for you to leave that duty station and go to a new one you can get an assignment for a unit that is not deploying for at least a year so you dont have to redeploy immediately. That cannot be the case when 18 Active duty brigades of 28 are doing extended tours in Iraq. Once you get back from Iraq your only option is going to a unit that is deployed already insuring you’ll go back immediately, or a unit that is deploying in less than a year. So the 12 months back home thing is a complete falsehood that I’m not planning on.
For instance, I got a email from my Human Resources Command telling me, even though I am going to CPTs course don’t plan on completing it because they could pull me off at any time to go start Military Transition Team Training and then deploy again.
And valiant venus, I, as someone who has been deployed and extended can tell you it hurts. It hurts everyone. The soldier, the family, the unit. There was one soldier who called back to tell his wife we had been extended and a few days later he had to go on emergency leave because his wife miscarried. That is the kind of stress this puts on people.
You mark each day and each mission that you come back from off the calendar and when the days start to get low, you start to get your hopes up, and then the next thing you know you have to survive 90 more days, 90 more missions, 90 more rolls down the most dangerous road in the world and hope you survive to that 90 mark. Even though you never know when it’s going to be your turn to get hit. The way soldiers see it the more days they’re there the more probability of getting killed or injured.
There is no glory in this fight. People are just trying to survive to make it home. Everyday is groundhog’s day. The mission is the mission and that’s all you concentrate on even though it doesnt seem to be doing any good.
April 13th, 2007 at 3:04 amMy first time on this site, sorry I came here. Just another info puddle of whining cowardly vile offensive pigs. Venus did not say anything offensive, just stated an opinion and she is a “cu^t”? You sick demented little lefties, basically you suck at being human. So you pretend to care. You don’t, you just like to hide behind righteous sentiments as they are easier than actually doing something. This site is just a bunch of bastard children venting impotent rage against nothing. Wastes.
April 13th, 2007 at 3:27 amThis isn’t a war anymore. It’s an occupation of a soverign state.
In case you may have forgotten folks, Saddam has been executed. That’s right, he’s dead. He’ll have a heck of time making WMD’s in his current condition. Not that there ever was any threat of WMD’s anyway.
Support the troops. Bring them home in one piece so they can actully defend the United States of America, not third world countries.
April 13th, 2007 at 3:44 amWhat a bunch of crybabies!
These guys don’t know how good they’ve got, and all they do is complain.
This administration is full of guys who know just what the troops are going through in iraq…well, not the being in the military part, or being in a combat zone part, but the part where they have a hard job to do keeping their morale up in the face of democratic traitors who are trying to undermine their morale by all this talk of bringing the troops home.
This administration *gets it*.
April 13th, 2007 at 3:52 amAnd I hope that every one of these upset and angry kids remembers what political party 1) got them into this quagmire, and 2) extended their tours by 15 months (as in involuntary servitude) when they go to vote in the next election.
April 13th, 2007 at 5:22 ami just wonder if the mercenary’s are having there tour extended also.
April 13th, 2007 at 5:24 amWhat is happening to the worlds best army? ever.
support the troops?
so many war supporter who do not serve
April 13th, 2007 at 5:57 amOf course, extension to money making Halliburton and other contractors are welcomed…but not the soldiers..
April 13th, 2007 at 6:16 amThis is a hell of a roundabout way to create more Democrats.
April 13th, 2007 at 6:39 amGood thing these guys weren’t in the service during WWII - the deployments were much longer.
Combat in ww2 was less constant with battles and long periods of static. Counterinsurgncy work puts soliders on constant alert for the entire tour. For what we know and studies the constant strain from this is greater.
Thats why most estimates show 30% at very low estimate show PTSD and mental trauma from loss of memory, disorrentation and constant stress which they will probably carry for the rest of there lives.
and of course the sentiments of those above about certain peoples own record during the vietnam war.
April 13th, 2007 at 6:42 amPressure grows on World Bank boss
Mr Wolfowitz has faced calls to resign after admitting he helped his partner Shaha Riza win a promotion to a high-paying job at the World Bank.
The bank’s staff association said the pay rises and promotions Ms Riza received were “grossly out of line” with the World Bank’s staff rules.
“The president must acknowledge that his conduct has compromised the integrity and effectiveness of the World Bank Group,” said staff association representative Alison Cave.
She added that his actions had destroyed the staff’s trust in his leadership.
In an editorial, Britain’s Financial Times newspaper called for Wolfowitz to step down.
“If the president stays, (the World Bank) risks becoming an object not of respect, but of scorn, and its campaign in favour of good governance not a believable struggle, but blatant hypocrisy,” it said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6550995.stm
April 13th, 2007 at 6:47 amNot good news for GOP support base,their support is going to be affected .
GOP will be left with preachers and evangalicals to win anything in future elections….the last elections showed that these evangalicals alone cannot pull it for GOP & Rove.
April 13th, 2007 at 7:02 amI’m distrubed by the crassness of some the comments here. Venus, I’m glad you responded to the crap they were slinging at you. It was undeserved and wrong headed.
I do not agree with you, but I see where you’re coming from. My take on this mess is this: Bush and his band of incompetent brothers have created a massive screw up. Not one of the men responsible for the mess are now or have ever been in harms way because of their incompetence. The troops, whose lives they feel they own apparently, are suffering. And this is not WWII. It’s “Bush-Cheney-Kristol-Fox I” No Iraqi deserved to die to satisfy Rumsfeld’s blood lust. No American (regular military or mercenary) deserved to die because Bush wanted to have a real war for people to remember him by.
The reason the extensions are criminal is because the war is criminal. The reasons the war is criminal are too numerous to mention, but the phrase “based on lies” pretty much captures them.
Venus, if your brother is injured or worse, it is on Bush’s head, on Powell’s head, on Condi’s head, on Rumsfeld’s head. They are the solid core of liars who begat this terrible mess. Your brother’s service is honorable, but it’s been employed by dishonorable people, abused by dishonorable people.
I appreciate your stoicisim and I despise with all my heart the shallow, evil men and women who have made it necessary.
April 13th, 2007 at 7:26 amWhile I hope it won’t be the case, given the rising stress of combat in Iraq, the lengthened tours of duty, sub-standard armor, increased awareness they’re in the meat-grinder just to protect “this pres” and his oil & spoil pals, and given the rise of PTSD among recycled troops mixed with more “marginal” recruits to meet cannon fodder quotas, it’s like Bush has declared “Let the Mai Lai’s and the fragging begin.”
April 13th, 2007 at 7:26 amBush won’t be visiting troops in Iraq again. If he does he will need protection - from our troops.
April 13th, 2007 at 7:35 amFurther proof that the GOP is about as pro-family as a rabbit is pro-chastity.
April 13th, 2007 at 7:36 amAn unpopular president escalating an unpopular war and extending the tours of soldiers who clearly don’t want to be there (groans? anger? frustration?). This is but another shiny nail in the GOP coffin pounded by a hammer held in both hands by George Bush and his neocon war mongers.
April 13th, 2007 at 7:40 amIt is time for the troops, who I support, to realize that potentially giving your life for a cause is admirable but no life should be wasted. It is time for sensible Americans to realize how bad things are and where they are headed. It would be better to deal with the obstacles at home than concern ourselves with Foreign enemies. It is time to not suffer to oligarchy.
Democrats and republicans rarely speak to the growing financial tyranny being supported and developed at home.
No morgages with interest… no 30+ years of indentured servitude …
Stand up to this and more … follow the money… Risk your life for a greater cause then the pleasure and wealth of bureacrats…
April 13th, 2007 at 7:42 amThis is a totally unfair exploitation of our volunteer military. They didn’t bargain for this degree of exploitation and abuse. Let’s ask every member of this White House to send one of their children or grandchildren to this war and see just how quickly we’ll be out of Iraq!
April 13th, 2007 at 7:44 amWhile I am dismayed at the Bush administration I am even moreso at the chickenhawk keywboard warriors that are always pro-war yet never sign up to serve but come in here spewing their misinformed bias and chickenhawk pundit rhetoric.
At least we won’t have a repeat of vietnam as far as people blaming the troops for the quagmire. Some of my family went out to DFW airport recently when some troops were arriving back home to support them and there was no animosity towards the troops to be seen.
Anyway, if these chickenhawks like Rove, Limbaugh, Cheney and all those pro-war clash of the civilazations pinheads should be sent to the front lines because I feel we will never stop wars until these goofballs sitting behind a desk actually have to live the reality they created.
April 13th, 2007 at 7:47 am#47 Everyone knows who’s really behind everything in this country and has been running the show - Pappy Bush and Rockefeller. Now let’s get their puppet junta out of power and fix this country. These old hags need to be investigated, indicted and imprisoned for the “high crimes” they’ve committed. After all Papa Bush was involved in JFK as head of the CIA and, according to E. Howard Hunt, asked him to participate along with LBJ in Kennedy’s murder in Miami….which was then moved to Dallas where LBJ could control the security. Just google it and see old, newly released photos of Bush Sr. standing outside the School Book Depository watching the “motorcade” and decide for yourself.
Now fast forward to 911 - of course, Bush Sr. had to have a highly publicized meeting with the Saudi’s (Carlysle Group) on 9/10 in order to create the illusion of non involvement. Now as yourselves “how” the Saudis were jetted out of this country when air space was ostensibly closed to ALL air traffic??
Go to 911truth.org and see the mountain of data, scientific documentation about the “improbably collapse” of Building 7 which just happened to house important Enron documents and connect the dots…..Patriot Act was already concocted by the PNAC and 911 became Bush’s Pearl Harbor….
Enter Patriot Act which, handily, kept people fearful of honestly debating the “official story” and you’ve got either the plot of the next best-seller or the worst crime EVER in the history of this country.
Could that be why Wolfy is coming apart at the seams? Wolfowitz is a Key Player in 911 and PNAC. Sure, admitting to setting up a galpal with a cush job and benefits is the tip of the iceberg for Wolfy. Maybe he’ll be the one who will “sing” from the inner sanctum in exchange for immunity?
The critical mass of opinion about the moral turpitude of this gang of thugs running things as well as a now overwhelming suspicion about 911 and how we got into the mess we’re in is moving toward this white house like a tsunami.
The firing of attorneys, the lost emails, refusal of key players to testify are all beginning to point to the top of the heap - George W. Bush needs to be brought before the people and be held accountable for his actions either by “omission” (derelection of duty) or “commission” (obstruction of justice). Either way, the buck stops at the desk of the president and it’s now time to subpoena him for it all…..Plame, the war, the lies leading up to the war, the missing money in Iraq, the no-bid Haliburton situation, the war profiteering — just to name a few of the “high crimes” he’s committed.
Call nancy Pelosi today and demand that immediate IMPEACHMENT be put back on the table.
April 13th, 2007 at 7:54 amI’m distrubed by the crassness of some the comments here. Venus, I’m glad you responded to the crap they were slinging at you. It was undeserved and wrong headed. -Voting Vet.
I don’t know if you know the history behind V V Votingvet. She has long made crass and truly horrible remarks and jokes here about her dead baby (which is a lie we have since found out) if she gets crap slung at her it’s for a long running bunch of hateful posts. She sees her American counterparts as her ‘enemy’ and repeatedly and repeats the hateful speech from such self-serving chicken hawks as Rove, Limbaugh, Coulter etc and fully buys into that media bias and little lie stuff.
I don’t hate V V but she is only getting back, from others, what she slung first.
Good day and God Bless
April 13th, 2007 at 7:56 amthat’s http://www.911truth.org - check it out yourself. Do your homework and don’t fall for the old administration trick of “the dog ate my homework” any more.
April 13th, 2007 at 7:56 amMy sister-in-law, whom I love dearly, started whining and crying during the last deployment of my brother. I told her that he was doing his job - a job he had when he married HER. His job is not just practice flying - his job description is to defend our nation - PERIOD.
Hey Mighty Hermaphrodite, I have a question for you and your imaginary friend who jumped to your defense. Are you still a lawyer? What state did you take the bar exam in, and what was your score? And how many days did the exam take you?
April 13th, 2007 at 7:59 amthis is the DOD’s way of saying “we can keep you forever”.
April 13th, 2007 at 8:01 amI don’t hate V V but she is only getting back, from others, what she slung first.,/I>
I’m fairly sure that the person who goes by the moniker valiant venus is not a woman. And I still don’t understand why people continue to respond to a proven liar.
April 13th, 2007 at 8:03 ammongo, valient penis, patrick1, michael, jake, et al….. I will do EVERY thing I can to undermine this illegal, immoral, and unjustified war.
April 13th, 2007 at 8:14 amAnd I still don’t understand why people continue to respond to a proven liar.
Comment by klyde
Exactly. Its like talking to a Stalinist-like propagandizer.
April 13th, 2007 at 8:20 amFirst, we will treat the people of our military better, so we can recruit and retain the best our nation has to offer. We will add a billion dollars in salary increases. We will improve military housing. We will improve the quality of training at our bases and national training centers, because shortfalls in training can become disasters on the battlefield.
And whenever America uses forces in the world, the cause must be just, the goal must be clear and the victory must be overwhelming.
-George W. Bush, 11/3/2000
April 13th, 2007 at 8:29 amThe Army extended tour is, as SecDef explained, chiefly to keep NG forces Stateside until after the hurricane season. The 5-State NG deployment packs up in Nov and moves in Dec, after the Jun-Nov hurricane season. Of course, it also represents a further escalation. The original “21,000″ troop increase has now expanded to nearly 45,000 (support personnel not originally cited by Bush, plus the Army extensions plus shifts from Kuwait) . I think we should expect yet another supplemental in Aug, for Congress to consider in Sep when it returns from summer recess, simply because the troop census is so expanded.
April 13th, 2007 at 8:36 am–
Joseph Combs
Rochester, NY
As I write this I can visualize the military advertisement:
“BE ALL YOU CAN BE IN THE ARMY.” Join today. Little sleep, marginal food, no sex, and lying commanders extending your tour of duty is an exciting way to see the world and serve your country.
Sign on the dotted line today young men and women. Hurry, hurry, to possibly risk a troubled marriage ending in divorce, celibacy, and 120 degree heat.
BE ALL YOU CAN BE? Yeah! Yeah!
John
April 13th, 2007 at 8:48 amI don’t hate V V but she is only getting back, from others, what she slung first. -Zeppo.
I’m fairly sure that the person who goes by the moniker valiant venus is not a woman. -Klyde
It’s hard to say, according to some here they did a little checking and it turns out she was female. It doesn’t really matter I suppose his/her comments have been quite inflammatory and intentionally spiteful.
April 13th, 2007 at 8:49 amPeople seem to respond to refute the obvious lies so as to keep them from propagating and becoming faux truth as that is the modus operandi of the Fecks Snoozers. Heh. =)
It seems apparent to me that this administration is nothing but an inevitable stream of sh*t-colored rhetoric and lies. what they have done to our troops and our country is disgusting. Because of that, I can only say to those above still spouting off ’support our troops’ and ‘defend freedom’ bullsh*t and ‘they are protecting you’ etc - get a clue people! I support the troops by expressing my dissent and by openly protesting this puppet, war-mongering administration that is needlessly putting - and extending - our soldiers stay in harms way. There is no need for that and to say that those of us protesting and calling this administration out for the it is don’t support the troops - well, that’s just uneducated and outright plain ignorant.
Please, for your sake (and ours) learn some of your American history and also learn some logical reasoning: first, America is built on dissent; secondly, those of use wanting to get our troops the hell home are supporting them LIVING way more than those of you supporting their continued deployment for in a needless warzone. In short, the thousands of bodybags won’t be our fault - they will be yours and this administrations. think about that and while you’re at it think about how in Gods name being in Iraq defends ‘our freedom’ before you spout off again from the safety of your laptop.
April 13th, 2007 at 8:53 am“I found this out today from my squad leader. I still haven’t told my wife yet. I’m just trying to figure out exactly how I’m going to break it to her…”
Well you could start at the beginning. Simply tell your wife that PNAC came up with a plan in the mid 90s to invade Iraq, control the oilfields and build military bases to project military might in the region and control the new Iraqi government they will prop up. Tell your wife Bush will keep you there until (a) you die (b) the PNAC plan is complete.
April 13th, 2007 at 9:01 amComment by TomPaine — April 13, 2007 @ 3:04 am
Well said Capt!
The extemtion sucks. It will put more stress on the families back home. It will cause stress in marriages. These are some of the “known unknowns”.
Iraq has deteriorated into a civil war. Lets get out of there already.
April 13th, 2007 at 9:08 amThe difference between responsible, decent people and, say, valiant venus, is that decent, responsible people think that the attention to duty and legal responsibility to follow orders of our military personnel makes it MORE important to take great care with their lives and well being, while people like valiant venus think it makes is less important.
You look at the troops, note that they have no choice in the matter, and you either say “We owe it to them to be extra careful” or you say “So what if they don’t like it?”
April 13th, 2007 at 9:08 amactually #82 - his wife probably knew about it before he did. I like the way in which this was revealed to the troops last; indeed some of them found out about it from their wives’ letters/emails. why were the troops not told of this first? by their leader Gates? I will tell you - b/c Gates, like the administration he works with, are spineless and no longer have the balls to face those who’s lives they’re ruining. it’s sad. it reminds me of the tactics once employed on me by my former company when on travel for work - it was easy for management to send an email at 10pm saying “Oh, by the way - you’re staying to do more tests for another week”. They would never call or openly apologize for ruining your prior plans or expectations; rather like the rats they were, they either sent off a last minute sucker email or simply let you find out via other sources. the same is being done with the troops, and what’s more outrageous in this context is they’re not just out working for another week (or three months) - their risk of dying has just been increased by a significant factor.
the least we could do for them - if of course we’re not going to support them by bringing them home - is to treat them with a little respect. but sadly I don’t see that happening until post 2008 when we get this schmuck of a president out of office. or until, as someone above posted - the president gets attacked and beaten to sh*t by our own troops the next time he visits Iraq. that would be classic and oh so sweet revenge!
April 13th, 2007 at 9:11 am> Venus: Sleep well….your back is protected.
That’s the problem with republicans.
Always turning their backs on the troops and falling asleep.
Dream on…
April 13th, 2007 at 9:30 amHow is supporting our troops extending their tours of duty?
How is supporting our troops giving them substandard medical care?
How do you Neosluts sleep at night?
April 13th, 2007 at 9:33 amComment by Zep Tepi — April 13, 2007 @ 7:56 am
And like a good little troll, she at times refuses to respond to direct questions, instead choosing to post something (when she does reply) that has nothing to do with what was asked.
April 13th, 2007 at 9:33 amVeritas:
Word!
April 13th, 2007 at 9:34 amthis is a backdoor draft - and I don’t mean fart!
April 13th, 2007 at 9:38 am
April 13th, 2007 at 9:42 amOh, boo hoo hoo! Gimme a break! I am so sick and tired of everybody feeling so sorry for these stupid troops.
They were not drafted. They CHOSE to join the military. Nobody forced them. What gives them the right to complain? What the hell did they expect when they signed up for military service? Non-stop partying? It’s time for everybody to stop feeling so sorry for people who are dumb and ignorant enough to volunteer to go to Iraq to fight in Stupidass Bush’s crazy war.
Comment by defenderofliberalcowards :
If you really have served in this pile of shit…get this, I served a similar pile of shit in the late ’60s. In time you will realize that this bunch of crooked bastards are using our military, a small portion of them, to steal the oil in Iraq. This is being done for the military industrial complex (Halliburton and others) and the oil companies (American and others).
If you have not serve, I doubt you have, because most ignorant trolls are chickenshit chickenhawk cowards who are in the 29% of Americans who still support this drunken AWOL coward who is the architect of this grotesque pile of shit in Iraq.
You can stay the hell away from this board and nobody will miss your ignorance.
April 13th, 2007 at 9:43 am#90 Yeah, they signed up for 5 deployments doing a job they weren’t trained for during an illegal occupation of a country that doesn’t want us there. Wait, I am pretty sure that isn’t what the recruiter said.
April 13th, 2007 at 10:01 amComment by big papa — April 13, 2007 @ 1:35 am
I understand your point. What I meant, ‘this might sound strange,’ is that merely sending thoughts can make a difference, and be felt a half a world away.
April 13th, 2007 at 10:12 am“This has totally wrecked everything I had planned,†he said as he slumped on an empty explosives crate.
No irony intended.
April 13th, 2007 at 10:14 amstop being ignorant #90 - they signed up to defend their country.
problem is - being in Iraq isn’t defending their country.
instead, it is an unjustified, illegal war that is needlessly putting them in danger!
please try to distinguish between a justified deployment and an unjustified one.
April 13th, 2007 at 10:27 ami don’t think any soldier signed up for the latter. why would they?
51 - Comment by defenderofliberalcowards — April 13, 2007 @ 3:27 am
This is not your first time on this site. You used a word that was not used previously on this thread.
Did anybody notice that we got a couple of new posters who only posted once, and both posted to say words of support to V V?
April 13th, 2007 at 10:38 amWhen our kids finally do come back, we’re going to have tens of thousands of kids suffering from PTSD, highly trained in the use of advanced weaponry, and carrying a deep-seated anger against the government and all authority figures.
We’re going to have a recipe for people to go ballistic across the country. Remember the Rambo movies?
April 13th, 2007 at 10:44 amSo Braid Faire - Should I expect a house to fall on my head?? Maybe that’s what happens in your Land of Oz….
Toooodles…….
April 13th, 2007 at 10:55 amONLY a COWARD would see htis is something good!!! People like Valiant Anus and her band of IGNORANT fools, talk about the troops like they were G.I. Joe action figures, and COMPLETELY disregard the toll that it takes on their morale and their families…
But, HEY, what do we expect from them. THEIR leader sleeps well at night, thuis showing he really doesn’t give a damn about the troops, UNTIL he has a speech to give!
April 13th, 2007 at 10:59 am#96 - could be that the new posters are in fact the same person trying to sound as if he/she has supporters of his/her own?
No one I have spoken to/emailed, contacted, etc. support the never-ending war.
And talk of “emboldening” the terrorists by saying you don’t support the war is a load of crap. Is embolden even a real word - or is it just another Bushism of the day?
BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!!!
April 13th, 2007 at 11:08 amWhen talking about the extensions, Gates said, “our soldiers are professionals. They understand this.”
Well, no, sir, they don’t. We have people over there on 3rd and 4th tours, who are now being asked to put in even more time. How long will their employers hold jobs for the Guard troops? Gates, et al, keep re-writing the commitment agreements. At the end of 12 months, they are exhausted enough. Now add the morale factor to their exhaustion, and we’ve got real problems.
I am disgusted by the trolls on this thread who are happy to sacrifice their fellow citizens over and over and over again. Easy to do from behind your keyboards. Where’s your sacrifice? What exactly have any of you done for your phony war on terror except cheer on a losing cause and enable a spoiled brat president who has treated our soldiers like dirt. Sleep well at night? I bet you do, just like W.
April 13th, 2007 at 11:11 amcould be that the new posters are in fact the same person trying to sound as if he/she has supporters of his/her own?
Comment by Proud Dem — April 13, 2007 @ 11:08 am
That’s my guess.
April 13th, 2007 at 11:12 amShould I expect a house to fall on my head??
Comment by valiant venus — April 13, 2007 @ 10:55 am
Likening yourself to the Wicked Witch of the East now?
I would suggest you think about the people you interact with in your personal life. Your enemies lie among them, and within yourself. If we, who only know you through what you write, see you for what you are, how much more so do those who have actually met you?
April 13th, 2007 at 11:18 amBnF - Well “witch” is a little better than the vulgarities I’m usually called here- HA!!
You might want to re-read your tea leaves, “spell book” or incantations. Things in my life (family and work) are going great !!! Sorry to disappoint!
Busy day…..tooodles……
April 13th, 2007 at 11:28 amSoldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen in AmeriKan Occupied Territories (Irak and Afghanistan)…. NOW LISTEN UP:
Throw down your arms!
Strip off your uniform !
GEt a ride to nearest airport.
Hijack all airplanes.
Fly them back to the “Homeland” you have been misled to fight for….
If anyone tries to stop you. Shoot them.
CARRY ON
April 13th, 2007 at 11:47 amI don’t live to far from a base and let me tell you the girlies are mad as hell! I’m going to be having a good time dating and what not!
April 13th, 2007 at 11:52 amThe government is trying to bust this army and then throw money at these contractors and paid mercenaries. They will blame the incompetence of Iraq and other fiascos on our brave guys and gals.
April 13th, 2007 at 11:53 amYou might want to re-read your tea leaves, “spell book†or incantations. Things in my life (family and work) are going great !!! Sorry to disappoint!
Busy day…..tooodles……
Comment by valiant venus
Things can turn in the blink of an eye, Hag. They may have already turned — we’ll never know it, because of your endless lies. But it doesn’t matter, you’ll know it — you’ll experience it.
What’s the worst that can happen….?
April 13th, 2007 at 12:03 pmHey trolls
How’s it feel knowing that Slick Clinton did a FAR better job of stewardship of the US military than W’s doing?
See, here’s the best part, Clinton didn’t break the US military like W & his rapidly dwindling inner circle of lackeys have managed to, Clinton, last I checked also didn’t start a war based on flat-out lies, nor did he deliberately send US troops into battle without enough effective body & vehicle armor
At this point, one cannot logically support the US troops and President Bush Jr
April 13th, 2007 at 12:04 pmCandyce #101: well said.
John G & Redneck; I don’t see your sorry asses in the army. May you & the other cowardly chickenhawks be the 1st ones drafted when it’s reinstated.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:25 pmYou might want to re-read your tea leaves, “spell book†or incantations. Things in my life (family and work) are going great !!!
Comment by valiant venus — April 13, 2007 @ 11:28 am
Right. You’re also the one who went all “oooooga boooga” the first time I drew a Rune for you. Quite frankly, I’d rather trust what my Runes say than what you say. While the Runes have been uncannily accurate, you are a proven liar.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:31 pmAnd this, from the 2000 GOP platform…
Endless Military Missions, Exit Strategies and Troop Readiness
“The current administration has casually sent American armed forces on dozens of missions without clear goals, realizable objectives, favorable rules of engagement, or defined exit strategies.†[Emphasis added.]
“Sending our military on vague, aimless, and endless missions rapidly saps morale. Even the highest morale is eventually undermined by back-to-back deployments, poor pay, shortages of spare parts and equipment, inadequate training, and rapidly declining readiness. When it comes to military health, the administration is not providing an adequate military health care system…”
April 13th, 2007 at 12:52 pm#70 Awesome! You’ve done your homework. I wish more people would do the same. The truth can be very painful. I guess I understand why so many would not want to discover it.
April 13th, 2007 at 1:00 pmHeh Heh Heh. Now y’all need ta settle down here. I’m the decider.
I’ve decided it wouldn’t be a good ider to tell the enemy when our next election will be, so I’m a gonna ‘tend my ‘ministration.
April 13th, 2007 at 1:10 pmTurkey doesn’t want the Kurdish Iraqis to get Kirkuk because of the oil there. The Saudis, backing the Sunni’s and protesting America’s occupation as “illegal” also want to prevent the Kurds from taking control of Kirkuk and its oil. Israel is backing the Kurds because it wants the Kurds (once they get the oil) to be beholden to them. The U.S., of course, thinks of itself as an ally to Israel, to Turkey, to Saudi Arabia, and to Kurdish Iraq. It’s clear that none of these nations shares Bush’s interests, and all are about to go to war, mostly with each other. Oh, I forgot, the Saudis want to protect the Sunni from the Shia who are, of course, going to be protected by Iran. And bringing up the rear is, I suppose, Syria. They’ll want to help the Sunni, I think — as will Al Qaeda, of course. But I’m betting they just sit back and wait for the best opportunity to capitalize on the mess that Bush started.
No, that’s not the situation our emotionally drained and morale starved troops signed on for. Bring ‘em home. It’s too late to undo the mess we’ve made in Iraq and by staying there we only ensure more American deaths and more Iraqi massacres..
April 13th, 2007 at 1:22 pm#50 - Thanks, Tom, for your service.
“And valiant venus, I, as someone who has been deployed and extended can tell you it hurts. “ Comment by Tom
But without your words of wisdom and experience - I would NEVER know that!! [sarc off] Besides my active duty brother, my retired Marine husband was deployed more times than I can count…
If you were up to speed with my post, which you chose to address, you would know that I realize no ONE likes to have their deployment extended. You might have missed that part….
April 13th, 2007 at 2:04 pmI propose that for every day of that three month extension, the people who made the decision must live somewhere in the US where their life will be in danger every one of the 90 days. That’s what they are doing to the troops so they should be put into a position where they need to live every one of those 90 days the same way the troops will be living those 90 days.
April 13th, 2007 at 2:17 pm[…] The very next day, his own Pentagon announced that all U.S. Army soldiers in Iraq would have their 12-month tours in Iraq extended by 3 additional months. […]
April 13th, 2007 at 2:19 pmThe only thing that suprises me about this is that Bush didn’t try to blame the extension on the Democrats. I suspect that he knows that he has run that one into the ground and that no one would believe him anyway.
April 13th, 2007 at 2:20 pmMore lies from M.A/V.V who is supost be an attorney, mother of 3,minus 1, Xvet, with a husband serving, brother, serving, half jewish, christian, huge family, rich, world traveler, know’s everything and authority on nothing….Let’s see, spend’s endless hour’s every day posting drival, not working, making cookies and brownies for the brother who may or may not exist….M.A. is supost have accomplished all this while being anerexic, 23 something of age and sitting in a cubical somewhere posting at her employer’s expence…My guess, M.A. is nothing more than a young cheer leader for the bush repuke party and a paid hack that has to create new posters to back up her lost approval…..Poor black hearted little troll…We have seen you and it isn’t pretty….Grow up and get a real life, no one here is buying into you made up life and lies….The pretend empathy you try to project on the vet’s is just that pretend….You are truly the most affected little troll I have ever read….I send you Blessings, you realy need them..
April 13th, 2007 at 2:42 pmGoing back years to SEA, I know exactly how the troops feel about being extended. I was packed and ready to leave 3 times and got extended for an other 30 days each time. Believe me it sucks and you can’t help being a little angry.
April 13th, 2007 at 3:23 pmYou know,
April 13th, 2007 at 3:37 pmMy husband was part of the 172nd Stryker Brigade. The brigade that got extended for 120 days in July.
Yes I married a soldier knowing what I was getting into. My Dad was a career military man. I know the military.
HOWEVER That said, this is wrong to be treating soldiers worse than we treat prisoners. Yes, we volunteered to serve our country, but did all these soldiers hold up their hand and say “I swear that its really cool if you treat me horribly, with no respect. I swear that its perfect if you put me in moldy tents, that you deprive me of meals, that you provide me with equipment that is falling apart. I swear I’d love it if you’d send me to another foreign country for maybe 1 yr or even better please extend me so I can stay even longer because I hate seeing my family” I know my husband never swore to any of that.
Maybe other families and soldiers have.
I live near a millitary post and too many times I hear wives commenting “Well if my husband died for his country, well that’s just gravy you know! After all he’s being so patriotic!” UGGGHHH
Oh and one last comment to any of those who like to say “yeah we volunteered for this”
April 13th, 2007 at 3:49 pmUh people, how long do you think people will continue to volunteer if they’re treated like this? Not very long, that I can assure you. As a military wife I see daily what it’s doing to retention in the military. I see what it’s doing to recruitment numbers.
Many of you many blithely walk along and say “Oh but it’s being reported that Morale is so high, the military members are all HOOAAHH! about all of this” but I can assure you that is nothing more than PROPAGANDA!
Toooodles…….
Comment by valiant venus
Hey Mighty A*shole, when did you change your moniker?
April 13th, 2007 at 4:25 pmThe poor guys (and gals) over in that quagmire.
April 13th, 2007 at 5:16 pmThey are under a death sentence. Pray for them.
It’s a shame that the movers and shakers and fakers in the pentagon and all over washington and in our state capitols are not required to send any of their sons, daughters, grandchildren, cousins (or any other relative), or friends or neighbors into this god-awful mess that was bred by corruption, greed, arrogance…
A point to be made here: Many of our troops are so young that they have NO grounding in the constitution and no understanding of history or of other countries. They are indoctrinated to fight like a well-oiled machine and never question their leaders publicly, lest they suffer retaliation….often from other misinformed people. This is not in any way to criticize their commitment to our country. But often wisdom comes with age (hopefully), and it is obvious that some people believe that our commitment to unwise adventures somehow equates to defending this country. There should be some discussion given to this. Many of these young people do not have any idea what they are “volunteering” for. And many have been misled. It is a certainty that ALL of them have been misused by the civilian and military leadership.
April 13th, 2007 at 5:45 pmComparisons of Iraq to WWII are indications of severe mental derangement. In WWII we saved the world from fascism, in Iraq we are sitting ducks in a civil war. No, repeat No aspect of our national security is being defended in Iraq. None. Iraq is a tragic mistake inflicted upon all participants by a heedless, moronic administration.
April 13th, 2007 at 6:01 pm#99 - Dear IraqVet - NOWHERE did I say that extended deployments “are a good thing“. (Reading is a fine skill to have! Try using this skill.) Please stop proving John Kerry’s point that the modern military volunteer is a disadvantaged idiot…..
April 13th, 2007 at 6:09 pm“While the Runes have been uncannily accurate, you are a proven liar.”
Comment by Briseadh na Faire
Says you? Says the sociopath vulgarian?? You wish, counselor….Your “runes” are about as accurate as a Ouija board….
I do appreciate your effort to sound authoritative…..
April 13th, 2007 at 6:29 pmDear Sharon, As old and ignorant as you are, I can tell you I am convinced THAN EVER that more than half your life’s problems are of your own making.
If you are so stupid as to believe a ranting mental case from wherever says….you’re beyond help.
I can’t control who my parents were - but as Jew who believes Christ is the Messiah, I’ll leave you to sort out my religious affiliation. I don’t care.
I’m not an authority on much, I DO read people VERY well, I sometimes wish I were 23 again, and I jog to control my weight. You believe whatever you want - the only reason I wasted this much time with you (again)…. if you are this old and ignorant….I don’t want you taken advantage of the Nigerian banking scheme - or selling a rowboat online…..
God’s BLESSINGS on you!!!!!
April 13th, 2007 at 6:45 pm#99 - Dear IraqVet - NOWHERE did I say that extended deployments “are a good thing“. (Reading is a fine skill to have! Try using this skill.) Please stop proving John Kerry’s point that the modern military volunteer is a disadvantaged idiot…..
Comment by valiant venus — April 13, 2007 @ 6:09 pm
Valiant Anus,
ONLY an azz would try to bring a knife to a gunfight, and ONLY a REPUBLICAN would dishonor a veteran and support a COWARD like BUSH!!!
But as I said, it is IDIOTS and IGNORANCE (such as yours) that keep our men and women fighting for a war they cannot and will not win! But we all know, REALITY is not a STRENGTH of the REPUBLICAN party!
Keep your cheap talking points COWARD! I AM NOT a fan of KERRY! BUT, AT LEAST HE SERVED!!! WHAT ABOUT YOUR LEADERS??? I’ll wait…
As I said to MANY of your friends…ANYTIME, ANY PLACE, and we can settle everything! Because we who the majority of the TRUE heroes are, and with this latest extension that includes less and less REPUBLICANS! And UNFORTUNATELY for you, NOT ONE of the STAFF of the President has a freakin’ clue…JUST LIKE YOU!
Now, you need to cure that ATHLETE’S MOUTH! It must be painful always putting your foot in your mouth!
April 13th, 2007 at 8:45 pm#99 - Dear IraqVet - NOWHERE did I say that extended deployments “are a good thing“. (Reading is a fine skill to have! Try using this skill.) Please stop proving John Kerry’s point that the modern military volunteer is a disadvantaged idiot….. Comment by valiant venus — April 13, 2007 @ 6:09 pm
No, you just stated that everyone that was against them were bad. Not the same thing, sort of.
You’re a st*pid c*nt.
April 13th, 2007 at 8:51 pmSays you? Says the sociopath vulgarian?? You wish, counselor….Your “runes†are about as accurate as a Ouija board….
I do appreciate your effort to sound authoritative…..
Comment by valiant venus — April 13, 2007 @ 6:29 pm
Says you? Says the sociopath vulgarian? You wish, counselor…. Your “opinions” are about as accurate as a Ouija board…
I do appreciate your effort to sound authoritative….
See, st*pid c*nt, you really can only whine about your own inadequacies. Maybe that’s why you make such an *effort* to sound authoritative about topics you *CLEARLY* are completely ignorant of. Poor little insecure, mentally ill Anorexic!
April 13th, 2007 at 8:53 pmDear Sharon, As old and ignorant as you are, I can tell you I am convinced THAN EVER that more than half your life’s problems are of your own making. Comment by valiant venus — April 13, 2007 @ 6:45 pm
As young and miserable as you are, I can tell you that I am convinced more THAN EVER that MOST of your life’s problem’s are of your own making.
See, more projection, st*pid c*nt.
If you are so stupid as to believe a ranting mental case from wherever says….you’re beyond help. Comment by valiant venus — April 13, 2007 @ 6:45 pm
No one believes you, you st*pid ranting mental case.
I can’t control who my parents were - but as Jew who believes Christ is the Messiah, I’ll leave you to sort out my religious affiliation. I don’t care. Comment by valiant venus — April 13, 2007 @ 6:45 pm
Jews are Jews, and Christians are Christians - they are two different religions. You cannot be a Jew that believes in Christ, you can only be a Christian or a Jew. You however are as confused about your own religion, as you are your own *values*. Maybe that’s why you claim to be pro-life, while calling for mass destruction of innocent lives. Maybe that’s why you whine about how Iran wants to wipe out Israel, while saying you want to wipe out Iran. You’re just a confused, st*pid little c*nt.
I’m not an authority on much, Comment by valiant venus — April 1