"I want to know why I'm planning a funeral while George Bush is planning a wedding."

blackredyellow

This was a quote in the most recent Newsweek by Anika Lawal of Maryland, whose daughter, an army sergeant, was recently killed in Iraq.

It hit me as an incredibly powerful question, and summed up so much in one sentence.

know1

Answer - because your daughter joined the military and was killed in combat by someone who wanted her to die.

g under p

know1 wrote:

Answer - because your daughter joined the military and was killed in combat by someone who wanted her to die.

This is why this war and the next one with Iran will hurt for generations to come and the same goes.....no it's even WORSE from the Iraqi's point of view. We invaded now occupy their country and have killed, maimed, raped, abused, tortured, etc; way too many of their innocent citizens.

This will never ever be forgotten on both sides.

Peace

blackredyellow

know1 wrote:

Answer - because your daughter joined the military and was killed in combat by someone who wanted her to die.

Yes, that is the simplest correct answer, and also the cold, emotionless one.

But the question illustrates the point that the people who got us into this war, and continue to keep it going are accepting none of the blame, will take all of the glory if by some miracle it turns around, but at the same time have sacrificed absolutely nothing in the process, instead they have actually made out on the deal (financially and with more power).

At the same time you have thousands of families who have paid ALL of the costs and have made the ultimate sacrifice, and in the end come out a lot worse off than they were. Not only the soldiers killed, but the countless families torn apart by years separated, countless homes and small businesses foreclosed and lost because a national guard or reservist has been deployed for tours totaling years...

Byrnzie

blackredyellow wrote:

Yes, that is the simplest correct answer, and also the cold, emotionless one.

But the question illustrates the point that the people who got us into this war, and continue to keep it going are accepting none of the blame, will take all of the glory if by some miracle it turns around, but at the same time have sacrificed absolutely nothing in the process, instead they have actually made out on the deal (financially and with more power).

At the same time you have thousands of families who have paid ALL of the costs and have made the ultimate sacrifice, and in the end come out a lot worse off than they were. Not only the soldiers killed, but the countless families torn apart by years separated, countless homes and small businesses foreclosed and lost because a national guard or reservist has been deployed for tours totaling years...

That's what happens when people don't question authority, and allow themselves to be manipulated. Maybe one day people will realize that their Governments, big business, and the media - generically, often referred to as 'country' - actually don't give a shit about them.

JamMastaE

blackredyellow wrote:

This was a quote in the most recent Newsweek by Anika Lawal of Maryland, whose daughter, an army sergeant, was recently killed in Iraq.

It hit me as an incredibly powerful question, and summed up so much in one sentence.

it's simple really.

as long as people in this country believe in the lie that they are fighting for freedom many more will die i'm afraid.

why doesn't anyone talk about the 1,000,000 Iraqis that are dead,innocent lives taken over a lie!women and children being mowed down by trigger happy scum that I'm ashamed to call our troops,who have lost their minds through PTSD caused by too many tours of duty.

don't try and tell me they are fighting for me to have the right to say this because the last thing they are doing is fighting for freedom,unless you mean the freedom to rape the middle east,all the while they are trying to STRIP us of our freedoms here at home!!

the hypocrisy is so thick I'm chocking on it!!!!!!!!!!!

BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

FredFlintstone

blackredyellow wrote:

Yes, that is the simplest correct answer, and also the cold, emotionless one.

But the question illustrates the point that the people who got us into this war, and continue to keep it going are accepting none of the blame, will take all of the glory if by some miracle it turns around, but at the same time have sacrificed absolutely nothing in the process, instead they have actually made out on the deal (financially and with more power).

At the same time you have thousands of families who have paid ALL of the costs and have made the ultimate sacrifice, and in the end come out a lot worse off than they were. Not only the soldiers killed, but the countless families torn apart by years separated, countless homes and small businesses foreclosed and lost because a national guard or reservist has been deployed for tours totaling years...

Laura Bush told us noone feels the suffering more than W!
Gimme a fucking break. The "War President" ( by the way I can see this idiot standing in front of a mirror dressed up like fucking George Patton telling himself he is GI JOE) is too busy flying around the country hosting $2,500 a plate GOP fundraisers and taking months off in Maine and TExas to give a shit.
And this draft dodger has the balls to use the military as a prop for his photo ops and press conferences and takes all the glory for his own ego.

Truthmonger

blackredyellow wrote:

This was a quote in the most recent Newsweek by Anika Lawal of Maryland, whose daughter, an army sergeant, was recently killed in Iraq.

It hit me as an incredibly powerful question, and summed up so much in one sentence.

Because the leaders in America, or their families, often have a habit of not going to fight. And because the U.S. has a habit of engaging in optional wars. Signing up in the American military has to be one of the most questionable things anyone could do.

polaris

Byrnzie wrote:

That's what happens when people don't question authority, and allow themselves to be manipulated. Maybe one day people will realize that their Governments, big business, and the media - generically, often referred to as 'country' - actually don't give a shit about them.

yup ... disengaged citizenry

share

with any luck Bush's grandchildren will be on the front lines in a future war.

gabers

know1 wrote:

Answer - because your daughter joined the military and was killed in combat by someone who wanted her to die.

I know what you're getting at here, but that is very much simplifying, isn't it? The fact that they joined the military does not make it any more relevant, IMO, than someone who races NASCAR, works as a miner, a cop, or any number of jobs that have an elevated risk of serious injury or death. The point is that our soldiers have been put in harms way for a war that most Americans believe is unjust. I'm imagining the poor mother was against this war before her daughter went.

Just because you join the military it doesn't want to mean you want to die for "your country", or president, or vice president, or whoever the fuck is running the show.

blackredyellow

Truthmonger wrote:

Signing up in the American military has to be one of the most questionable things anyone could do.

Absolutely... especially in the Army of Marines. My father was a single guy just out of highschool when the draft for vietnam was really getting going. His father was in the national guard his whole life, so service wasn't a foreign idea by any means, but knowing his likely-hood of getting drafted (and being sent in harm's way), he enlisted in the navy and basically got to pick his occupation. He was on a carrier on the flight deck and worked as an aircraft mechanic's apprentice. He got to see a lot of the world, serve his country, but for the most part in safety.

For kids coming out of HS with no skills, no ambition for college, the armed forces can be a good career, but why anyone would enlist in the army or marines is beyond me at this point.

I do have a lot more sympathy for the national guard troops or reserves sent on long tours... they didn't sign up to go away and fight on foreign soil for a war that has nothing to do with protecting our nation... These people are losing their lives, homes, businesses, jobs, and even families back home because of this war.

know1

gabers wrote:

I know what you're getting at here, but that is very much simplifying, isn't it? The fact that they joined the military does not make it any more relevant, IMO, than someone who races NASCAR, works as a miner, a cop, or any number of jobs that have an elevated risk of serious injury or death. The point is that our soldiers have been put in harms way for a war that most Americans believe is unjust. I'm imagining the poor mother was against this war before her daughter went.

Just because you join the military it doesn't want to mean you want to die for "your country", or president, or vice president, or whoever the fuck is running the show.

I wonder when the daughter joined.

Skitch Patterson

so would she have said the same thing if this was a "just" war? Or is it only because it is, at best, a highly questionable one?

Pacomc79

Skitch Patterson wrote:

so would she have said the same thing if this was a "just" war? Or is it only because it is, at best, a highly questionable one?

I don't think so, not with the same sentiment.

It is kind of remarkably offensive to see this carefree little rich girl plan a ridiculously expensive wedding at the white house, when the man who lives there felt it important enough to send your daughter to die whom you are now burying. I empathize greatly.

Bush can say he cares all he wants but events like this just show the obvious detachment from the reality of the families of service people. All the photo ops in the world won't bring back her daughter.

Uncle Leo

share wrote:

with any luck Bush's grandchildren will be on the front lines in a future war.

That's not the way the world works.

polaris

Uncle Leo wrote:

That's not the way the world works.

plus, it would mean we are engaged in yet another superficial war ... true karma would see the family exposed for their selfishness and their fortune and wealth taken from them ... with only their own skills left for them to survive ...

even flow?

Skitch Patterson wrote:

so would she have said the same thing if this was a "just" war? Or is it only because it is, at best, a highly questionable one?

Maybe you could list all the wars the US has been involved in since WWII where they "needed" to be there? You know, where the nation had their back against the wall and they really needed to be in a "just" war.

Skitch Patterson

even flow? wrote:

Maybe you could list all the wars the US has been involved in since WWII where they "needed" to be there? You know, where the nation had their back against the wall and they really needed to be in a "just" war.

Irrelevant.
The ideology presented by the lady is that a presidents daughter and the president shouldnt be involved in a wedding planning while soldiers are dying. I was just curious if it was a just (or even popular) war, would she have said the same thing? Or is she trying to use her sons death as a soundbyte to further a political cause ala Cindy Sheehan?

Perhaps she would have said the same thing, i dont know her. However, it seems only to be a point with her when it was her daughter that was killed. So who knows.


I figured youd just be happy i referred to it as a "highly questionable" war.

callen

g under p wrote:

This is why this war and the next one with Iran will hurt for generations to come and the same goes.....no it's even WORSE from the Iraqi's point of view. We invaded now occupy their country and have killed, maimed, raped, abused, tortured, etc; way too many of their innocent citizens.

This will never ever be forgotten on both sides.

Peace

will be conveinently forgotten by all those that supported this dumba$$.

g under p

callen wrote:

will be conveinently forgotten by all those that supported this dumba$$.

True so true, I totally forgot about that group. They never cared anyway all they say was like you said was the $$$ signs, those who fall in between are just inconsequentual.


Peace