Close your eyes and take yourself back to the year 2000. If you remember there was a Presidential, ahem, election that year. Along with that came debates. I came across this recently and it seems relevant to our current situation:

MODERATOR: New question. How would you go about as president deciding when it was in the national interest to use U.S. force, generally?

BUSH: Well, if it's in our vital national interest, and that means whether our territory is threatened or people could be harmed, whether or not the alliances are -- our defense alliances are threatened, whether or not our friends in the Middle East are threatened. That would be a time to seriously consider the use of force. Secondly, whether or not the mission was clear. Whether or not it was a clear understanding as to what the mission would be. Thirdly, whether or not we were prepared and trained to win. Whether or not our forces were of high morale and high standing and well-equipped. And finally, whether or not there was an exit strategy. I would take the use of force very seriously. I would be guarded in my approach. I don't think we can be all things to all people in the world. I think we've got to be very careful when we commit our troops. The vice president and I have a disagreement about the use of troops. He believes in nation building. I would be very careful about using our troops as nation builders. I believe the role of the military is to fight and win war and therefore prevent war from happening in the first place. So I would take my responsibility seriously. And it starts with making sure we rebuild our military power. Morale in today's military is too low. We're having trouble meeting recruiting goals. We met the goals this year, but in the previous years we have not met recruiting goals. Some of our troops are not well-equipped. I believe we're overextended in too many places. And therefore I want to rebuild the military power. It starts with a billion dollar pay raise for the men and women who wear the uniform. A billion dollars more than the president recently signed into law. It's to make sure our troops are well-housed and well-equipped. Bonus plans to keep some of our high-skilled folks in the services and a commander in chief that sets the mission to fight and win war and prevent war from happening in the first place.

It's a good thing we hold politicians to what they say in this country, isn't it? For most of us this is just another round of lies from this administration. But for the families of the military it is a tragedy. Here is one mothers feelings about her deceased son from the previous link:

"My son, Sgt. Evan Ashcraft, was killed July 24, 2003 at 2:30 in the morning on a lonely road near Mosul, Iraq. He was 24 years old. He died alone, no family nearby, no one to hold his hand or pray over him as he left this world.

Evan was a gifted student, musician and athlete. He started college courses in mathematics and computer science when he was 13 years old. He played classical piano. He had hopes and dreams. He and his soul mate, Ashley, had big plans. Evan planned to get his college degree after he left the Army. Evan and Ashley had been married 3 years. Evan was one of the best and the brightest. He was a leader, his team loved him and he them.

The young men and women who are dying in Iraq are our future generation of leaders. They are the future of America. They represent the best that America has to offer. Those who survive Iraq will undoubtedly face years of anguish over what they have witnessed in this immoral war, all in the name of oil. In the meantime we, the American public, sit by, mute, as we watch our young die. We must halt this unconscionable action in Iraq immediately and bring our young people home.

It's too late for my son, but it's not too late for the many tens of thousands still in Iraq. Bring them home now!"

Jane Bright
Mother of Sgt. Evan Ashcraft, Deceased

You just have to feel for the families of the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. These people are the ones sacrificing for this war. I'm not exactly sure what can be done to help but maybe leaning on our elected officials would help. Many people say that it's to late to worry about why we are there and since we are there we cannot leave until our mission, whatever it is this week, is finished. Some like Tom Friedman feel that if we fail in Iraq it will be the end of us. To me that is just what people said about Vietnam if we lose there and as you can tell we survived. I believe it takes a bigger person, in this case country, to admit they made a mistake then it does to continue with a failed policy. I think giving way to the UN and accepting the fact that no single nation can rebuild Iraq is essential. That this must be and international project must not only be realized but put into action. The sad part is I can't see this administration making that change until more military families are forced to suffer.

Draft Report Said to Cite No Success in Iraq Arms Hunt.

WHY WE HATE BUSH.


- posted by Mom/Dad @ 8:33 AM