Fallen soldier's dad joins protest to ‘get the war stopped'
Fallen soldier's dad joins protest to ‘get the war stopped'

Dennis Kucinich for President. Strenght Through Peace. Dennis is the only candidate who voted against the war to beging with and never, ever voted to keep funding it. www.dennis4president.com

People who use Vietnam war analogies about this current conflict--whether pro or anti-war; I've seen both sides do it--show how little they know about either. What is today Vietnam was occupied by the Japanese during World War II; previously it had been a French colony. After the war ended Ho Chi Minh urged the United States to live up to its anti-colonial ideals and not hand Vietnam back over to the French. The Truman administration, more interested in appeasing the French than heeding the appeals of an ardent nationalist, ignored him. By 1954, the French were begging for a way out of what had become a bloody mess. The country was divided in half; the French went home; Ho went back to war to get the rest. Ho wanted no foreigners in Vietnam, and he wanted it unified. Ike wisely kept American involvement to a bare minimum, allowing only 600 "advisers" to help the South Vietnamese train to fight the Viet Minh (as it was called then). In comes JFK, and part of his effort to "get the country moving again" involved moving 20,000 American troops out of the country and into Vietnam. The Kennedy administration also introduced the use of agent Orange to the Vietnamese countryside. After Lyndon Johnson became President, he increased America's involvement to more than 500,000 men. And then he fiddled around for four years, a strategy that proved to be disastrous. The Nixon administration began withdrawing troops by the late summer of 1969, and implemented "Vietnamization," an attempt to turn all the fighting over to the South Vietnamese. The Vietcong (who'd changed their name and their tactics) just hunkered down and waited for the Americans to leave. After Operation Linebacker II in 1972, the North Vietnamese signed the Paris Peace Accords and the last Americans left. Two years later, North Vietnam renewed the war against the South, and triumphed. We didn't "lose" the Vietnam War: the South Vietnamese lost it. Now, Vietnam is in Asia. Iraq is in the Middle East. Vietnam was a country artificially split in two; the fight was to reunite it. Iraq is an artificial cobbling together of three distinct tribes who never should have been cobbled together. Vietnam is nominally communist; Iraq is largely an Islamic society. I challenge anyone, pro or anti-war, to cogently show me one similarity between the two conflicts that can properly be used as a debating point. There are none, so I won't be holding my breath.

Did Bush ever lie to the American public about this Iraq fiasco. Good people can die for a bad cause. How many Iraqis, or Afgans, or Somalians is one American soldier worth? None of the above have made one attempt to come to America to kill Americans. But, we have gone to their country to kill their citizens that we don't like, and play God with nations that have been fighting for far more years than we have even been a country. And, when the warmongers start calling those that don't agree with them, and can deny that a vast majority of Americans are on the otherside, there is no way to put any credence into what they say. It's one thing to admit you are in a minority and try to persuade the other side, but quite another to not even know you are on the outside looking in.

ed,you,re right of course. but why waste time argueing
with these idiots.

Lynn, Ollie you are in the majority..the majority of morons in this nation that believe what comes out of a man who has the IQ of a doorknob.

I can't say that I completely agree with Ed about the age thing but there is little doubt that history will judge George W. Bush as the worst president ever.

Ed, I hope I am dead and gone before the "young and creative" get in control - God help us! The ONLY reason we have not been attack more than we have on American soil is because of people like George W.

Ed, it is people like you who scare the heck out of me. And if you think this war is a massacre, what must you think of ww2?

Still here I see. Well how can it be simply put...if bush=bad leadership and bush=war, then war must be criticized as well as bush!!! Troops don't go to war by themselves. And I was in the military, I did my 4 yrs got smart and got out. The military is bush footstool, and does as he pleases whenever he wants. I just don't get how you people in the US think WE got it SOOOO bad. People say well we haven't been attacked since, which is almost a good argument. But you can't name a war where we were actually worried about people coming to house and taking our sons and daughters out to shoot them. Not one war. This is no war. This a massacre. If this were a game it would be US 1million, iraq 3000. When does it end. I do vote, even when I know oklahoma is red. Your kind only assumes the world is wrong and somehow you're the only ones who get it. But you only get it wrong, time after time. Let me put it to you like this-if the world is going to be a better place, its not going to be from what bush does. We'll still be suffering if its up to him. Thats why we need a new direction. The new president shouldn't even in their late 40s. The old way of thinking has to go. All congressmen and women anyone in the senate, all have to go. The old ways are no longer going to work, there is a new world and we must evolve. We need youth and creativity. There ARE other ways to solve problems of the world. War is no longer the way. The people we should be killing died in those planes. We can't get that back. No matter how many iraqis we kill we will never get those people back. There were not 600,000 iraqis in on the plot of 9/11. Enough is enough.

I should also mention that I served myself for 21 years. My son, myself, and all veterans have put it all on the line so that everyone has the right to speak publically on any issue. Ed, if you don't like the way the war is going, vote in someone who will fight it like you want it, but public demonstrations will not accomplish any such thing. For those of you who have never served in the military or had a loved one who has, you'll not understand what the call to duty means. As military folks, we do what civilian leadership tells us to do. We don't have the luxury you do to question the civilian leadership. So if you want to protest Bush, then protest him and the government - not the war. The war is not the only thing I disagee with about the current administration. I was hoping the new Democratic congress would live up to their words during the campaign. But have they changed anything? Absolutely not. And they never will. Most politicians have never served in the military, much less in a war. So don't expect them to know how to fight one themselves. If the civilian leadership had left it up to the commanders in the field, we'd have won in Vietnam and we'd have won in Iraq. Politics and war is a cruel combination. Public demonstrations against the war only hurt our fighting men and women. Protest against Bush and Congress all you want, but leave our troops alone.

Sir, I am deeply sorry for your loss and appriciate your sons service. However, i have two sons that have been to Iraq one for the third time,and I support the efforts very much and am grateful that we have a President willing to stand the heat to do the right thing. If you think for a minute they won't be over here you're wrong.To just pull them out wham bam, would be disastrous for all. Was everyone happen with the way the Vietnam war ended?? It didn't need to be that way. Pls don't let your son die in vain. He was fighting for a cause, for all of us. God be with yoou and your family

It's time to spread this misery around. If this war is worth fighting, it's worth fighting by every father's son and daughter. Bring back the draft! With few exceptions, the fighting and fallen are the middle and lower socio-economic class. I'm tired of those who have no real investment in this fiasco telling young men and women that they are fighting for freedom. Let's let their sons and daughters do a little fighting and dying as well. I promise you that if we bring back the draft, Bush's war will be over in a heartbeat.

The problem is we got old folk or folk who have an old way of thinking, saying what the next generation should do. They really think that if we leave iraq, al qaeda will come over to the US with "we are al qaeda" tshirts on and gun in hand. This is a war the likes of which we have never seen. Marching in like the brits did to the colonists is about as pointless then as it is now. WE NEED A NEW DIRECTION.

Well, my son is not in the military, yet anyway. But I was for eight years. I've done my duty and have an opinion. And my opinion is this....I don't know who is right or wrong in this debate, but I don't like horrifying deaths and dismemberments. I know that the current administration and congress are incompetent and liars, both sides. I know that they will use fear mongering to their advantage as long as they can. Just like politicians have done for decades (communism, drugs, terrorism....etc) and you that do not question them are as incompetent and ignorant as the politicians themselves.

How will the al qaeda follow us home? Are they going to stow away in the planes with our troops? What evidence is there that al qaeda will come? They didn't have to the last time, matter of fact they were too smart to just come out in the open. No military can stop that. If you supporters want to commit genocide against any muslim country you don't like, just say so and I will respect that. But don't act like you're doing it for my freedom. My freedom isn't threatened by no al qaeda, matter of fact its being threatened by illegal wiretapping.

Quit making excuses for bush killing innocent people. Thats not what the troops were sent to do. Its 2007 not 1777. War has evolved. Its not done with an army. So our tactics need an upgrade. Yes Michael, if we had better border security the 11 or 12 individuals that took CLASSES HERE IN AMERICA, and LEARNED TO FLY into the twin towers wouldn't have happened. Feeble minded!?! By thinking outside of the little box bush has you living in????? Michael you can only be feeble if you keep trying to feed the beast that is bush thinking that by supporting war, that it will come to an end. Now he's going to war with Iran? When does war being the answer stop-wait don't answer because you'll probably just say when we get all terrorists, which will never happen. You're the reason why our kids in our country won't ever catch up to intelligence of the kids in japan. You're so busy sending them to die over stupid wars, they'll never grow up to be anything but ANOTHER bush casualty of war. So you're right, I will brag, because maybe my child will grow up to do something about the hell hole of a world we are living in, thanks to war gods like you decding who should live and die.

What a contrast. Ed & Rebecca. Michael & Lynn. Good thing we don't have Ed and Rebecca defending us. You two enjoy your freedom. Others not as selfish bore your cost for you. Michael, Lynn--good on ya. You two understand, you get "it". And Ollie, God bless him, charging Hell with a watergun....I can respect that--at least he's not selfish. I'm QSY, y'all take care.

That's right Ed, my son has signed on to die for yours so be sure to keep paying your taxes! I only regret he is willing to die for YOU and the other sick individuals who would brag about this. Your post is the result of a feeble mind trying to exrpess itself under intense pressure. You are what's wrong with this country. More border defense? You're a fool. All our bleeding hearts like You and Rebecca would be the first ones to protest against our keeping out all of our fine Mexican illegals! God bless your Son. My Son will die for him. But I hope he grows into a mature patriotic individual unlike his worthless father.

Rebecca, your post is a living example of why we lost the Vietnam War. The enemy did not defeat us there. It was the press and people like you "supporting our troops" while protesting in the streets, so that the North Vietnamese government could gather strength against us. They knew we could not fight them and our own protesting public. Are the streets of Cleveland or any other major U.S. city safe since we lost the Vietnam War? You don't have a clue. Of course we could ask the residents of NYC. I'm sure they might disagree that we're not fighting in our own streets. And as far as Dad protesting the war, I can respect his feelings, but his son is probably rolling over in his grave. His son, like my son chose to serve his country. My son put in two tours in Iraq. These young men and women believe in what they are doing. You should too. I'm sick of hearing protestors try to convince the public that they have the best interests of our military in mind. All they're doing is undermining the effort and ensuring that the enemy maintains a stiff resolve to defeat us. If you don't like the way your government is handling things, go find another country that does, but stop whining about the war. And no Rebecca, we didn't quit in Vietnam because we got smart. We quit because of all the bleeding hearts like yourself that failed to support and indeed, undermined the war effort. You better hit your knees tonight and pray to God we don't give up again and come home, because I can assure you, Al Queda will follow our troops to your doorsteps. I don't care about that. But when they end up on my doorstep because of folks like you, I do care.

If you all think the terrorists are coming over here for war you kidding yourselves. They have no boats, they have no army, so if they were to come attack us again, it would be through the same passageways as tourists do, or through the open borders we have in texas.
Sometimes the best offense is a good defense. We give 100 million a month to a corrupt pakistani army(thanks bush, yeah thats a great idea). I wonder what kind of border protection we would have if he spent 100 million on our borders. I bet we'd accomplish the same results-in a shorter time, and with less casualties.
Every one who has ever fought in a war or served during wartime, should know that in every war the word "victory" is only a generic term used as propaganda to cover the fact that so many people died. To top it off, there hasn't been one war where an actual valid point was made. America will kill, is all that's being said. Time for a new direction. Muslims, palestinians, israelites-these guys war for centuries. Unless you supporters are willing to birth babies just to die in a war that lasts for centuries--shut up. Or get started on the next baby boom, because I'm not giving up my child for war, thats why I pay taxes-so your child can die for mine.

No, Rebecca, Ollie is NOT in the minority, you are! I thank God every day that we have a President such as George W. Bush in the Oval Office!!! One who stands for what is right and believes in protecting our United States!

Gee, Ollie, what a great thing to call a grieving father who lost a son over there. I remember the Vietnam war, the cry was, would you rather fight the communists over there or on the streets of Cleveland? After 26,000 of our young men and women had died, for nothing, we finally came home. Were we yellow? No. We finally got smart. 35 years later, the streets of Cleveland are still safe from communists. At least Americans are smarter than they were 35 years ago. Over 60% of the American people now realize this bogus war has nothing to do with 9/11. No Iraqis were among those guys flying those planes into the World Trade Center. Over 600,000 Iraqis have now died. You know, those people we were going over there to rescue from Saddam Hussein. And Halliburton continues to get richer off of illegal overcharges they make and steal from the taxpayers. And that Hawk's (moron's) approval rating is now in the 30s. Ollie, you are in the minority.

Yeah....I used to think the way Lynn thought too. A few years ago I was buying nuts in a Saudi market. A woman covered head to toe, holding the hand of her child, was also looking at the display of nuts. She whispered, "American?". The rest of her family was on the other side of the display table, so I whispered back, "Yes." She said, "I'm Iraqi. Thank you." I answered, "Ahlan beka." Pistachios I bought that day are still in a jar on the bookcase to remind me that liberating the oppressed is a high calling. Every veteran is a veteran for peace. Some warriors saw the oppressed and now cry "peace". Other warriors remember the oppressed and know their life is worth waging war. Showing the enemy we value their people more than they do, shows that we value outselves too.