President Bush

[KatieDidIt]

Well Vietnam was somewhat helping an ally.

[RedScare]

Grrr, and some ally the French turned out to be.   

As to Iraq not attacking the US......... Factions in Iraq supported and still suport Al Qaeda....Al Qaeda attacked the US. While the original purpose to go over there was because of WOMD and the potential of them, the reasons to remain there grew.

Basically that whole area over there has been a hornets nest for a long time. Al Qaeda just made us take a swat at them. But now that area is buzzing, we have to take care of it...GET ON WITH IT. And yes, they are starting to dominate the WORLD with terror. Its being felt all over now.

Let's just flatten the mountainous regions of Afganistan and be done with it. We have that power.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I disagree. So do many others. Hence, the ideological nature of the war.

[midtown_resident]

Grrr, and some ally the French turned out to be.   

As to Iraq not attacking the US......... Factions in Iraq supported and still suport Al Qaeda....Al Qaeda attacked the US. While the original purpose to go over there was because of WOMD and the potential of them, the reasons to remain there grew.

Basically that whole area over there has been a hornets nest for a long time. Al Qaeda just made us take a swat at them. But now that area is buzzing, we have to take care of it...GET ON WITH IT. And yes, they are starting to dominate the WORLD with terror. Its being felt all over now.

Let's just flatten the mountainous regions of Afganistan and be done with it. We have that power.

Back to the subject of the Mother:

It is tragic, I feel for her loss. But what makes her more special than any other parent that has lost a child to war or to 911? Grief is part of life, part of military service. I COMMEND her son for wanting to fight for his country, what a noble American. His mother however, is falling short. If she is being backed by political faction, I hope she is revealed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hmmmm...what about saudi arabia then? and how about pakistan? don't they both have factions of al qaida and meet your general criteria? 'let's just flatten the mountainous regions of Afganistan'...you're not serious are you? i find it humorous that such ignorance is so pervasive in the world...and rather sad.

[PureAuteur]

I cannot believe the woman who lost her son in Iraq is grieving right there near Bush's ranch in Crawford, TX. She has some nerve to interrupt Bush's 5 week vacation with her grief.

In all seriousness, Bush needs to talk to that woman face to face. No cue cards, no press secretary, or any of that b.s. If he is truly a compassionate conservative, like he said in his campaigning, then why isn't he showing compassion when it should come naturally? Does Bush possess the ability to grieve or empathize?

Any thoughts on this would be helpful, because I'm confused as ever.

[YakuzaIce]

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...wtopic=3201&hl=

^^^^^

duplicate

[PureAuteur]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/3309533

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/3309613

He'd rather watch a little league game apparently, than to talk to this devastated woman who traveled all the way from California. That's compassion right there.

[RedScare]

If he is truly a compassionate conservative, like he said in his campaigning, then why isn't he showing compassion when it should come naturally?  Does Bush possess the ability to grieve or empathize? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This author believes that the president does not possess that capability.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/e...outlook/3309407

[Subdude]

Note the two threads on Sheehan have been merged.

[SpringTX]

I agree with Pineda and KatieDidIt (and the fact that they both of them live near me geographically is completely coincidental, by the way).

1) This woman is being rude and insubordinate and showing contempt/disrespect for our president and our nation...not for her grieving, which is fine...but for the WAY she's grieving. We all need to respect the OFFICE of the president, if not the man himself. He made a decision. But he's our leader. All leaders make mistakes. But leaders are even less effective when they are distracted with insubordination. She needs to leave the president alone and go find some other avenue to make her voice heard. The end may justify the means for the die-hard anti-war crowd, but the fact still remains that she's out of line.

2) The war may have cost lives, but it also SAVED lives. A dirty bomb detonated in downtown DC by an Iraqi terrorist (or a terrorist harbored in Iraq) would have taken more American civilian lives than those of all our soldiers who died in battle in Iraq. Would you rather women and children had their limbs torn off by a bomb as they walked down the street in DC? Or would you rather it be a young male who believed in his country and who was willing to give his life for it?

3) The woman isn't showing much wisdom, faith, or character by getting overly hysterical over the death of her son. Grieving is one thing, but a Christian understands that death is not the end...it is only the beginning. She can't bring her son back. And she shouldn't want to. And this carrying on like an idiot is just her wasting her own time. She needs to get on with her life. If her son could see her now, he'd probably be ashamed of her.

4) As someone mentioned, her son VOLUNTEERED. He definitely knew what he was doing, paid his price to our nation, and now he's in a better place. His mom is the one without a clue.

If you don't believe in God and if you don't believe in our nation and respecting it, then you won't agree with anything I've written in this post. Regardless of whether Bush's decision to go to war was a good one or a bad one, or whether his execution of the war was good or bad, you got to admit there are some basic fundamentals that hold true for everyone. One of them is to "lose gracefully". When you've lost, move on. Don't sit around and whine and cry and act like a stinker. If I were the president, I'd keep on ignoring this lady. And I'd give her 10 days to get off my property or I'd throw her butt in jail. We've all lost loved ones. What makes you so special that you get to bend the rules? You don't like the war: then go write an editorial to the New York Times. But stop trespassing and being disorderly.

[PureAuteur]

SpringTX, you must realize what the woman is doing. Her grievances are sincere, yes, but she is also trying to stop the war when there is seemingly no end in sight. She is doing it for the mothers who haven't yet lost sons or daughters, but likely will soon. Read what the woman herself says, and don't listen to those jerks on Fox News or 950 AM.

Why is it that there was so much protest during Vietnam, but here in 2005 there is nothing at all? Did all the protesters of 2003 just give up or does the media just not cover them anymore? If they truly want to protest the war, they would continue to do it every day, not just on the eve of war or during inauguration.

[KatieDidIt]

hmmmm...what about saudi arabia then?

[kjb434]

Also, Cindy's family has come out and said they do not support her in anyway.

She's a looney. I feel for her for losing here son. Also, Bush alread met with her before and she vocalized support for the war back then.

[Houston19514]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet...

The woman already met with President Bush!!! And when she came out of the meeting she told a California reporter that the President had been very empathetic and made her feel a lot better. Somewhere along the way, her story changed.

In addition to which, in my opinion, her actions and statements dishonor the memory of her son, who, as others have noted, VOLUNTEERED to serve in the United States Army.

[RedScare]

I don't think being against an ill conceived act of agression that has not made the country safer, but in fact, increased terrorism makes one looney. If it does, I'm nuts, too. Excuse me while I wipe the drool of my chin.

My opinion.

[kjb434]

Maybe we shouldn't have attached Germany. They never attacked us in WWII?

All we knew was a letter and intentions. Also, we didn't know of Hitler's conversations with the Japanese until after the War.

[RedScare]

You can compare world wars to an attack on a wounded country of 25 million all day long. No one buys the comparison. I don't even need to explain why.

EDIT: BTW, we were intercepting Japan's coded messages for years. We knew of the conversations.

[kjb434]

Why?

The complaint after the WMD were found is that we are attacking someone who didn't attack us.

It's similar to why we attacked Germany. By that reasoning for anti Iraq War positions would have removed US from WWII (European Theatre) and WWI.

[RedScare]

When were WMDs found?

The complaint has ALWAYS been that we are attacking a country that did not attack us.

[kjb434]

I'm sorry, after they weren't found.

[Houstonian in Iraq]

Don't have time to read the entire thread, so some of this might have been covered.

1. The lady's son knew what he was getting into when he re-enlisted. We all know what we are getting into. I personally wouldn't want my family to do what she's doing. I made the choice to be in the military, if anything happends they should drive on with life

2. She's met up with the President already

3. She has the right to protest about the war all she wants.

4. I don't think Bush should meet up with her, that would just open a flood gate of people who would want to do the same(he won't be able to)

5. We should not pull out. I was against the war and several other people were as well. We didn't see a reason to invade. BUT WE ARE HERE and if we pull out now and do not see this through it will be a bigger mess than what we found it in.

6. We need more troops and focus more on the borders(been saying that say day one) The insurgents are almost all foreigners. The materials for bombs are already here(getting rid of them everyday) all the insurgents do is cross over and place them. If we stop them and continue to destroy their ammo we will be good.

[pineda]

Thanks so much for your opinion, Houstonian In Iraq. I was hoping that you'd weigh in on this subject. On a side note, is it true that one of most requested items by the soldiers is Q-Tips? I read this in Hints for Heloise, I think...

[Houstonian in Iraq]

Thanks so much for your opinion, Houstonian In Iraq. I was hoping that you'd weigh in on this subject. On a side note, is it true that one of most requested items by the soldiers is Q-Tips? I read this in Hints for Heloise, I think...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ummm... not that I know of...although some guys should . For the most part most people have access to a well stock PX(Post Exchange) supply clerk. Or received care packages from friends/family. We still have items from care packages sent out by groups or schools during the Holidays. As far as I can recall the big item being requested and sent were baby wipes(for when showers wern't always avaible). Believe me we have access to more than enough baby wipes now.

[johncoby]

It's not like he's doing anything important with his time. He's spent fourty percent of his presidency on vacation. There's certainly time there to meet with the 1800 families who've lost loved ones.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

lazy bastard.

[kjb434]

Do you think he is actually on vacation?

He's has a bunch of aids and assistants everywhere he turns. He doesn't have much free time anyway. The White House under any modern president is a 24/7 operation. Whether he is in Crawford or D.C. doesn't make a difference.

Even if he was stuck in Airforce one he could run the country.

All presidents take these "vacations", but all it means is that they aren't in DC are traveling to some foreign country. I hardly call giving speeches and press conference every other day on your time off a vacation.

I would go after house of representatives and senators before I go after the president for time off or "research" trips.

[pineda]

I had read that the soldiers requested the Q-Tips because the minute sand particles get inside everything and everywhere, including computers and electronics. If you could ask for one thing, though, what would it be?

[pineda]

oops double post, sorry.

[uncertaintraveler]

Even if he was stuck in Airforce one he could run the country.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, he could.

Sadly, he doesn't.

(I hope that is the smilie for "not sure if I should be relieved or scared").

[YakuzaIce]

Maybe we shouldn't have attached Germany.  They never attacked us in WWII?

All we new was a letter and intentions.  Also, we didn't know of Hitler's conversations with the Japanese until after the War.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ok let me clear up something here. Germany declared war on us. Hitler did not have to do this by any treaty agreements. On Dec. 11, 4 days after pearl harbor, Germany declared war on us. Actually in my opinion Nazi Germany could have won the war in Europe had it not been for this foolish move. I can't remember the quote, but it went somewhat like "Now it is impossible for us to lose the war. We now have an ally who has not been vanquished in 3,000 years" - Hitler. It shows his arrogance due to his quick defeat of continental Europe.

@uncertain that is the Oh my! smily.

EDIT: It turned out that was the quote exactly .

[west20th]

It's important to note that she's not exactly some "grass-roots" protester.  CNN noted on Friday that she's hooked up with a big New York public relations agency.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Typical. Demonize anyone that is against Bush. Same with Joe Wilson. Same with John Kerry. etc.etc. She is saying things everyone seems to be afraid to say. Mainly, if this war is so important to our security why are their no Bush family members serving? Why no Cheney family members serving? The only cabinet member that had any military background was Powell and he had his reservations about this war. The administration is a bunch of chicken-hawks. Bottom line is that Bush got us into this mess, and while he can't fight himself, it his his job to properly explain why we are there and rally the support of the American people for the war. He has totally failed on both of these counts.

Many people ask "why can't we rally around the troops like in WWII". I believe we can't because our security was not threatoned by Iraq to the degree Germany and Japan threatened our very existence. Also, our leaders actually served and sacrificed in WWII. There were Kennedy's, Bush's, Roosevelts in the armed services then. Now they just send other peoples children off to die.

[pineda]

just when you thought Cindy's life couldn't get much worse...