If you really support them, replace them!
Our Army is once again considering extending the combat tours of our soldiers. Ostensibly it is to maintain the current force numbers if the president decides it is warranted through Spring 2008. This would further erode the guarantee that a solider spends at least as much time home as in combat.
The stress that is created when a combat solider is left in theatre too long and not given enough time home, creates problems for the unit and for the individual solder once he is home. Some suggest that even 12 month combat tours are too long and for a soldier's mental and physical health, in theatre tours need to be shortened. But realistically how can they when the Army cannot meet it’s already lowered recruiting target?
Our troops are exhausted and need rest. We can only imagine what the toll will be on families and society in general when these soldiers finally are allowed to stand down. Soldiers serving in Vietnam had something those serving in Iraq do not; adequate relief and rotation levels due to the draft.
Even so, PTSD has been a major long term issue for Vietnam veterans and it claimed enough of their marriages (mine was one) and family life. What is our lack of relief due to inadequate troop levels going to do to these selfless lives and families once the soldiers are home? How will long combat tours, shortened time home, inadequate troop relief and rotation levels affect those who give so much to this country?
I have bade farewell to many of my son’s best friends as they have headed for Iraq. I have tried to give them gifts to take with them to remind them of home, and support. My nephew joined the service and though my son would like to serve, an injury several years ago prevents him.
These are men doing their part, delaying their life, college, marriage, their future because their country needs them. They are doing their part because their fellow citizens who also wear the uniform need them so they can rest and repair. And not one of them supports the war in Iraq or this president, but they answered the call of their country.
Sitting behind a desk whether at work, or at college is not giving a soldier in theatre something he most needs and deserves, a replacement.
If these fine young men can enlist, YRs, if they can put service and country before their futures; selflessness before self; shouldn’t you do the same?
Be a man, enlist!
posted by Clytemnestra @ 6/22/2007 01:53:00 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
I'd like OYE to respond to this:
In Response to OYE:
I'm saying I don't support large portions of Bush's agenda. You assume that because i'm a Republican I therefore a support the war, and therefore deserve to be a target of your attacks. When in reality these are nothing more than assumptions, and incorrect ones at that. I, like many other Republicans, am incredibly frustrated with the war and would like to see it come to an end as soon as possible. The issue is far more nuanced than you'd like to make it out to be. Of course I want the war to end. Who in their right mind openly advocates a solution that isn't designed to speed up the withdrawal process while leaving Iraq secure? (Don't waste my time citing names, we all know who they are.) The argument about the war is in the manner in which we will leave Iraq. Few are questioning that it's time to leave.
Furthermore, don't act like "this blog hasn't taken a stance on the war." How stupid do you think people are? You're clearly anti-war and anti-Republican. You're also a perfect example of one of the root causes of the deep divide in this nation. You are a group of amateur journalists that are, in a small way, contributing the rapid decline in the civility and productivity of political discourse in this country. What do you aim to accomplish by publicly embarrassing young republicans? Sure, you've made a few of them look like asses, which will last in peoples memories for a day or so. But to what end do you spend your life "investigating" young men and women who support the war yet are not signed up in the military?
I think it's time for OYE to Be a man! and start using wit over sarcasm and intellect over vacuous insinuations about other people's character. attack Ideas, don't attack people. You can destroy one person's character, but there will always be someone else to pick up the torch of the ideas they espoused. It is in the intellectual destruction of ideas that you will find relevance in your writings.
Ah yes - a self confessed Republican who won't even comment using their name...TYPICAL
Since when does my identity have anything to do with responding to what i've said? Now how about giving me a response? You're all being incredibly evasive and it's becoming embarrassing. I want your thoughts on what i've said, not comments about entirely unrelated topics. You epitomize "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance baffle them with bullshit." Where are you OYE? I want answers. You "dialogue" with the retarded College Republicans, why not one who's ready and willing for intellectual discourse?
Brendan Montgomery, why would you even waste your time leaving such a worthless comment? It has nothing to do with what I've said and everything to do with you having NO response to me. Since you, like your counter parts at OYE, are completely incapable of a real dialogue, you choose instead to do the only three things OYE is capable of doing; attack, attack, attack.
anonymous (23 June, 2007, 04:02)-
It would be of great help to all of us if you would please adopt some sort of blog name, so that we can distinguish you from other commenters who choose to remain anonymous. Even a number, e.g., anonymous 13, would help.
We've asked the same of other serious anonymous commenters, possibly including yourself, before. This is a legitimate request.
We're working on a response. Other members of OYE will be following-up on that.
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