[Grovenet] Is This Why The "Support OurTroops" SignsDissappeared
Ron D'Eau Claire
rondec at easystreet.com
Sat Dec 23 11:01:38 PST 2006
I believe the important thing is to avoid buying into the mantra of the Bush
Administration that to denounce our political leadership is to disrespect
our soldiers.
They aren't the same. Not at all. Soldiers are mechanics sent to do a job.
Whether it's a good job to do or one they should never have been asked to do
is the responsibility of the politicians, not the soldiers. When I was in
the Army we heard again and again that we weren't there to ask why, we were
there to follow orders and Heaven protect us from the politicians who
drafted the orders.
While America reels today under one of the worst leaderships of our history,
we are supported by one of the best military forces in the world; perhaps
it's the best. I hope we never have to find out.
Our biggest problem is that our military is almost useless against
terrorism. So we still have the whole issue of terrorism to face and deal
with. I think that's why America has virtually ignored 9/11, trying to
believe that somehow the fight in Iraq has something to do with redress for
that attack. It doesn't, of course. Beyond making the Taliban regroup into a
new region for their refusal to expel Al Qaeda from Afghanistan, we've done
little about 9/11. And what we should do is still very unclear.
Ron D'Eau Claire
-----Original Message-----
From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
Behalf Of muriel Gordon
Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2006 9:59 AM
To: Ed Davie; Forest Grove local interests list
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Is This Why The "Support OurTroops"
SignsDissappeared
Actually yes, I have two sons and one daughter that are planning on going
in, and I support them 100 %. I have two nephews over there and one son in
law. I do agree Iraq will never change but since they are there, they want
more troops to help them calm the insurgents long enough to get them home..
see my thinking.? That is also what most of them are thinking.
Muriel
----- Original Message -----
From: Ed Davie<mailto:edavie at verizon.net>
To: Forest Grove local interests list<mailto:grovenet at rdrop.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2006 11:43 AM
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Is This Why The "Support OurTroops"
SignsDissappeared
And would you send a son of yours at this time?
I have no problem supporting the troops. Just not
the war! The way to support them is to bring them
home!!!
Iraq will never change.
Ed
----- Original Message -----
From: muriel Gordon
To: Forest Grove local interests list
Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2006 9:30 AM
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Is This Why The "Support
Our Troops" SignsDissappeared
Well I am not sure where you are seeing cars
but, on my vacation this year we went from
Oklahoma to New York to Montana, Wyoming, Nevada
and back home, all points in between, the signs
were everywhere. We will always support our
troops! Yes maybe more troops is the answer, all I
know is what is going on over there right now is
not adequate, when talking to family and friends
over there they agree. If they need more they
would know.
Now I don't need any hate mail I am just stating
my opinions. We need to kick their butts and get
home. What happens after that is their own.
Muriel
----- Original Message -----
From: Meredith
Bliss<mailto:mbliss at agora.rdrop.com<mailto:mbliss at agora.rdrop.com>>
To: Forest Grove local interests
list<mailto:grovenet at rdrop.com<mailto:grovenet at rdrop.com>>
Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2006 10:48 AM
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Is This Why The
"Support Our Troops" SignsDissappeared
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but the
strategy in Iraq seems to be based on
the notion that having a lot of soldiers
patrolling the streets of Baghdad
(and elsewhere) will intimidate the
"insurgents" sufficiently so that they
will go into hiding. If you subscribe to this
notion, then the idea of
sending more troops to be even more
intimidating makes perfect sense.
On the other hand, we learned long ago in this
country that random police
patrols were a waste of resources: unless you
have a patrol car going by
every location in the city every five minutes,
the intensity of patrol has
little or no impact on crime rates. And of
course, no one would want to foot
the bill for that sort of police presence.
What does work to some extent is
targeted patrol and interdiction, and all of
the strategies of
problem-oriented / community policing.
What we have in Iraq seems to be an unlearning
of those lessons, and most of
what is accomplished by the troops is just
providing a target for the
"insurgents," much as the Redcoats provided
targets for Colonists in this
country 230 years ago. What's that expression
about learning from history?
Meanwhile, little to no effort has gone into
training Iraqi police forces
which have become little more than tools of
the various tribal factions.
Six years ago, we were unknowing participants
in a political "paradigm shift"
when a new contingent of folks came into power
with the mantra that we do not
respond to reality, we create our own reality.
We are now living through the
fruits of that terrible fallacy, as an attempt
to force our reality upon an
unreceptive world is nearing collapse. No one
in Washington has a "solution"
to the mess we've created in Iraq, but the
consequences of this catastrophe
will be far reaching. I don't see how anyone
can believe that more of the
same will create anything but more of the
same. The Administration may just
be hoping that enough more of the same will
stave off the final collapse
until after November, 2008.
Proving once again that "may you live in
interesting times" is a curse, not a
blessing.
On Thursday 21 December 2006 09:45, Ron D'Eau
Claire wrote:
> I heard it on the radio the other day and
started looking around myself.
> It's true. Almost all of those little
plastic "Support our Troops" ribbons
> have disappeared from cars everywhere!
>
> Then I see this in the today's news:
>
> "Soldiers in Iraq urge Gates to send more
troops"
>
> "(Secretary of Defense) Gates had breakfast
with U.S. soldiers to hear
> their views...
>
> "Sir, I think we need to just keep doing
what we're doing," Specialist
> Jason Glenn told Gates.
>
> "I really think we need more troops here.
With more presence on the ground,
> more troops might hold them (the insurgents)
off long enough to where we
> can get the Iraqi army trained up."
>
> None of the soldiers present said U.S.
forces should be brought home, and
> none said current troop levels were
adequate."
>
>
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061221/ts_nm/iraq_dc_16<http://news.yahoo.com/s
/nm/20061221/ts_nm/iraq_dc_16<http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061221/ts_nm/iraq
_dc_16%3Chttp://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061221/ts_nm/iraq_dc_16>>
>
> But there seems little support for that idea
at home.
>
> My, oh my. How times have changed.
>
> Ron D'Eau Claire
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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--
----------------------------------------
Just happy to be here, but speaking
only for myself!
Meredith Bliss ---
www.rdrop.com/~mbliss<http://www.rdrop.com/~mbliss<http://www.rdrop.com/~mbl
iss%3Chttp://www.rdrop.com/~mbliss>>
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