Thanks for posting that Dabe.... and you are right... Peace DOES take courage!
The jingos think it's all about bashing bush. Of course, it's not. It's about holding him and hs cronies accountable for the death and carnage they and their conflicts-of-interest have wrought.
Bless you!

That moved me to tears, Dabe.

It's easy to forget that those who die are PEOPLE. Someone's father, son, brother, husband, lover....they have familes and friends and lives away from the military and the war. There are many more people affected by their deaths than we care to think about.......

There are many more people affected by their deaths than we care to think about.......

this is way to often forgotten.

this is way to often forgotten.

I know. People see names and faces of those who have given their lives for this stupid war, but they forget that attached to those names and faces are personalities, possessions, relatives, friends, colleagues, acquaintances.....the list of people affected is endless. It's like dropping a pebble into a calm pond...the ripples that are caused by the pebble falling go on and on.

Yes, I called this war 'stupid'. I don't think that America should still be there, and I question our being there in the first place. Americans are dying every day there...and for what? What benefit will Americans see come from this?

Yes, I called this war 'stupid'.

You are not alone Karen... and YOU have more right than most to say what you did.

You are not alone Karen... and YOU have more right than most to say what you did.

I love the way armchair quarterbacks can sit and say "well, ah, the guv'ment should do this, and ah, we're need to send troops here and there and...". Yeah, it's real easy to sit and to talk, but it's not so easy to do. I've been directly affected by this farcical conflict, and I'll continue to be directly affected by it for the forseeable future, and I think it's wrong. I wodner how many armchasir quarterbacks opinions would change if they were in my shoes.

I wodner how many armchasir quarterbacks opinions would change if they were in my shoes.

thats' why they say... "walk a mile in her shoes"!

All I can say to you Karen is that I hope and pray that Dave never becomes one of those statistics. May you and Dave,and your wonderful children all grow old together in a world at peace.
We can make it happen!

May you and Dave,and your wonderful children all grow old together in a world at peace. We can make it happen!

Amen!!

although contrary to opinion I never thought we should be there, war sucks ,

Dabe, had to stop viewing after three pictures, brought up to many bad memories for me.

As someone that bathed in blood long ago on a different foreign shore, I have always remembered the price of war.

I hope and pray that Dave never becomes one of those statistics.

Me too....but the longer this stupidity goes on, the greater the chance of that happening.

MM: I salute you and your sacrifice, sir. It's people like you that allow me and mine to live the way we do today.

War is hell, and not just for the comabatants themselves. I pray all the time for the families of those involved, and especially those killed, in the course of this conflict. At the same time, I don't deny the necessity of it.

If it were still Iraqis we were fighting, I might agree with you, dharma (and please don't think I'm discounting what you've said here....we've been on the same side quite a bit...just not here. You have a unique right to see things the way you do), but it's not. The vast majority of the enemy forces, from what I'm able to glean, is Islamic insurgents coming from outside that nation. They come to "liberate" Iraq from the demoracy it seeks to establish. "Liberating from democracy" is almost an oxymoron, from my perspective.
The insurgents we fight would have Iraq go back to its old ways...a tyrannical dictatorship that oppresses its people and keeps them down by means of terror and violence. Also, they would install an Islamic theocracy. Why would you support that, Dabe? Your side constantly wars against religion in our democracy, after all. The insurgents would end the growth of a government that would give a measure of equality and fairness to both genders...something that women rarely benefit from in that part of the world. I should say "traditionally" benefit.

This "farcical war" is necessary....America will rework the entire goepolitcial face of the MidEast if this is successful, and democracy thrives there. We removed Iraq as a supporter of terrorism against the West. Why have there been no attacks against America since the war started? It's been four years and they've had many opportunities. Could it be we're keeping them somewhat bogged down with their efforts over there? I don't know, Dabe, but I know that your arguments would carry more weight if there had been more smoking craters and broken bodies over here in the last four years.

You know, it annoys me that the same side that censored the Twin Towers newscasts to cut out the shots of bodies dropping from the upper floors as people sought to escape, because it might generate hatred and anger toward Islamics and Middle-Easterners among the general population, would use graphic violence and such when it works toward their purposes.

Peace does indeed take courage, but someone should tell that to the insurgents...you know...those who represent the "religion of peace"?

I don't know, Dabe, but I know that your arguments would carry more weight if there had been more smoking craters and broken bodies over here in the last four years.

that is the most ridiculous comment ever made here on JU.

and... Just who is the "WE" you are talking about? I don't see a uniform on you, but see one on Dave.

Yes Dabe, war is an awful decision to have to consider, and no one should take that decision lightly... on the other hand, no leader should be so gripped by images like this that they fear doing what's right... and no political hack should use the bravery and sacrifice of these soldiers for their own pathetic agenda.

"Someone's Parent", "Someone's Child" and unfortunately someone else's political porn.

and no political hack should use the bravery and sacrifice of these soldiers for their own pathetic agenda.

Ted, I think peace should be the political agenda of all of us.

and... Just who is the "WE" you are talking about? I don't see a uniform on you, but see one on Dave.

Maybe not, but I'd wear one with pride and I'd gleefully kill anyone who dared to attack my beloved America and murder her innocent men, women and children in ice-cold blood.
I proudly and happily entered the military (US Army) in 1985, but was handed a medical discharge due to a seizure disorder. The military understandably doesn't like handing epileptics things like automatic weapons and high explosives, something I've regretted very often in the days since Sept. 11th, 2001. Don't fault me for not trying, because if I were able, I'd be there, and happily so, believe me.