Politics and religion.

**Grace** · 08-31-2010, 06:41 PM

19 American troops killed in Afghanistan since Saturday.

source

**Grace** · 08-31-2010, 07:01 PM

Bob Herbert's latest piece from the NY Times -

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/31/op...31herbert.html

One of the reasons we’re in this state of nonstop warfare is the fact that so few Americans have had any personal stake in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is no draft and no direct financial hardship resulting from the wars. So we keep shipping other people’s children off to combat as if they were some sort of commodity, like coal or wheat, with no real regard for the terrible price so many have to pay, physically and psychologically.

Not only is this tragic, it is profoundly disrespectful. These are real men and women, courageous and mostly uncomplaining human beings, that we are sending into the war zones, and we owe them our most careful attention. Above all, we owe them an end to two wars that have gone on much too long.

**RICHARD** · 08-31-2010, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by Grace

So we keep shipping other people’s children off to combat as if they were some sort of commodity, like coal or wheat, with no real regard for the terrible price so many have to pay, physically and psychologically.

Bob Herbert does not realize that they are the children of the United States, I dare go against his idea and say that they are my children, my brothers and sisters, my blood.

What a divine A.H.

Johnny's playroom
Is a bunker filled with sand
He's become a third world man
Smoky sunday
He's been mobilized since dawn
Now he's crouching on the lawn
He's a third world man

**Lady's Human** · 08-31-2010, 07:46 PM

Ah, yes, the bunch of rich old men sitting in boardrooms and eating steak while sending others off to war argument...........

It was weak 40 years ago, it's even weaker now.

Start drafting people? All it will do is give the military recruits that frankly, they don't want. When the recruiters have problems meeting goals and they start relaxing standards, then maybe trot out that old canard.

Why are we in a state of endless war?

Because there is no single country we can go pound into the stone age and bring the troops home. We're good at that, we can do it with relative ease and speed.

We have to make certain groups realize that it's insane to fight the US on any terms........and ROE and a kinder, gentler military aren't going to cut it.

Take the gloves off, let the troops fight, let the generals on the ground make the decisions, not the politicians in Washington.

Once you make the decision to send in the troops, the troops need to be left to do what needs to be done........and the reporters and the fact finders need to find another place other than a war zone to find their facts from. There's nothing more irritating than trying to run an operation and having politicians and reporters cheeking up on the troops. It was irritating as all hell in a training environment, I don't even want to THINK about what I'd have done with a certain news crew in combat.

**RICHARD** · 08-31-2010, 07:51 PM

Andrew J. Castro, 20
Army, Specialist
Based: Ft. Campbell, Ky.
2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Supporting: Operation Enduring Freedom
Died: August 28, 2010
Babur, Afghanistan
Gender: Male
Hometown: Westlake Village
High School: Westlake High (Westlake Village)

Someone else's son.

Almost my neighbor.

**Grace** · 08-31-2010, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by Lady's Human

Start drafting people? All it will do is give the military recruits that frankly, they don't want. When the recruiters have problems meeting goals and they start relaxing standards, then maybe trot out that old canard.

This has already been happening - for a couple of years.

From 2008.

Google and you'll find many more articles.

**Grace** · 08-31-2010, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by RICHARD

[B][I][SIZE="4"]
Bob Herbert does not realize that they are the children of the United States, I dare go against his idea and say that they are my children, my brothers and sisters, my blood.

Of course he realizes they are the children of the United States. Where did you get such a ridiculous idea?

19 American troops have been killed in Afghanistan since Saturday. No comments on that fact?

**Lady's Human** · 08-31-2010, 08:15 PM

THe number of American troops killed, is quite frankly, pointless, as all it is is a reversal of the bodycount PR idiocy from Vietnam.

You engage in combat and press the enemy, you're going to have losses.

You tie the hands of the leaders in Theater, you're going to make those losses worse.

If you want the troops to win, then give them a way to win and stop getting in the damned way.

End the Bring all the troops home nonsense, all that accomplishes is a replay of Saigon.

End the false timetables, and equally as important end the fiction that we're not going to deal with people we officially don't like to end the mess.

We made deals with Stalin to win WW2............

**Lady's Human** · 08-31-2010, 08:16 PM

Grace, your definition of relaxing the standards and mine are two different animals.

Relaxing the standards enacted to achieve social engineering within the military doesn't bother me.

**RICHARD** · 08-31-2010, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by Lady's Human

End the false timetables, and equally as important end the fiction that we're not going to deal with people we officially don't like to end the mess.

DUDE,

My prez was talking about NO VICTORY LAPS and I missed it.

LOL, He praised GWB.........It's still his fault.

**blue** · 09-02-2010, 12:22 AM

Al Gore is now a terrorist leader.

Link.

**RICHARD** · 08-31-2010, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Grace

Of course he realizes they are the children of the United States. Where did you get such a ridiculous idea?

19 American troops have been killed in Afghanistan since Saturday. No comments on that fact?

First, my comments were not directed at you, nothing personal.

Let's see, the 28th was Saturday........

A.J. Acosta died on that day.

So did 18 other soldiers that were someone else's kids, commodities like coal or wheat.........Dang, is that 9 coals and 9 wheats?

I apologize for paying extra special attention to him.

**CatsMeow** · 09-03-2010, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by Grace

Of course he realizes they are the children of the United States. Where did you get such a ridiculous idea?

19 American troops have been killed in Afghanistan since Saturday. No comments on that fact?

Gasp. Not 19 AMERICAN TROOPS! Ugh. Why is there war, anyway?!

It doesn't make since, when we all have the option of living in peace.

**Lady's Human** · 09-03-2010, 04:24 PM

Answer that one and you'll have EARNED a Nobel prize.

Economics, racism, many other Isms......

Lost of reasons for war.

Dividing people is easy. Unification takes work. Work is hard, people by and large are lazy, work doesn't happen, division and strife take over.

**Bonny** · 09-03-2010, 06:33 PM

What would really be nice if Vets could receive a special card to go to the medical care center of their choice. We already are paying for VA Hosptials, doctors & staff, just keep the big major VA Hospitals open. A lot of Vets have to drive a long way to get treatment at a VA Hospital the way it is. At least give the Vets a choice. It would be a sanity saver for everyone.