just a cut and paste from the rutland herald

[nancie2k]

We will not accept surrender

July 17, 2007

A friend of mine, who I served in Iraq with, posted this yesterday and I think it fits:

"House OKs Plan to Withdraw U.S. Troops.

"I am outraged. When did we become a nation of cowards?

"We are Americans! There is nothing we can't do.

"Perhaps my nation doesn't deserve my service. Why should I risk my life for a nation that stabs me in the back.

"A nation that votes "both in the House and Senate" to send me and my brothers in arms to war then turns its back on me doesn't deserve my service.

"Mr. President, I am still with you If you want me to go back to war, send me. I am no coward. I will not surrender. I will not accept defeat from either the enemy or the Congress. Stand your ground. Veto this surrender bill.

"To the American people: Call your congressmen and senators and let them know you will not accept surrender.

"Plain and simple, I am outraged. "

After reading this I believe this to be the about as straightforward as it gets. Even after almost 29 years of service, I am willing to go back. Because I know what is at stake and understand what will happen if the spineless politicians surrender.

STAN WOOD

Springfield

[Cityskier]

Sounds like more of the hubris that got us in this mess in the first place. The attitude on display in that article honestly surprises me. I have the utmost respect for those whose lives are on the line because of this mess. I frankly just wish our leaders were a little more discerning when it came to when, how, and why they choose to engage and endanger our troops.

[Vinny Vincenzo]

"I am outraged. When did we become a nation of cowards?

When the Nazi's invaded Poland in 1939?

[RJSVermont]

If the blame should be put on anyone, it is not our politicians who are calling for a pullout. The blame should be undeniably be put on Bush and his administration for bungling up the war in the first place. I never did join the military, but in the boyscouts our motto was "be prepared". I guess Bush and Rummy never did join the boyscouts........

[Dr. NO]

Unreal! Someone in the military is pissed due to the Dem's attempt to shut them off and cut them off and you guys argue about Bush and the past. We are in it and they need to finish the job to some extent before they leave. If they don't it will be much worse afterward.

For our congress to even consider running the army and forcing pull outs by removing funding is absurd. They should all be taken from office. Bush is done soon enough.

[JerseyGuy]

Unreal! Someone in the military is pissed due to the Dem's attempt to shut them off and cut them off and you guys argue about Bush and the past. We are in it and they need to finish the job to some extent before they leave. If they don't it will be much worse afterward.

For our congress to even consider running the army and forcing pull outs by removing funding is absurd. They should all be taken from office. Bush is done soon enough.

Oh, I agree, absolutely. We should leave our boys (and girls) there until they "finish the job", even if it takes years and years and years to do so, and thousands more of our troops are slaughtered (and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis -- but who really cares about them, eh?), even if that means forever. But of course it won't, because we all know that the Middle East is the perfect place to set up a perfect government that will reign in peace forever and forever, always remaining a beacon of justice, a flower of democracy, and a steady supplier of oil to people like the Bushes.

And, yes, we should stop arguing about "Bush and the past", because Bush (of course) had nothing to do with any of this and talking about the past means analyzing history. And let's face it -- learning from history is for chumps.

Right.

Or maybe we could just move the troops back to, say, Arizona. Dr. No, you got any good bar recommendations? From your time spent stateside getting ready to fight the Commies over there so we wouldn't have to fight them here?