Iraq, the gift that keeps on giving...

[nomaco-10]

I was sitting here this morning reading news links and it dawned on me, what will we be getting back when this horrific occupation ever ends? One of our greatest natural resources will have been damaged beyond redemption. I'm talking about our children, I'm talking about the youth of this country, the 18 year olds that were recruited right out of high school after 9-11 and were told they would be fighting for our freedoms and protecting this great nation while the promise of a decent education must have been extra added bonus.

I can only imagine what they have seen and what they have done that will cause them grief, guilt and nightmares for the rest of their lives.

I'm remembering the legacy of many of the returning soldiers from Viet Nam. The drug addiction, alcoholism, failed marriages, homelessness, and in many cases a life so tormented that they decided their only way out was to take their own lives.

I grieve for the Iraqi people who have suffered because of this illegal and immoral war that has been waged against them, but I just wanted to pause and ponder if some of our young soldiers caught up in this debaucle may be victims too.

Please note, I do not include, nor am I making excuses for the likes of the Lynndie Englunds and the Graners of our military, nor any others who are under arrest for the atrocities in Abu Graib prison.

[ArkySue]

1. Support our troops!

Celebrate this Memorial Day weekend with something other than picnics and parades...support the troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan!

No matter what your politics, or your position on the war, please open your heart to the men and women who have sacrificed so much in service to their country.

Cause, Comfort for America's Uniformed Services Elite, tries to make life a little bit easier for troops recuperating from horrific injuries suffered in combat. You can help.

Go to http://www.cause-usa.org and donate.

Because it's the right thing to do.

[FighttheFuture]

2. I can only imagine how many "Timothy McVeighs" will be created from this

Karma's going to be a real big bitch!

[Pillowbiter]

3. Victims

"Please note, I do not include, nor am I making excuses for the likes of the Lynndie Englunds and the Graners of our military, nor any others who are under arrest for the atrocities in Abu Graib prison."

They are victims just like any other in this whole amoral morass.

I can't tell you how many kids younger than me I've seen lately walking around with missing limbs. Still it is better thatn with Viet Nam, because with the medical tech at that time, most of these limbless soldiers would have been a body count statistic.

My nephew has also been sent over as part of the reserve, and fortunately he hurt his back so bad while digging a ditch that he had to have major surgery and sit out the rest of the occupation. But he has not escaped damage. His back injury will probably affect him for the rest of his life, and could have been made less serious if he was properly hydrated. Not to mention he has been exposed to depleted uranium like just about anyone in Iraq. Talk about a dirty bomb that we have spread all over that country. Is that our way of "salting the fields of Carthage"? What's more, most soldiers serving in Iraq don't know and were never informed about depleted uranium and what it can do.

We are all victims in this, and the person who is responsible and should hang for this is the president and his staff. Our soldiers deserve our deepest sympathy and respect.

PB

[lebkuchen]

4. It all boils down to this: what's worse? Bush or the clap? nt