Bush doesn't attend soldier funerals

[brainshrub]

"Increasingly, this proclivity on the part of President Bush to avoid the normal duty of a commander-in-chief to honor dead soldiers is causing rising irritation among some veterans and their families who have noticed what appears to be a historically anomalous slight."

http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=17079

Before we start ranting about Bush's lack of respect to the victims of his pre-emptive war...does anyone know how many funerals Clinton attended? :shrug:

[tsipple]

1. Yes, Bush Is Unique

Check Dana Milbank's story on page A23 of the Washington Post, October 21, 2003. Here are some excerpts.

"This administration manipulates information and takes great care to manage events, and sometimes that goes too far," said Joe Lockhart, who as White House press secretary joined President Bill Clinton at several ceremonies for returning remains. "For them to sit there and make a political decision because this hurts them politically -- I'm outraged." (....)

President Jimmy Carter attended ceremonies for troops killed in Pakistan, Egypt and the failed hostage rescue mission in Iran. President Ronald Reagan participated in many memorable ceremonies, including a service at Camp Lejeune in 1983 for 241 Marines killed in Beirut. Among several events at military bases, he went to Andrews in 1985 to pin Purple Hearts to the caskets of marines killed in San Salvador, and, at Mayport Naval Station in Florida in 1987, he eulogized those killed aboard the USS Stark in the Persian Gulf.

During President George H.W. Bush's term, there were ceremonies at Dover and Andrews for Americans killed in Panama, Lebanon and aboard the USS Iowa.

But in early 1991, at the time of the Persian Gulf War, the Pentagon said there would be no more media coverage of coffins returning to Dover, the main arrival point; a year earlier, Bush was angered when television networks showed him giving a news briefing on a split screen with caskets arriving.

But the photos of coffins arriving at Andrews and elsewhere continued to appear through the Clinton administration. In 1996, Dover made an exception to allow filming of Clinton's visit to welcome the 33 caskets with remains from Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown's plane crash. In 1998, Clinton went to Andrews to see the coffins of Americans killed in the terrorist bombing in Nairobi. (....)

[brainshrub]

2. You wouldn't happen to have a link to this?

Do you?

[tsipple]

3. Certainly

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55816-2003Oct20.html

[brainshrub]

6. You rock!

You rock! I tried searching the archives & I thought my only option was to pay $15.

:yourock:

[grannylib]

25. Clinton and funerals

Per the repugnicans at this incredibly silly little site http://www.roadtowealth.com/election2000.html
Clinton must have attended some funerals, but not all, because the repugs acknowledge that Gore was only good for attending funerals Clinton was too busy to go to...

How many soldiers died while Clinton was in office? How many died as a result of a war to which he sent them??

[maha]

26. The Black Hawk Down guys?

No U.S. soldiers died in Kosovo, anyway.

[rasputin1952]

4. I have stood by many a gravesight...

many of those were for people I never knew, but they were veterans, and they are deserving of respect for their sacrifices. Many of these are WWII and Korean vets, some are 'Nam, some are DS I, and one was from the present Iraq fiasco.

bush may not be there, but I will be, whenever I can.

:kick:

[diamond14]

8. thank you, rasputin1952....we should all do our part to make

certain that these soldiers and their families are not forgotten....

[rasputin1952]

9. Thank YOU...

I've lost a lot of friends in the military.

No one, but especially anyone who has served their country, should be forgotten. As long as people like you help, they will be remembered in the honor they have earned.

:kick:

[rasputin1952]

10. Thank YOU...

I've lost a lot of friends in the military.

No one, but especially anyone who has served their country, should be forgotten. As long as people like you help, they will be remembered in the honor they have earned.

:kick:

[cliss]

5. This should be another clue

as to our role in this war. The public in general was left out ofthe planning and the subsequent buildup to war. Once the war began, we were told to just go about our business, and "leave the driving to them". In short, trust us. Then, when the bodies started returning home in body bags, it was hidden from public view. I don't think I ever saw a photo of a flag draped coffin in the paper.

I've read here at the DU that Bush has a mortal aversion to death and dying. I'd like to revise that: Bush has a mortal aversion to people being reminded too many times about what he has done.

To quote a very famous person, "by his actions you will know him".

On Clinton: how many military casualties were there during his presidency?

[kath]

34. We were in the UK in late Aug./early Sept.

and saw several photos of coffins covered with the Union Jack being unloaded from planes in the papers while we were there.

It's an outrage that such photos are being suppressed here!

[mlawson]

35. Does Blair visit the wounded, or attend funerals?

Or is that 'not done' there?

[DrFunkenstein]

7. I Ain't No Fortunate Son

<>

[Catshrink]

11. Thank you for posting that photo..

[leftchick]

21. thank you for that DrF...

very sobering....(no pun intended)

[xultar]

12. If he went to funerals...

He'd do nothing else therre are too many dead and injured!

[calimary]

13. Let's remember bush also was heard, early-on, telling someone

"remember, I'm the one who has to hug the widows." Or language to that effect. Hasn't hugged a ONE! BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[grasswire]

16. here's the quote

On 12/13/02 president Bush was interviewed by Barbara Walters on ABC's show 20/20. Bush said:

"There's only one person who is responsible for making that decision , and that's me. And there's only one person who hugs the mothers and the widows, the wives and the kids on the death of their loved ones. Others hug, but having committed the troops, I've got an additional responsibility to hug, and that's me, and I know what it's like."

[rasputin1952]

28. I could not bear to have that cretin...

come to a gravesite.

I'm sure I would go off, and next thing you know, I'd be on FAUX, "Lunatic derides president over loss of soldier".

Into the Black Hole I'd go, never to be seen again. But...if bush were hugging me at the time, we'd both go! I think I'd make that sacrifice.

:kick:

[caledesi]

14. Now here is what a real president does.

The Big Dog...oh, how I miss him.

[rasputin1952]

15. Part of "leadership"..

is being able to accept ones responsibilites. bush has never had to answer for anything; he is spoiled little turd that spends hi life in a protective little self imposed bubble.

He is incapable of accepting responsibility for his actions. Just as he stated in that absurd news conference, he had nothing to do with the Mission Accomplished sign. He passed that one off on the Navy. I have moved past disgust, and have gone to anger. This man, (and I use the term loosely), is an affront to every decent American.

I will be glad to see him retire to Crawford in '05, after a Dem is innaugurated.

:kick:

[caledesi]

19. well said ras. nt

[nostamj]

30. the bubble boy....

[rasputin1952]

32. Excellent find!!!...

n/t

[nostamj]

33. it actually had a very brief thread

of its own a couple of days ago.

Danziger is SO on target.

lots move great toons in the CARTOONS thread linked in my sig

[kodi]

17. "bring 'em on" been done been brung, and bush aint in sight, AWOL again

i want to see a syndicated cartoonist to have bush and his minions on a stage like the soviets used to stand on when they reviewed their armaments on may day, except the parade is caskets... camoflauged so as to hide them and have one say to bush "well they brought it on, and we're bringing 'em home" and have bush say "that's not what i meant so stop saying that."

[camero]

18. He doesn't visit the injured either

Methinks he just sees them as PR.

[bluestateguy]

20. If I was kin of a dead soldier I most certainly would not want him there

For every family that is offended by his absense, there is one who is likely glad that he has stayed away.

[nostamj]

22. not a single, not a single HUG

from the 'man' who said he understood it was HIS job...

i LOATHE that POS.

and, frankly, a HUG from him would be toxic

[diamond14]

24. and not even an appearance from the pResident at Arlington

Joseph F. Bellavia, clutching a U.S. flag, touches the casket containing the remains of his son, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Joseph P. Bellavia, October 31, 2003 Arlington National Cemetery




Staff Sgt. Joseph P. Bellavia's widow, his Father, his TWIN BROTHER Jonathan Bellavia (in sunglasses), and his brother Christopher


and WHERE IS THE SHRUB? it's only a ten minute drive from the White House to Arlington National Cemetery and bush* remains AWOL/missing in action/deserter....derelict of duty....it should be the pResident that gives this young widow her husband's medals....and shakes hands with the dead soldier's brothers and father...it would mean a lot to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country....

[rasputin1952]

27. I have often wondered...

if, so many years ago, presidents could hear the strains of Taps across the Potomac. I realize it would be exceptionally difficult in todays modern and noisy world, to hear those mournful notes; but could Lincon have heard them? Might the have been heard by Grant, or TR, or even Wilson? Then again, these men might have gone to Arlington, but not bush, it would not fit the 'tough guy' image.

FDR worried about the men and women that went into harms way. Lincoln grieved at the loss of life; bush...he relishes death. I have seen the look of joy when he discussed those executed in TX. I have seen the grin of a fool, when he discusses 'action' on Iraq. He lives a life surrounded by death, and does not know, that he will be judged on that lack of compassion by the American people who are sacrificing their children and their parents on this farce of a war.

Ironically, someday, he will be lowered into the ground with pomp and ceremony. Taps will be played in the distatnce. But he will not be here to listen to those notes either; once again, his soul will be somewhere else.

:nopity: for fools and cowards.

[PurityOfEssence]

23. Why bother? They can't vote or contribute.

He's a practical man. Or, I guess...he's practically a man...sorta...

[brainshrub]

29. kick n/t

:kick:

[slater71]

31. To many and would cut into vacation time

How can he attend them when he is campaigning and on vacation?