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A letter to Mr. Bush:
Sir,
I am requesting that you bring my nephew, and all the other nephews and nieces in Iraq and Afghanistan, home NOW. Before you or your idiot cronies open you mouth, let it be known right here and now that I am NOT some liberal, hate America,cut and run patsy. No sir. Unlike you and most that surround you, I served and fought. First in the Army, and then because your hero, Ronald Reagan's fantastic economy had failed to lift all the boats with that magical rising tide, I also served in the Navy. I raised my had twice to defend this country, sir, again enemies...both foreign AND domestic. I would think that last part would catch your eye, cause basically, that means you and your ilk. I went to boot camp twice. So in this lifetime, I don't have to prove my patriotism to anyone, especially not you.
And this is not about my nephew. He is an valiant and honorable soldier, as honorable as they come. He is as fine a young man as I have ever seen. He is an infantryman...the backbone of the Army. As a corporal, he got his advanced infantryman's badge. Because he had some EMT training before he enlisted, he also volunteered to be the backup medic. He is He is a tough son of a bitch, both physically and mentally. No sir, this is not about him, or the others in the 10th Mountain. Those guys are above reproach, and they deserve, and get, all the support we here on this board can give. No, this is not about them.
This is about my sister. And the mothers of all the other men and women over there. Sir, I was home last week visiting my sister, my baby sister, mind you. My baby sister, who I would do anything for. My baby sister who I love more than I can possibly say. And we talked about all this. We watched his graduation from basic training, and I looked at all the pictures of him getting his blue ribbon pinned on him. And my heart swelled with pride. He is her baby...had some medical problems when he was a baby, and almost died a few times. I sat with him all night watching him when he was a baby, making sure he did not stop breathing. I bounced him on my knee, and played with him and his brother. And I looked at the awe in his eye when I showed him, at the age of three, my ship. We talked about the fact that her baby boy is living on a rooftop somewhere in Baghdad. We also talked about a conversation that he had with her before he left.
See, my baby sister had to make sure that she went over with her baby boy his funeral plans, just in case. Something that no mother should have to talk to her baby about. And he assured her that he would never be taken alive, and that he would always leave one in the chamber, just in case, but that she did not have to worry, because he would not let himself be tortured. You cannot imagine, sir, that conversation, because it is a conversation you have never had to have, because you would never let your daughters be in that situation, nor would your base, the "haves and the have mores".
I had to sit and watch my baby sister cry, because she cannot sleep at night, cannot do her job, sometimes cannot breath, because she is afraid that she will hear that awful news. God forbid, and I pray that she never does. But the fact is some mother will hear that news today. and tomorrow. And all the tomorrows until you admit that you made a mistake. An awful mistake. But you won't do that, because you are insulated from people like my baby sister. So you don't know the pain. You cannot know the pain. And I dare you to say one more time that you understand, because sir, you DO NOT!
So, I really do not want to hear of plans for 20,000 more sons an daughters to go over for "one more push to buy some time". And I don't care to hear about needing a half million troops to "win". The time for that discussion should have been before we went to war. No sir, right now, all I want to hear is that you are bringing my baby sisters baby back home. All I want to hear is that you are bringing my nephew home. Until you tell me that, I have no need to hear anything you say. The people have spoken, Mr Bush, and they have said enough. Now I am saying it as well. Enough. Bring these honorable sons and daughters of America home, where they belong.
Signed,
A grieving uncle somewhere in Michigan.
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