Soldier: Honor Troops Like Va. Tech Dead

[babylonsister]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8OMCS882&show_article=1&catnum=0

Soldier: Honor Troops Like Va. Tech Dead
Apr 23 11:16 AM US/Eastern
By ALISA TANG
Associated Press Writer

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - An Army sergeant complained in a rare opinion article that the U.S. flag flew at half-staff last week at the largest U.S. base in Afghanistan for those killed at Virginia Tech but the same honor is not given to fallen U.S. troops here and in Iraq.

In the article issued Monday by the public affairs office at Bagram military base north of Kabul, Sgt. Jim Wilt lamented that his comrades' deaths have become a mere blip on the TV screen, lacking the "shock factor" to be honored by the Stars and Stripes as the deaths at Virginia Tech were.

"I find it ironic that the flags were flown at half-staff for the young men and women who were killed at VT, yet it is never lowered for the death of a U.S. service member," Wilt wrote.

He noted that Bagram obeyed President Bush's order last week that all U.S. flags at federal locations be flown at half-staff through April 22 to honor 32 people killed at Virginia Tech by a 23-year-old student gunman who then killed himself.

"I think it is sad that we do not raise the bases' flag to half-staff when a member of our own task force dies," Wilt said.

more...

[BOSSHOG]

1. I believe our flags should be put at half-staff until bush leaves office

[AndyA]

2. Agreed. Or at least until his war is over.

I heard on the radio this morning that the Republicans are trying to distance themselves from the war. They don't want Republican = Iraq war.

I think the Dems need to bronze this baby and hang it around the GOP's neck - permanently!

[BOSSHOG]

4. I repeat it loudly and often

BUSH'S WAR. Conservatives bristle at the words and don't like to hear it. I don't understand. I thought they were proud of this undertaking. Why would they want their christian conservative hero to share the brilliance of bush's era in our country's history with anyone else. Bush's War. More facts that conservatives just can't handle.

[hang a left]

6. That is such a good idea.

When referring to the war to assign it that name. I think I am going to do just that.

[hang a left]

5. I agree. If I had a flag that is where I would fly it.

My neighbor WWII vet just replaced his worn and tattered flag with a new one, right up at the very top of the poll. He even has a flag on his electric go-cart thingy that he drives up to the bar every morning. Senile as hell.

[madokie]

8. upside down even

after all this country is in dire straits
in August of '74 when tricky dick stepped you could not have convinced me we would be where we are today, no way. I watched much of the watergate hearings and I seen for myself how a democracy works, how wrong I was

[geiger]

3. It was particularly pathological of The Administration to talk about the effects of this madman

when one could argue that Mr. Bush has more blood on his hands due to his obsession with Iraq. Our President, for all his stated good intentions, has become increasingly isolated and he has been the subject of multiple intervention attempts by those outside and inside his own Party. It is increasingly disturbing....

[treestar]

7. The same reason the media does not cover incoming coffins

or memorial services of service members. It's all part of "supporting the troops," you see. :sarcasm:

[madokie]

10. to have been a fly on his collar in that pic

I wish, soon to be President, Pelosi will enlighten us as to the words.

[youthere]

9. My husband said the same thing last week.

[Captain Hilts]

11. No. Not the same. Soldiers agree to go in harm's way. That's what Memorial Day is for. nt

[babylonsister]

12. Dead is dead; every last soldier should be honored for their sacrifice

when they die, just like the students were. And the troops are putting their lives on the line for their country, so arguably they deserve the honor even more.

[Captain Hilts]

13. They are honored when they die. I've been to many funerals at Arlington, etc.

It's the same reason the September 11th victims in the Pentagon were thought of differently than those in the World Trade Center or the airliners. Those in the Pentagon agreed to go in harm's way. It's part of the job.