Judy Hamilton
19th November 2005, 08:27 PM (20:27)
posts from a Veteran board..
this is posted by a veteran friend..he served with me in VN
Some time back, before we actually invaded Iraq, there was some discussion amongst some of us, as to whether we were repeating our Vietnam experience, and whether going to war was the right thing to do.
It seems (to me, anyway) that in a lot of ways, we are reliving that very history. Our government leaves us with the impression that this is the right thing to do, and to protest in any way or fashion is somehow unpatriotic. Our young soldiers are once again being sent into harm's way to a country that doesn't understand the concept of Democracy (sound familiar?), and is unwilling (I'm talking about the general populace) to do their part to make it happen.
I was watching "Meet The Press" a couple of weeks ago, and got this eery chill, listening to the same rhetoric I heard before joing the service and going to Vietnam.
If anyone wants to compare "then and now", dig out an old Simon and Garfunkel Album, and listen to "Silent Night/7 PM News" (it might be 7 O'Clock News")......
Protesting something you believe is wrong isn't always a bad thing.......
I still believe Democracy should come from within, and IF the Iraqi people truly wanted that for themselves, the insurgency wouldn't stand much of a chance, if they didn't have a place to hide (within the general population).......
From my perspective, every time I hear on the evening news that yet another kid has lost his life, and I see the interviews with friends, family, loved ones, I view it as an unfulfilled life.
Time will tell whether this (war) is the right or wrong thing to have done, but, in view of what sounds a lot like very little progress at a very high price, it doesn't feel "right" at the moment.....
Okay, I'm getting off my soap box .........
Reply
Recommend Message 6 of 7 in Discussion
From: peppy Sent: 11/19/2005 1:12 PM
Well it's no secret how I feel about Mr. Bush thinking back on all the arguments we had during the election. I can remember the first time we invaded Iraq. I, personally, was ecstatic. It was the first time since Vietnam that I really felt proud to be an American and a veteran. We won and we beat a bad guy doing it. We were totally in the right. We were kicking some serious butt and nobody could understand why we stopped when we did.
All the scuttlebutt between the gulf wars was about how and when we would ever finish the job. When Bush got elected there was nobody I know who didn't think it would only be a matter of time till we went back there. It was practically etched in stone. Did we really go back in to remove a despot? Who knows? Oil aside I personally feel GWB did not want history to show his father in a bad light. Irregardless, we're there now and I don't think there is a Vietnam vet anywhere that hasn't thought this is history repeating itself.
Sorry Mrs. Sheehan but I don't think we should just pack up and leave. We're there and we're in a mess, a real big nasty mess. If we just leave, that country would turn into total chaos. One can imagine what history would think of America if we let that happen. We simply can't, we're stuck. We can't let the insurgents have the oil fields either. Why are these renegade bunch of rag heads keeping the most powerful country on earth from winning? We have to resolve this situation somehow. Maybe we don't know how to fight cowards. Americans are about standing face to face and duking it out, may the best man win.
What is similar to Vietnam that bothers me is this helpless feeling that each day we lose soldiers but don't seem to be accomplishing anything. We're on a treadmill going nowhere. It doesn't seem there is any end in sight. How friggin' long does it take to train Iraq's soldiers? All the training I got in the Army didn't take this long and then we were shipped to Vietnam. The whole thing makes me angry. There was no real planning what to do after Saddam was toppled - no exit plan. I remember the military people saying they did not want to get into the exact situation we are in now. It all begs the question: is it winnable? Actually, is that the right question?<o:p></o:p>
And then there's the humvee. It is not the right combat vehicle for this type of warfare. If you add armor it's better. It's criminal to let soldiers fight bombs with these types of vehicles. Now those terrorists are getting smarter in their bomb making with lasers and stuff. So the mess just keeps getting worse. Iran and N. Korea (who really do have nuclear ambitions) must be licking their chops.
Sorry for the long vent but I clarify my thoughts in doing this. Paul Potter (peppy)
Like the Vietnam war we tied our troops hands and send them out to fight.
ANOTHER response
We should not got to war . But when there is no option Turn the troops loose. Innocent people will die, This is a given
Our troops should be thought of the craziest warriors alive. Let them interrogate in a effective way. Take the news media off these guys and gals. Stop condemning them, Their live's are on the line. They are trying to achieve peace and return home. This I believe will safe more lives civilian included, overall. At the rate this war is going we will be at war for 10 years. The protesters will gain power. We will pull out and It will go down in history That American lost the Iraq war.
Just My Thoughts
Ron
Judy here
any thoughts from NN?? a total civilain perspective...???
FYI
these gentlemen are not and do not in general consider a Christian perspective to war
not that many of them are not Christians..many of my veteran firends are
Believers...however in general ..responses which are biblically based are not discussed on the Veteran Board
it is just that veterans that have served to liberate one communist country
are all too familiar with the hell that repressed people endure..daily..behind the scenes...and care
perhaps it is just good (interesting) to know how some of the citizens from other sectors of our population are viewing the present war in Iraq
Judy
this is posted by a veteran friend..he served with me in VN
Some time back, before we actually invaded Iraq, there was some discussion amongst some of us, as to whether we were repeating our Vietnam experience, and whether going to war was the right thing to do.
It seems (to me, anyway) that in a lot of ways, we are reliving that very history. Our government leaves us with the impression that this is the right thing to do, and to protest in any way or fashion is somehow unpatriotic. Our young soldiers are once again being sent into harm's way to a country that doesn't understand the concept of Democracy (sound familiar?), and is unwilling (I'm talking about the general populace) to do their part to make it happen.
I was watching "Meet The Press" a couple of weeks ago, and got this eery chill, listening to the same rhetoric I heard before joing the service and going to Vietnam.
If anyone wants to compare "then and now", dig out an old Simon and Garfunkel Album, and listen to "Silent Night/7 PM News" (it might be 7 O'Clock News")......
Protesting something you believe is wrong isn't always a bad thing.......
I still believe Democracy should come from within, and IF the Iraqi people truly wanted that for themselves, the insurgency wouldn't stand much of a chance, if they didn't have a place to hide (within the general population).......
From my perspective, every time I hear on the evening news that yet another kid has lost his life, and I see the interviews with friends, family, loved ones, I view it as an unfulfilled life.
Time will tell whether this (war) is the right or wrong thing to have done, but, in view of what sounds a lot like very little progress at a very high price, it doesn't feel "right" at the moment.....
Okay, I'm getting off my soap box .........
Reply
Recommend Message 6 of 7 in Discussion
From: peppy Sent: 11/19/2005 1:12 PM
Well it's no secret how I feel about Mr. Bush thinking back on all the arguments we had during the election. I can remember the first time we invaded Iraq. I, personally, was ecstatic. It was the first time since Vietnam that I really felt proud to be an American and a veteran. We won and we beat a bad guy doing it. We were totally in the right. We were kicking some serious butt and nobody could understand why we stopped when we did.
All the scuttlebutt between the gulf wars was about how and when we would ever finish the job. When Bush got elected there was nobody I know who didn't think it would only be a matter of time till we went back there. It was practically etched in stone. Did we really go back in to remove a despot? Who knows? Oil aside I personally feel GWB did not want history to show his father in a bad light. Irregardless, we're there now and I don't think there is a Vietnam vet anywhere that hasn't thought this is history repeating itself.
Sorry Mrs. Sheehan but I don't think we should just pack up and leave. We're there and we're in a mess, a real big nasty mess. If we just leave, that country would turn into total chaos. One can imagine what history would think of America if we let that happen. We simply can't, we're stuck. We can't let the insurgents have the oil fields either. Why are these renegade bunch of rag heads keeping the most powerful country on earth from winning? We have to resolve this situation somehow. Maybe we don't know how to fight cowards. Americans are about standing face to face and duking it out, may the best man win.
What is similar to Vietnam that bothers me is this helpless feeling that each day we lose soldiers but don't seem to be accomplishing anything. We're on a treadmill going nowhere. It doesn't seem there is any end in sight. How friggin' long does it take to train Iraq's soldiers? All the training I got in the Army didn't take this long and then we were shipped to Vietnam. The whole thing makes me angry. There was no real planning what to do after Saddam was toppled - no exit plan. I remember the military people saying they did not want to get into the exact situation we are in now. It all begs the question: is it winnable? Actually, is that the right question?<o:p></o:p>
And then there's the humvee. It is not the right combat vehicle for this type of warfare. If you add armor it's better. It's criminal to let soldiers fight bombs with these types of vehicles. Now those terrorists are getting smarter in their bomb making with lasers and stuff. So the mess just keeps getting worse. Iran and N. Korea (who really do have nuclear ambitions) must be licking their chops.
Sorry for the long vent but I clarify my thoughts in doing this. Paul Potter (peppy)
Like the Vietnam war we tied our troops hands and send them out to fight.
ANOTHER response
We should not got to war . But when there is no option Turn the troops loose. Innocent people will die, This is a given
Our troops should be thought of the craziest warriors alive. Let them interrogate in a effective way. Take the news media off these guys and gals. Stop condemning them, Their live's are on the line. They are trying to achieve peace and return home. This I believe will safe more lives civilian included, overall. At the rate this war is going we will be at war for 10 years. The protesters will gain power. We will pull out and It will go down in history That American lost the Iraq war.
Just My Thoughts
Ron
Judy here
any thoughts from NN?? a total civilain perspective...???
FYI
these gentlemen are not and do not in general consider a Christian perspective to war
not that many of them are not Christians..many of my veteran firends are
Believers...however in general ..responses which are biblically based are not discussed on the Veteran Board
it is just that veterans that have served to liberate one communist country
are all too familiar with the hell that repressed people endure..daily..behind the scenes...and care
perhaps it is just good (interesting) to know how some of the citizens from other sectors of our population are viewing the present war in Iraq
Judy