Comments on: Message to Obama from a vet

By: submandave

submandave — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 21:22:03 +0000

Peter, I, too, am troubled by avoidable death, but I invite you to revisit your assertion that there are “hundreds of thousands of people dead as a result of our war in Iraq” or the implicit assumption that we are the cause for all the deaths that have occurred. The Lancet study has been roundly discredited time after time. Even the admitedly partisan iraqbodycount.org sets their upper bar at about 94,000, and remember this includes civilian deaths at the hands of terrorists that happened in AQI controlled territory when coalition troops were nowhere near.

Avoidable death is a tragedy, but it is severely misplaced to assume that we are responsible for the wanton violence AQI and other like minded groups have visited upon Iraqi citizens.

By: douglas

douglas — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:25:35 +0000

Link to "Doctrine of the Sword"

By: douglas

douglas — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:24:50 +0000

Folks, please, don’t be so hard on Peter, He’s absolutely correct. The love of men for their country (the United States) and the principles of democracy and freedom it stands for, the love they have for the citizens of Iraq who just want to live a normal life in freedom, and the love they have for their fellow men-at-arms is indeed what will defeat dictators, tyrants and thugs. Perhaps it’s not the love Peter was thinking of, but it is love, to be sure.

Peter might also want to read Gandhi’s Doctine of the Sword”

By: strcpy

strcpy — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 02:02:02 +0000

“Still, how does one running for office express his belief that the military action was a mistake without losing points with the electorate for “not respecting those who’ve sacrificed.””

I really do not think what I wrote would do that – at least for those that it did they were not going to vote for me anyway. No matter what I would say they would try and twist it into disrespect for the military – I note that there are a fairly large number of leftist are still trying to twist what McCain has said and done into that also. Of all the complaints over the years about McCain that has *never* been anything sane people have said about him (and even most nutbars never even went their either).

Basically I put (and still fully do so – while Clinton chose to initially go in there we have had 8 years for Bush to do the right thing) the problem squarely on the elected politicians.

I know quite a number of people who say the same thing about Vietnam – I’ve heard McCain (and other Vietnam vets) say things along the same lines. Of course a veteran can get away with saying more than a civilian can, however I don’t see anything wrong with me (a civilian) saying the above.

There are two main issues you have to be aware of (and, even better, if you truly believe them so that you do not even need to think about it) – do not question their ability and do not question that they died in vain. An ill conceived mismanaged war does not violate either of those things on the soldiers end and may, or may not, include their commanders.

As long as you follow that you should not be able to be accused of disrespecting them as, well, you haven’t. Sure some will still try and say it, but no matter what you do (even nothing) will be spun into meaning that for those people – there is no reason to try and please them.

By: kungfu

kungfu — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:05:00 +0000

strcpy,

Still, how does one running for office express his belief that the military action was a mistake without losing points with the electorate for “not respecting those who’ve sacrificed.” I think, even when you are morally and logically correct in calling that military action a mistake, you still lose. It seems better, from the a politician’s standpoint, to never call any action a mistake, but it can make you a hypocrite.

By: njcommuter

njcommuter — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 21:53:11 +0000

This vet has shown us the real meaning of “walk the walk.”

By: Mark L

Mark L — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 21:39:30 +0000

But does Peter get a Coke to drink after bringing peace and harmony to the world?

By: Dennis

Dennis — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:25:39 +0000

I do suspect that we would all like to live in a world where violence was not required, but unfortunately that is not the reality of our existence. One only has to live in any city, town or hamlet in the world to see that we have to hire people full time to protect us from the 10 percent of people who would hurt or kill us. The refusal to do this always leads to the elevation of those who would destroy us and the death of people like Peter.
To think as Peter does only serves to make a deal with evil for security’s sake and a desire to think one is better than those who actually protect the ability to feel this way. I would like to laud Peter, but he makes it possible for evil to succeed and will be the death of us all.

By: Cappy

Cappy — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:34:36 +0000

And flying cars. I want flying cars with my unicorns. Where are the flying cars?

By: Occam's Beard

Occam's Beard — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:53:47 +0000

Even dictators can be defeated with love.

Give us a hug.

/wiping away tear of laughter

Experiment: go into a biker bar and bump into someone. Then put your maxim to the test.