Kerry fails to grasp nature of the threat



Those of us old enough to remember World War II notice a huge difference in attitude of Americans today. I don’t remember the Republicans ganging up and criticizing President Franklin Roosevelt, the Democratic president, when we had setbacks, or when the war didn’t go perfectly. And there were plenty of disheartening setbacks. Nobody was demanding an “exit strategy.” Everybody, including Republicans, supported the war effort and realized there would be no exit until the war was won.

John Kerry has been very critical of Phase II of the war in Iraq, which has been difficult because of terrorist attacks. But he has withheld his applause for Phase I, the assault from Kuwait to Baghdad, which was almost miraculously fast and efficient. That mission was accomplished. Kerry doesn’t seem to realize that we are in a war with all Islamic extremist terrorists, not just al-Qaida.

Kerry says 30 or 40 countries were closer to having weapons of mass destruction than Saddam Hussein. But he disregards the fact that Saddam was more of a loose cannon than the others.

I would like to see a poll on which candidate our men in uniform would prefer for the next four years. They’re the ones doing the fighting for us. I’m confident there would be a very strong majority for President Bush.

Earl Asbury

Colorado Springs

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Also, I met a couple the other day and as we sat and talked I found out the guy was IN the military and also supports Bush. Seems Earl has a point. I think so anyway....but hey, that's just MY take on it. I can't Wait for December when all this is over ::)

I have no way to know who our troops would support, but I do question the validity of Asbury's comparison.  The Japanese, as I recall, invaded China in, what, 1937?  That was the start of WW II in Asia, and one could say that Japan at that time represented a threat to our interests if not our security.  Germany invaded Poland in 1939, and that too could have been concidered a threat, but the US did nothing, even though our old WW I allies were at war, not with just a hostile country, but a dangerous ideology.  We only entered that war when we were directly attacked.  In fact, at least one US warship, the Rubin James, had already been sunk by German U-Boats, and we did nothing.

We entered Vietnam to impose our will on a relatively backward, and certainly poor country, who's leaders had expressed admiration for our form of government.  And yes, I'm talking about Ho Chi Min. 

We invaded Iraq for the same reasons, again thinking to achive a quick "shock and awe" victory.  On the previous iteration of this board, before the invasion, I predicted that our much better equipt and lead forces would quickly make mince meat of Saddam's troops, as they did.  I also predicted just what is happening now.  With the exception of (possibly) China, no national armed force on this earth can defeat us in traditional combat (bully for us), but as Vietnam demonstrated, a determined indigenous guerrilla force, animated by nationalism, religious zeal, whatever, can defeat us.  THe cost to them is very high - estimates are that Vietnamese losses were in the hundreds of thousands if not the millions, while there are 58,429 names on the wall.

Vietnam also started slowly.  The first panals of the wall have only a few names (each panal represents a year), but then they get bigger.  Will we have a wall for Iraq as big as the one for Vietnam?  And who will be the last person asked to die for the imperialistic arrogance of this neocon administration, that like the Boubon dynasty of France, never forgot a thing, and never learned a thing?

The Earl of Asbury would have a point IF there were any comparison between the so-called War on Terror and World War II.

I know the right-wing loves to draw comparisons between the two wars, but it's all too far fetched to take seriously.

Now, terrorism is a real threat world-wide.  Dozens of countries have contended with terror for decades.  The United States must realize they way it goes about fighting this so-called war will determine how much terrorism eventually visits upon American soil.  If we go to impoverished and war-weary nations, such as Iraq, attack them and loot their natural resources, we will create legions of lumpen nationals who thirst for revenge against Uncle Sam.

Call me crazy, but IMO, there are more issues than just the military and the war...how about the economy, education, healthcare...I could go on and on.  ISTM that people need to think about ALL of the issues as well as the well being of the rest of the country, not just the military.

Yeah, but the Right doesn't like to talk about those 'cuz they blew it on all counts and have NOTHING to offer but more tax cuts for the rich and hogwash prop for the rest of us!

My father was a veteran of WWII.  He is not alive today, but he was against Viet Nam and knowing him as I did I am sure he wouldn't support this. Earl Asbury doesn't mention how he feels about men who avoided service questioning the service record of a decorated veteran. I am sure my dad would have found that more than disheartening, he would find it incomprehensible. 
I am sure that there are just as many like him as there are like Earl Asbury(whoever he is, and what makes his opinion anymore valid than theirs?)

As a veteran, I am against this invasion of Iraq.




Cat

My father was a veteran of WWII.  He is not alive today, but he was against Viet Nam and knowing him as I did I am sure he wouldn't support this. Earl Asbury doesn't mention how he feels about men who avoided service questioning the service record of a decorated veteran. I am sure my dad would have found that more than disheartening, he would find it incomprehensible. 
I am sure that there are just as many like him as there are like Earl Asbury(whoever he is, and what makes his opinion anymore valid than theirs?)


Sorry you lost your dad.  Mine too is a WW II and Normany invasion vet, still alive and kicking at 84, with a new girlfriend (mom passed away a few years ago), and he thinks Lil' Georgie is a snivilling coward for his TANG non-gig, and opposaes the war.  He was a Repub for many years, but he has seen the damage these neocons have done to our country and the world.  He has a Kerry/Edwards bumper sticker on his car.

My dad is also a vet of the Korean war and he is against Dubya and the invasion. 


See, old dogs CAN learn new tricks, and "see through a brick wall in time, as they say in Bree".