Can I share a story with you all?

Question

Awhile ago my son told me of a good friend who had enlisted. My son was upset with him, but understood that he wanted to get training for a good job. When he told me, his friend had just received orders to go to Iraq. That was a month ago. The boy was only there for three weeks and was killed. My son is taking it very hard.

What a senseless war! All because some extremists saw some 'I Love Lucy' reruns and decided that we were evil and needed to be wiped off of the face of the planet?

That boy will never marry, never know the joy of having children... What a horrible mess.

Amanda D, we will be praying for your husband and all those who are over there giving their lives for our country, you are not forgotten. You will be in my prayers every day. And that this craziness will soon be over and you are all home again.

I never dreamt that my story would ignite such a firestorm of opposing views, I guess this tragedy has forced me to confront this issue again. It has been six years since 9/11 and I have waved flags, supported our President and our Congress, but, because I don't have both sides of the story, felt that I could not make any informed judgements either way. We are not allowed to have both sides of the story. I hope this forum will open the lines of communication for both (East and West) sides. I am going to put this question to a vote- I hope we can all vote honestly and fairly. It will be interesting to see the outcome.

Answer 1

You need to ask yourself why we are there in the first place. What exactly is the mission. Good people are dying daily because George Bush has neither the grace or the guts to say he lied and this is a mistake. He needs impeachment. I am so sorry for your son's friend. True he will never know the joy of many things. Do you for one moment think that his life mattered to Bush? I think not. American sons and daughters are dying daily there and they need to come home. I hate this war but I love the warriors. I think the best way to support the troops is to get them out of the Bush quagmire.

Answer 2

A tragedy for sure but this is not a pointless war and this young man did not die in vain. This is, perhaps, the greatest threat the free world has ever faced. Evil people who deliberately target innocent civilians to advance their mad plans should be taken dead seriously.

I am truly sorry whenever a young person looses his/her life. But, unfortunately, it happens. I lost two cousins that were barely out of their teens. One was driving drunk, the other overdosed on heroin. If they had to die, I am sure it would have been far better if they were killed rescuing someone from a burning building or defending America.

At least this young man died doing something noble. He was trying to make the world a better place and for this we are eternally grateful. " Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends".

A far, far better way to spend ones precious life than drinking oneself to death in a frat party hazing. Many will scoff and claim that this war is a sham or that there is no threat to America when what they are really doing is trying to justify their own cowardice. This young man was brave. His courage inspires us. A hero dies but once, a coward dies a thousand times.

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Answer 3

That's terrible! But that boy made a choice to join the military knowing theres a war going on... he took that chance. My husband did the same thing.... he will leave soon to Iraq, leaving me and a new baby at home. But as much as we complain about the war nothing is going to change. I complain everyday and we are still over there.

Answer 4

You are so wrong about why the USA is not liked around the world. ( "I love Lucy reruns) are you really serious? But! You are correct about the mess we are in. A real mess. Sorry about your son's friend. There is no outrage here in the USA. That is a shame. OH! One more thing! Iraq did not do 9-11.

Answer 5

It is not senseless.... it is the most important war this country has ever faced..... and poses a greater risk to us than WW2.....

Do you remember who attacked us on September 11, 2001? Al Qaeda, no? Who is claiming all the responsibiltiy for killing our troops and blowing up the mosques of iraqis trying to get them to fight each other as well?? Al Qaeda!

they are still alive and still fighting us on 2 theaters.... 1 on the ground and 1 on the airwaves... they are winning the media war with us and it is sad....

Does no one understand that if we leave, we empower the terrorist... that if the USA cannot stop these radical islamist no one can.... and they will know that.. there goal is to build an radical islamic world....

They already have a handful of countries on a short leash.. Spain for example, was in iraq fighting in the war on terror... the islamists attacked the train station in madrid and said to get out of the middle east or else.... they did... now, spain will do whatever it takes to appease the terrorist and not provoke another attack... do this or else... do that or else....

if they can defeat the greatest military the world has ever known what else can stop them? first they will take over the important oil of the middle east giving them almost limitless money which leads to power.... getting whatever they want by issuing threats and causing terror (hint their name)

we´re not losing on the ground in iraq, more people die every year in the us in cars than have the entire iraqi war....

we are losing this war on TV´s and in Newspapers, and it is causing us to question our commitment....

remember who attacked us on 9-11, what their goals are and where they are today

Answer 6

I fear the day when my brother and husband deploy to Iraq.

Tell your son that I am deeply sorry for his loss.

I'm not a religious person, but your son and his friend are in my thoughts.

Answer 7

Yes, it is a horrible mess...... just like it was a horrible mess when some guy with a different standard of beliefs drove a truck full of explosives into a building early one morning at the Beruit Airport..... a building full of US Marines who were there on a peacekeeping mission...... many of which were off duty and sleeping...... a horrible mess like two airplanes flying into two buildings in New York City..... two buildings full of people going about their daily routine...... trying to make a living...... and ended up dying...... a horrible mess like a speed boat full of explosives crashing into the side of a Navy ship...... a horrible mess like a man with a different standard of beliefs walking into a market and detonating himself as a human bomb..... killing...... whoever happens to be close enough....... and the list goes on..... and on..... and on....... and on...... so far this country (America) has been extremely lucky...... beyond extremely....... Americans have no concept of what many people in this world live with on a daily basis...... who can't even imagine what Americans take for granted. This young man volunteered to serve his country..... like so many before him have done as well. And like so many others before him, he gave his life in the name of freedom...... and for his country. I should think that the people of this country would be grateful for his contribution to the safe & cushy lifestyle Americans enjoy. Mainland America itself has not been attacked by an agressor since the War of 1812. This is largely due to two reasons. The most obvious is the isolation from the rest of the world.... there are two large bodies of water called oceans on either side.... plus the Gulf of Mexico.... a buffer called Canada to the north and a relatively small border to the south with Mexico. The second reason is men like the one mentioned here who volunteered to serve in the defense of this country..... in harm's way..... at locations other than in America. Recently folks have gotten all fired up about an issue that's been occurring for quite some time..... immigration. Since millions of illegal immigrants can come into this country every year across the smallest border....... and billions of dollars worth of drugs as well..... it seems reasonable to assume that a few hundred..... or a few thousand..... men with different standards of belief could come into this country as well...... with devastating results. As someone who lives close to that border..... I would prefer a horrible mess to occur elsewhere. Unfortunately...... as long as men with a different standard of beliefs exist...... we are vulnerable to their actions...... and as it stands today....... it's only a matter of time before....... a horrible mess occurs here...... again....... and again....... and again....... unless we do something to prevent it. Complaining and finger pointing won't preserve warm & fuzzy forever.

Just a thought from a former Marine..... who lost some friends in a building at the Beruit airport....... in 1983

Answer 8

You are right! I have friends, old neighbors, and in-laws over there right now and I pray for their safe return all the time! I think this war has escalated into a 'who can be the one to stop it' type thing. Everyday you hear about soldiers and civilians that have died over there. The president needs to pull the troops out of that war zone, and bring them back home.

Answer 9

If the superpower minded its own business and did not start imperialistic resource wars based on lies, then Americans would not have to cross oceans to die in the quagmire. Perhaps those Americans would be better served at home securing that southern border I keep hearing so much about lately. war is awful, and mostly its children and women that bear the brunt of the deaths and suffering, especially in a protracted guerrilla war. Please lets end this suffering today, America go home, go take care of your own country, and mind your business for once, please for the sake of humanity. This is not your war, your families need you instead at home being providers, being mothers and fathers to your children.

Answer 10

My husband is leaving for Iraq in one month. I cant bear to see the news where everyday there is a new death count. I have never been more afraid in my life. Its very hard when you live in a community where everyone is so "patriotic" that its unacceptable to be angry about what is happening. I hate this administration. I am filled with rage just thinking about how the most important person in my life could die while these rich and cowardly politicians watch and keep filling their wallets.

Answer 11

I agree! It is a horrible waste of a young lives, and many others who are innocent, why can't everyone just agree to peace? Thousands of millions of people have died in al the wars just because people don't want to admit that we are all the same and just as equal as each other!
Why can't we just agree and accept our differences?!

Give my thoughts and condolences to your son.
Tasha