Obama's Latest Speech

Originally Posted by Fourdogs

I've read all the comments. I think its great that we all are free to speak our thoughts and beliefs. Now I gotta add a bit more to my previous comments. We have a free society. Thanks to the men and women who started the first rebellion..The "Revolutionary War"....they were rebels remember?...They brought a belief to this country that we should be able to speak...believe in the God if we so choose...etc..thus the "Constitution of the United States of America" was authored and signed.
Now we elect officials, and its the right of each individual to cast a vote for the man or woman we see fit. We also are free to try and inject our thoughts to convince other our choice is the correct one, not at he point of a gun are fear of any reprisal.
Many lives we lost and sacrifices were made. Special the 2nd World War...that last true American hero's (IMHO).
I'm 62 and I was with "Delta 1/9"(USMC) in Vietnam. I truly at first thought like many of us i was fighting to make "America " safe from communist. Of course after 4 months in country and talking with many Vietnamese I was wrong....as it was pointed out to me North Vietnam did not have the capabilities of attacking the US. Also the communist ideas were slowly but surely dying away around the world...Then I though of how many young Americans lost there life in Vietnam specially after reading Robert McNamara's book about it...makes me sick !..Btw I have no purple hearts ...did suffer with depression and still do ..as do anyone who's killed someone has whether they want to admit it are not. To you that did not make it to Vietnam or the middle east I will pass on this tid bit...the first person I killed I still can see his face after 40 years ..he was 6 foot from me ..I threw up all over myself..was sick for several days and did not stop shaking for hours...nor did I sleep for sometime....and for what. I went to "Rolling Thunder" on our Harley 2 years ago..was a moving experience.
Why am I telling all this coz war is "CRAP". Regardless what branch you served in.
We blame 9/11, and WMD for our invasion of Iraq. When in fact the spy satellites ( that can read your license number off your Harley ) clearly saw nothing in the way of WMD in Iraq...Thats according to accounts by the FBI...However the CIA for some still unknown reason dismissed the finding of the FBI..yes the FBI was very much involved in Iraq. Now by Presidential orders they must share information.
This is important to note due to the fact of the 20 terrorist, 19 of which were from Saudi Arabia.
The Taliban were in Afghanistan !...The real reason we're in Iraq ...well when all said and done Exxon Moblie and Halibertin will be the real winners. Which brings me to this next point.
To the young men and women who are serving in Iraq...my hats off to yah...I know those who've had to kill and don't feel the pain deep inside ..you will..and its gonna hurt. Why well because your a human.
I ride with the PGR...when at these funerals I can't help but cry(and I do) I've talked with non NCO's E-3s..PFC's...No officers...because these are the men and women that are in the jist of things...most from staff sgt and above can't relay their feeling on the most part..they are truly dedicated troopers...as I heard Colin Powell state at a address in a speech to Rolling Thunder.
Most have been in country at least 2 or more tours in Iraq..the ones in the green zones says yeah lots have been accomplished because they have electric, and water and better than before living conditions. To the fighting men and women thats out on the roads and in the villages they tell a different story..and NO i don't believe the media at all..I believe the young men and women who put theirs lives on the line daily.
I'm sure two of us here could stand side by side in Iraq and see two totally different wars with different results....So everyone here who's commented is RIGHT!...Lets Please just remember we are All Americans Not Irish-American ...Africa-Americans ..Italian-Americans...but "AMERICANS"...
Yeah! our country isn't what it used to be...but still its up to us..each and everyone of us to get it on the right track again..what makes me madder than hell is so few of Americans vote..hopefully it will change this up coming election...as for me I consider myself a Independent voter...and at this time have no clue as of yet who I will vote for....sorry for such a long post!

Originally Posted by SledDog

So I guess time served in Beruit being shot at would not qualify me to say anything?? I guess being on-station when the Marine barracks was bombed doesn't qualify me to speak my opinion. I guess the same goes for those who served in Vietnam, Kosovo, Panama, Somalia and many other conflicts.

So, does having a son and daughter in country qualify me to speak about Bush and Iraq? My son is flying close air support sitting on a kelvar blanket so he won't get his a** shot up. My daughter flies in country C-130 missions.

So does it? Or did I serve just to protect YOUR right to speak your mind?? How typical..

So let me speak my peace and I'll shut my 6th generation career military pie-hole (the 7th is serving now)...

Beruit - Marine barracks bombed, Reagan in office. Tell me, just what did our president do after the bombing. Air strikes? Off shore bombing? NOPE! He pulled the troops out! And just what message did he send? That if they bloody our nose we'll leave!

Vietnam - A long terrible conflict. The war was being run from the white house. Daily air target selections made by Washington, NOT the commanders in the field. Just how did it end? Congress killed the funding. No money to fund the war, but money to withdraw and bring the troops home. If they didn't, it probably would have gone on for many years.

Somalia - Clinton in office. This one was doomed from the start. No will of means by the white house to get it done. Not enough air support. Poor planning by the military.

Iraq - A war started with lies. The president lets Gen Powell unknowing lie to to UN, the people of our country and the rest of the world. He later resigns. The president gets a daily Intell brief that talks about terrorists using aircraft to possibly attach the US. He and Rice take no action. We go to war. It shortly turns into a police action against the people we are attempting to save. And Bush does such a great job of recruiting others to assist us that no one, even the UN, will help us now.

Then Bush decides to CUT VA funding. He also tries to kill the funding that provides local school districts, around military bases, money to education dependents. Nice.... A great way to support the miltary.

As a side note, I was a member of Rolling Thunder, I went DC for the run to the Wall many times. Our Rolling Thunder Chapter would alway work traffic control at the Pentagon parking lot. It was impressive to see nothing but bikes fill that parking lot. Anyway....

Arty sat for a photo op with Bush supporting him for his re-election campain in 2004. He did this AFTER Bush cut VA benefits. I'm no longer a member of Rolling Thunder. I got to see, first hand, just how they work and who they work for. And it's not veterans.

Anyway, back to my statements about Bush and Iraq that it would appear I have no right to voice.

Bush authorizes "no bid" contracts for services to support the war in Iraq. These companies have taken the money and not provided serves. Or what they have provided, like fuel, has been overbilled.

Do you know 15 military personnel have been ELECTROCUTED while taking showers in country? Why, because the contactor did not do the required inspections of the pump motors and did not wire them correctly. Yep, no bid, maximize profits contractors are the way to go.

Bush's friends make the cash, while our people die for no reason. Did you know Hallibuton was just about ready to go under when they started receiving these no bid contracts? And who was the former CEO of them... Dick Cheney.

So just what are we fighting for?? You want to fight them over there and not here. Great, so please explain to me just who are "them" and just how are they going to get here?

Or did you forget... Most of the hijackers where from Saudi Arabia. Not Iraq. I believe Bush even said Hussein had nothing to do with 9-11. Or did you miss that?

Did you miss that when the US open the Prince Sultan Air Base, Osama said that if the US did not close it he would do this best to attack the US? He did not think a US base should be Saudi's holy land. Ever wonder what happen to that base? Bush ordered it closed in 2003.

Just think... If Bush had done that prior to 9-11, there may not have been a 9-11. Just why does this president think everyone else wants to be an american?? News flash. Some don't!

I stood my watches so you could express your opinions. So did generations before.

So tell me, just why do you think we should not have the right to voice our opinions about Bush and the war?

What gives you the right to trample on the opinions of other?

Or did you just forget that you live in the USA. The place were the military serves to protect that right. So that ALL USA citizens have the right to have their voice heard.

Your statement smacks of the elitist attitude that causes so much conflict in this country. It sounds like it comes from someone that does not support the Constitutional right for all to speak there mind.

It sounds like someone that does not respect what his fellow citizen have to say. Maybe you need to move to country have has no opinions then those of the like-minded individuals that run it.

In case you never noticed, the military serves at the will of the people. They go where they're told to go and fight who there told to fight. Both my kids don't want to be in Iraq. BUT, they are career military and they do what is asked of them.

And you know what makes them more of a patriot then you'll ever be? They have enough respect for the opinions of others to let them speak their minds. They not denegrade them because they have not served in-country. In case you didn't know it the military supports and serves the people of The United State of America, not the people of Iraq.

How about we spend some of the war funding to build new schools HERE, and feed the children that go to bed hungry every night in THIS COUNTRY.

And you know what? Many good people have died, and served, fighting for your right to voice the opinion I quoted above. I may not like it, but I'll defend your right to say it.

Too bad I can't say you would do the same thing.

Rant off