We're wearing them out ..
Our soldiers in Iraq are serving under incredibly difficult conditions, some are on their FOURTH tour of duty. They are the true heroes, but we're using them up and wearing them out like so many plastic Happy Meal toys. They first went over there with fresh souls and high patriotism .. and now too many of them are redeployed before they can catch up on their sleep, then sent back again. Many are coming home exhausted, damaged and bitter.
.. not that anybody in the White House seems to give a damn. Or even listen.
- Gen. Colin Powell: The “active Army is about broken,” Powell said. Even beyond Iraq, the Army and Marines have to “grow in size, in my military judgment,” he said, adding that Congress must provide significant additional funding to sustain them.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/17/AR2006121700494.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/17/AR2006121700494.html
And now this disturbing article from The Observer: (Yeah, I know, a Brit newspaper. Where is the mythical US "liberal media" when you need to shine sunlight on something?)
"Exhaustion and combat stress are besieging US troops in Iraq as they battle with a new type of warfare. Some even rely on Red Bull to get through the day. As desertions and absences increase, the military is struggling to cope with the crisis..
..."We are just keeping people in theatre who are exhausted," says a soldier working for the U.S. army public affairs office who is supposed to be telling me how well things have been going since the "surge" in Baghdad began."[..]
Well, those crybaby whiners! Too tired indeed. Good thing Commander Guy sets such a shining example of a true soldier!
Those troops should all be doing something really important to serve our country, like Mitt Romney's sons are doing -- going out on the political campaign trail and working to get Romney elected president.
Last week in Iowa Mitt was asked whether any of his five sons (ages 26 - 37) are serving in the military. It's a fair question for any politician who supports a war and has the power to send other people's kids to war .. and the Army IS short of manpower.
Romney answered - "It's remarkable how we can show our support for our nation, and one of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping to get me elected, because they think I'd be a great president."
I hope you can sleep better America .. knowing that instead of hightailin' it down to the nearest military recruiting office to fight terrorists, Mitt's five strappin' boys are hard at work in the corn belt .. braving run-away tractors and circling crop duster planes .. keeping America safe from Democrats.
