Father of 278th soldier killed in Iraq speaks out in support of war

[Barrett808]

Father of 278th soldier killed in Iraq speaks out in support of U.S. involvement

Sgt. Gary Lee Reese of Ashland City lost his life in Iraq a week and a half ago. Like most other military dads, Reese's father has strong feelings about the war, as well as the people protesting it.

Lee Reese's picture is prominently displayed in his family's living room. Even though the war killed the 22-year-old Army National Guard sergeant, his father Gary Reese is still a staunch supporter of America's fight for freedom.

"Unfortunately, it's a war," said Gary. "And freedom's not free. very high price to pay for freedom. The type of things that were going on in that country were just atrocities. Somebody's got to stop it."

As the war in Iraq lingers, anti-war sentiment is growing. Support is building to bring american troops home. But this Ashland City father who, by all rights, should be soured on the conflict isn't about to switch to the anti-war side. Lee would want it that way.

"He believed in what he was doing, and I believed in what he was doing," said Gary. "And nothing's going to change that belief."

(more)

http://www.wkrn.com/Global/story.asp?S=3765546

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[NNN0LHI]

36. Quite a few "dads" actually encourage their kids to join the military

This may be an example of one?

Don

[saigon68]

47. He died for Halliburton, Bechtel and other corporate criminals

[saigon68]

2. I'm sure in 20 years everyone will be appeciative of the sacrifice

NOT

[Barrett808]

Iran will certainly appreciate it. n/t

[tx_dem41]

40. I have to disagree with you.

Although I might have a problem with the policy of the war (and I do), it doesn't mean I can't recognize and respect the sacrifices made by the individuals over there.

[Straight Shooter]

3. "Freedom isn't free"

Well, I guess it all depends on how you define freedom. :eyes:

[5X]

5. You know they have drunk deeply of the kool-aid

when you hear that phrase.

[Straight Shooter]

13. Maybe we should tell them "kool-aid isn't free" .... n/t

[Barrett808]

15. Nice. n/t

[Oreo]

4. How exactly was Iraq a threat to our freedom?

Maybe it is now that it's basically turned into on the job terrorist training camp.

Denial... I feel very bad for this man. I couldn't imagine losing my son.

[4dsc]

57. You can ask that question over and over again

and you'll never get an answer from rightie on how Iraq represented a threat to the US in "their" minds..

[silvermachine]

59. You'll probably get an answer...

...but you won't get a reason. You'll hear the usual talking points, the same phrases repeated ad nauseum: "spreading democracy", "brutal dictator", "war on terror", etc. All courtesy of our inept, illegitimate administration. But no actual valid reason for the war. Then again, as an earlier poster said, I can't imagine what losing a son in this war would be like, and I feel bad for the father. I guess he needs to feel this way in his own mind because to face the actual truth about the war would be even more painful. Very sad.

[deutsey]

6. That's his prerogative

Cindy makes a more convincing case, in my opinion.

[bluestateguy]

11. He got what he voted for

We tried to tell him. We tried to stop this war and the war president from being "re" elected.

So now I'll just have to say "I told you so".

[bluestateguy]

7. So if a bunch of liberal demonstrators...

used a pickup truck to mow down a memorial cross to the dead soldier, and chanted "We don't care! We don't care! We don't care!" to taunt the father, that would be OK, right?

[FormerDittoHead]

12. good question. n/t

[formerrepuke]

8. Apparently, he feels it's worth dying to defend/establish freedom

for people who are not Americans. I would find it difficult to justify my son's death just so some foreign people in a foreign country on the other side of the world *might possibly* one day live in a democracy.

[Angry Girl]

9. pathetic idiot

[AlCzervik]

10. everyone deals with loss in their own way

this is the way that he's is handling his.

[Arugula Latte]

14. "America's fight for freedom" -- What does that have to do with Iraq?

Hey, Gary, when the Iraqis storm our beaches and set fire to our constitution, then you can talk about our fight for freedom. Invading a country and bombing the shit out of innocent people who hadn't attacked us doesn't count, m'kay?

[Demoiselle]

16. 278th killed? Last week? We've lost near 2000 soldiers.......

WTF?

[Vickers]

17. Probably the number of the regiment he was attached to

Edit: the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment is out of Nashville.

[0007]

29. I'm sure this Dad is out voted on how he feels.

[ticapnews]

18. He is free to believe what he wants

And so are we.

[merwin]

19. So now they've found 2 or 3 parents of dead soldiers who support the war.

That's still over 1950 that don't

[Roland99]

20. "Gary says his son was well aware of the dangers in defending his country"

I have the utmost respect for anyone that enlists in our military but GIVE ME A FUCKING BREAK!!

"defending his country" from WHAT?!?

That father is the typical re:puke: He's the type that keeps the Propagandist's approval ratings as high as they are.

Morans.

[bribri16]

32. Except his son was NOT defending his country. that's what is so sick

and sad about this Iraq war. We were never threatened by Iraq. People have bought into the lie. I guess it's what they have to do to keep their sanity.

[Roland99]

35. Exactly my point. But these parents do whatever they think they need to

in order to hide their pain and justify the loss.

[OKDem08]

55. you're right

it's easier to hang onto the perception that his son died for a noble cause. Can you imagine the heart-wrenching process any parent would go through to realize otherwise?

[tx_dem41]

41. Or he is a grieving parent, that just lost his son.

I don't begrudge him his feelings or his statements at this horrible time.

[IndianaGreen]

21. Iraq has nothing to do with my freedoms

If this jackass is worried about freedom, he should worry about PATRIOT.

His son's death was a useless wasteful death for which Bush should be held accountable. The blood shed in Iraq does not make the war righteous, or the sacrifices noble! What a waste!

[Gregorian]

22. He loved Bush more than his own son.

What an absolute asshole.

[smirkymonkey]

31. That's exactly how I see it - his own fucking pride about being

"right" is more important than the loss of his child.

I wonder what kind of relationship they had in the first place.

[tx_dem41]

44. How in the hell do you know that.

What arrogance to make such a statement about a grieving father who just lost his son!

[Gregorian]

52. I don't know that.

It's just a conjecture. I see someone who is willing to let their son pick up a gun, but not willing to investigate the veracity of Bush's war. It's not an arrogant comment. It's more than likely his own arrogance though. We knew the war was phoney. We marched in the streets. I have simpathy, but very little, for someone who's foolish enough to put their life on the line without thinking very hard. Grieving is easy.

[gratuitous]

23. I wouldn't expect him to say anything else

It's been 10 days since his son died, and this grieving father is clearly loyal to his memory, as he should be at this time. His statement that "nothing's going to change" his belief is more a reflection on the depth of his feelings right this second than any immutable nature of his belief.

In a few weeks or months or years, Mr. Reese will begin to wonder why the atrocities in "that country" went on for so long, and why the job of stopping it finally fell to his 22-year-old son in 2005. That will be another black day for this ill-starred pre-emptive imperial strike as another former supporter defects from our national religion of belief in redemptive violence.

I'm sorry for your loss, Mr. Reese. We'll be here when your overwhelming grief gives way to reason.

[txaslftist]

24. Nice post, G.

Thoughtful and kind.

[gratuitous]

25. Yeah, I don't know what came over me

Maybe I should go lie down for a while.

[Lecky]

27. No way, we need more of that at DU

instead of reactionary ad hominem nonsense. Your post was good :)

[DinahMoeHum]

26. Go easy on this dad and give him time - it's only been what? ten days??

Right now, he's in the denial stage of his grief.

The truth will hit him like sledgehammers soon enough. I reckon his current attitude won't last long.

:shrug:

[Kashka-Kat]

28. 278th?? there's been lots more than 278 of our guys killed

[tsuki]

30. There is not a very high price being paid when your federal

officials can buy $3000. shoes, when the corporations get mega contracts awarded to them with no oversight, when the rich get tax cuts. During WWII, the big one, sacrifice was felt at home as well as on the front.

[warrens]

33. Yeah, there are atrocities going on in that country, alright, pops

Far worse than anything Saddam ever came up with. Useless tool, with the accent on useless.

[Lecky]

34. You guys, I was really disgusted when the RWers would attack Cindy Sheenan

and say things like "she was a disgrace to her son's honor". It made me sick to my stomach that they could be so crass and uncaring just because they disagreed with her message.

I feel the same way about this guy. It's really not up to us whether or not what he is feeling is "wrong" or "right". We all have our own personal opinion on the matter but the sad fact is that this man's son is dead.

We can still NOT support this war without attacking those who have lost their loved ones...they have already suffered enough.

[tx_dem41]

42. I agree wholeheartedly. n/t

[tomg]

53. He tx_dem,

I came to this thread very late, but I've read the way you and a couple of others have been showing care and kindness. Your compassion is heartening. My deepest heartfelt sympathy to the father who is mourning the loss of his child. My nephew ( actually cousin - large Irish family and everyone of one generation is an uncle or aunt, everyone of the next is nephew or niece) recently got his orders for Iraq, and I guess I'm thinking of all the ways my family would respond if something happened.

[daleo]

37. Freedom isn't free, but this isn't freedom

Unfortunately, his son died to either:
- help Halliburton to make a lot of money.
- help Bush in a personal vendetta against Saddam.
- help implement an Islamic republic instead of a secular one.

But that is hard news to bear, so some parents choose to believe lies for the sake of their sanity - at least for a while.

[HardWorkingDem]

38. Some comments on this thread are disappointing....

Being a military veteran, I find some of the comments on this thread disappointing.

A parent should be able to to grieve in whatever way suits him or her and not be ridiculed for it.

We should take the high ground when it comes to parents who still think their child has died for a worthy cause.

Think of it - for some, to think otherwise is to admit their child died for nothing and possibly meant little.

I pretty certain that if Cindy Sheehan were to face this father she would have kinder words to him than some of the comments found in this thread.

[tomg]

68. I really couldn't agree more.

I posted earlier in response to tx_dem41 who feels pretty much the way you do. I was ( still am) a CO, but I have four children, three military age, and a close relative who is on his way over next month. I wonder how many of those who are knocking the father actually have kids who are, say, around 18, 19, 20 or so and can see themselves in that position. You're right. I think Cindy Sheehan would be far more compassionate. I only hope that those responding that way are doing so because they are just young.

on edit: what I am rather akwardly trying to say is that our hatred for the war shouldn't cause us to lose our compassion for anyone suffering as a result of it.

[slay]

39. And some people think the moon is made of blue cheese

What are ya gonna do ya know? I mean, I hate that this guy's kid died for a bullshit war started by a criminal posing as our president. This just goes to show how effective Republican brainwashing propaganda has been over the years. :(

[still_one]

43. justify anything you want mr. reese, but you son died for oil companies

and his demise is already forgotten by them, and most Americans

[saigon68]

46. Fools rush In

[Rainscents]

45. This father is in denial!

[mitchum]

48. He's insane with grief

very insane

[Megahurtz]

49. His brain has been washed with Kool-Aid. n/t

[Kashka-Kat]

50. BUT but but..... why do they say he's the 278th

when theres been almost a couple thousand dead by now... ??

no surprise that some parents would not want to look at the "other side" or even acknowledged that the "mission" is questionable-- much too devastating.

[tabasco]

51. The 278th refers to the kid's unit. n/t

[Kashka-Kat]

56. duh! I just couldnt figure it out

[Maggie_May]

54. This man is denial

doesn't want to believe his son went to war and died for a lie.
It would be hard for me to take. But the facts are the facts Iraq had nothing to do with 911 and Afghanistan is being ignored its under funded and under man.

[kipco]

58. Freedom? This guy is an idiot!

The biggest myth about this whole stupid war is that our "freedom" in America is under some sort of threat. There's no way in hell we were ever in danger of losing any freedoms because of terrorists, Sadaam, Iraq or anyone brown. The only freedoms we are losing are the ones the government has been taking away from us. Terrorists are not taking away our freedoms, our Republican Government is taking away our freedoms, you knothead!
You coughed up your kid to Bush's war machine, and now you are reconciling it in your own mind by wrapping yourself in some star spangled vision of him as a freedom crusader. In reality, he was chewed up and spit into a grave by an incompetent arrogant asshole elected by a braindead group of "morals" voters.

[Bridget Burke]

65. Actually, Freedom in America is under a threat.

But Saddam, the Iranians & the Syrians aren't the ones who want to take it away.

[genieroze]

60. The guy sounds like a real ass-hole but at least he put s his money where

his mouth is. To bad his son was the one to pay. I just have to wonder if these people are being paid by * or they drank way too much Kool-Aid.
I wonder how his wife feels.

[RedCloud]

61. Draft that daddy. Strap him with an AK-47

Like him go impress daddy that way.
No more blood for oil.

[Supersedeas]

62. somebody's got to stop the atrocities--but only the ones supported by

propoganda

[Politicub]

63. With all due respect

The dad's comments sound like they are from a country-western song or a Bush press release. It's sad, and I'm sure it's hard to face the awful fact that your kid died in vain for a war built on a pack of lies. I don't know if I would be able to go on, either.

The Iraq war had nothing to do with "freedom" in the US. NOTHING!

[StrafingMoose]

64. Gosh..poor misguided people...

"Unfortunately, it's a war," said Gary. "And freedom's not free. very high price to pay for freedom. The type of things that were going on in that country were just atrocities. Somebody's got to stop it."

Unfortunately for his son, yes, freedom IS free. Even rabid neocon Michael Ledeen sait it "freedom is a fairly simple thing to get". Now, is cheap oil and remaining #1 'superpower' and defending corporate interests free? That's another question.

At least, KNOW what you die for.

[high density]

66. The "freedom" and "atrocities" reasons have been retired

by the Bush admin. I think they're pretty blatant in the past two years of demonstrating that it is a war for oil and corporate profits.

[Seabiscuit]

67. Yo, Dad, that's not why Bush invaded Iraq!

"The type of things that were going on in that country were just atrocities. Somebody's got to stop it."

If that were the reason why we stepped into that quagmire, it would be a job for the U.N., and NOT the U.S.

Don't you remember, Dad, that Bushco was scaring your pants off about nonexistent WMD's and ties to Al Queda, and the insane notion that Saddam was going to be Al Queda's supplier of WMD's????

If your son thought that when he went off to war, he surely knew by the time he was killed that the war he was fighting was based on a lie. Apparently you lost communication with your son before he died, or he would have educated you.

It is this kind of willful ignorance that is destroying this country and that led to the death of your son. The murdering bastard that killed your son, George W. Bush, couldn't have done it without your support and the support of equally misinformed numbskulls.

I have no sympathy for you at all, Dad.