Paul Rieckhoff: Are We Ready to Welcome the Soldiers That Obama's Bringing Home from Iraq?

[marmar]

via AlterNet:



Are We Ready to Welcome the Soldiers That Obama's Bringing Home from Iraq?

By Paul Rieckhoff, Huffington Post. Posted February 28, 2009.

No veteran's 'welcome home' should come in the form of an unemployment check.



President Obama traveled to Camp Lejeune this week to announce the eventual drawdown of combat troops in Iraq. There's sure to be a lot of discussion about the details of the timeline, and a lot of politics getting in the way of any coherent military analysis.

But whether it is 16 months or 19 months or 23 months, whether the residual force is 10,000 or 50,000 troops, the president's new plan will create a surge of new veterans coming home in 2009 and 2010. We need to be ready.

Our duty to these brave men and women doesn't end when they leave the battlefield. Military families have borne a tremendous strain through more than eight years of conflict, and our troops are returning to the worst economy we've seen in decades. No veteran's 'welcome home' should come in the form of an unemployment check.

There are some concrete steps that must be taken. The new GI Bill must be properly implemented, so veterans can go back to school and train for civilian careers. Mental health resources must be expanded, so veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can get the care they need. And we must ensure that the network of veterans' hospitals and clinics nationwide have all the funding they need to cope with the influx of wounded troops. ........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/129393/are_we_ready_to_welcome_the_soldiers_that_obama%27s_bringing_home_from_iraq/

[jody]

1. I wonder how many will thank those who served in Bush's Iraq War and in Obama's Afghanistan War or

will they treat returning troops with hostility as happened after Vietnam?

[acmavm]

3. Oh please. Most of those stories of returning soldiers being spit on and

abused were bullshit. It wasn't the grunt in the field that Americans against the war railed against. We were PISSED BECAUSE THEY WERE DYING IN AN OBSCENELY CORRUPT AND UNWILLABLE WAR. WE WERE PROTESTING THEIR DEATHS, NOT THEIR COMING HOME ALIVE.

edit: It was the brass that we hated. The guys who sat behind the lines and sent young kids into the meat grinder. The brass, who knew the war was unwinnable, but kept killing young Americans because of politics and pride.

[jody]

4. Will you then welcome returning troops from Iraq and Afghanistan? n/t

[acmavm]

6. Certainly. They didn't ask to go.

What a strange question.

[jody]

7. Strange, don't you understand the question posed in the OP? n/t

[acmavm]

8. I most certainly do. What part of it are you finding confusing? Did anyone

indicate that the American people are gonna kick the shit out of these guys once they get back? Is there some rumor going round that we don't know about? I must have missed something. I know I certainly didn't say anything to indicate that their coming home is a bad idea. I actually believe it is a good idea.

Do you have info on some kind of nefarious plot against them. If so, you need to let people in on this.

You're the one spouting that old and tired bullshit about how Viet Nam vets were treated and that is not helpful. The confusion is on your part. You made it personal, you based your original remark on something that never happened and now you bitch at me.

edit: just to impart the obvious truth that these people are coming back to a country who's economy has been fucked up by the same people that sent them to 'war'. They're gonna have it as hard as the rest of us. The article was not confusing.

[jody]

10. Did you miss your meds today? n/t

[acmavm]

12. Oh my goodness. You really are the clever one. I am so impressed.

Apparently someone told you that if you say something ridiculous and if someone calls you on it, it's their fault that you don't know what the hell you're talking about. You made a remark about something you knew nothing about, that was totally irrelevant, then you get pissed when you are called on it.

Now, in anticipation of your next pitiful attempt at insulting me, I'll just lower myself to your level that you're just an old doody head and a whinebag.

[jody]

13. Have a great day and good bye. n/t

[Cha]

2. Good question and

I hope they're able to make as good a transition as possible when they get home.

[jody]

5. The number of suicides and homeless among returning troops from Iraq and Afghanistan suggest they

face major obstacles and the economic depression means many will not find work.

[Cha]

9. Right and I'm thinking TeamObama

knows this and is formulating a solution..I know they won't just drop them at the door step.

[jody]

11. Good point, hope you are accurate. n/t

[Iwillnevergiveup]

14. Paul Rieckhoff - tireless advocate

:patriot:

K&R - needs more recs!