Army recruits shortfall blamed on Iraq war critics

[cynatnite]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Several Senate Republicans denounced other lawmakers and the news media on Thursday for unfavorable depictions of the Iraq war and the Pentagon urged members of Congress to talk up military service to help ease a recruiting shortfall.

Families are discouraging young men and women from enlisting "because of all the negative media that's out there," Sen. James Inhofe (news, bio, voting record), an Oklahoma Republican, said at a U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

Inhofe also said that other senators' criticism of the war contributed to the propaganda of U.S. enemies. He did not name the senators.

Army Chief of Staff Peter Schoomaker urged members of Congress to use "your considerable influence to explain to the American people and to those that are influencers out there how important it is for our young people to serve this nation at a time like this."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050630/pl_nm/iraq_congress_dc_1

[bluestateguy]

1. Indeed! I will follow the example of Vice President Cheney.

I have other priorities than military service.

[ClassWarrior]

2. Don't just name the Senators, Inhofe you scum, cite the quotes.

Go on, douchebag. I dare you.

NGU.

[Kikosexy2]

3. Bwaahhhaaahahaha...

Sure call all young Repugs first and while they're at it call Jenna & Barbara also to serve..and don't mean to be party whores to the soldiers either..come on all young Repubes go support your illegal war you support so much!!

[Kraklen]

4. Looks like it's time...

to once again film republican congressmen refusing to accept enlistment applications to give to their service age children.

[ixion]

5. Good. That's what I call saving lives

that would otherwise be needlessly lost for an illegal invasion, the architechts of which belong in a cell in a Hague.

[cynatnite]

6. Dang, libruls

More reason to attack anyone opposed to the war and how bad it's going :eyes:

[Mandate My Ass]

7. explain how important it is for young people to serve

Republicans are great at explaining why other people should serve. However, they are not so good at serving.

Cory Bray and the young, ivy-league repukes are also good at "doing shit" like explaining why the Democratic anti-war students should serve.

Lead by example, buttheads. If half of the repuke war supporters served, there would be no shortfall.

Suck it up.

[indepat]

8. Any shortfall could be eliminated immediately if only those who praise

the actions of those who run the war would only offer their offspring of draft age to military service.

[Supersedeas]

11. where are the Freepers and the 35-45% crowd who support the lie

[indepat]

17. Home listening to Rush I guess while their offspring, for the large part,

stay out of harm's way.

[DiverDave]

9. Young repuke's are "doing shit here"

they hire others to do the dirty work.

[RamboLiberal]

10. They claim they have served

https://www.yrnc2005.com/news/news_view.cfm?newsID=39

Las Vegas, Nevada--YRNC 2005 Chairman Nathan Taylor has been responding to attacks by leftists who threaten protests at the 2005 Young Republican Convention.

"In recent weeks I have received numerous e-mails from leftist groups bent on infiltrating the Convention and protesting the appearance of veterans of the War on Terror. We will not allow these cowards to dishonor our servicemen,” stated Taylor.

The e-mails label the Convention attendees as “repuglicans” and “Wingnuts” and call upon fellow leftists to focus their protests on “a panel discussion with recently returned Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.” Despite these insults and threats the 2005 Young Republican Convention has adopted as its theme "Supporting our Troops, Honoring the Fallen", and shall host Operation Interdependence, Honor the Fallen and the National Flag Foundation, all of whom assist U.S. servicemen and their families. Additionally, star of the television show The Apprentice, former Marine and military booster Kelly Perdew shall serve as master of ceremonies at the premier Convention event. As well, the threatened panel of Young Republicans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan shall discuss their experiences and the importance of the War on Terror.

"The childish insults and threatened protests of these leftists reveal ignorance of, and disrespect for, the sacrifice borne by many hosted by the Convention," Taylor continued. "Most of our members either serve, have served, or plan to serve in the United States Armed Forces, or have participated in events or projects supporting the United States Armed Forces. We will not be intimidated."

I want proof!

[teryang]

12. The war is complete failure

It was a failure in concept conceived in fraud and carried out in aggression.

It is a failure in execution because it could never be anything else as a colonial war of aggression in the heart of a foreign culture.

The world already voted by force of arms on this sort of aggression during the twentieth century. The bad guy loses. The bad guy is the one who invades other countries on phony pretexts.

[cynatnite]

13. What do these people want said that's positive???

I was rereading this article and that jumped out. War is negative and rightly should be. I want them to explain what favorible light there is with the countless dead and wounded.

[Johonny]

15. you just suppose

to lie to the general public that everything is good. Clearly the answer to them is that the general public doesn't deserve the truth. I mean that's their positive messsage!

[gizmo1979]

14. Maybe it has something to

do with DYING! Kids aren't in a big rush to die.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

21. Hopefully, it has something to do with killing.

Nobody wants to die, hopefully there a lot of kids who decline the "honor" of killing for "their country".

[MrScorpio]

16. Goddamned republicans can't take responsiblity for anything

I bet if a republican takes a fart and there's no one else in the room except for him and his dog, he'll blame the dog.

[DiverDave]

18. Jeez, I guess I AM the problem

since I talk down dieing for profits every day.

[jmm]

19. Yeah, how dare they help recruits make an informed choice

They don't need to know what they're getting into.

[Cha]

20. You mean like tellin' the

Truth? I'm stunned as much truth gets out as it does..whata they want ..all propoganda all the time?

[killbotfactory]

22. I guess people don't want to be bait for terrorists

Since that's what the whole flypaper theory amounts to

[VOX]

23. "Come visit beautiful Bagdhad! Wear fun desert camo! Blow shit up!"

"Have the time of your life bonding with pals in this lovely desert oasis. Explore scenic back streets and alleys filled with happy people waiting to scatter rose petals in your path! Once you've experienced exotic Iraq, you won't want to go home!"
:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

Is that more to your liking, Sen. Inhofe? :puke:

[LightningFlash]

24. Blame it all on the critics!!!!

The war was illegal, lets blame it on the critics.....Shut up. :thumbsdown:

[progressivebydesign]

25. Yeah. it was the critics.. NOT the hell-like atmosphere and death. n/t

[charlyvi]

26. We need to get used to this.

When the troops come home and Iraq fall into civil war, which it will, we will be blamed just as we were eventually blamed for Vietnam. It's twisted, I know, but we all know it's going to happen.

:eyes:

[johnnie]

27. I'm curious

"Families are discouraging young men and women from enlisting "because of all the negative media that's out there," Sen. James Inhofe (news, bio, voting record), an Oklahoma Republican, said at a U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing."


I found this about Inhofe:
"Inhofe and his wife, Kay, are members of the First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa and have been married for 46 years. They have four grown children and twelve grandchildren."

I wonder how many of his children are serving? Is he encouraging them to serve?



I'm thinking that people aren't joining the military because they don't want to die. There seemed to be a hell of a lot of proud "Young Republicans" that had no problem supporting george, where the hell are they now? And those fuckers at the freeper forums that put us down and shoot their mouths off, they probably aren't posting from Iraq. And the ones that claim they have already served, if they had any balls, the would reenlist and go fight for what they believe. But we all know that repugs are bullshitting pussies.