Picture of US Soldier in Iraq: Will Work For Armor

[tritsofme]

Sent to me by my niece.

[AussieDave]

1. Funny - yet infinitely sad at the same time

Good luck to him.....

[donheld]

66. Funny? not even remotely IMHO

:grr::grr::grr::grr:

[AussieDave]

72. It's called irony, or wry humor

I think if you asked this soldier why he made the sign, he just might tell you it was to raise a laugh, with a pointed message.

[MsUnderstood]

91. I laughed. . .then I sighed

There is humor in the messaage. . .

[Erika]

2. How sad

As Bush has redistributed the wealth from the working class to the rich . How very sad.

[Hekate]

3. I'm going to post it to friends -- where did your niece get it?

This photo and the one of the old VFW guy listening to Bush with the "Bullshit protector" over his ear -- just about says it all.

Hekate

[brettdale]

4. kick and send around the world

hey that would be a good picture for the front page.

Im sure Jon Stewart would love to see that pic, someone should send it to him.

[Imagevision]

60. This pic should be forwarded to every US. senator, and they have

the gall to use the "support the troops" slogan - despicable, Rumsfeld should be fired but this insane president insists they have what they need? lying son of a bitch!

[Callalily]

5. If I can't convince my friends

not to enlist, I think I'll start an armor fund raising project so they can at least be prepared. This truly is sad. Can you imagine being his parents?

[unhappycamper]

6. Kick and nominate.

:kick:

[deutsey]

7. Kick

[frictionlessO]

8. This so needs another 80 recommends. n/t

[txindy]

23. Agreed

:kick: and nominated.

[calimary]

76. Got one from me.

Kick. SAVE this. For all those nauseating "yellow ribbon magnets from China" saps who think that buying a cheap-shit car magnet is supporting our troops.

[bertha katzenengel]

9. wow

[SammyWinstonJack]

10. .

:grr: and nominated!

[quiet.american]

11. Worth a thousand words....n/t

[underpants]

12. Neener Neener Neener

[Cha]

46. One of my bumperstickers..

http://www.supportourribbons.com/maker/make_ribbon.php?id=26286

http://www.supportourribbons.com

[txaslftist]

13. He is going to get screwed for this.

Retaliation against the soldier who speaks out in the middle of a war can be pretty nasty.

[rodeodance]

31. what ever happened to the soldier who asked Rummy the pointed

guestion about armor at a public press conference. Anybody know?

[calimary]

77. Can't remember where I heard it but I heard that he was reprimanded.

And EIGHT MONTHS after he voiced that complaint to rumsfeld, they STILL don't have body armor. Still dumpster-diving.

This is just beyond disgraceful.

[democratic veteran]

47. No way

He'll just have to do his duty and obey orders.

Hey, we need someone to take point on the road from Baghdad to Tikrit. Any volunteers.

Been there, done that.

Write your congressman or run for office. Posting on the internet just gets you volunteered.

[emanymton]

14. You Know They Will Be Looking To Get Him..... They Being shrub Junta.

Sorry to say but this picture puts this person into extreme danger. The shrub Junta will not let him get away with this. Expect him to be sent on a 'special' mission with no chance for coming back alive.



Bush Lied. People Died. Media Cheered.

[ClintonTyree]

41. He can't be in any more danger than he already is......

without the armor. What are they going to do, throw him in the stockade, send him to the front lines? I'd do the exact same thing if I were in his boots, or probably something more controversial.
Three cheers for this soldier. :patriot: My only hope is that he comes home alive to tell his story to others.

[Mugsy]

15. Source and date?

If I forward this photo to any of my Bush-loving friends, they will claim it is an old photo if I can't provide a source.

Anyone got it?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

22. To Hell with your "Bush-loving friends". If they think the troops have...

...the armor they need, tell them to volunteer and specifically request orders to Iraq.

[txaslftist]

40. Probably better for him if that isn't published.

So he doesn't draw dangerous duty for the next few months.

[Divernan]

49. How to forward this to non DU members?

I tried emailing a post to others and they told me they couldn't open it because they weren't DU members. So is there any other way I can send this photo to a lot of people who don't love Bush but are not members of DU?

[LynzM]

51. It's on the front page, now

So if you just send them to the home page, they can see it!

[Imagevision]

62. recommend and kicked!

[lonestarnot]

16. Oh geeze... They are gona have his ass for lunch! Poor dude...

How dare him speak out! Uncle Sam "owns him." 50 lashes!

Pray for peace and bad aim dude... We are ashamed of what they are doing to you and are doing what we can to collect money for your armor. Come home safely dude!

[DaveJ]

17. Anyone ever thought about this?

An older woman yesterday mentioned that some envision a day when the military could turn on its government.

I had never thought about this so it sounded refreshing. Does anyone know of any books or other literature that could explain such a scenario?

[emanymton]

24. Seven Days In May.

[DaveJ]

29. Thanks! I'll take a look.... nt

[nini]

56. Personally, I think this is a possibility

and it wouldn't surprise me.. they do swear to uphold the CONSTITUTION after all and certainly the admin is NOT doing that.

[PA Democrat]

18. Local LTTE: Father of Soldier says take away Secret Service protection

from Bush so he can get a taste of the fear soldiers experience going into a war zone without proper protection.

Body armor


As the father of a son who is serving with the military in Iraq, and as a Vietnam veteran, I am still appalled by the fact that the Pentagon is still struggling to replace body armor that is failing to protect U.S. troops from the most lethal attacks by insurgents ("U.S. Struggles to Get Better Armor for Troops in Iraq," Aug. 15).

Since the popularity of President Bush and U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has fallen, I suggest that since the soldiers are deployed in Iraq for approximately one year, they too should try going one year without their Secret Service protection. They could then imagine how it feels to walk in the boots of a real soldier.


ROBERT C. MEUSSNER
Carrick


http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05236/558618.stm

[StaggerLee]

26. that's a great LTTE

Billions being wasted on this war and basic troop neccesities aren't being met.

What. A. Fucking. Shame.

[melissinha]

32. Not to mention PR $$

How much $$ that could be diverted to the troops is wasted on PR campaigns aimed at garnering artificial support of his war policies..the money could be better spent in so many ways.

[Arkansas Granny]

59. Not only that, but how much does it cost to have * run all over

the country on Air Force One? Estimated cost is $56,800.00 per hour! I don't have any idea how many hours he has logged, but I'll bet it would have bought a lot of armor for our troops.

[rodeodance]

33. a taste of fear. whow.

[ClintonTyree]

43. Oh oh, Agent Mike is going to pay HIM a visit...........

thou shalt not say a word about the safety and security of our Pretzelnit! Hi, Agent Mike! :hi:

[merh]

53. God bless you Mr. Meussner and your son

and the soldiers over there. :cry: I hate the fuckin' idiots that are responsible for this tragedy.

[PurgedVoter]

19. This man is a patriot! nt

[MellowOne]

20. How many billions are we spending on the war?

And we can't afford armour?

[Child_Of_Isis]

21. Send this to Keith! eom

[rodeodance]

34. [e-mail]

[Imagevision]

61. While all the support the troops stickers are on most SUV's

Bush/Rumfeld can't pull a lower stunt then this! This should be front page across american media for christs sakes!!

[in_cog_ni_to]

25. Yet we have plenty of money to build

14 military bases? Is there something wrong with this picture????:grr:

[Betsy Ross]

27. This man is my hero!

He knows what risk he is taking. We all know what happens to those who oppose *. But this soldier IS fighting for America, Americans, and himself. He is putting his life on the line for the TRUTH. Through my tears, I send blessings to him and his family.

[Hobarticus]

28. Anyone see "Gunner Palace"?

Some young troop was discussing the merits of his homemade armor on his Humvee, like a used car salesman. Damn, it was funny as hell, but it pissed me off too. As he walked away, the camera panned and his friends were on the ground, laughing. Must take some serious graveyard humor to get them through their days.

[rodeodance]

30. How do we send this to the DOD (or Rummy and his cabal)?

[Clintmax]

35. You know...this is sad!

While the picture in and of itself is kinda funny, the underlying sentiment is really sad. WHY are our guys fighting over in Iraq in this illegal war having to fight their own government for the basic necessities needed to fight in the first place? We need to bring our boys home and in so doing, bring them out of harms way unless and until we can get them what they need to fight an illegal war.

[Rainscents]

36. Private contractor's have first class protectors on them, but when

comes our military in Iraq, they're treated like shit... I am very discussed with our government!

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Ian_rd]

38. GASP!

Matt Drudge needs to Swiftboat that liberal America-hating pansy terrorist-lover! I can't believe that this soldier aids the terrorists by not wanting to be killed in the glory of Bush's war.

[LizMoonstar]

39. does your niece know the soldier's name?

he looks very much like a high school friend of mine who served in the middle east, that i've lost touch with. (I know he's alive, through mutual friends, but he hasn't been in the mood for much communication otherwise.)

[Straight Shooter]

42. Why aren't the rich using their tax cuts to buy armor for our troops? n/t

[Kali]

54. fuck that

why aren't they or thier progeny over there!?

[katinmn]

44. Jeebus! The Chrisian Right will have him thrown in the brig.

Not supposed to point out "flaws" in our military!

Thanks for posting.

[MidwestTransplant]

45. This guy is just so unpatriotic.

Why does he hate America?

Now a brief word form the Limbaugh sponsors.....

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

48. They are indeed...

...The Few, the Proud, the Abused:

http://www.karlandkinggeorge.com/The_Few_the_Proud_the_Abused.html

[PurpleChez]

50. maybe all of the drones

with the yellow ribbon magnets stuck to the back of their SUVs at a 45-degree angle will all chip in and show their support for the troups by sending them the equipment that * won't.

[mconvente]

52. kick and nominated n/t

[Kali]

55. this makes me sick to my stomach

and brings real tears. Forwarding to my last few pro war aquaintences. (too hard to call them friends, though they once were very dear to me. Thanks Dick and Karl.)

[novak goes postal]

57. The saddest picture I ever saw... How ashamed we should be getting him in

this fix. I get so mad sometimes I could rip Bush a new one....

[kbm8795]

58. Your niece needs to send this picture

to the local newspaper, and see if she can get permission from the soldier to use it in this manner.

This picture speaks volumes about the silence our Administration has held concerning the families who are doling out hundreds of dollars trying to equip their sons and daughters who are serving this nation. It is absolutely appalling that the government refuses to effectively deal with this issue, yet claims to support our troops.

[w8liftinglady]

63. These poor soldiers

You know they must feel like they have been sacrificed to further this administration.I hope more and more start revolting against this evil administration.

[jeanarrett]

64. We could always do another DU fundraiser

and get some armor for the troops. Wouldn't the freeps heads explode then if DU raised 50K and used it to buy some armor for the troops?

We do have such great fundraising capabilities and quickly when we need to!!!

On edit: Parents have been buying it online for their kids before they go to Iraq or buying it and sending it to them after they are there.

[DollyM]

65. Actually, that's a great idea!

promote it as "caring for our troops because our government won't" or something like that. Why not? Anybody want to figure out the logistics of how to do this?

[jeanarrett]

67. I'll be the first to donate.

That's a good slogan to use, too.

[walldude]

73. Oh hell yes I'm in on this one

How about it admins?

[catrose]

74. Count me in

I promised my husband for his birthday that I would buy body armor for a soldier, but I haven't been able to make a connection with anyone. The troops, you know, "have everything they need." Yeah right.

[spuddonna]

85. Hey that's an awesome idea!

I'd give $$ to that in a heartbeat... great idea!

[AldebTX]

68. Why Won't Any Ask....

Why won't anyone ask....loudly...and often .....

WHY AFTER ALMOST 3 YEARS IN IRAQ and BILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPENT, DO OUR SOLDIERS STILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH BODY ARMOUR?

This should be asked at any press conference, speaking engagement, or any opportunity for questions that any administration official conducts up to and including the President.

[unhappycamper]

69. Congrats!

Your pic make the front page of rawstory.com.

[AzDar]

70. ....and my family wonders why I HATE the Chimp so much. HIs

simian, lying mug appears on the tv screen and my Mom (and my Mother-in-law-)both look on in horror as I spew obscenities and hurl epithets.They cannot UNDERSTAND how I could be so full of loathing and sheer hatred for a politician...someone I've never even MET fer Chrissakes.
THIS IS WHY.
I think I'm having an aneurysm.

[DanCa]

71. And they had the gull to blame this crisis on Senator Kerry

There just a bunch of finger pointing do nothing trash bag feeding scum suckers.

[Daphne08]

75. Powerful. n/t

[rat618]

78. Troops Morale

Bush continues to say that folks like Cindy and the rest of us lower the morale of the troops. I was just thinking that if I was in Iraq my morale would be lowered more by the lack of armor for the Humvees and up to date personal protection equipment. Now as I understand it, the troops will be getting mothballed helicopters from the early 90's as the damage to the current ones have become a problem. This picture supports that feeling.

In addition I would imagine the National Guard folks on their second or third tour who have lost their jobs, marriages, and their normal lives would say that this administration has harmed their morale far more than a 115 lb woman.

I wish someone would raise this issue with the mainstream media, when Bush or Rummy spout off. BTW, Rummy's act the other day of snapping at a reporter for asking a speculative question (a what if considering the new
Constitution) sure is a 180 degree opposite of Rummy's speculation just before the invasion about a 6 month war, flowers for the troops, and money from the oil to pay for it all.

Just makes you want to throw up.

[me b zola]

81. Well said, rat618

I would only add the reports from the troops of the futileness of it all. They risk their lives to go into a city to "clean it out", stay there for a few days, then leave. As soon as they leave, everyone who had been run out of town returns.

The troops are understanding that they are cannon fodder. How demoralizing that must be.




Welcome to DU, rat618! :hi:

[rat618]

89. Troops Morale additional

I also imagine the morale of our troops is battered by the fact that they are making dollars a day while hired mercenaries guarding politiacal neocons and war profiteers make thousands of dollars a day.

[azttboy]

79. If only Sen. Kerry, Edwards, clinton

Would listen to this. If they actually cared about this problem, they hold the pusestrings to the funding, not the office of the President. Our Democratic leaders could take the lead on this and get the funing for armor, and other necessities they keep crying the military needs.

[FreepFryer]

80. Claptrap, boulderdash and utter poppycock.

That's ludicrous. The Pentagon is singularly in charge of managing, assembling and equipping the troops.

Our Democratic representatives can, and have, made numerous requests and efforts to better supply the troops... but ultimately, the Department of Defense is responsible for the conduct of the war.

And it's the DoD that has clearly placed Halliburton's well-being ahead of the common soldier, not Kerry.

Pfft.

[Name removed]

83. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Technowitch]

86. Somebody also seems to have forgotten which party controls Congress...

...for now, anyway.

And the fact that Edwards is no longer serving in the Senate. And that neither Senator Kerry nor Senator Clinton serve on the Appropriations Committee (not that that would do them any good, since the Dems have pretty much been shut out of the whole budget process by the Repugs).

No, friend, the reason our troops lack the armor promised them is because the Bush Administration and its rubber-stamp Congressional lackeys do not deem it a priority. Not when there's multi-billion dollar no-bid contracts to be awarded to Halliburton, KBR, and the rest of the military-industrial complex.

[txindy]

92. Wow. Did the Democrats gain a majority yesterday?

Because they would need one to control the pursestrings or anything else. Maybe the repub majority should stop LYING about the lack of armor and other necessities.

"Democratic?" **snort!**

:popcorn:

[me b zola]

82. Damn this pisses me off

I'm thinking that this young man and many like him just want to come home alive & with all of his parts. :cry:



FUGWB!!!!!!!!!!!!! :grr:

[texpatriot2004]

84. God Bless this soldier. How sad! May he come home safely...

and soon.

How sad and true is this.

[Lefta Dissenter]

87. kick

:cry:

[mrfocus]

88. And the Smirking Emperor has how much armor around HIM?

Did you see the tank like limousines that the Smirking Little Prince is rolling around in? It seems that you couldn't pack any more shielding onto what used to look like a limousine without getting the Bradley Fighting Vehicle shape.

[Imagevision]

90. This is despicable - repukes would ask; "why does he hate his country.

Fucking disgusting as Rummy claims this problem has been looked into, this is what the Bush administration represents!

http://downingstreetmemo.com/