Troop Morale

[Wizard777]

I have seen that some Military Families are saying that Cindy's Vigil is hurting troop morale. Being sent to a combat zone without enough armored vehicles or bullet proof vests doesn't hurt troop morale? Having to scavenge metal to weld on their vehicles to make one more layer between a bullet and their bare skin doesn't hurt troop morale? Iraq veteran benefits being passed as a forgotten in the first place second thought doesn't hurt troop morale? Bush returning from his vacation to cancel troop leaves doesn't hurt troop morale? Troops living for the end of their of hitch only to have Bush extend it doesn't hurt troop morale? Seeing Friends being shot and blown up with no end in sight and no definitive answers from DC doesn't hurt troop morale?

Bush goes to great lengths to explain his powerlessness over the military. He has even said that he just does what the Pentagon tells him to. What makes Cindy more powerful than the President of the United States of America? Maybe they should start by explaining that.

Because I have a huge load of vitriol for them if they cannot. It begins with. Don't disparage Cindy in her fight for hard answers to hard questions, peace, and to bring their loved ones home alive. Go to Crawford and camp outside the ranch. Wait for your chance to thank Bush for the lie that killed or maimed your child. Then when Bush comes out for the grand ass kissing ceremony. Then maybe Cindy can ask him a few questions while he's bent over. I'm sorry but not everyone has a lust for war. It ends with. Better yet why don't you just go to Iraq and cheer them up? Everyone else wants to do something that will have a positive effect on them. Instead of walking on egg shells while they dodge mortar shells. We want them to get some good out of this bad war. Like coming home to kiss their spouse, hug their children, and tell mom and dad how much they love them for all the wisdom they have taught them.

[BlueIris]

1. I love your post. 'Cause you know what else hurts troop morale?

Continuing to be at war.

[Wizard777]

3. Exactly!

Soldier live to preserve peace so they don't have to die in war.

When the bullets fly. When cars and people blow up trying to kill you. Talk is cheap regardless of who it comes from. Everyone wants to run their mouth until it's time to fight. Then the brave do battle and the republicans run.....for office.

[BlueIris]

7. Yes to everything else you posted and a reminder to lurking

war-supporters: you have no doubt read (I hope) the many, many posts on this forum from DUers who are in constant contact with active duty miliatry in the Gulf or other countries who report that morale is very low at the moment. The reason it's low ISN'T Cindy or mothers like her, much as you would like to paint opponents of the war as the culprits for the pain of our soldiers. It's the war, the deplorable conditions they are trying to fight it in, and Bush's exploitation of our soldiers' commitments to this country. Want to boost morale (like we ALL do)? Bring 'em home.

[Qanisqineq]

10. Yes, you have it right

I jokingly asked my husband if his morale or any of his friends morale was lowered by Cindy Sheehan. He isn't in Iraq right now but knows soldiers soon to leave for Iraq.

He said "no, what lowers morale is seeing your buddies getting killed."

[Toots]

13. A lot of those deplorable conditions are brought to them by Halliburton

There used to be a time when the military built their own compounds and drove their own supply trucks and prepared their own meals. They created their own conditions and dealt with them. Now Halliburton does all of that and the Troops get short-changed at every turn. Want deplorable conditions?.....Hire Halliburton with No-Bid contracts. Troop Morale indeed.

[Wizard777]

16. Trading with the enemy.

An army marches on it's stomach. Hallibutron was not paying their sub contractors. This placed them under extreme finacial duress. The last I heard on teh dispute between halliburton and their sub contractors. The sib contractors were promising to feed the troops peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches until they went belly up and could no longer obtain food of any kind to provide the troops.

While we are at war in Iraq. Halliburton is in Iran doing business with this "Axis of evil" member. Great shades of Prescott Bush! Hallivurton should be seized under the trading with the enemies act. That was passed just for Prescott Bush. His WW II business dealings with Adolph Hitler were so arrogantly blatant. Congtrss passed that law before he started holding his vusiness meeting with Hitler on the floor of the Senate. Teh Bush Family is known for manu things. Their loyalty to America is not one of them. I don't think America gas an enemy that the Bush's haven't done business with or had working for them. Al Qaida are mercenaries or soldier for hire. Have war will travel. I still think Bush hired them to attack us. They keep Fingering their bosses in their attacks.

[Wizard777]

14. Like a crowbar on my heart.

You know how the toy companies will use Jr. as a crowbar on Mom and Dad's wallet. That is how Bush is using our troops here at home. He uses them like a crowbar on America's Heart to get us to accept the war of lies. Sorry it's not working on me. I deeply resent it when toy companies do it. But when I see how much fun the kids are having with the toy. It warms my heart and I get over the resentment. War is not a toy. It's not something to be played with on a whim. The kids aren't having fun with it. When I see what it is doing to them, this country and the world. It breaks my heart. I'm never gonna get over this. I'm not going to shut up and go away. I will not rest until Justice is served.

[gratuitous]

2. Yeah, having a good reason to launch a war hurts the troops

They much prefer an open-ended, amorphous, poorly defined mission without benchmarks or any way to measure progress. I know that those are the kinds of jobs I just can't get enough of!

I have noticed, though, that the folks who yammer the most about troop morale are the ones farthest away from where the troops are.

[Wizard777]

5. I hear ya!

I don't believe that they went to Iraq to make great sacrifices for the American public that will be honored in private. Some of the troops have gotten those flowers Bush talked about. Delivered to the funeral home.

God Bless Cindy for defying Bush's edict to grieve alone in isolation. To not rain on his war parade. These military family's that have paid the ultimate price in this war don't need privacy. They need the comfort of a nation. They need many shoulders to cry on and even more wishes of wellness. They need the strength of the nation to help them stand tall and carry on.

I can only hope that Cindy will reach out in the darkness and pull these other grieving families out of their isolation. Pull them into the light of hope with her. So we can hug them, cry with them, get angry with them, help them get through a very tough time, and give them the love a government cannot. We are their fellow Americans. We are not the enemy. I hope they realize this from all the love Cindy has gotten from America. There is plenty more where that came from.

[Montauk6]

4. Rhetorical question...

What's more likely to adversely affect troop morale?

A mother channelling her grief into a consciousness-raising effort to help put a stop to what caused her grief, thus helping others along the way.

OR

An administration that has practically admitted that this war is BS.

Red tape that, due to cuts in the budget, skimps on the most basic needs for soldiers out in the field; while Halliburton contractors are well taken care of.

A war dragging on without any discernible exit strategy.

[Wizard777]

6. Rhetorical Answer...

"The Party of Lincoln"

President Abraham Lincoln had to put an end to trading with the enemy so the Civil War could end. This was very unpopular with the War profiteers on both sides. This is the most plausable motive for his assassination. The only people that hate to see a war end are those whose profit from them. Not those who pay for them with blood, sweat, tears, and lives. If they take the profit out the Iraq war. Bush and Cheney will have the troops out of there yesterday.

[Montauk6]

9. I LIKE your rhetoric, Wiz!

[Qanisqineq]

8. pay no attention to them

their morale isn't affected in the least. The ones in Iraq have no idea it is going on (unless Rush is screaming about it and they are listening) and are too stressed and busy to care. The freeper type troops just have more to bitch about now. The troops here in the US really don't give a flying fuck (pardon me) for the most part. They don't, it is their families that do. A few wives bitch about stuff like this but they are the same ones that sit on their ass outside in a lawn chair all day long doing NOTHING.

(Yeah, I live on a military base, work from home, and have some shitty neighbors that do nothing but chain smoke all day long and laugh and scream at the top of their lungs. Can't keep the windows open due to the smoke and noise and I am fed up. But the rest is the truth anyway.)

[SunDrop23]

11. Saying she is "hurting troop morale" is crap, just like

saying not supporting bush 100% is "emboldening the terrorists."

Unequivocably not true.

Nothing more than a line aimed at getting more people to drink the
kool aid.

[bribri16]

12. WP front page today on how soldier bloggers are being punished

by the military. It seems there are lots of soldiers in Iraq who are trying to describe what it is like for them using blogs and the military brass doesn't like it. Far be it for truth to persuade anyone.

[GreenPartyVoter]

18. Indeed.

[Wizard777]

19. There is nothing like enjoying that freedom your fighting for.

Why is it everytime an American tries to speak their mind the Bush Adminstration want to Cage them? Well other than a free thinker in the pursuit of truth being the biggest danger any Bush Shitter could ever posibbly face. They don't fight fair. You can't make them stick to the talking points.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

15. I found this 3-part series interesting...

It was posted on DU when it came out.
Halliburton and other war profiteers don't help morale.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,161170,00.html

<snip>
On one side are Americans who have gone to Iraq as private contractors, helping Iraqis and the U.S. military with construction or security while often earning a bigger paycheck than they would have made at home.

On the other side are Americans serving in the U.S. military — soldiers and Marines who earn less money and whose primary responsibility is fighting a violent insurgency and stabilizing the Iraqi government.

Both entities try to work side-by-side in a country where the fog of war often causes confusion as to who is friend and who is foe. But some contractors and their families contacted by FOXNews.com are telling stories of verbal abuse and humiliation at the hands of a few individuals in the U.S. military.

[Wizard777]

17. Halliburton Strikes Again.

Some of the private contractor have not been getting everything Halliburton promised them to get them there. It seems Halliburton is promising the sky. Then when they get the work done and survive to collect payment. Suddenly Halliburton wants to haggle. Once those people earn the money for halliburton. Halliburton then tries to beat them off the money. It's a very old and despicable corporate practice. One of these days they are going to do that to the wrong person on the wrong day. That person will show them what the Iraq work environment is really like. Halliburton will start the haggling and the employee will pull out an M-16 and shoot at them while they write the checks. Welcome to a work day in Iraq M. F'er! Frankly I wouldn't blame them one bit.