News-Record.com

While there are several points of this letter I cannot disagree with, I do take issue with the lack of consideration by the author/editor due to the recent loss of Andrew Russoli, a childhood friend of my son. How must this make his mother, Sally, feel as she reads this section of the paper this morning....especially with the reference to "loving their war toys" which is almost a quote from Sally when she was mentioned in the first article concerning the loss of Andrew. Guns and bombs aren't the only thing that hurt people.........and inconsiderate comments can cause more damage.

Jay Moore
Greensboro, NC

"What will it take to end the sadness?."

Try praying that Islamofascists hell bent on conquering the world will understand that blowing themselves and innocent bystanders up is not part of Allah's plan.

Easy for you to say while sitting up there on your high horse in judgement. You think Jesus would actually be pleased by this letter?

I am not condoning war or violence. But....

These 'boys' you speak of are actually courageous young men who are willing or forced to give their life for others. I'm sure a small percentage relish in taking the blood of others, but I'm also sure most feel that it is their duty and not for pleasure. Even still, many others made their way into the military because it was one of the few choices they had to better themselves. Those who couldn't afford college and couldn't get scholarships.

But I'd be willing to take a guess that if you had to face the decision of having to go into the military in order to have any kind of future, you wouldn't have written this letter.

You want to role-model Christianity for others? Start with not being so judgemental about young men you don't even know.

First of all, I knew Andrew and many other young men like him who entered the military not to "take the blood of others" but to show their patriotic duty as their fore fathers have done before them. And I also know that none of these young men wanted to go to war...why do I know, my son is also a US Marine currently in Iraq and served along side Andrew. He had a choice between going to college or the military and I believe he made the correct one according to God's Will. He said that serving his country is a privilege and an honor. These young men have more patriotism in their little fingers than most seasoned adults in their whole bodies. I hate that my son has had to kill, but war has been in existence since the creation of man - God Himself lead many a leader in wars all through out the Bible - and yes, people were killed. It is sad that innocent ones are killed or hurt along side the evil ones but that is sometimes the price we have to pay. Freedom is not free and that is what our country was founded on and stands for. God Bless America and all our military. Thank you Andrew and all others who have given your lives for our continued freedom and the freedom of other countries.
A proud Marine Mom!

Ann, blessings to your family and your son. I hope he will stay safe.

As a military mom, what is you opinion about letters like this, Cindy Sheehan & her ilk, the "war for oil" crowd, the lopsided reporting in mainsteam media (only bad news, nothing good)?

Dealing with these people must be difficult for you and other families who have sons and daughters who serve and are proud of their service.

Perhaps Ruth Martin should stop and think about all the men and women who have paid the ultimate price for her to have the freedom to write her letter.

God Bless our wonderful men and women in uniform.

In response to Dan's question, on behalf of being a military mom, I know in my heart, there is a good possiblity my son may be injured or even KIA. But I know that he has served our country well and has stood for what our country was founded on. It is hard as a mother, especially as the mother of an only son, to have to bury your child...but at the same time, it saddens me to know there are people out there who constantly badger our military, our President for this war on terrorism. We (USA) did not create this war, we only acted upon it because as a leading nation that is what we have always done. Our country is the richest and most giving country on this planet...and I would not want to live anywhere else! Our military is still on a volunteer basis, alot of countries that have a military, their young boys are MADE to serve regardless...do you hear them complaining? And if those complaining do not exercise their right to vote...then they just need to hush up. The media does not show the good things that happen in Iraq...like the Marines fitting small children with shoes and giving them school supplies & medicines. Or that females now have a say in their country and can go to school pass the 6 grade or hold a job to help support their family. That they are no longer under a sadistic dictator but under democracy! I am sure there is still some wrong doing under the table so to speak, that is our society...the all mighty dollar and power struggle. But in the end...good will prevail and evil will lose...this much I do know!

It is interesting to read the LAW OF ADMINISTRATION FOR THE STATE OF IRAQ FOR THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD

http://www.cpa-iraq.org/government/TAL.html

... which reads like any America would have written it.

Then read the TEXT OF THE DRAFT IRAQI CONSTITUTION

http://www.iraqigovernment.org/constitution_en.htm

which starts with

"We the sons of Mesopotamia, land of the prophets, resting place of the holy imams ..."

and quickly gets to

"Islam is the official religion of the state and is a basic source of legislation:
(a) No law can be passed that contradicts the undisputed rules of Islam

I pray too that someday the points in this letter may in fact come true. I just hope that it is after every other country on the face of the planet learns the same lesson at the same time. Otherwise, the term "sitting duck" takes on a whole new meaning.

I think the difference between the Law for the Adminstration of Iraq/Transitional Period and between the Iraqi draft constitution is troubling and any patriot has the right and the duty to question why we're letting our soldiers die to help support and facilitate a system of government based on such a document.
That said, I think any patriot has the duty to hold all our fighting men and women in high esteem and to respect their efforts.
To Andrew Russoli's family and any other family who has lost a loved one in Iraq, you have every right to be proud of the sacrifice your loved one has made to our county.

Sponge:

You hit it right on the button.

The only thing left unsaid was how to reconcile respecting the efforts of our fighting men and women and honoring the sacrifices of family at home, against a leadership that is disjointed at best, disingenuous at worst.

From a new report issued by the special inspector-general for Iraq - no less than the Wall Street Journal concludes:

"Iraq is likely to fall far short of its goals because soaring security costs and poor management have slashed the amount of American money available for rebuilding projects, according to a report by a federal auditor."

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB113066323283783565.html?mod=todays_free_feature

.... "poor management", Mr. Halliburton.

The Australian Financial Review cites from the same report, plans for rebuilding postwar Iraq were "insufficient in both scope and implementation", lacking "systematic" co-ordination between the State Department, White House and Pentagon ... Pentagon officials "were either unaware or chose to ignore" State Department assessments ... ,

http://afr.com/articles/2005/10/31/1130720482150.html

==

Now go ahead and slam me for not supporting the war in Iraq or bowing low to the distrustful federal "leadership" that sent them there, but know it is because I do support our sons and daughters being sent to fight terrorists, and I more than understand the tremendous danger Radical Islam presents ... but it is clear a small group at the top of the US government with brilliant brains are but small-minded people without trust of anyone outside their small circle - including other important agencies. They require a "for us or against us" choice and reject dissension, firing those that don't join in the rah-rah chorus.

They really don't even trust themselves, using scare tactics againts the American voter rather than run on the truth of their program results.

Let Frist prance about, let Delay smirk at his ability to slime through the court systen, let Cheney bully his way where-ever he goes, let Rummy disregard the advise his career military leaders are providing, let loyal but inept cronies be rewarded with life-time judgeships, insider tips for personal wealth, and Freedom Awards and ribbons .... but I don't trust them with the lives of my children of the future of my country.

OK JDR - you say "They require a "for us or against us" choice and reject dissension, firing those that don't join in the rah-rah chorus."

Prove it.

"For example, when General Shinseki indicated several hundred thousand troops would be needed in Iraq, his military career came to an end. When then OMB Director Larry Lindsay suggested the cost of this war would approach $200 billion, his career in the Administration came to an end. When U.N. Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix challenged conclusions about Saddam’s WMD capabilities, the Administration pulled out his inspectors [well they sent the troops in so Hans had to either leave or find himself on the tip end of the next cruise missile]. When Nobel Prize winner and IAEA head Mohammed el-Baridei raised questions about the Administration’s claims of Saddam’s nuclear capabilities, the Administration attempted to remove him from his post. When Joe Wilson stated that there was no attempt by Saddam to acquire uranium from Niger, the Administration launched a vicious and coordinated campaign to demean and discredit him, going so far as to expose the fact that his wife worked as a CIA agent."

26 Apr 1999: Former President George HW Bush: "I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the trust by exposing the names of our [intelligence] sources. They are, in my view, the most insidious of traitors."

JDR,

The quote from the WSJ regarding security costs made me wonder something I hope you'll share your thougths about. That is, we give some tremendous amount of foreign aid to Israel on a continuing basis. It occurs to me that Israel could likely not survive on their own economy without it. So we as a country give much support to a Jewish state. Are we not setting ourselves to doing something similar for an Islamic state?

I mean, given that we do it for a Jewish state, should we not feel it balanced to do it for an Islamic one? Especially since they are rather idealogically opposed cultures. Of course, the flip side of that argument is to stop aid, which I think might be a good idea in that we could use that to support our own people in need.

I am curious about your insights about this appearance that we are likely to be in a position with Iraq that is similar to the one we are in with Israel.

Thank you.

Astro Boy,

I haven't seen any Jewish terrorist flying planes into our buildings or bombing our embassies.

Just an observation.

JDR, are you talking to yourself in your 6:29 post?

Astro, we give more foreign aid than any country in the world, look at the graph on page 2: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/40/3/35389786.pdf

I'm trying to find info on who gets all that aid. When you Google "Foreign Aid to Israel" a lot of anti-Isreali sites pop up that state we give 30% of our foreign aid to Israel. I know we do give a disproportionate amount. I bet you can find it JDR, you resource hound you.

Aid to Israel does stick in the crawl of your everyday jihadist, as they want Israel wiped off the map.

truth,
I'm not sure the point you're making. I was just saying that I find it ironic how we have always supported Israel, but now seem to be finding ourselves in the position of doing the same thing for Iraq.

Dan,
I know we give a lot. mrproduce and I traded comments briefly on how we wished our government took as good a care of our own citizens as we seem to want to do with the foreign aid. I noticed in the second chart of your link that the US is next to last (second only to Italy, in the countries included) when comparing aid to GDP.

Astro Boy, you also might want to consider that Israel doesn't have oil. Iraq does have oil and would be quite self sufficient when the crazy rag heads are all killed off.

Good point, Mac. I'll have to think about that for a while, before I say too much about my suspicions about why we are in Iraq.

It does make me wonder about our aid to Israel. Besides the obvious humanitarian reasons, are we getting something in return for that aid? I wonder.

Astro:

For decades, Israel offered the only gauranteed place to land a US military should we need it.

Astro Boy - to try and answer your question, and speaking strictly as an opinion with few backing facts:

I don't see us in Iraq as we are in Israel - too many opposites: As noted by others Israel has no oil (Iraq has 10% of the world supply). Israel is "alone" in their religion, so help from the US is appreciated; the opposite in Iraq & its neighbors.

As further opinion - I've been through countless false hopes for peace between Israel and its neighbors - and it always is dashed. I sense the same for Iraq - until a really strong leader comes along, whom we will probably not like.

Ultimately, my gut say's we are not gonna be permitted to stay - there will not be a crony government favorable to the US, which was the basic assumption made by our brilliant but pig-headed self-centered .... I'll stop there, ya'll know how I feel.

Thank you, James,

You reassure me that when we finally "exit," whenever and however that may be, that we won't continue to pour such tremendous amounts of aid into there.