A Wife's Request - Long but a good read
 

>> > WIFE'S REQUEST
>> >
>> >
>> > I was sitting alone in one of those loud, casual steak houses
>> >that you find all over the country.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > You know the type--a bucket of peanuts on every table, shells
>>littering
>> >the floor, and a bunch of perky college kids racing around with long
>> >neck beers and sizzling platters.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Taking a sip of my iced tea, I studied the crowd over the rim of
>> >my glass. My gaze lingered on a group enjoying their meal.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > They wore no uniform to identify their branch of service, but
>> > they
>>were
>> >definitely "military:" clean shaven, cropped haircut, and that
>> >"squared away" look that comes with pride.
>> >
>> >
>> > Smiling sadly, I glanced across my table to the empty seat where
>> >my husband usually sat.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > It had only been a few months since we sat in this very booth,
>> >talking about his upcoming deployment to the Middle East.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > That was when he made me promise to get a sitter for the kids,
>> > come
>>back
>> >to this restaurant once a month and treat myself to a nice steak.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > In turn he would treasure the thought of me being here, thinking
>> >about him until he returned home .
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > I fingered the little flag pin I constantly wear and wondered
>> >where he was at this very moment. Was he safe and warm? Was his
>> >cold any better?
>> >Were my letters getting through to him?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > As I pondered these thoughts, high pitched female voices from the
>> >next booth broke into my thoughts.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > "I don't know what Bush is thinking about. Invading Iraq. You'd
>> >think that man would learn from his old man's mistakes. Good lord.
>> >What an
>>idiot!
>> >I can't believe he is even in office. You do know, he stole the
>>election."
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > I cut into my steak and tried to ignore them, as they began an
>> >endless tirade running down our president.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > I thought about t he last night I spent with my husband, as he
>>prepared
>> >to deploy. He had just returned from getting his smallpox and
>> >anthrax shots. The image of him standing in our kitchen packing his
>> >gas mask
>>still
>> >gives me chills.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Once again the women's voices invaded my thoughts.
>> >
>> > "It is all about oil, you know. Our soldiers will go in and rape
>> >and steal all the oil they can in the name of 'freedom'. Hmmm! I
>> >wonder how many innocent people they'll kill without giving it a
>> >thought? It's pure greed, you know."
>> >
>> >
>> > My chest tightened as I stared at my wedding ring. I could still
>> > see
>>how
>> >handsome my husband looked in his "mess dress" the day he slipped it
>> >on
>>my
>> >finger.
>> >
>> >
>> > I wondered what he was wearing now. Probably hi

RE: A Wife's Request - Long but a good read
 

I'll admit that I am against the war in Iraq. NOT against our troops, NOT against our country, but against an ill-advised war that puts our troops at risk for a presidents personal agenda. Slam me if you want but this is how I truly feel and it is VERY apparent that the well being of our troops is NOT closest in the presidents thoughts and prayers as he would have you believe or he would be putting much more pressure on the Iraqi government to assume control of their own country. Instead he sits by as they squabble over who will reap the oil proceeds when we finally do leave. Yes this is what it is ALL about-THE MONEY. Now they have the unmitigated gaul to schedule a 2 MONTH VACATION! Our troops are there taking fire and holding their country together and they are making vacation plans for 2 months! The president should start immediately withdrawing troops from these leaders compounds and then see how fast things start moving without their protection.

Again you can slam me all you want but this IS how it is and precious AMERICAN lives are spent every day over there for GREED!

Oh, and by the way I have in the past annonymously picked up the check for veterans and those currently serving at one of those steakhouses. It's the least I could do. [sm=americanasmiley.gif]

RE: A Wife's Request - Long but a good read
 

Freedom is not bought and paid for, its paid in installments. It must be tough on our elected officials that know a whole lot more about what is going on and can't say, then it is for those reporters who slant things the way they see it. I can't make a total judgement call on what I see reported, too many agendas. And deranged I won't slam you, the troops are stationed in countries all over the world so you have the right to speak your mind. I hope you never find yourself in need of help and nobody wants to get involved because its not their problem. They are safe within their own space and are glad for it. You can't say GOD bless and know for a fact that you've done nothing to give that situation your best effort. Thank GOD there are still Americans like the generation of WWII. Fewer that is true, but still some. Resolve has been waning since Vietnam. So heres to our elected officials and our troops THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. As far as the war for oil as you stated, if your right then it ain't working. Gas and oil continue to go up. Leads me to believe theres another reason. And China is getting a big portion of that oil from Iraq. So I don't think that is the deal.

RE: A Wife's Request - Long but a good read
 

The problem I have with your statements against our officials is that they know stuff you and I will never know. All we know is what we read and hear
and there are many filters and walls before they get to us.

They make the biggest and best decisions based on the information they know at the moment. I am glad I do not have to make those decisions.

All I can do pray for them and support them.

I will agree with your statement, in that I do not like any kind of war anywheres but sometimes it is necessary.

I still remember how much we were in shock and horror during 9/11 and very much in prayer as a country and supported attacking the enemy.

Oh, but I how quickly this country has forgotten. If we were to get attacked again, we would be 180 degrees in support of attacking the enemy again.

Oh, but I quickly we would forget again.

RE: A Wife's Request - Long but a good read
 

You cannot be against the war and for our troops because our troops believe in what they are doing. You are applying hindsight to the situation which is typical of those who share your opinions. The president was faced with a decision about a regime which would not allow inspections, which had used chemical weapons to exterminate their own people, which had attacked a neighbor & attempted to assassinate an American president. If you were in his place making decisions with information he had AT THE TIME rather than what we may know today you might have come up with a similar conclusion. Had we not gone into Iraq and an another attack had taken place you & your cadre would be blasting the President for not taking action.

You are a typical armchair quarterback, backseat driver, or you may insert any other analogy that represents that sentiment.

Maybe you can answer a question for me. How many times have we been attacked since 9/11?

Idiots like you infuriate me with your don't support the war...support the troops crap. Be honest...you do not support our troops.

RE: A Wife's Request - Long but a good read
 

deranged, you and I have argued about this a few times if I remember correctly back at DF. You want to use arguments made by Michael Moore about that pipeline thing. Here is the dirty little secret, that was proposed during Clinton's years. Also, you want to claim that Bush is doing this for money and popularity, then explain this long list of quotes.

[quote]
Bill Clinton > February 17, 1998
“If Saddam rejects peace, and we have to use force, our purpose is clear: We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program."

Madeleine Albright > February 1, 1998
"We must stop Saddam from ever again jeopardizing the stability and the security of his neighbors with weapons of mass destruction."

Nancy Pelosi > December 16, 1998
"Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology, which is a threat to countries in the region, and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process."

Sandy Berger > February 18, 1998
"He'll use those weapons of mass destruction again as he has 10 times since 1983."

Madeleine Albright > November 10, 1999
"Hussein has chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies."

Dick Durbin > September 30, 1999
"One of the most compelling threats we in this country face today is the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Threat assessments regularly warn us of the possibility that North Korea, Iran, Iraq, or some other nation may acquire or develop nuclear weapons."

Bill Clinton > December 17, 1998
"Earlier today, I ordered America's armed forces to strike military and security targets in Iraq.... Their mission is to attack Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors."

Bill Clinton > February 17, 1998
"We have to defend our future from these predators of the 21st Century.... They will be all the more lethal if we allow them to build arsenals of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them. We simply cannot allow that to happen. There is no more clear example of this threat than Saddam Hussein."

Tom Daschle > February 11, 1998
"The (Clinton) administration has said, 'Look, we have exhausted virtually our diplomatic effort to get the Iraqis to comply with their own agreements and with international law. Given that, what other option is there but to force them to do so?' That's what they're saying. This is the key question. And the answer is we don't have another option. We have got to force them to comply, and we are doing so militarily."

Bill Richardson > May 29, 1998
"The threat of nuclear proliferation is one of the big challenges that we have now, especially by states that have nuclear weapons, outlaw states like Iraq."

John Kerry > February 23, 1998
"Saddam Hussein has already used these weapons and has made it clear that he has the intent to continue to try, by virtue of his duplicity and secrecy, to continue to do so. That is a threat to the stability of the Middle East. It is a threat with respect to the potential of terrorist activities on a global basis. It is a threat even to regions near but not exactly in the Middle East."

Al Gore > December 16, 1998
"[I]f you allow someone like Saddam Hussein to get nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, chemical weapons, biological weapons, how many people is he going to kill with such weapons? He has already demonstrated a willingness to use such weapons..."

And now for the killer...

October 9th, 1999 Letter to President Clinton Signed by Senators Levin, Lieberman, Lautenberg, Dodd, Kerrey, Feinstein, Mikulski, Daschle, Breaux, Johnson, Inouye, Landrieu, Ford and Kerry -- all Democrats

"We urge you, after consulting with Congress and consistent with the US Constitution and laws, to take

RE: A Wife's Request - Long but a good read
 

Good information. Nobody in their right mind wants war. But you have an Army for this very purpose and you use when you've exhausted all other options. And I believe we did that and more. Now I will continue to support the troops in their continued success and stay committed to the cause. We cannot afford to show any sign of weakness here. The animals we are fighting and I do mean we, do not think like you and I. They want their agenda to push forward and no one is exept from their reign of terror. women, children, old and cripple. They don't care. Its just a matter of time before we see another example of their callous disreguard for human life. The brave men and women of our armed forces can count on my fullest support of their bravery in the face of an evil satan inspired enemy.

RE: A Wife's Request - Long but a good read
 

I tend to get a little emotional about this subject when I get subjected to the pablum spewed by those with fence sitting beliefs. Our very close family friends lost a son in Iraq and he believed in his mission. I feel the same way the lady in the piece felt overhearing the people at the next table.

I try to be pretty respectful on this forum (and in my life in general) and show restraint. I think the word idiot is pretty mild but agree with your sentiment and will try to refrain from calling any idiots an idiot in future posts.

;)

RE: A Wife's Request - Long but a good read
 

Very good idea on the refraining part. Thanks for being cooperative.

RE: A Wife's Request - Long but a good read
 

I understand your feelings. I have both family members and close friends over there and I get tired of people believing propaganda just because they are still bitter about who's president. One of my closest friends has been there since the beginning in the Marines and reinlisted. He believes strongly in the mission and I admire him. I get sick of hearing these politically motivated lies running out of uninformed people like diarrhea who think they know everything.

You're normally very good about not using name calling. I thank you for your future efforts to avoid using name calling.

Something else I wanted to address, who is really the greedy one? Many of these quotes are from people who have flip-flopped so then they can get money from anti-war people from Hollywood and elsewhere. They are willing to sell out our country so then they can get not only a few extra bucks, but also power. Greed is something that will always exist on both sides. The fact is we are not getting the oil that some are claiming we are "after" in Iraq, if we did the oil prices would be going down instead of up; therefore, that is an illogical argument.

The problem with the stance of "I'm against the war, but not the troops" is that right after this, many have moments like Dick Durbin, where they compare insignificant things like what happened at Guantanamo Bay to Nazis, Soviet gulags, and others. Their support is skin deep. Just an example, my cousin was at an airport and was in uniform, a person ran up to him and said, "I support the troops, but not the war!" My cousin responded, "Well, I happen to believe in the war, that is why I joined." Then the person started cursing at him, calling him a murderer and other things. If they really support the troops, they will support what they are doing whether or not they like who is in the White House.

lear4406: Thank you. I agree war should not be the first choice and it wasn't despite what some people claim. Your right that these people cannot be reasoned with, the numerous UN resolutions, previous sanctions, and other failed diplomacy were proof of that. The only way to deal with a nutcase is to get rid of them. Hitler didn't want to be friends, he wanted world domination and that is nothing short of what these nutcases are after.