A soldier maimed by war now questions the mission

[YankeyMCC]

(snip)

WASHINGTON -- President Bush came and sat by the side of Sergeant Brian Fountaine, a 24-year-old tank commander from Dorchester, a gung-ho soldier who had lobbied to be deployed a second time. Now Fountaine was among the wounded at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, his legs amputated below the knees after an explosion June 8 ripped apart the Humvee in which he was riding.
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The president chatted about the sergeant's beloved Red Sox, but made no reference to the war, the soldier said.

If the topic had come up, the president might not have liked what Fountaine had on his mind. In a dramatic change of heart, Fountaine now considers the war a military quagmire in which American soldiers are caught in a deadly vise between irreconcilable enemies.

In his view, troop morale has plummeted, suicide has increased, and the sacrifices being made in American blood and treasure suddenly seem questionable.

(snip)



http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/08/02/a_soldier_maimed_by_warnow_questions_the_mission/

[Broken_Hero]

1. I'm glad stories like this are coming out...nt

[Hav]

5. .

I'm sad that he had to lose his legs to finally come to this conclusion.
It will such an enormous effect on the rest of his live.

[saigon68]

2. A few brave people said that SHIT here in Feb 2003

We were attacked by Lieberman enablers, DLC DINOs and TROOP JOCK SNIFFERS

and the rest of the Nut jobs currently hiding out in the I/P forum.

[gratuitous]

6. Don't forget our Republican overlords

Yeah, war is a great game and lots of fun. Trouble is, it's rarely over when the most gung-ho want it to be over. It has a nasty way of lingering on long after that fun has ended.

I wonder why El Presidente didn't ask the soldier what he thought of the war that cost him his legs? Prolly a natural reticence to pry too deeply into other people's personal lives.

[saigon68]

10. No, but I'm sure when the Chimp got home

The "Blind Trust" ADVISER he has, would have told him

how Swimmingly his WAR STOCKS were doing.

[xchrom]

3. this soldier is brave on more than one level.

he did his job admirably -- and he is thinking and speaking out for himself.


i guess the sad part for me is -- soldiers who spoke out about iraqnam before this were treated so badly.

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. You won't see or hear this story on Limpbaugh or Hannity

They'll slide right by this story.

[MissMillie]

9. or he'll be Swift-Boated

they'll say his injuries were his own fault because he was an inept soldier.

[IndianaGreen]

7. He is one of thousands that have been wounded physically & phsycologically

"How does one go from being a combat-hardened tank commander to being a poor wretch on the ground?"

<snip>

``When you swing your legs over the side of the bed, you wonder why your feet don't hit the floor," Fountaine said. ``And then you remember: It's because you don't have feet, stupid."

[sabra]

8. "but made no reference to the war"

says alot...

[bling bling]

12. That does say a lot! I noticed that too.

It shows that Bush just wants to get in and out of there, fulfill his "obligation" to talk to the vet and move on. Were he to bring up the war it might bring reality into the situation and he doesn't want to go there.

[warrens]

11. It's pathetic that you have to lose your freakin' legs to start thinking

I really feel for the guy, but what the hell is going on in this country that so many are willing, no eager, to suspend any sort of critical thinking? I seem to remember a time when the professional troops were generally thoughtful and involved. Maybe I'm wrong and they all substitute blind obedience to authority for a real personality, but my friends who served were never like that.

[samsingh]

13. what about civilian deaths and murders?

[saigon68]

14. Those in charge don't give a shit

[Anakin Skywalker]

15. Red Sox. LOL!

That's all the Idiot President can chat about. Our Beloved Esteemed Almight God Sent Leader doesn't want to face up to the mess he authorized.