"Saddam is gone; the war is over." Excellent, succinct LTTE.

[Atman]

This is an excellent LTTE in the Hartford Courant today. Curiously, they chose not to run it in the LTTE section of their web site. (Bold emphasis is mine).

====

Saddam Is Gone; The War Is Over

The Republican Party and President Bush frame the war in Iraq as the decisive front in the so-called war on terror. This statement does not allow debate on whether it is even still a war.

The war ended when Saddam Hussein was removed from power, just like the Gulf War ended when the Iraqis were driven from Kuwait. To call the continuing occupation of Iraq a war only serves to cloud the issue.

Now that Saddam Hussein is no longer in power in Iraq, and a new democratically elected government is in place, we are no longer at war with the country or its government or citizens. Once we accept that fact, perhaps we can have an honest discussion about why our troops are still occupying Iraq instead of returning home as heroes.

Paul Cipriano
Windsor

[Lerkfish]

1. it was never a war: it was always hegemony

[LynnTheDem]

2. Never was a war; it was an illegal INVASION.

Nothing heroic about a war crime.

[Atman]

4. Bush committed the war crime. The troops just believed his lies.

Ever heard the term "good little soldier?" Most of these guys, at least initially, were caught up in the patriotic aftermath of the WTC attack. They joined thinking they were defending our country, because that is what their CIC told them. They were used and lied to, they are not war criminals. Their leader, Mr. Bush, is. Let's not have a repeat of the Viet Nam era derision toward our troops. It serves no purpose. Keep our eyes on the real criminal here.

[LynnTheDem]

5. Most were long-time career soldiers, they didn't join up

because of bush's illegal invasion.

And I know one entire unit knew it was bullshit from the start. I know, because they are my husband's unit.

bush didn't win the military vote. Soldiers aren't as ignorant as the rightwingnuttery thinks. But they went were they were ordered to go because the alternative for many was worse than not going.

And just for your info, the left DID NOT deride our troops during Nam. It was the left who embraced the troops and the rightwingnuts who still to this day spit on our 'Nam troops.

And that's a fact.

[Atman]

6. It wasn't the left that spit on the troops? Oops.

I was told differently on a freeper board. They insist it was us Jane-Fonda-loving commies who spit on the returning troops while they were busy waving flags and baking them cookies and welcoming them back into the community. Seriesly.

[LynnTheDem]

7. No it wasn't the left.

In fact, there's only one documented evidence of any spitting on troops and that was rightwingnuts who spat on WWII troops who marched protesting the 'Nam war.

The left embraced and welcomed the troops into their homes as well as their anti-war groups & protests. It was the right who still to this day bitch about how "we would have won" if only the troops who had been protesting at home & in 'Nam had just shut up & tried harder.

Guess who started the lie about lefties "spitting" on our troops & calling them "baby-killers"...hint; rightwingnut "president" of the time.

Dontcha love that rightwing noise machine!

Like how they love to say the right is stronger on defense; actually the FACT is, they are not. Here's the FACTS on that one, but shhhh! Don't tell the rightwingnuts! They like being ignorant!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3249504

Funny how the rest of the world outside the USA knows all these FACTS, yet most Americans don't.

[magellan]

3. God I love clear-minded thinkers

Another astute member of the public doing the journalists' job for them again.

Cheers to you, Mr. Cipriano of Windsor CT! :toast: