as one who has served during wartime let me say this

[SargeUNN]

Any war you can get ended is a good thing and to leave without leaving a lot of equipment and deaths by too large a number just leaving, it is a good thing. I came about as close to go to Viet Nam as you can without going having had orders to go but at the last minute those orders were cancelled and I went to South Dakota instead. I had friends who died in Nam and I trained to go there. Believe me I am so glad I didn't have to go and I wish my friends hadn't had to go either, but again I feel good that more young people will not be sent home in boxes.

I would love to see our troops leave Afghanistan and hope soon they will but as one who has had the experience I have had, I can tell you, the main thing is that combat troops are out. Yeah we are still having troops there to train and such and some sadly might die, but hopefully no more will. I ask please put your political bickering to the side and be happy for our young people and for one short minute, let's rejoice.

[Scurrilous]

1. Thanks SargeUNN.

K & R :thumbsup:

[hlthe2b]

2. I wish we had learned the lessons of Vietnam....

and had avoided this debacle... I only wish the ghost of Eisenhower would haunt every member of Congress and every President from now until the future. We MUST do something to contain the military industrial (congressional) complex.

[tabasco]

7. We did learn the lesson of Vietnem.

The Iraq War was not a mistake, based on faulty intel or ignorance of history.

It was a deliberate act of profiteering, based on lies.

The people who lied us into the Iraq War are war criminals.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Amen brother

[elocs]

4. Unfortunately political bickering is what it tends to be about here.

Someone will always find the downside, the fly in the ointment. Some find it hard to rejoice about anything.

[w8liftinglady]

5. Sarge-I'm with you,bro.Hopefully,this will be a trend...

[Booster]

6. I'm rejoicing. Since we shouldn't have gone over there in the

first place, I'm more than happy to see our troops leaving now.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

8. The war racket...

the sooner we end it the better.

Recommend your timely OP. :kick:

[lonestarnot]

10. Warmongers have made "brazillions."

[bobbolink]

13. !

:applause:

[Scurrilous]

9. Kick

:kick:

[SeattleGirl]

11. I am very happy that many of them are coming home, Sarge.

Very happy indeed!

[one_voice]

12. Thanks Sarge!

K&R

[AlabamaLibrul]

14. Cheers, everyone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb2YSAVHmIE&feature=search

[Steely_Dan]

15. I Missed Viet Nam by a mere four weeks...

I was at Air Defense Artillery school at Ft. Bliss. As a young Lt., I would have surely gone. But, alas, the end of the war arrived.

I too am glad that I didn't end up going. The life expectancy of a young ADA officer was approximately 7.5 seconds. If you know anything about heat seeking missiles, you can figure out the rest.

Though I have been a vocal critic of President Obama's leadership, I commend him on "ending" the war in Iraq.

-P

[bobbolink]

16. Thank you for your sage words.

:patriot:

I haven't read all the threads on this, because my mind is on other things, but from what I have seen, I'm not sure I would categorize it as "bickering".

There are two distinct sides to this, and many of us see both.

A friend of mine is a mother of a son who just came back from Iraq, and I know what it did and is doing to her.... the threat of him going to Afghanistan. Mothers suffer! Do not take that lightly, either.

[lamp_shade]

17. Kick.

[old mark]

18. OP, I watched the Strykers moving out of Iraq late last night, and I was moved to tears.

I remember a lot of guys in the Army who never got to come home...most of them around 20 years old, with all of life ahead (I was an old timer-22).

I know most of us are happy or at least relieved to see them on the way home, and I am sorry for the ones who are somehow angry at them.

I hope to see our combat troops coming out of Afghanistan sooner rather than later...I see nothing to be gained by being there.

Mark
Former Sp4
1/504 PIR
82nd Airborne Div.