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Puck
The Texan
Joined: 05 Jan 2004
Posts: 5596
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 Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:59 pm President Bush has written to family of every fallen soldier |
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http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/dec/22/bush-cheney-comforted-troops-privately/
| Quote: | Mr. Bush, for instance, has sent personal letters to the families of every one of the more than 4,000 troops who have died in the two wars, an enormous personal effort that consumed hours of his time and escaped public notice. The task, along with meeting family members of troops killed in action, has been so wrenching - balancing the anger, grief and pride of families coping with the loss symbolized by a flag-draped coffin - that the president often leaned on his wife, Laura, for emotional support.
"I lean on the Almighty and Laura," Mr. Bush said in the interview. "She has been very reassuring, very calming."
Mr. Bush also has met privately with more than 500 families of troops killed in action and with more than 950 wounded veterans, according to White House spokesman Carlton Carroll. Many of those meetings were outside the presence of the news media at the White House or at private sessions during official travel stops, officials said. |
Whether you like his presidency or not, after reading this article I think you have to say that he is a decent a respectable person. I mean honestly, to have written over 4000 families? That is amazing. Furthermore, to learn that Dick Cheney actually sneaks away from events so that he can meet with wounded troops without the media is amazing. Like I said, agree with their policy or not, these two men obviously care a great deal about our troops.
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Arellia
The Quiet One
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Posts: 4425
Location: Dallas, TX
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| Tue Dec 23, 2008 3:38 am |
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I don't know. If they cared, why don't they mandate at least 12 months stateside, instead of having guys going out over and over? Why did the release of the MRAPS take so long? Why was body armor originally in short supply? Why is medical care difficult and sometimes impossible to receive? I really think that if they wanted to make a difference they should have been truly devoted to problems that soldiers and their families were facing during their administration. I had gone over the possibility of my husband dying, and what I would say to president Bush if that ever happened. After much thought I concluded that I had no kind words for the president, and would never have kind words for him, even if he walked from D.C. to Fort Campbell to see me.
But, I am admittedly biased and bitter from having personally seen the horrors of war inside hospitals and mental facilities. When I think of the president I think of the young man with the broken knuckles who couldn't get seen by a physician, the man who cracked under the pressure of too many deployments too close together, and the man who saw his friends die, became an alcoholic and was demoted from a sergeant to a private because he wasn't "allowed" to go to rehab. The at least 7 women at Fort Campbell who killed themselves after their husbands left for Iraq yet again, and the other hundreds of soldiers who took their own lives or tried to. Could Bush have fixed all those problems? No. Could he have tried harder? I think so.
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
Location: Classified
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| Tue Dec 23, 2008 1:20 pm |
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All there is to say is this: I totally second Puck's remarks. It just so goes against the left-wing caricature of these men. Both are truly decent, honorable people, as Puck said.
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Theresa
Lux Mihi Deus
Joined: 17 Jun 2001
Posts: 27256
Location: United States of America
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| Tue Dec 23, 2008 2:03 pm |
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To break the rules (ish), I agree w/ Kevin and RM. I don't believe it's possible to view everything in black and white and still be in reality. It's also cute as to how it's all still "all Bush's fault". And when Obama can't fix everything immediately (with his democratic government), is that going to be his fault, too? Ugh, nevermind.
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Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with our scars
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
Location: Classified
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| Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:46 pm |
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| Theresa wrote: | | To break the rules (ish), I agree w/ Kevin and RM. I don't believe it's possible to view everything in black and white and still be in reality. It's also cute as to how it's all still "all Bush's fault". And when Obama can't fix everything immediately (with his democratic government), is that going to be his fault, too? Ugh, nevermind. |
No, it's going to be Bush's fault still. But you know what? That's not entirely offbase. In terms of what the government's doing, Bush gets the bulk of the blame.
On a side note, it's been a long time since I've been called "RM." Kinda brings back memories, lol.
-------signature-------
"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Founder
Dominion Leader
Joined: 21 Jun 2004
Posts: 12755
Location: Gamma Quadrant
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| Tue Dec 23, 2008 6:10 pm Re: President Bush has written to family of every fallen sol |
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| Puck wrote: | | Whether you like his presidency or not, after reading this article I think you have to say that he is a decent a respectable person. I mean honestly, to have written over 4000 families? That is amazing. Furthermore, to learn that Dick Cheney actually sneaks away from events so that he can meet with wounded troops without the media is amazing. Like I said, agree with their policy or not, these two men obviously care a great deal about our troops. |
It is nice they do that, yes. But if they truly cared about our troops, then they wouldn't have rushed to put them in harms way in the first place. That would have shown a lot more caring then writing a letter IMO.
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Kyle Reese
Cadet Gunnery Sergeant
Joined: 21 Apr 2003
Posts: 5672
Location: The United States of America
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| Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:04 am Re: President Bush has written to family of every fallen sol |
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| Founder wrote: | | Puck wrote: | | Whether you like his presidency or not, after reading this article I think you have to say that he is a decent a respectable person. I mean honestly, to have written over 4000 families? That is amazing. Furthermore, to learn that Dick Cheney actually sneaks away from events so that he can meet with wounded troops without the media is amazing. Like I said, agree with their policy or not, these two men obviously care a great deal about our troops. |
It is nice they do that, yes. But if they truly cared about our troops, then they wouldn't have rushed to put them in harms way in the first place. That would have shown a lot more caring then writing a letter IMO. |
Well now, you say that as if they saw 4,200+ KIA coming ahead of time. When all is said and done, what else could they do? It takes a lot of thought and time for Bush to personally write over 4,200 letters to families who've lost a loved one while serving under him as Commander in Chief. When I leave for basic training in June, and after I'm officially a Marine, I don't want to be "cared for" by being kept "safe" from our enemies while they continue to operate freely. I'm not, of course, referring to body armor, MRAPs and the like.
I'm not here to argue, but I at least have enough sense to place most of the blame for US troop deaths with the ones killing them, rather than the ones who authorized their deployment, because I still support the mission. But then, it's impossible to convince someone of the value who doesn't support the mission and never has, because to them Saddam Hussein should still be "President" of Iraq. In that particular case, I'm not referring to you. But I'm not arguing over Iraq anymore, because soon enough the ISF will have control over all 19 provinces, and we'll be down to a support rather than active combat operations role and the only ones still arguing over it will be the ones who don't realize Bush-bashing won't get them anywhere anymore once Obama is in office.
But in response to this topic, Go Bush. At this rate, you'll be the only President I will have truly been proud of during my lifetime, regardless of the monumental amount of crap that has been said about you.
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