trying to grok

Someone sick will eventually try to post something snide here. Delete it when they do. Those of us with family and friends in harms way aren't interested in hearing how someone other than the enemy is at fault. Stay strong.

Here is a good overview of the action in Mosel that day. It too references the same soldiers webblog as Sarah does.

http://www.juancole.com/

[Rest of comment deleted because it makes dc sound like a huge prick while my friend is lying on the operating table. -- Sarah]

sarah, why does my expression of sympathy for our soldiers trapped in Iraq makes me sound like a prick to you? I don't get it. Do you think only Bush lovers can be patriots?

dc,

take your "sympathy" somewhere else. do you even personally know a soldier? I just talked to Sarah and understand why she deleted your ignorant comment. why don't you get your own website and disrespect our service members elsewhere?

asshole.

erin, perhaps you are confusing my obvious disrespect for Bush with disrespect for our service members?

My disrespect for Bush is largly due to his lying about the cirmcumstances that sent our soldiers to war in Iraq. It is because I respect our soldiers and what they are willing to do for us that I loathe Bush so much for sending them into this senseless war.

I grew up during the Vietnam era, lost friends to the war, saw others lose themselves in drugs and alcohal when they got back, so I know what happens to a country and to the military when politicians use lies to justify war.

The need to see value in the sacrifice of a soldier is so great that during the Vietnam conflict many people refused to see the lies that demanded those sacrifices be made. Things haven't changed that much, people still want to believe in their country and in their soldiers. And we do - it is the leaders who have betrayed us not the soldiers.

I am sorry for all our soldiers trapped in this lie. I am also sorry for their families and friends, like you and sarah, who are entitled to believe that what they are doing is noble and worthwhile. Well yes it is. They are serving their country. That is always noble and worthwile. It is not their fault that the people who sent them there did so on the basis of lies and deceit.

I hope sarahs friend is ok. Modern medicine is miraculous so there is a lot to be hopeful for.

That was a terrifying story, and I truly hope your friend recovers fully and soon.

P.S. I have had it with the "Bush lied" shit, and this particular post is not the place to drag it out yet again.

Sarah - our best wishes for a full recovery. These brave men and women are doing important and dangerous work. We pray for them everyday.

Sarah - I'm so very sorry about your friend. I've read the account, and I am praying for your friend and his family. May all the good thoughts and prayers help them through and keep them strong.

Sarah, I'm sorry to hear that your friend is the one who was in the Stryker vehicle. I've read the account on My War. I join you in prayer for his recovery. Also, I know many of us who read My War are praying for him, too, as well as for all of the soldiers who were in that fight. They had a hard day's battle. I've been a reader of your blog for quite a while and enjoy your thoughts very much.

DC - I am not quite sure you are using the same definition of "patriot" as is used in this country.

Via Merriam-Webster:

Main Entry: pa·tri·ot - one who loves his or her country and supports its authority and interests

It seems to me you do not support the authority nor the interests. . . I am wondering under what circumstances you were lied to by GWB? The ones Micheal Moore pointed out to you? Or the ones that have since proven to be true?

I was never trapped in a lie during my six years of service. I would wager you could not find but a tiny minority of those who have served who would even share your opinion. Unless, of course, you are part of that small minority who have served who felt trapped by their own decisions and reject the personal responsibility of your decision. In cases outside your own personal experience, you should keep your opinions about the decisions of others to serve this country to yourself.

To the wounded,

Get well, soldier.

Semper Fi.

JCL
USMC '88-'94

Haven't been here for awhile. Checked in, read this post, and tried to read the link--but just couldn't without straining.

Can you contact the author of "My War" and ask him to switch to a light background with dark print? Or provide a "switch" link (the way Andrew Sullivan does?) I'm sure you'd have more influence with him than me.

I'm not color blind, but for some reason (maybe my monitor) it's practically impossible for me to read blogs that insist on using dark backgrounds with colored print. I can't believe I'm the only one with this problem.

Not a trivial problem if you think it's important to "get the word out" to as many sympathetic fellow Americans as possible.

Hope the LT pulls through. Too bad dc hasn't clued into the fact that he can spout off because of sacrifices by the likes of LT.

When I read stuff by liberal asshats like DC, I get the urge to smack them in the face. They are lying top to bottom, claiming that they "support the troops" but hate Bush. They don't support our troops, they support the enemy. They want our troops killed, and our forces defeated. plain and simple. ESAD, DC. or how about, FOAD??

I'm not going to challenge DC's patriotism, but I do think certain people are interested in our troops only if they ARE killed or wounded because they can use their suffering to attack the president.

Which is cheap as all hell, if you think about it.