By this author

williamgast@wesupportthevets.com

meet me in St Louis Mr. President July 24,2003                                 

The pressure is on July 18,2003

This week's progress May27,2003

Define Hypocrisy June 12,2003

where are they now? June 15,2003

Promises made, promises kept? June 2,2003

will HR3474 go the same direction as HR303??

BZ-Mission Accomplished ….return to base???

By Bill Gast Editor—wesupportthevets.com   

 “We got him!”  Those outstanding words rang with an excitement that was long awaited by both soldiers and citizens. The results of a professional group of 4^th INF guys combined with TF20 intel people that had been working the AO for weeks got the results they were working for—the capture of Saddam Hussein.

 As was presented to the American public—our purpose for the “preemptive” attack has now been accomplished. The oppressive dictatorship and the genocide of thousands of  Kurdish and others has been brought to an end. A finale that involved  a decisive  policy split of the United Nations and our Allies. A further conflict with our allies is on the horizon over who will be the winners for the reconstruction bids.

 Is it possible to not support the President and the war and yet support the troops—our brother veterans and armed forces? Many believe that this is where the division in approval of administration policy comes home.

 According to TIME magazine, inside the Pentagon, the brass maintain that as long as U S troops are dying by ones and twos, they can deal with it. A survey by Stars and Stripes, the Pentagon –subsidized but editorially independent military newspaper, reported that half the troops in Iraq believe their morale is low. A third said their mission lacked clarity and half said they were unlikely to re-enlist. At a time when valid reports from the area say that 40,000 troops lack heavy duty body armor. Another expressed problem direct from the men in the field to their Congressmen via email? Not enough portable electronic jammers to keep remote-controlled mines from exploding under their vehicles. While G.I.s were shelling out $650 apiece out of their own pockets to buy the bullet-stopping ceramic plates missing from their flak vests, lawmakers were demanding that the administration  budget $46 million to buy 170 more jammers and $181 million for up-armored or fully reinforced humvees.

 When is the time right to hand back the security and government responsibilities to the Iraqis to stand on their own feet?

 The analogy we think Americans might have to worry about is one not frequently made- to Dien Bien Phu, Vietnam. The Russians stayed too long in Afghanistan and lost hundreds of good men to an entrenched national resistance. The West Bank of the Gaza Strip with the Palestinians is an ominous and horrible thought in comparison. Even the military might of Israel has been unable to quell the resistance or keep Israeli soldiers safe.

 Bravo Zulu to the guys that have brought freedom to the Iraqi people. We shall not forget those that gave the ultimate in order for this to happen . We also believe there is a point when the mission has been accomplished and any more lives lost can be averted.

Lets hope that the recent capture of this Dictator--- the source of tyranny for so many years-- can bring and end to the conflict and  we will let the Iraqi people  expel the remainder of the problems by their own  resources.

Bill

 Bill Gast USN   (RET) D.A.V.

Editor-

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