Anyone know who they're voting for in 2008?

[WhoSayWho? 5,000+ posts]

[/b]i guess you dont realize that when you join the military, there is an understanding that you may be called to war at any time. and as far as us losing over 3k people in this war, that figure is quite small when you compare it to other wars that have been fought throughout our history.

Hell yeah, those bastards who volunteered deserve what they get!

 

[Rich B 5,000+ posts]

I decided to vote for Obama for two reasons.

1) I've had enough of both the Bush and Clinton families running this country.

2) Because Obama gave this speech at the strst of the Iraq invasion-

"I don’t oppose all wars. And I know that in this crowd today, there is no shortage of patriots, or of patriotism. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war. What I am opposed to is the cynical attempt by Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz and other arm-chair, weekend warriors in this Administration to shove their own ideological agendas down our throats, irrespective of the costs in lives lost and in hardships borne....

That’s what I’m opposed to. A dumb war. A rash war. A war based not on reason but on passion, not on principle but on politics.

Now let me be clear – I suffer no illusions about Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal man. A ruthless man. A man who butchers his own people to secure his own power. He has repeatedly defied UN resolutions, thwarted UN inspection teams, developed chemical and biological weapons, and coveted nuclear capacity.

He’s a bad guy. The world, and the Iraqi people, would be better off without him.

But I also know that Saddam poses no imminent and direct threat to the United States, or to his neighbors, that the Iraqi economy is in shambles, that the Iraqi military a fraction of its former strength, and that in concert with the international community he can be contained until, in the way of all petty dictators, he falls away into the dustbin of history.

I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a US occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of al-Qaeda.

I am not opposed to all wars. I’m opposed to dumb wars."

 

[psych0ticnemes1 5,000+ posts]

Hell yeah, those bastards who volunteered deserve what they get!

you deserve to be right up front you pos coward... they fight for your b1tch @ss... go kill yourself so that deserving people can breath the fresh air of freedom you neglect to appreciate...

 

[AcidicDreams 10+ year member]

Hell yeah, those bastards who volunteered deserve what they get!

Death is not a punishment... in fact many of them have the warrior mentality where death in battle would be an honor (my best friend/marine being one of them)... I imagine that mentality is in the minority but they are volunteers. Death is an occupational hazard for the military. Every military death is truly unfortunate though, I'd give two civilians for every one soldier.

 

[WhoSayWho? 5,000+ posts]

you deserve to be right up front you pos coward... they fight for your b1tch @ss... go kill yourself so that deserving people can breath the fresh air of freedom you neglect to appreciate...

I forgive you because obviously:

sarcasm > you

 

[WhoSayWho? 5,000+ posts]

Death is not a punishment... in fact many of them have the warrior mentality where death in battle would be an honor (my best friend/marine being one of them)... I imagine that mentality is in the minority but they are volunteers. Death is an occupational hazard for the military. Every military death is truly unfortunate though, I'd give two civilians for every one soldier.

Odd sentiment. Most of the soldiers I served with would have it the other way around.

 

[Chevyaudio 5,000+ posts]

Im writing Goobs name it for President...

He has guided this forum to greatness, maybe he can guide the nation as well...

Think about it, we could get a T-shirt that after you wash it, its a white t-shirt.

 

[psych0ticnemes1 5,000+ posts]

I forgive you because obviously:sarcasm > you

Sarcasm can be tasteful, what you said wasn't even close... Death is not a subject that I take lightly... my apologies...

 

[Patrick Simmons 10+ year member]

Obama

 

[WhoSayWho? 5,000+ posts]

Sarcasm can be tasteful, what you said wasn't even close... Death is not a subject that I take lightly... my apologies...

Just read Mike's point that I was addressing. I think you will see where I am coming from.

Just because we have people that volunteer does not mean that they have no expectation that they will not be called upon to put their lives at risk unless it is truly necessary. I know you agree.

 

[AcidicDreams 10+ year member]

I decided to vote for Obama for two reasons.1) I've had enough of both the Bush and Clinton families running this country.

2) Because Obama gave this speech at the strst of the Iraq invasion-

"I don’t oppose all wars. And I know that in this crowd today, there is no shortage of patriots, or of patriotism. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war. What I am opposed to is the cynical attempt by Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz and other arm-chair, weekend warriors in this Administration to shove their own ideological agendas down our throats, irrespective of the costs in lives lost and in hardships borne....

That’s what I’m opposed to. A dumb war. A rash war. A war based not on reason but on passion, not on principle but on politics.

Now let me be clear – I suffer no illusions about Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal man. A ruthless man. A man who butchers his own people to secure his own power. He has repeatedly defied UN resolutions, thwarted UN inspection teams, developed chemical and biological weapons, and coveted nuclear capacity.

He’s a bad guy. The world, and the Iraqi people, would be better off without him.

But I also know that Saddam poses no imminent and direct threat to the United States, or to his neighbors, that the Iraqi economy is in shambles, that the Iraqi military a fraction of its former strength, and that in concert with the international community he can be contained until, in the way of all petty dictators, he falls away into the dustbin of history.

I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a US occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of al-Qaeda.

I am not opposed to all wars. I’m opposed to dumb wars."

This war isn't about Saddam or Iraq... It was the "right war in the right place"... While Iraq didn't really pose a threat Iran does, more so to the Isrealis than us but Iran is much more likely to take us on than Iraq. The reason for going to Iraq is that it would put us on the border of Iran, legally (he violated a pile of UN resolutions, kicked inspectors out etc...) and with what we assumed would be a friendly population (secular government, hated Saddam etc)...

Unfortunately much of the population is either indifferent to us or doesn't like us there, so it didn't work out perfectly but I imagine we will retain bases in the area which will serve our purpose of being in Iraq...

 

[Eugenics 5,000+ posts]

Sarcasm can be tasteful, what you said wasn't even close... Death is not a subject that I take lightly... my apologies...

apparently

you have a fake tomb stone in your avatar afterall.

 

[AcidicDreams 10+ year member]

Odd sentiment. Most of the soldiers I served with would have it the other way around.

yah... I'm a civi though... and I know plenty of silly civi's this world could do without... on the other hand I haven't met many worthless soldiers... though there are some..

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

I don't really like any of the candidates.

 

[psych0ticnemes1 5,000+ posts]

Death is not a punishment... in fact many of them have the warrior mentality where death in battle would be an honor (my best friend/marine being one of them)... I imagine that mentality is in the minority but they are volunteers. Death is an occupational hazard for the military. Every military death is truly unfortunate though, I'd give two civilians for every one soldier.

My buddy who died in Iraq the other day from an IED said before he left that if was going to die young, better it be for his country than anything else. However, It doesn't justify our reason for being over there. When was the last time you heard of a soldier dying from a gun shot? We are over there getting shot at, driving over explosives, but not shooting back. This isn't a war. We are babysitting.