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t r u t h o u t | Letter to the Editor
Dear Truthout, My name is James A. Watson, and I am a combat veteran of Vietnam. I served with the First Cav, Song Be, Phouc Vinh and Bien Hoa. My time of service was 70-71. Sirs and Madams, I am a 100% disabled from PTSD and have no way in which to express my dissatisfaction with George Bush and company about the way they are trying to hijack my service and put words in my mouth. What is true for some veterans is not true for others; furthermore, the reason I fought for my country was to preserve the right for people (including John Kerry) to speak out against atrocities where ever they occur. The atrocities and lies are back it seems and back with big donors who didn't fight but were able to accumulate enough money to say and do what they want without consequences. I thought I fought for this to not happen. A few well-heeled heels are dividing and conquering the Veteran's supposed indomitable character. Listen, I had no idea at the chicanery involved in the Vietnam War when I went to fight America's enemies. But, like John Kerry and many others, I discovered the inanity of the war when I arrived in-country so many miles from home. From my understanding, this same story is happening just as it did 35 years ago. The lies to perpetuate our capitalistic imperialism are still as thick and slick as during Vietnam. All that is for history to work out. What I would like for you to do is let people know these few veterans the news media are keyed in on is not the way all veterans perceive their experiences from a war that split our country apart. I have a feeling there are many more like me but have no means to express themselves about it. I am extremely frustrated and angry that George Bush has divided our country again. Spouting all the demagoguery of the hawks of the sixties and with the slickness of a polished political campaign money can buy, George Bush has turned veteran against veteran. I don't have the money to let people know that I don't feel the same as the "Swift Boat or Veteran's for Truth" people. Please, let the world know this politically divisive disease known as the "Bush Administration" is not the whole story. I thank you people at "Truthout" for doing a good job trying to expose the inanity of this period in American history. Sincerely,
t r u t h o u t | Letter to the Editor
Brooke, I don't know if this message will get to you but I wanted you to know that I had to catch my breath after reading your letter about your brother. I am so sorry about your loss. I am a veteran of the first gulf war and am thoroughly disgusted with Bush & this war in Iraq. Your brother is a true hero having gone into combat despite seeing that the reasons we were given for going to war were completely phony. I am dedicating the next two months to electing John Kerry & I will be thinking of you and your family. Your friend, Steven T. Ling
t r u t h o u t | Letter to the Editor
I am 30 years old and have never been even remotely interested in politics. Since Bush snuck into office I have been asking myself and my friends if politics has always been this shady and if our government has always been so focused on power and money. Every day I find more and more awful things that this administration has their hands in. What I don't understand is how they are getting away with it. I was a Marine while Clinton was in office and was outraged at his behavior, I felt that he should hold himself to the highest standard and we, as Americans, should insist that our president, the leader of the free world, should hold the same values. Well, now I feel that Clinton was small potatoes. Bush makes Clinton's indiscretion look minor, I think that Bush is criminally misleading the American people and should be held personally responsible for every death that our troops are suffering in Afghanistan and Iraq. What I am want to know is when one of our other elected representatives is going to step to the plate and call for an impeachment investigation. Anyway, enough venting. Thanks for Truth Out, I read it every day. Keep up the good work and hopefully next year we'll have a respectable president in office. Yours,
t r u t h o u t | Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, Our War is With the GOP and Bush We on the left, who are Democrats, Progressives, Liberals, and Greens have let this whole Middle East issue side track us lately. Frankly, there is nothing we can do at this point since we do not hold the seat of power. That seat is the presidency of the United States. Even a Democratic list which I helped moderate, came to a halt over this very divisive issue. Under the Bush Sr. administration we saw the loss of life escalate as we are seeing under this present Bush Jr. administration. Under the Clinton administration, we saw a chance for real peace in this war torn region. Had George Bush and the GOP not stole the presidency, it is my firm belief that under a Gore adminitration those most promising talks would have gone forth. But, when Bush seized power, by his ignoring the situation, and perhaps he did so knowing it would blow up at somepoint or by his lack of knowledge on foreign affairs the Middle East is a warzone today. He must be held accountable. Could the reason that Chairman Arafat walked away from this process is because Bush stole the presidency? Who knows. Also during the Clinton administration we saw real peace at hand in other regions like Northern Ireland. When then President Clinton sent former Senator George Mitchell over for diplomatic talks with those involved. A peace agreement was signed in what came to be known as the Easter Day Accord. It has become abundantly clear that if you want a real and lasting peace, we must unite to win back the house and retain the senate, thereby putting Bush Jr. in legislative handcuffs. We also must unite like we have never before to insure that we send Bush Jr. back to Crawford, Texas come January 20, 2005. The only side worth taking is our side to show just how wrong Bush Jr. is not only for our country but the world as well. Our fight is with him, and not with ourselves. After all, people's lives are depending upon a true and lasting peace. And we must be that force of peace and not of war. It just seems to this American that everytime we have a Bush in the White House we are at war. Probably one of the main reasons is to pay his campaign contributors such as big oil, and the defense industry back. So friends do not let this issue side track us, because our war is with the GOP and George Bush. Let us take a lesson from France who railed against a possible election of a far right candidate, and came to the polls in astounding numbers to reject said leadership. Perhaps France was taking their cue from us. Now lets get back to work, folks! Regards,
t r u t h o u t | Letter to the Editor
I live 32 blocks from Ground Zero. Close enough to breathe the dust of the dead for weeks. The day it happened, my greatest anger went to ones whose job was to protect us, and didn't. There will always be cockroaches like bin Laden. Always. I think nothing of him. I can't even bother to be angry. But the FBI? The CIA? Air Defense? FOUR of our planes stolen on our soil and Bush could think of nothing better to do than read children's stories? He's the new Nero. They let us die. I knew it on the day. Bush was around 50 percent in the polls. We knew we'd be at war soon. I knew nothing of Unocal then. Anyway, I agree with everything you said. I want it investigated. I want those flag-waving bastards to answer for what they stood aside and allowed to happen so they could have their convenient war. May they never sleep.
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