LISTENING TO OUR ELDERS:
Last Sunday on Sixty Minutes, Congressman Joe Murtha, reiterated what he had already said about Iraq. Sixty Minutes did playbacks on statements by the President and Murtha during the segment. One very telling one from Murtha was that we should stay as long as it took in Iraq, the opposite of what he is saying now. I thought, "What is he going to say about that?" He said, "I made a mistake, I've changed my mind." I , needless to say, almost fell over.
No politician ever admits that they made a mistake about anything. That alone would give credence to this grandfatherly figure who knows more than the vast majority of us. And now, Walter Cronkite has come out with the same view: Get out of Iraq! Cronkite's view is not totally unexpected, given his view of Vietnam, which, as we now know, is right on. Will we pay any attention? The short answer is no.
MURTHA'S LOGIC
The Iraqis have to made democracy work for themselves. Murtha says that if we leave, the Iraqis will stop the Iraqi insurgents mainly because the insurgents are Iraqis, not foreign fighters. Will there be civil war? Murtha says there already is. And, if we look at the constant barrage of Iraqis killed, we have to say, in my opinion, this is true.
THE AOL POLLS
I participate in these constantly and have to believe that they are a good gage on where Americans who think or care, really are. And, trust me on this, not all Americans do think or care.
How relevant is Walter Cronkite's opinion on the Iraq war?
Very 48%
Not at all 32%
Somewhat 20%
Do you agree that "we should get out now"?
Yes 63%
No 37%
Total Votes: 18,521
ANYBODY LISTENING? Answer NO!
Murtha said that we should leave a ready reaction force in Iraq. Good idea and they ought to be our elite troops: Special Forces, Rangers, Air Force Special Ops, Delta Force, Navy Seals.
The discouraging thing about this war, among many, is that nobody seems to be listening. Suggestions have been made before to "all the powers that be" to do something other than what we are doing now: "Get Out"; or, at least, change course. Their response: "Nobody is home." The Commander in Chief keeps saying, "total victory." And, he keeps saying it to groups like the VFW and soldier groups where the feeling is that if they don't support his views, then somehow they are being less than loyal Americans.
And, those in power, play to this attitude. However, I did notice that the President's applause was a little more muted with the VFW (veterans of foreign wars). I can't imagine that old soldiers support our present course with no end in sight, no exit strategy.
WHAT ABOUT THE COMMANDERS
Murtha, when asked by Mike Wallace(who did not pull any punches-- no softballs like Larry King or Fox News or Tim Russert)
"What about the commanders who support our course of action?" Murtha, the old straight shooting crusty Marine says, "They are afraid of losing their job." I think it's a little more complicated than that. It is a mentality. When politics get you to the top of the heap in the military, rarely are you, i.e., a General, going to make a statement that contradicts the opinion of the boss . Generals do not get to their rank by making waves.
Murtha read a letter from a soldier that supported him. He said that he hoped the people of his district would understand. I was impressed. God bless us! kt
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This is a delightful book by a talented young author who enjoys visiting her grandma at a very large office in a big city. The young author, Davis Guadalupe Jacobson, is very proud of her grandma and plans to solve mysteries with her in the next book. Order Miss Jacobson's "My Grandma Has a Blackberry" and learn more about her at 
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