Thank you Bush supporters...

[michele cryer]

Thank you, Bush supporters.
Posted by **Rumor** on Sep 7, 2004 at 5:40:06 PM:


To Whom it May Concern
By Brooke M. Campbell
t r u t h o u t | Letter
Friday 03 September 2004

To Whom it May Concern,

I found out that my brother, Sergeant Ryan M. Campbell, was dead during a graduate seminar at Emory University on April 29, 2004. Immediately after a uniformed officer knocked at my mother's door to deliver the message that broke her heart, she called me on my cell phone. She could say nothing but "He's gone." I could say nothing but "No." Over and over again we chanted this refrain to each other over the phone as I made my way across the country to hold her as she wept.

I had made the very same trip in February, cutting classes to spend my brother's two weeks' leave from Baghdad with him. Little did I know then that the next time I saw him would be at Arlington National Cemetery. During those days in February, my brother shared with me his fear, his disillusionment, and his anger. "We had all been led to believe that Iraq posed a serious threat to America as well as its surrounding nations," he said. "We invaded expecting to find weapons of mass destruction and a much more prepared and well-trained Republican Guard waiting for us. It is now a year later, and alas, no weapons of mass destruction or any other real threat, for that matter."

Ryan was scheduled to complete his one-year assignment to Iraq on April 25. But on April 11, he emailed me to let me know not to expect him in Atlanta for a May visit, because his tour of duty had been involuntarily extended. "Just do me one big favor, ok?" he wrote. "Don't vote for Bush. No. Just don't do it. I would not be happy with you."

Last night, I listened to George W. Bush's live, televised speech at the Republican National Convention. He spoke to me and my family when he announced, "I have met with parents and wives and husbands who have received a folded flag, and said a final goodbye to a soldier they loved. I am awed that so many have used those meetings to say that I am in their prayers and to offer encouragement to me. Where does strength like that come from? How can people so burdened with sorrow also feel such pride? It is because they know their loved one was last seen doing good. Because they know that liberty was precious to the one they lost. And in those military families, I have seen the character of a great nation: decent, and idealistic, and strong."

This is my reply: Mr. President, I know that you probably still "don't do body counts," so you may not know that almost one thousand U.S. troops have died doing what you told them they had to do to protect America. Ryan was Number 832. Liberty was, indeed, precious to the one I lost-- so precious that he would rather have gone to prison than back to Iraq in February. Like you, I don't know where the strength for "such pride" on the part of people "so burdened with sorrow" comes from; maybe I spent it all holding my mother as she wept. I last saw my loved one at the Kansas City airport, staring after me as I walked away. I could see April 29 written on his sad, sand-chapped and sunburned face. I could see that he desperately wanted to believe that if he died, it would be while "doing good," as you put it. He wanted us to be able to be proud of him. Mr. President, you gave me and my mother a folded flag instead of the beautiful boy who called us "Moms" and "Brookster." But worse than that, you sold my little brother a bill of goods. Not only did you cheat him of a long meaningful life, but you cheated him of a meaningful death. You are in my prayers, Mr. President, because I think that you need them more than anyone on the face of the planet. But you will never get my vote.

So to whom it may concern: Don't vote for Bush. No. Just don't do it. I would not be happy with you.

Sincerely,
Brooke M. Campbell
Atlanta, GA



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Kirksville, Missouri - A soldier from northeast Missouri was among eight killed April 29, 2004, in a car bombing in Iraq, the U.S. Department of Defense said Monday.

Sergeant Ryan M. Campbell, 25, of Kirksville, was a member of the Army's 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Division.

The soldiers were removing roadside bombs from a highway south of Baghdad. Campbell's mother, Mary Ann MacCombie of Kirksville, said the unit intercepted a station wagon crammed with 500 pounds of ammunition, and the driver detonated an explosive.

Campbell was stationed in Germany before he was sent to Iraq. He originally had been expected to return to the United States in April, but his duty in Iraq was extended three months.

"He's supposed to be home now," said MacCombie, recalling that her son called twice Wednesday, a day before he died. "His last words were, 'I'll be back in July.'"

Campbell joined the National Guard along with his best friend, Brendan McEvoy, several years ago. The pair enlisted in the Army in February 2002.

MacCombie said Campbell was an avid outdoorsman and a talented drummer who tried to assemble a band during his time in Germany. He graduated from Truman State University in Kirksville and planned to attend graduate school after completing his military service.

A memorial service will be Friday at Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Kirksville. A specific time has not been set. Campbell will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Other soldiers killed in the attack were Staff Sergeant Esau G. Patterson Jr., 25, of Ridgeland, South Carolina; Staff Sergeant Jeffrey F. Dayton, 27, of Caledonia, Mississippi; Specialist James L. Beckstrand, 27, of Escondido, California; Specialist Justin B. Schmidt, 23, of Bradenton, Florida; Private First Class Ryan E. Reed, 20, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Private First Class Norman Darling, 29, of Middleboro, Massachusetts; and Private First Class Jeremy Ricardo Ewing, 22, of Miami, Florida.

Campbell, Ryan Montgomery
SGT US Army
Veteran Service Dates: February
2002 - April 2004
Date of Birth: 11/07/1978
Date of Death: 04/29/2004
Date of Internment: 05/11/2004
Buried at: Section 60 Site 7979 - Arlington National Cemetery

[michele cryer]

Interview with soldiers mother
Posted by **oceanchild** on Sep 20, 2004 at 10:19:08 PM:


An Interview with Sue Niederer
Her Son Was Told by the Recruiter He Wouldn't See Combat; Now He's Dead
By ELIZABETH WEILL-GREENBERG

Seth, 24, was in debt after he graduated from Rutgers University in 2002. He joined the army for money and skills that, he was told, would help land him a job with the CIA or FBI -- his dream jobs. "Not for patriotism," said his mother, Sue Niederer, who is now an anti-war activist. She advised her son to get the recruiter's promises in writing. When Seth asked, the recruiter told him, "Your mother wears your pants for you?"

Seth, who had no training with explosives, was assigned to find enemy remote-controlled bombs. He would then call in experts to deactivate them.

He was killed by a bomb in February 2004, after five months in Iraq. Below is a conversation with Seth's mother, Sue Niederer:

When did your son join the military? Why did he join?

June 2002, right after he graduated college. He wanted to go into the FBI or CIA. He was informed by the recruiter that this would be a good way to get into the FBI or CIA. When you put it on the resume it jumps you up a little bit. His father refused to pay last 2 years in college. He was in debt. If you're looking for me to say patriotism, I'm not. They [the Army] offer you the world. They give you signing bonuses. Give you college, upfront money, health insurance ­ [recruiters are] great salesmen.

How long did he serve for before going to Iraq?

Nothing. He had just finished training at end of July. He went to Fort Drum on Monday. They told him on Tuesday, you're gone, you're out. He never had experience being in charge. He definitely did not have training in what ended up killing him.

In mid-October he started going out with his platoon on missions, on finding remote- controlled bombs. They are supposed to call for experts in explosives. By the time you call for an expert, you're deadThese guys are sitting ducks every single day. They didn't have proper vests, the helmets are questionable, they didn't have computers

What were your thoughts on the war before your son left?

I was totally against the war then. My feeling was that it was religious war, guerrilla atmosphere. They could care less about human lives. When you don't care about lives it's a war you can't win. I thought it was Bush's vendetta -- cleaning up his father's mess.

How did you cope while he was away? What were the most difficult parts?

My husband and I did a hell of a lot of talking to each other, a lot of praying, constantly being with friends. I needed something to have a little bit of faith in. At my son's wedding, a gentleman came up to him when he was leaving the restaurant. He walked over to my son, pulled a medal out... He said, "Young man I have no idea who you are This medal got me through Vietnam. This medal will get you through Iraq. Take it. I honestly felt that was the omen I needed. I felt it was going to bring him home. We buried him with it.

All the praying, none of it meant anything.

There was a recent controversy about showing soldiers' coffins on the news. Do you think those types of images should be shown?

It absolutely should be shown. This is the cost of war. This is reality. You hear a number. Numbers don't mean anything but when you see a coffin you know there's a family behind this coffin. That's impact

What is your response to the recent evidence that this war was waged on the basis of "misinformation"?

I wanted to rip the president's head off. Curse him, yell at him, call him a self righteous bastard and a lot of other words. I think if I had him in front of me I would shoot him in the groined area. Let him suffer. And just continue shooting him there. Put him through misery, like he's doing to everyone else. He doesn't deserve any better

Are you worried that Bush could win in November?

Extremely concerned. If this country allows him, we are the fools. We deserve everything we get or do not get from him. We are allowing him to get away with anything he wants to do. He flat out lied to us, killing our troops. He doesn't face the fallen family. If this is what we reelect, we deserve everything we get.

Are traumatized soldiers getting the help they need?

I have friends who have children in IraqThis is taking one heck of a toll upon the men. I've heard this many times from many friends. It's the same thing--that they become mentally unstable. He's not only a danger to himself, he's a danger to the men in his platoon. This is what they don't care about, the affect it can have on men fighting.

Had you been politically active before?

No, I'm not a political person. I vote for the person, I don't vote for the party

What would you say to a young person who was thinking about joining the military? Get whatever these recruiters tell you in writing and make them sign it and take it to an attorney. And make copies, lots of copies. You've got to remember ­ the recruiters have a certain number they must meet for their recruit allotment. To them it's a number.

If you could speak to Bush or members of Congress who support this war, what would you tell them?

Trade places with the troops over there now. You go over there. You send your children, husbands, wives. Let them come back in a coffin. Let me know what you think. You aren't worth being called president. You're not even worth being called Mr. Face me, talk to me the victim of your war. But you don't have the guts to do that.

Were you surprised by the abuses at Abu Ghraib?

No, absolutely notNo one is being trained. Soldiers are getting totally frustratedI think we're gonna see a lot more of this. It stems from the fact that no on one wants to train these people. No one cares to take command of the troops.

Anything else you'd like to discuss?

One thing that's very important is to make sure that we keep up the morale of our troopswriting letters, sending necessities they need--deodorant, soup, food, candy The minute you lose [morale], boy these guys are going to get hurt. [You] have to support out troops. Their lives are on the lineI want them to come home to a country that considers them heroes.

Sue's family has set up a scholarship fund in Seth's name, for students going into the humanities. Please send donations to:

c/o Hopewell Valley Community Bank
4 state highway route 31
Pennington, NJ 08534

Elizabeth Weill-Greenburg is a graduate student at the Medill School of Journalism. Her work has been published in In These Times, The Nation and Counterpunch.org. She working on a book about military families who oppose the Iraq war.

love and Peace
OC


Personal comment..these stories are so heartbreaking...

Michele

[michele cryer]

Peace never came from bombs
Posted by **oceanchild** on Sep 20, 2004 at 4:06:38 PM:


Dozens more die in Iraq violence

· 45 die in Falluja raids
· Baghdad car bomb kills 13
· UK may send extra troops

Agencies
Friday September 17, 2004


Two Iraqi children, their clothes covered in blood, wait for their wounded parents in a hospital in Falluja. Photograph: Mohammed Khodor/Reuters


More than 50 people were killed today in separate incidents in Iraq, ending one of the bloodiest weeks since George Bush declared an end to the Iraq war just over 12 months ago.
US strikes on militant targets in the city of Falluja killed 45 people and injured 27.

Hours later at least 13 people died and 50 were wounded when a car bomber struck near a major police checkpoint in central Baghdad, the Iraqi health ministry and US military officials said.

According to a statement by the US military, the strikes, which began last night, targeted a compound in Fazat Shnetir, about 12 miles south of the Sunni stronghold of Falluja, where militants loyal to the Jordanian-born al-Qaida ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi were gathering to plot attacks on US-led forces in Iraq.

Militants who survived the strikes later sought refuge in nearby villages, but US forces quickly broke off an offensive to hunt them down in an effort to avoid civilian casualties, the statement said.

"The number of foreign fighters killed during the strike is estimated at approximately 60. The terrorists targeted in this strike were believed to be associated with recent bombing attacks and other terrorist activities throughout Iraq," the US military said.

But a health ministry spokesman, Saad al-Amili, said at least 17 children and two women were among the wounded. Hospital officials in Falluja said women and children were also among the dead, but exact figures were not immediately available.

Residents of Fazat Shnetir were seen digging graves today and burying the dead in groups of four.

Doctors at Falluja general hospital struggled to cope with the wave of casualties, many of whom were transported in private cars as the ambulance service was overwhelmed.

Relatives pounded their chests in grief and denounced the US while religious leaders switched on loudspeakers at the mosque to call on residents to donate blood and chanted "God is great."

US forces have not patrolled inside Falluja since the end of a three-week siege that left hundreds dead. Insurgents have strengthened their grip since then, mounting regular attacks against US positions and military convoys on the town's outskirts.

In Baghdad, the bomb exploded beside a line of police vehicles set up to seal off routes to nearby Haifa Street, where US and Iraqi forces had spent the morning raiding insurgent hideouts.

The midday attack occurred on a busy market day, and officials said the number of casualties was expected to rise.

As the death toll mounts in Iraq, Britain said today it was prepared to send more troops if needed to bolster security ahead of elections in January.

"We will deploy those numbers of troops that are required given the situation. If it is necessary to put a few extra troops in to provide appropriate security for the elections we will do that," the defence secretary, Geoff Hoon, told reporters at a meeting of EU defence ministers in the Netherlands.

· The British engineer kidnapped by gunmen from his house in Baghdad was Kenneth Bigley, the Foreign Office confirmed today


Love and Peace
OC