Obama Lost a Chance at My Vote Today...

[mostly harmless]

i dont know what you think, but from the stand point that the war was wrong to begin with. the word "wasted" simply means that they didn't need to die in this "pointless" struggle to begin with. They were better men than the death our leaders demanded of them.

Well, said! And, I couldn't agree more. That is how I understood it. Being a former Marine it sickens me to know of the friends that I have lost and the friends over their that I may still lose. It's like a suicide mission to go over there, the chances that you won't come back are pretty high. I sucks horribly to know your friends are stuck over there struggling to survive. All I know is our government HAD BETTER make sure the veterans are taken care of.

The people that were sent over there WERE better men AND women than the deaths our leaders demanded of them.

 

[RevOxley_501]

I don't know if they are "worth being lost" but I know that you don't honor their loss by standing in front of their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends, family, teachers, etc and telling them that America wasted their lives.

but what if it proves to be true? they certainly arent protecting Amerika, just amerikan interests

i mean lets be honest here...still no WMD's to be seen ya know!

 

[Dr. Nosophoros]

I'm no politician, nor have I folowed much of this current debate but I'd agree, our troops were wasted. I'm a former service member myself, I served in A Co. 1/41 (a mechanized Infantry Btn. in Garlstedt Germany, now part of 3rd ID I believe) in the years from 89-92 and quite honestly I feel that this administration used the lives of our troops to justify their own careers. I think it's a sham and a waste, commanders should only involve troops when it is truly necessary, and IMO, Iraq wasn't, they wasted the lives and still waste lives for what? Nothing but a lie. Their blood, their lost limbs/disabilities, their families pain are on all the hands of the folks that urge them forward, how many of those that committed our troops ever really served?

This song has always struck a few chords with me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwW9L_qzqp8

 

[Mathematician]

Obama just said what we all know. This whole war has been a waist of resources, including our brave troops's lives. That's not at all a shot at the troops.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

i dont know what you think, but from the stand point that the war was wrong to begin with. the word "wasted" simply means that they didn't need to die in this "pointless" struggle to begin with. They were better men than the death our leaders demanded of them.

Frubals.

I don't know if they are "worth being lost" but I know that you don't honor their loss by standing in front of their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends, family, teachers, etc and telling them that America wasted their lives.

What honor is thier in dying in a pointless, sad-excuse of a war? Bush had the right idea to go after Osama, but turned it into a very big mess when he decided to go after Sadam.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

I've been thinking about this and trying to figure out what I think about what was said. I must admit that I haven't really considered anyone as a candidate seriously yet. Trying to focus on things that are happening currently is enough for my ADD-addled brain.

It sounds like it was a poor choice of words. Nobody would want to be told that the lives of loved ones (or someone else's loved ones) were 'wasted'. It serves to almost trivialize their deaths, not in the same way as joking about it but as if their life had served no purpose. Obviously, their lives have had great purpose. They had families, hopes, dreams, and I imagine many, perhaps most, joined the service because they wished to make their country more safe and they felt that it was the right thing to do. When I hear people say that these lives have been 'wasted', they usually mean that the deaths have not been 'worthy' of the lives that the soldiers have led and how much we should cherish their willingness to serve. I think that everyone would be better served if they took the time to say that (assuming it's what they mean) instead of the other.

 

[Divine Androgyne]

Claiming the soldiers lives lost in Iraq were wasted...pathetic. Critisize the president or critisize how the war has been run, but to claim that the lives of those who fought were lives wasted is the most pathetic opinion I've ever heard stated by a politician.

I went into this campaign with an open mind. This is enough for me to know that I DO NOT want this man to be the Commander in Chief of our military. I already felt like he didn't have the experience. Now I know he doesn't have the intelligence or leadership necessary for the position.

You really planned to vote for him until the said that?

 

[jonny]

What kind of good?

I think that throwing a dictator out of power is a good thing. Bringing democracy to the Iraqi people was also good. It will take time to work and I'm not willing to concede that the war was a complete failure and waste of life.

If Bush can't stand in front of all of the relatives and loved ones of the soldiers who died in the war and explain to them exactly what they died for (and I mean, what specifically we've accomplished, not some silly rhetoric about how we are "protecting America from terrorists", because, they're not), then I don't see why people should be so upset when someone takes the opposite position.

I agree. Bush should be able to stand in front of the friends and relatives and tell them what they died for, and he has done so.

What instance of greater good have we accomplished in the war that makes the death of 3,000 worthwhile? We killed Saddam? Yeah, and the Iraqi people are just so thrilled about that. So, if a parent asked you what her son died for in the war, what would you tell her?

Yes, killing Saddam was a great accomplishment and the Iraqi people are thrilled about that.

If a parent asked me why his or her son died in the war, I would tell her that he died because he was committed to defending me and the freedoms of the country I love. I would then thank her for her son's sacrifice the best I could.

Personally, I am inclied to agree with Obama - we have essentially accomplished nothing, so what did all those soliders die for? I can't think of a worthwhile reason. If we actually had competent leadership, we wouldn't be in this mess, and all of those soliders wouldn't have had to die.

So, you would follow the direction of Obama and tell the mother that her son died for nothing and his life was wasted. That's fine, but please understand (and try not to be too offended) if I feel you are as pathetic as Obama.

 

[jonny]

You really planned to vote for him until the said that?

I haven't planned to vote for anyone yet. I simply stated that he lost a chance at my vote.

 

[jonny]

:clap

This war has been long and drug on for far to long.

Jonny I think you are taking what the man said way out of context.

I think he honors those who died. You can honor someone and what they have done but still think their death was senseless. I have friends that have died over there. I was in dessert storm. I have no problem with what he said.

I agree that the war has been long and drug on for far too long, and I don't believe that I took his comments out of context. I don't think you honor someone by calling their death a waste. There are much more appropriate ways to honor them.

 

[jonny]

't

but what if it proves to be true? they certainly arent protecting Amerika, just amerikan interests

i mean lets be honest here...still no WMD's to be seen ya know!

You can't prove something like that true. It is a point of view and a point of view that I find moronic. He can believe it if he wants to, but he won't have a chance at my vote if he is going to spew this type of manure for the next two years.

 

[jonny]

Obama just said what we all know. This whole war has been a waist of resources, including our brave troops's lives. That's not at all a shot at the troops.

No, he didn't say what "we all know." He said what many radicals and crazies believe. Ask Howard Dean how appealing to radicals and crazies works in general elections.

Claiming that the loss of a soldier's life is a waste because he is fighting willingly for something he is committed to is a shot at our troops.

 

[jonny]

What honor is thier in dying in a pointless, sad-excuse of a war? Bush had the right idea to go after Osama, but turned it into a very big mess when he decided to go after Sadam.

I still believe that the world is better off without Saddam than it was with Saddam and I believe that in the long run the Iraqi people will be better off without him also.

 

[jonny]

Just a quick question to all the defenders of Obama... Think long and hard about this.

Are you defending Obama because you actually agree with him, or because you dislike President Bush? President Bush isn't running for president again, so I find it pointless to attack him in a presidential campaign. I really think that you democrats need to move on. Now, President Bush is leaving office. IF Obama is elected (unlikely) and becomes the Commander in Chief, how on earth is he supposed to lead this war? He is distancing him from the troops who he would be leading. How is he supposed to motivate them and help us win this war? Or do you want to lose this war?

 

[MaddLlama]

Yes, I support Obama. I would rather vote for him than Hillary.

And, someone else (I think it was PureX) already said that this isn't a war, it's an occupation. If it ever was really a war, we've already lost. It isn't a question of "how can we win", now it's a question of "how can we fix the damage we've caused, and safely exit without looking like morons".

Saying "The next president is going to help us win the war" isn't going to help the problem. What kind of good are we accomplishing in Iraq right now that a politician can honestly say that he is happy that good men and women are dying?

 

[jonny]

Yes, I support Obama. I would rather vote for him than Hillary.

And, someone else (I think it was PureX) already said that this isn't a war, it's an occupation. If it ever was really a war, we've already lost. It isn't a question of "how can we win", now it's a question of "how can we fix the damage we've caused, and safely exit without looking like morons".

I disagree with PureX on the issue, but that's on thing that is great about our country. We can disagree without worrying about being killed. The Iraqi people didn't have that freedom.

Saying "The next president is going to help us win the war" isn't going to help the problem. What kind of good are we accomplishing in Iraq right now that a politician can honestly say that he is happy that good men and women are dying?

Being unhappy that good men and women are dying isn't the same as believing that their deaths are a waste. Obama has a defeatest attitude regarding the war. This isn't a quality I look for in a president. I'd rather have a leader who realizes that we are in a bad situation and has the skills and leadership necessary to lead us out of it. Obama demonstrated that he does not have these leadership qualities.

I don't want a president who believes that the lives are wasted before the fight is finished. If we give up, which is what it sounds like Obama has done, then the lives will be wasted. I don't believe we are in a completely hopeless situation yet. Obama obviously does.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Just a quick question to all the defenders of Obama... Think long and hard about this.

Are you defending Obama because you actually agree with him, or because you dislike President Bush? President Bush isn't running for president again, so I find it pointless to attack him in a presidential campaign. I really think that you democrats need to move on. Now, President Bush is leaving office. IF Obama is elected (unlikely) and becomes the Commander in Chief, how on earth is he supposed to lead this war? He is distancing him from the troops who he would be leading. How is he supposed to motivate them and help us win this war? Or do you want to lose this war?

I'm not defending Obama. I don't know if I agree with him or not, even. (As I said, I think that there's a better phrasing for what was said, if someone wants to say it.) I would hope that my stance on what was said has more to do with how I feel about the war itself than it might stem from any dislike of the president.

 

[kiwimac]

Of course their lives were wasted.

You went into Iraq on a base of lies, you have stayed in Iraq vainly searching for a justifiable reason for being there and more and more soldiers die every day for oil and Haliburton.

Frankly Bush should be tried as a war criminal and sentenced to die, preferably in the same way as so many Iraqis and Americans have died in this stupid, stupid war started by the PNAC Chicken-Hawks.

 

[jonny]

Of course their lives were wasted.

You went into Iraq on a base of lies, you have stayed in Iraq vainly searching for a justifiable reason for being there and more and more soldiers die every day for oil and Haliburton.

Frankly Bush should be tried as a war criminal and sentenced to die, preferably in the same way as so many Iraqis and Americans have died in this stupid, stupid war started by the PNAC Chicken-Hawks.

So, you dislike Bush. That's fine. How does this make Obama qualified to be president?

 

[kiwimac]

Jonny asked:

Just a quick question to all the defenders of Obama... Think long and hard about this.

Are you defending Obama because you actually agree with him, or because you dislike President Bush? President Bush isn't running for president again, so I find it pointless to attack him in a presidential campaign. I really think that you democrats need to move on. Now, President Bush is leaving office. IF Obama is elected (unlikely) and becomes the Commander in Chief, how on earth is he supposed to lead this war? He is distancing him from the troops who he would be leading. How is he supposed to motivate them and help us win this war? Or do you want to lose this war?

Is it not abundantly clear to you that you HAVE LOST THE WAR? You do not have enough troops on the ground to stop the insurgents, there are more of them every day, ordinary folk who want you and your invading army OUT of their country.

You have lost and no amount of either Republicans or Democrats can give you that victory.