By MARC McDONALD
Have you ever been pestered by a flag-waving Republican who railed on about the need for all Americans to support Bush's illegal and disastrous invasion of Iraq?
Here's a quick way to shut them up: ask them to enlist.
I've long been amazed at how Bush's sheep-like fanatical supporters tout their "patriotism" by shouting it from the highest rooftops. And yet when it comes to actually doing something to support their country, they can't be bothered.
If any Republicans are reading this, I've got news for you. The Army is coming up short in its recruiting drives. These days, not only does Uncle Sam Want You---he wants you really, really bad.
So if you support Bush's war in Iraq, what the hell are you doing here in the States? Pick up a rifle and go fight in the bloody quicksands of Iraq.
I've talked to a number of Republicans who loudly voice their support for this war. But when they hear the word "enlist," they quickly try to change the subject. In fact, they have no intention of ever signing up. Like Bush himself, if they were ever confronted with the prospect of having to serve in combat, they'd run like little girls.
The fact is, enlisting these days is much more than simply doing one's patriotic duty. In short, the Army is increasingly desperate for warm bodies these days, as military recruiting is at a 26-year low.
In fact, in 2005, the Army missed its recruitment goal by nearly 7,000 troops (the widest margin since 1979), according to MSNBC.
As a result, the Army has greatly loosened its requirements for enlistment and is accepting people well into their 40s. Which means that chickenhawks like 44-year-old Sean Hannity would be greeted with open arms by hard-pressed Army recruiters desperate to meet their quotas.
Despite the increasingly serious shortfall that Army recruiters are facing today, I doubt we'll see any surge of Republicans stepping forward to enlist. After all, it's much easier to claim that you're a "patriot" by simply sticking a yellow ribbon magnet on the fender of your car.
Bush supporters who don't enlist these days are not only cowards; they are hypocrites. But it's a lot easier for them to mindlessly follow their chickenhawk "commander in chief" Bush, as well as Dick ("Five Deferments") Cheney. And it's easy for them to take potshots at genuine American military heroes like John Murtha, John Kerry and Max Cleland.
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Bush is the first president to ever cut taxes while the nation is at war. It shouldn't be surprising that the U.S. has by far the biggest deficits in its history (in constant dollars, no less). A report by a Nobel economist this week said that the total, overall cost of the Iraq war may come to $2 trillion.
An ironic consequence of Bush's oil grab in Iraq is that the staggeringly inept and corrupt Iraq administrators have badly mismanaged the oil production process. Reportedly, the Iraq oil fields have been irreversibly damaged by shoddy drilling practices. I read one report that said that the situation has deteriorated to the point where a great deal of Iraq's oil will never be recovered. Arrogant Bush White House officials who have claimed that the Iraq war was "never about the oil" may find that their words are turning out to be correct....but not in the sense that they intended.
Rush "Anal Cyst" Limbaugh refused to fight for his country in Vietnam, while true heroes like Al Gore and John Kerry were serving in Nam. If Armed Forces Radio is going to carry Rush's OxyContin blather, then, for balance, they ought to carry Air America programs as well.
You liberals are always criticizing Republicans for supposedly not serving their country in the military. But how about Bill Clinton? Last time I checked, he never wore the uniform.
I love this lame attempt to suggest that the only people who can support our nation's mission to establish a foothold for freedom and self determination in the middle east must actively be fighting in the middle east. Can we not support the troops by sending supplies and other messages of our desire to see them safe and successful? Can we not support the mission by remaining stateside, countering the ridiculous attempts to undermine the troops by fools constantly frothing at the mouth about the possiblity America might fail while a republican is President? What if I am too old to fight, must I still go to Iraq, according to your logic, in order to support the mission, even if I have already served my time in the military? And what of other issues...if I support a woman's right to choose, must I personally perform abortions? You must think so, if you believe I must fight in Iraq in order to support America's mission there. If I support gun control, must I be out in the street personally removing illegal guns from the hands of criminals, or is that a job for the police force? You think you are so witty and bright, yet this lamest of lame attempts to suggest that the only people who may support any issue at all are the people who actively participate in the accomplishment of said issue exposes you as just another out on a wing hack. I notice you have enabled comment moderation, and that all comments must by approved by the blog author. Will you allow this comment to post? You do believe in free speech, right? I guess we will see. And one more thing, where I am right now the time is 7:30 AM EST.
In response to the previous poster, you raise the point, "What if I am too old to fight?"
How old are you? Are you younger than 60? Then, provided you're reasonably fit, you are NOT too old to serve. Take a look at the details of our troops who've fallen in Iraq. There are MANY who died in combat who were in their 40s and 50s. So if you're under 60, then as far as I'm concerned, you're not too old to serve in this war that you Ditto-Heads
love so dearly.
True, you might have to fib about your age at the recruiting office. However, given that our military is stretched thin these days (and given that few wish to enlist), I doubt any recruiting officer will be too picky.
And what's a little white lie when nothing less than the survival of America is at stake? I mean, that's what you NeoCons think the stakes are in this war, right? And yet you're STILL making up excuses to not go and fight? You NeoCons really are pathetic cowards.
The thing is, we Liberals know this war was based on lies. If we really believed this war was necessary to protect America, we would FIND A WAY to serve---and that includes lying about our age at the recruiting office.
Oh, and one other thing: speaking of the "mission." It was supposed to be about WMD, remember? That's what your beloved hero Bush said we were invading Iraq for. No matter how you NeoCons try to spin this, the Iraq War was based on lies. And what's more, there is ZERO reason for our troops to be there now. If the likes of ExxonMobil want to secure the oil fields, then let them send (and pay for) their own goddamn mercenaries.
And if you're under 60 and you support this fiasco of a war, then, enlist or STFU.
Ok, liberals dont know a damn thing about patriotism or what this war is really about. Patriotism does not mean enlisting, it means support of your country in every way possible. How about instead of lambasting Bush, we commend him for protecting us from the fascist Islams, while taking down a murderous dictator. Why dont you idiots go ask a soldier who has been to Iraq and see what the Iraqi people think of us? Oh yeah, that would mean the "Neocons" would have been right... And if this war is about oil, than why is it so expensive? Well you would probably blame Bush once again, instead of taking a class in economics and realizing it is simply supply and demand. Look at India and China, their economies are booming because of an explosion in several industries. That means millions of people who can now afford to drive cars that use GASOLINE. Another thing, the reason companies are moving overseas is because our tax infrostructure is absolutely ridiculous, if we can continue Bushs tax cuts, or abolish the current tax code altogether and implement the Fairtax, then hundreds of companies would move back, or into the US for the first time! Why cant you liberals wake up and realize YOU are the ones destroying America from the inside out.
wow. really. really?!? stupidest title ever.
that's like me telling you right now mr. blogger, if you support obama, give aaaaaall your money to the government so they can redistribute it to the poor. right now. otherwise you don't really support obama therefore STFU!
really?
did you really just post that?
this you even realize how easily that can be countered and how hypocritical that is?
again my friends,give a alternative answer to the war. be douchebags and stay in america? smart. very smart. there's no good answer to the iraq problem.
give all your money to the government. now. or stfu and shut down this website.
how's your own medicine.
that's what i thought.
re:
>>How about instead of lambasting
>>Bush, we commend him for
>>protecting us from the fascist
>>Islams
Like he did on 9/11, right?
Keep drinking the Kool-Aid, you Nazi nutcase.
regarding the hurtful comments of me being a nazi: :(
although i do have blond hair and blue eyes! :D
marc mcdonlald:
again. i don't listen to rush. i hardly listen to the radio. so i don't have biased opinions, i just see everything through news.
i didn't say anything about obama raising taxes.... but since we're on that topic he isn't doing that yes, but where does stimulus money come from? obamas banks? doubt it. and do we need the stimulus money?
err... no...but but we can put county workers to work and help them support themselves!
brilliant. we're paying to have people have jobs....
now lets get something straight.
I DON'T LIKE BUSH! he is not my hero. my hero is reagan :D
he hella reduced government size :) which is the opposite of what obama is doing :(
and the comment of giving all your money to the government, that was just a contradictory statement to the blog title. it's supposed to seem unfair and not make sense because that's how the title of the blog feels to other people. if you didn't catch that.
BTW, obama has done nothing regarding the war....so uh.... he pretty much left it as bush did....
and if you're gunna say he pulled out some troops, that was already planned by bush...... even if mccain came to office it would have happened.....
so in reality the war you libs don't support is still kinda going on... and your president isn't doing anything different....
and i believe equal rights means equal rights for eeeeeveryone. no matter if you're rich. so everyone gets taxed the same. sure they have way more money then us, way more then they need, but they worked hard for there money. whereas the government will simply take it and use it inaffectively.
e.g. DMV.
:)
and i am not a nazi :(
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