Enough already and this picture proves WHY we need to get the hell out of there NOW.

I've got a cousin that has been there on and off since 2008. So much for that "forest ranger" deal ...



As for the vets serving and those that have served, you deserve every damn thing you get.

I am sick of this, just sick of it!

Sorry, but I cannot smile when I see a picture like this, nope.

...but in the midst of the injustice that is perpetrated in that part of the world, there are stories of hope and compassion.... this is one of them... and it's not like we blame the troops for decisions made by our leaders, anyway.

A picture of a man named Taylor [Morris], a former vet (I assume) that had his legs blown off in Afghanistan. It sickens me.

When will others in our country be sickened by this as well, when their own son/daughter comes home in such a state?

A smiling president with his arm around this man named Taylor MORRIS' shoulder is nice I suppose but what will it all mean to this Mr. Morris when he is older and has little if any help?

Will it mean so much to him when such time may come?

Will the VA be willing to help him and will the VA be willing to compensate him properly?

All I can say is that I hope so for Taylor Morris' sake.

I've had it w/Afghanistan -- the war without end it seems to me.

They got their boogie man Osama bin Laden. Wasn't that the reason we went in there? I think so if my memory serves me properly.

...... just because President Obama is the leader and Taylor was
badly wounded that does not mean everything else in the world will
be perfect ........ the man was wounded trying to protect other people from
being hurt or killed by hidden land mines.

When Afghanistan can stand on its own feet, then we can leave.

Don't blame President Obama. He inherited the mess. He's doing his best to get us out.

I am one of the 20% or so that never approved of President Bush. At the peak of his "popularity," when he had 80% approval, I was one of the 20% who saw through him.

Had we gone in with a real mission, done it and left, we'd have been gone from there long ago. But W had to back-burner Afghanistan for the pnac fantasy.

I am so sorry for all the troops trapped in perpetual war through the back-door draft.

I blame a country that has become dependent upon these damned wars that are making lots of money for the war profiteers, i.e. Halliburton et al.

I will never say a war is just because no war is just in my opinion.

As for the veterans, there is no stronger of an advocate than myself, the child of a WWII hero, a grandfather that was sent home from WWI totally disabled (and who ever did a thing for him dare I ask?) six weeks after he was sent to Germany. The list goes on and on and on and on ...

I've had enough and for anyone to say "shame on you" to me is like slapping oneself in the face as I worked for the VA for a long time and I helped the veterans which is a hell of a lot more than most people anywhere can say.

So, yes, enough already and I've been "done" a long time ago.

They quickly forget about the soldiers that have been injured in these damn wars only to leave them alone with nothing in too many cases. Ever looked at a homeless vet on the street out there? I have and I don't like it one damn bit and if that is shameful well than so be it. It is shameful that we as a country allow this to go on and on and on ...

So shame on me for not approving of this crap?

Shame on our Nation for putting up with this crap!

President Obama needs to end all of these crap wars and end them now and focus on the USA and fixing the infrastructure so we can deal with the real war that faces us all, and that is a war of the people v. the planet and also by helping its citizens with the needs that everyone deserves like health care and implementing a plan that will work for everyone!

I am glad that prez and vp are there, but as soon as I saw the picture tears filled my eyes. something must be done because THIS is a travesty.

My son just put his name in the selective service database after turning 18 in October.
I heard Cindy Sheehan speak, early in her protest (before she went to Crawford). I met Nadia McCaffrey, mother of Patrick McCaffrey, an Army National Guard soldier who died in Iraq in June, 2004. I've read a lot of what Pat Tillman's mother, Mary, has written about her son's death In Afghanistan, by friendly fire.
I read and hear reports all the time about brain injury from IED explosions; amputations; the increased survival rate of severely injured soldiers due to modern medical procedures; PTSD, and the markedly increased rate of suicide in soldiers and veterans.

We had better be much more careful about entering into another conflict, knowing the devastating effect on these soldiers' and their families' lives, that the physical, psychological and monetary expense is lasting and must be dealt with if we can call ourselves civilized.

I believe that if women, who represent greater than 50% of the human population, were represented in governments around the world, countries would not enter into war as easily.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A Message from Nadia McCaffrey

I was in Belgium, on a speaking tour, that particular day, I was sharing a panel with Fadwa Barghouti (Palestinian woman-leader) the audience was large, intense and mixed with people from diverse part of EU and approximately a third Muslim. I was the "bad American" at first... and, someone, a mother, wrote this... while another mother hugged me...

WARRIOR WOMEN BLUES

Two faces of women
two faces of mothers
wearing marks of grief
wearing veils of pain
wearing scars of loss
coming from different worlds
bearing the burden of
different conflicts
one from Palestine
one from the USA
united in their strength
united in their struggle
united in their hopes
for a more peaceful world
I hold their hands and
inside weep with them
for I'm a woman
I'm a mother
they are my sisters

for Fadwa Barghouti & Nadia McCaffrey

http://www.trivalleydems.com/A_message_from_Nadia_McCaffrey.htm

Well then you understand how damn evil these wars are.

Soldier named Taylor [Morris] will hopefully not slip through the cracks for he will need excellent care for the rest of his life.

Will he receive it? Probably not.

I hope your son does not ever have to know what those papers he filed out mean if enacted.

I suppose that is all I can say except I will never approve of any war. Period.

for you and your son who is indeed a patriot for signing up as he had to do like it or not.

I guess it's time.

Fuck off Douchebag!

Solder Morris did not have a chance to ask for a jury to decide his fate did he? I guess this thought never crossed your mind did it?

"Solder Morris" volunteered to serve just like I did and countless others.

Again---Go fuck yourself.

Now that's what I call a Veteran's Day story. Tears me up and makes me proud of our troops and our president.

... awarded to people like Danielle. We need to honor "unconditional love" and commitment ... INTEGRITY.

I believe this is the original youtube posting that went viral.

and the courage of untold thousands, would have been just as much, if not more, useful stateside.

Get the US out of Afghanistan...now. Make no more veterans in foreign combat. That's how we win hearts and minds.

That is my hope and prayer for Veteran's Day.

I wish all veterans the very best and I mean that.

It makes me sad that these wars never seem to end.

That is all I have known in my entire life, one war after the next ...

I appreciate the OP, but it makes me wish for something better.

There isn't much that's more despicable than scapegoating veterans for the failures of The People ... who're sovereign in a democratic republic. Self-governance isn't a "Monday morning quarterbacking" pastime. It's a profound responsibility to one's family, friends, neighbors, fellow citizens, and future generations. It's about equity and the scapegoating of those who risk all for the sake of those who risk nothing is the worst kind of cowardice.

In human relations, there is no "win-lose" ... only "win-win" or "lose-lose."
War is "lose-lose."

and entire companies, and flight squadrons...it does not make us look weak, as so many try and BS. We have work here at home to do. Families to rebuild, physical and mental health services, infrastructure to rebuild, children to teach, and none are better qualified than those who went when asked, served and were fortunate enough to return. They are equally courageous. They have awesome job skills as well as discipline and determination.

Congress...do your duty and pass a Vet Job Bill...NOW !!!

to what Our President wrote.

...is to "see what war does to our young people?" We should find a way to settle issues with our minds instead of the bodies of our youth. But that's not what the MIC has in mind for the rest of the millennium.

A second thought that comes to mind... can you imagine mittens standing there with that young man while in the other room planning to start other wars (or just one big global melee)? His lip-smacking smirk would betray his intentions but we would be close to powerless to stop it short of a revolution and a return to the late 1960s, only with a highly militarized police force... among other horrors.

thanks for the visual....

you can see that there is a genuine admiration between these two...

did he only get a purple heart? ONE purple heart. A medal on a ribbon.

This man and his entire family should get whatever they want for the rest of their lives-AND his children.

AS Lee may or may not have said to Longstreet in May, 1863 overlooking Fredericksburg.."It is well that war is so terrible — lest we should grow too fond of it."

They got Purple Hearts too and most of them ended up back on the rez and died in poverty.

Good job there USA!

Look at Petraeus's braids and medals and ribbons, or any general or major or whatever..give someone a medal and all is well.. Give them more and they are more important.. Like stars in a school book for children..

Now don't jump on me.
I have nothing whatsoever against our military personel. That's not the point. And I am glad Obama showed this man such great respect. I too have all the respect possible for people who put their life on the line, even for lies when they don't know they have been lied to.
And I 'support' their efforts. It's the politicians. the banksters, the corporate fascists, and all of their ilk who cause this... and yes, madmen the world over.

I think women should be in charge. let's try it. It certainly couldn't be any worse, eh.

a soldier who has all four limbs blown off yet tells the medics to wait before the area is cleared deserves the CMH. I hope that comes to Taylor in time.

Bless him and all our vets.

in a unnecessary, illegal war , I curse Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rove, Rumsfeld, Yoo, and the rest of that sinister wrecking crew for using our men and women as cannon fodder for their endless Greed.

You have hit the proverbial nail on the head.

Did I forget to say I agree, 100%......
It's sick....

.... We can stop and take a look at what the industrial military complex really is.

Profit is taken not only from, The weapons made, the machines used, the uniforms made, the prosthetics made, The buildings made, the bombs made, the wheelchairs made..... But Worst of all, the medications that these young men and women will be on for the rest of their lives. It is understood that after these young men and women come home from war, the military-industrial complex, And all of those industries that support it, has a customer for life
And for all this profit that is taken, A good portion of it comes back to the lobbyist in order to sell the government on the idea of war.... And more wars. Also profits go toward convincing the public that wars are necessary, When they are not.

I don't see it ever stopping.

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got something in my eye - truly exceptional people in that photo.

Angel in Texas

countries have these wonderful attributes also. And some really do believe in taking care of each other.

... now for the first time I cry because now I think that in the future, I can.

Obama is describing what is the true spirit and heart we all know was there.

I still have to keep moving forward here...
... but...
... I will come home.

(Excuse me... I've gotta go and cry again...)

we're here when you're ready.

Thanks!!

sorry I do not see anything to celebrate in war - it all sucks