Fallen troops’ families split on Bush comments

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12993721/

It’s been 10 months since a roadside bomb in Iraq killed Cathy Brunson’s son and three fellow Georgia National Guardsmen — not long enough to heal, she says, and too late to take much comfort in President George W. Bush’s admission he’s made mistakes in conducting the war.

“No matter what is said or done now, it’s not going to bring back the 2,000-plus soldiers that were killed,” Brunson of Sylvester, Ga., said Friday, a day after Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair offered sobering acknowledgments of missteps in their handling of Iraq.

Her son, 30-year-old Spc. Jacques “Gus” Brunson, a former prison guard, was among 11 Georgia citizen-soldiers killed over 11 days when the National Guard's 48th Infantry Brigade deployed to Iraq last year.

“For the families who have lost their sons, brothers, husbands, it is kind of late now to acknowledge that ‘OK, we did make mistakes,’” said Brunson, who keeps a photo of her son on her desk at the tax assessor's office in south Georgia's rural Worth County.

<snip>

Some family members criticized Bush for owning up to mistakes only after his poll numbers and public support for the war have reached all-time lows. Others said they forgave the president and continue to support the goal of establishing a stable Iraqi democracy.

and a lot worse!

:rofl:

want to hold on to the lie.

It would probably be more than they could take having to face that their children died in vain.

Cindy Sheehan and Cathy Brunson want to channel their energy into healing from from the truth.

since we invaded and occupied Iraq.

So think of how much richer and fatter George AWOL Bush's fat-cat republicon oil cronies are.

That's the reason our children are fighting and dying in a faraway foriegn land that did not threaten the USA - not in vain, but for republicon oil profits.

Mark Twain, from his parody of The Battle Hymn of the Republic.

for the current greedy gargoyles.

It would surely kill him, though, to see this. Maybe not. Things really don't change much. Just the technology we use to kill each other with gets better.

I did not like to hear our race called sheep, and said I did not think they were.

"Still, it is true, lamb," said Satan. "Look at you in war--what mutton you are, and how ridiculous!"

"In war? How?"

"There has never been a just one, never an honorable one--on the part of the instigator of the war. I can see a million years ahead, and this rule will never change in so many as half a dozen instances. The loud little handful--as usual--will shout for the war. The pulpit will--warily and cautiously--object--at first; the great, big, dull bulk of the nation will rub its sleepy eyes and try to make out why there should be a war, and will say, earnestly and indignantly, "It is unjust and dishonorable, and there is no necessity for it." Then the handful will shout louder. A few fair men on the other side will argue and reason against the war with speech and pen, and at first will have a hearing and be applauded; but it will not last long; those others will outshout them, and presently the anti-war audiences will thin out and lose popularity. Before long you will see this curious thing: the speakers stoned from the platform, and free speech strangled by hordes of furious men who in their secret hearts are still at one with those stoned speakers--as earlier--but do not dare to say so. And now the whole nation--pulpit and all--will take up the war-cry, and shout itself hoarse, and mob any honest man who ventures to open his mouth; and presently such mouths will cease to open. Next the statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting the blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing falsities, and will diligently study them, and refuse to examine any refutations of them; and thus he will by and by convince himself that the war is just, and will thank God for the better sleep he enjoys after this process of grotesque self-deception."

Mine eyes have seen the orgy of the launching of the Sword;
He is searching out the hoardings where the stranger's wealth is stored;
He hath loosed his fateful lightnings, and with woe and death has scored;
His lust is marching on.

I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps;
They have builded him an altar in the Eastern dews and damps;
I have read his doomful mission by the dim and flaring lamps—
His night is marching on.

I have read his bandit gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
"As ye deal with my pretensions, so with you my wrath shall deal;
Let the faithless son of Freedom crush the patriot with his heel;
Lo, Greed is marching on!"

We have legalized the strumpet and are guarding her retreat;*
Greed is seeking out commercial souls before his judgement seat;
O, be swift, ye clods, to answer him! be jubilant my feet!
Our god is marching on!

In a sordid slime harmonious Greed was born in yonder ditch,
With a longing in his bosom—and for others' goods an itch.
As Christ died to make men holy, let men die to make us rich—
Our god is marching on.

* NOTE: In Manila the Government has placed a certain industry under the protection of our flag. (M.T.)

someone else initiated it, and he needs to distance himself.

establishing a stable Iraqi democracy? We invaded another country, killed thousands of innocent civilians, lost another 2500 or so soldiers, maimed countless numbers on both sides, to bring democracy to Iraq? If that's the case, which country will be next? Bush and Blair didn't make mistakes, they committed crimes.