Common Dreams: He Needs More Than a Dad's Love

Published on Monday, June 14, 2004 by the Los Angeles Times

Pentagon fails to back those it sent to Iraq

by Nicholas Von Hoffman

When my son and his California National Guard unit were sent to Iraq, I thought about hanging a yellow ribbon in front of my house. "Support the troops" has a different meaning when your kid is one of them. I could not decide if hanging the ribbon by the door was supporting him or supporting the war. Eventually, I decided not to; I didn't see what good it would do.

He and his comrades need all the support they can get, but not in the form of ribbons. He needs support from the people who sent him there. In the months since he has been in Iraq, he has repeatedly mentioned a shortage of ammunition and gun lubricants in his letters home.

This comes on top of his concern that he and his fellow soldiers were inadequately trained for what they are dealing with in Iraq. He writes of too little time on the firing range honing combat skills, lack of preparation for urban warfare and equipment ill suited for their mission. When it comes to guns, bullets and such, a parent has no support to give.

But it's not just equipment and training. Judging from my son's letters, the soldiers are often short of everyday items of every sort. Lip balm against the desert winds, sunscreen, socks and T-shirts are on the list. He asks for dried fruits, nuts, canned meat, razors, shaving cream and snuff, which he does not use but says is valuable for bartering. The list is long, but sending the items on it is the only way his family has found to support its trooper.

<snip>

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0614-10.htm

Every time I read something like this, two things happen: (1) I tear up think about those poor folks sent to Iraq by our illegal government and then (2) I get angry.

Is there an organization or formal conduit for those of us at home to help support the troops in Iraq? Any ideas?

could organize such an endeavor. I'd call it something like "Support Our Troops Liberally". Who could refuse to do that? It would accomplish multiple aims.

profit would be available for Halliburton et al and that's not going to happen.