Veteran's group criticizes SOTU

A group composed of veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq criticized President Bush for "ignoring" America's 1.6 million new veterans in Tuesday's State of the Union speech.

"Tonight President Bush once again failed to demonstrate a real commitment to the 1.6 million new American veterans who have been created under his watch," Paul Rieckhoff, the executive director of IAVA: Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said in a press release sent to RAW STORY. "For the second year in a row, the President in his State of the Union address chose to mention the troops only as a prop for his failing policies and ignored the nation's new veterans entirely."

Transcript of IAVA's press release:
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NEW YORK - The nation's first and largest non-partisan organization representing veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, IAVA, released the following statement from Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff in response to the President's State of the Union address:

"Tonight President Bush once again failed to demonstrate a real commitment to the 1.6 million new American veterans who have been created under his watch," said Paul Rieckhoff, an Iraq War Veteran and the executive director of IAVA (www.iava.org). "For the second year in a row, the President in his State of the Union address chose to mention the troops only as a prop for his failing policies and ignored the nation's new veterans entirely."

"Over the past four years, this country has watched its men and women in uniform answer the call to duty over and over again, yet somehow today these new veterans are still faced with a drastically under-funded Veterans' Administration and an outdated GI Bill. It's time to reward our troops' sacrifices with more than just bureaucratic hassles and token gestures."

"Mr. President, this nation's new veterans and this new Congress will together rewrite the book on our approach to veterans' services, and we'll do it with or without your help," Rieckhoff said. "Tonight you demonstrated your willingness to send more troops into harms way. A demonstration of your commitment to preserving this nation's promise to its veterans is long overdue."

"In the coming weeks, the nation's first and largest Iraq and Afghanistan veterans group, IAVA, will release a legislative agenda that, if adopted, will go a long way towards addressing the many unacceptable problems facing our troops as they return from Iraq and Afghanistan," said Rieckhoff.

"Supporting our troops and veterans is not only our national obligation, it is also critical to maintaining a strong military and ensuring our national security. Shortages of armor, troops and equipment have hampered progress in theatre," Rieckhoff said. "Poor treatment of veterans and an inadequate G.I. Bill make recruitment more difficult. The use of National Guardsmen and Reservists leaves fewer troops at home for domestic emergencies. It is time that these force-readiness issues are treated with the urgency they deserve. And it is time that this nation, and our elected officials, renew the commitment to our troops and veterans."

IAVA: Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, is the nation's first and largest organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, representing more than 60,000 members in all 50 states.
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http://www.rawstory.com/news/2007/Group_President_Bush_ignored_Americas_1.6_0123.htmlhttp://www.rawstory.com/news/2007/Group_President_Bush_ignored_Americas_1.6_0123.html

As with most Republicans Bush loves to use the Armed Forces but then, sadly, he neglects to support them after they've outlived their usefulness to them. Some of these people are on their 3rd or 4th rotation in Iraq. They're tired, spent, used up and Bush just wipes his hands of them after he can't use them anymore.

There's going to be a whole new generation of post-war veterans who have myriad problems readapting to civilian life, just like the post Viet Nam era. And Bush wants to sweep them under the rug.

No way. Not this time. Hurray for the Vets! :applause:

Thanks for the R. The voices on this subject need to get much louder while Congress is in session.