Comments on our Post-election Update

Members of Families of the Fallen for Change come from a variety of viewpoints, illustrated most vividly by their reactions to our post-election update. Following is a sampling of comments. Some details have been edited to preserve privacy.

* * *

With my [one] son just returning home from Iraq and [another] on his way to Germany, I believe that NOW all troops should be removed. After living through Vietnam and the incompetencies within our government then and now, I believe 4 to 6 months is too late. Any delay will cause hundreds of American soldiers to die for unfortunately no reason. So to settle for any delay is not the answer, please use your influence to press for withdraw ASAP, for the sake of the young men and women who are going to have to fight one more day. – Diane

***
I am thrilled with the progress we have made. More accurately, I am amazed that we were able to cause change at all! I agree that time is so important and our diligence must continue.

I'd like to thank Rosemary and Paul for leading this charge. You brought your talents, credibility and willing souls to this mission and I thank you so much.

It may be that it won't be in time to save my children, but I am confident that we are working to save the children of those our kids worked with and loved.

As they debate Murtha, I think we must get busy again letting them know we didn't want change for change sake. We want action. -- K

***
The "civil" war has been raging for some time with our troops as target practice. We have made a mess of this and I fear that no plan, no matter how humane or well-thought out, will leave the Iraqis in a better situation than they currently face. Our leaving, while still a goal, is now so badly compromised that I fear the worst of all situations -- that we will be mired there for an eternity. Sadly, I do not know whom to trust with the planning for extrication from this nightmare turned real. The elections, while minimally reassuring, does not change the political climate nor the ineptness of both the political and military "leadership" who seem not to know what to do. I see no best case scenario, do you? –Joseph

***
I was singing "A Million Miles..." [Bob Stewart Band, see side panel at www.fofchange.org] in my head today on the way to work, and when I got to verse three...

“Brothers and Sisters, kneel and pray
Wait on for the judgment day...”

I got the feeling that the midterm elections were, in fact, a kind of judgment day. But there will be more judgment days... decision days, really. And the big one -- "What to do to get out?" is still ahead.-- R

***
The memory of you and your wife coming to [Connecticut] is most vivid. I find the "2.2" statistic [American military deaths per day in Iraq] very disturbing. It is striking for all of us what grabs our attention and brings truth home with a jolt. This country needs more jolts for it to wake up from this nightmare. -- Richard

***
Yes, there's a long way to go, but a *hell* of a relief [the election and Rumsfeld’s departure] was, no? phew. – M

***
What is the problem with letting Iraqis have a civil war? Isn't that a form of democracy? Let them cut up their own country. It’s theirs. Who are we to say that their form of democracy has to be like ours? Democracy means free choice. Clearly the majority is not united but fragmented. If their way of working that out is to have a war, who are we to stand in the way? – Andrew

***
Thanks for the important reminder. I was interested to catch part of some televised hearings in the Senate today with General Adizaid. But his position, unbelievably, is that we can still secure the place and win what battles are needed. He uses the word political, but I cannot believe he understands how our presence itself now generates anti-American suspicion, anger, and terrorism. More pressure is right! – Barry

***
Just remember during your speech that Congress was put in place because American voters are against the war... maybe if you remind them of that... they are sitting there only because the majority of voters put them there and if they aren't going to do the job, then they'll be replaced also. -- Diane

***
Suppose we send the sons and daughters of all of those who think we should be there?? President Bush's daughters could be deployed to take the place of 2 soldiers who have been redeployed 3 or 4 times. Cheney has a couple of kids. Congress should be sending their own. – Betsy

***
I thoroughly support the F.O.F. mission and proposal to end this senseless slaughter. I appreciate your concern for the tens of thousands of Iraqi innocents who have lost their lives or suffered crippling injuries as well as for the deaths and injuries of our own men and women in uniform. – Ethan


Thank you to all who sent their comments. Please continue reading the news and pressuring your Congressmen for a real change, sooner rather than later. Also, your reactions on the Families of the Fallen blog, “Say What?” are welcomed. – Rosemary Palmer

Keep the Pressure On

“With all the November political changes, you are going to have to change your goals, aren’t you?” a friend asked.

In a word, no! No winning team stops at the five- yard line.

Because of your efforts, the political environment is headed in the right direction. Voters have repudiated one-party government and the lack of progress in Iraq. President Bush has responded by removing Donald Rumsfeld – finally – as Secretary of Defense.

However, we still have no plan in place to withdraw troops from Iraq.

A full debate on how to settle American withdrawal is upon us. While we continue to pursue the proposal of Families of the Fallen for Change, we would welcome any plan that would take the troops out of harm’s way without leaving the Iraqis in a full-blown civil war.

The Nov. 7 Midterm election has shifted our foremost goal from calling for a debate on Iraq to keeping pressure on Congress and the Administration to come up with and implement a plan for withdrawal.

Debate alone is not sufficient: an average 2.32 American troops are killed each day. The price of delay is unacceptable.

Thanks to you, we’re on the way to withdrawal from military involvement in Iraq. We’re not there yet, and we can’t let up the pressure. -- Rosemary Palmer