Quote:
Originally posted by MereMere21
ok well then I must be the only one that feels this way. Yes Congress cuts benefits......the administration does have the power to override those things.
All I was saying was Bush sends us into a un-necessary war (unless someone here on GC has found the WMD'S?) with our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers. These soldiers are seeing the horrors of war, suffering irrevocable mental and physical damage to find Saddam Hussein and these WMD's - - - then they have to pay for their food in the hospital? Some 18 year old with no legs now has to come up $300? Yes civilians pay for their meals in hospitals, but these servicemen and women are OUR employees if you will. We want them to defend us, fight for us, risk their lives for us, but we don't want to feed them? O-K
|
So because no WMD have been announced as found, the war was unnecessary? First, if any WMD were 'found', you would just label it as 'planted' and blame Bush even more
Forget the important stuff that a oppresive dictator has been removed from power, that repeatedly used chemical weapons on his own people, that has proven to be a threat to the United States, that supported Al Queda. Take the following message from Congressman Roger Wicker:
Several members of the House of Representatives went to Iraq during the August recess. They report that the situation on the ground there is far different from the accounts we have seen on the network news. While isolated attacks on U.S. troops have attracted the headlines, much progress has being made toward establishing a free and independent government.
According to my colleagues who made the trip, the vast majority of the Iraqi people are thankful that our coalition forces are there. They are glad to be free of the terror and oppression of Saddam Hussein. A diverse national governing council has been created, and 90 percent of the towns and cities already have functioning local governments. More than 55,000 Iraqis have been trained and deployed to keep the peace in their country.
These soldiers are protecting us AND the Iraqi people by removing an evil dictator and putting in a functional government
Back to the main topic, though. You say the soldier shouldn't have to pay for meals. Absolutely right. But lets remember this little loophole has existed since 1981, and it is for anyone who gets served in a military hospital. For example: When my two brothers and I were born, all medical service was free except for $8.10 a day for food. Not a bad deal, if you ask me.
You ask where the soldier is going to come up with $300? Don't forget that the soldier was getting paid his regular allowance, plus a food allowance (though he was provided govt food in Iraq), plus a housing allowing (though he was provided housing in Iraq), plus a combat pay bonus, plus a hazardous duty pay bonus, etc. The meals in the hospital should equal out to what he recieves in Subsitence allowance - why should the taxpayers be giving him six free meals a day???
Quote:
Yes civilians have to pay for vacations, but I don't think our daily lives involve mortors, bombs, and roadside attacks. The soldiers shouldn't be taking vacations - they should be home.
but hey just my opinion
|
These soldiers should be defending the Constitution of the United States, against all enemies, foreign and domestic, while bearing true allegiance to the same. They should also be obeying all orders of the officers appointed above them and the President of the United States.
I have taken this same oath, and I feel strongly about the war in Iraq being vital to National and International Security. These soldiers knew when they signed up there was a chance they could go to war, and there they are now.
The government feels that getting these troops home for a couple weeks will do great things for morale, and it has. What if the Government said okay, you have two weeks vacation, find your own way home while they were still in Iraq??? Ask any soldier in Iraq if they were given a trip to Baltimore and told they had two weeks off if they would mind paying the rest of the way. I'm sure not many turned the offer down.
BTW, if you feel so strongly about this, why don't you start up a campaign to raise money to help send troops home when they are given leave? Otherwise it would take taxes being raised because the defense budget is already stretched thin right now. And what happens if Bush raises taxes?? You complain more on here!