Thank you, Kevin, for posting the link to Mohammed's perspective. It's all too easy to gloss over events from so far away even though the vast majority of the posters here understand, if even incompletely, their angst and hope. When I read such expression, it reinforces my perception that the U.S., our government, and our soldiers are still doing the right thing. Sadly, some events are open to exploitation by political opportunists. It's just satisfying to read an outsider's and ex-oppressed's perspective to clear the hot air.

Complementary to Mohammed (and the anti-war idealogues [aka anti-Bush proponents]), check out "Losing the Iraq War - Can the left really want us to?":
By Christopher Hitchens
Aug. 8, 2005, at 8:36 AM PT

Ma'am, we asked for your nation's help and we asked you to stand with us in our war and your nation's act was (and still is) an act of ultimate courage and unmatched sense of humanity.
Our request is justified, death was our daily bread and a million Iraqi mothers were expecting death to knock on their doors at any second to claim someone from their families.
Your face doesn't look strange to me at all; I see it everyday on endless numbers of Iraqi women who were struck by losses like yours.

I mourn Mrs. Sheehan's loss, as should we all.

Her son is a hero.

That said, I wish that she could meet the the person (s) from Iraq the Model, instead of posting vigil in Crawford.

Unfortunately, that will never happen. She's chosen her path.

It is sad that she will never truly know how much her son's sacrifice is appreciated by those that he chose to protect.

Casey chose his path and he should be honored.

I wish I could express it the way it is in the above quote.

I have the utmost respect for those who serve, and ultimately give up that which is most dear to everyone, their lives, for ideals that have made this the greatest country on this planet. I have the greatest sympathy for all those that have had to endure the loss of their loved ones while performing their self-chosen duty to protect freedom.

Before I get into the meat of my problem with this situation, wish for everyone to know a few things about myself. First off, my father was in the army, he was honorably discharged, for medical reasons, after shattering his right ankle. Growing up I wanted to follow in his footsteps, but alas this was not to be the case. I was born with a heart defect. Had I even tried to join one of the branches of the military, I would be disqualified immediately upon completing my physical. So anyone who wants to call me a chickenhawk keep this in mind when you read further down.

Now then, to the meat of this subject, which I have been brooding on since it was first posted.

This woman is a disgrace. She has dragged her sons memory and accomplishments through muddy waters. I'm ashamed for this family. A young man choose to serve his country, to serve freedom, to serve man, woman, and children. How does his grieving mother repay him for his sacrifice? I understand she feels the loss of her son deeply. I can't say I know the feeling personally, but I have lost love ones. My own sister died at 28 day old. I saw what grief does to people. But there is grief, and then there is this woman. She has somehow transmogrified her grief into an unbending, unquenching thirst for retribution against a man who is doing what he feels is just. I for one agree with him. She claims it was Bush's fault for the death of her son. That may be, he is the Commander-In-Chief.

I'm sure everyone who is older than the age of 13 remember what they were doing on the morning of September 11, 2001. I know I remember exactly what I was doing. I was asleep, The phone rang and my room-mate told me what happened. I was like "Yeah, ok whatever". A few minutes after I hung up the phone with him it started to sink in what it was he was saying. Anyways, I was glued to the Television for the next three days.

My point in bringing this up isn't to say that the War in Iraq is being fought because of September 11th. The war in Iraq is about ideals. Ours versus thiers. Their ideals quite simply scare the daylights out of me. A world where religious fanatics rule. A world where you can be kidnapped, raped, and murdered just for the entertainment of a few individuals, with no consequences for the perpetrators, and no compensation for the victims. A world where poison gas is used to curb individuals god given rights. A world where no amount of talk is ever going to change what the leaders are going to do.

Saddam was doing the same exact thing that Hitler did. Make promises, sign treaties, then go about doing what he wanted anyways. Atleast, that is how I see it.

The alternative is that we did nothing in Iraq. Do you think that Saddam who continually defied the rules would suddenly start following them again? I don't. Do you think that if given the chance Saddam would have developed the bomb? I certainly do. Do you think had Saddam developed the bomb he would have used it? Hell yeah he would, those dirty Zionist bastards! Do you think honestly think that if Iraw had Nukes, Osama wouldn't have tried to make peace with Saddam? Of course, he would have had the ultimate weapon to use on us.

Cindy Sheehan you have denigrated the memory of your son with your actions. You have denigrated this country's armed forces. You have shamed yourself infront of millions of American people. It is people like you that give the Terrorists hope of winning. It is people like you that weaken this country. If you disagree so much, please, do us all a favor, go someplace else. You claim the internet has saved this country from becoming a facist state? Well sister, it's happening anyway, and you can thank your local Liberal Democrat.

I feel for your loss, but your actions speak louder than your words. Your actions show you to be a little vendetta driven whackjob nutcase, so please, go see your doctor, get some meds, and move on with your life.

Now that I have said my piece, I don't think I'll need to address this issue again. So thank you for reading my thoughts on this, please don't expect me to answer any replies to this comment. I have made my feelings abundantly clear.

So she is not only a MSM whore; but a lying MSM whore.

Go to her website and read her "letter" to the President. This woman was a die-hard, leftist Bush-basher from the beginning; there's nothing new in this woman's opinions. Although I would not choose to use Rod Stanton's words (post above), I certainly share the sentiment.
Using anyone's death to advance a political agenda is shameful; using your own son's is unconscionable.

The world is full of people whose world has been turned upside down by tragedy or accident. Often people change thier lives, dedicating it to a cause.
There is nothing unique in that. The war in Iraq has and will continue to be a very divisive war. Polls are saying 62% disprove of Bush's performance. We were led into the war with lies, and our reason for being there continues to shift as does the war on terror (now war on extremists). Most of the world sees Israel and the USA as terrorists. What this woman is doing is a blessing for all, and yes, also an attempt to change the rationale behind his death; if she succeeds, he has died for something noble indeed.

If she succeeds, the murderers in Iraq -- who are killing 20 innocent Iraqis for every coalition soldier they kill -- will be emboldened to continue murdering Iraqis at an even faster rate.

That doesn't strike nme as noble. But I guess it's not as if all those Iraqis being murdered are real people, with real lives and real mothers who love them. If they were they wouldn't live so far away from Cindy Sheehan and Dennis DuBois.

Kev, Ms. Sheehan talks about her first meeting with Dubya all the time.

I realize that you have a nearly-pathological need to parrot every lie and distortion the right-wing media feeds you, but this is just lame, dude. Surely, with all the resources of Fox, EIB, and Drudge behind you, you can do better than this.

Weak, dude.

She does talk about the meeting all the time, Don. She claims he was in a festive mood, telling them how happy they should be to have a dead son.

That's a statement only a rabid Bush-hater would believe, and a statement contradicted by every other parent's account of such meetings AND her own account to her local paper at the time.

I realize that you have a nearly-pathological need to parrot every lie and distortion the right-wing media feeds you, but this is just lame, dude.

Yeah, let's parrot all the lies the left-wing media feeds us instead!

What sympathy I had for Sheehan is gone. She has become a tool of leftwing ideologues. Disgusting.

Hmm. Compare:

Via Wizbang (Don Myers at August 13, 2005 11:39 AM)
Kev, Ms. Sheehan talks about her first meeting with Dubya all the time.

I realize that you have a nearly-pathological need to parrot every lie and distortion the right-wing media feeds you, but this is just lame, dude. Surely, with all the resources of Fox, EIB, and Drudge behind you, you can do better than this.

Weak, dude.

Via sayanythingblog.com (Don Myers on August 13, 2005 at 10:37 am)
Rob, she talks about her first meeting with Dubya all the time.

I realize that you have a nearly-pathological need to parrot every lie and distortion the right-wing media feeds you, but this is just lame, dude. Surely, with all the resources of Fox, EIB, and Drudge behind you, you can do better than this.

Weak, dude.

I dunno but I sense a canned response. Maybe it's pathological... Anyway, lame/weak, dude. Surely with the resources of mediamatters behind you, you can do better than this.

Sorry my template is out of sequence. I didn't want things to settle into a rut.

AnonyD, good call.

Don 'Liars' Myers : You are so Busted, Dude!!

How long until she accuses the president of sexual harasment for an unwanted advance, using that picture as evidence?

I realize that you have a nearly-pathological need to parrot every lie and distortion the right-wing media feeds you, but this is just lame, dude.

It's hilarious that you posted that and used it to link to Media Matters.

Cindy....Please continue your protests...you are a shining star among us who know there is no "noble cause" for this catastrophic war.

God Bless You!!!

Cindy, stop supporting the people who killed Casey.

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=17915

Sheehan wants to ask the President "Why did you kill my son?" I have a better question for Her... "Why are YOU killing more of our young men and women by emboldening the Enemy?"

Aljazeera is already eating this stuff up, and THAT is where I draw the line on my sympathy.

Responses to Don are a waste of time, he's a hit-and-run troll. This usually happens when he has stopped taking his medication.

Remember Don, independent living requires you to remember your responsibilities, and one of those is to take your medication regularly.

Like many soldiers I know of some solgiers fresh out of training, going off to this war, many of which need the skills to live in this country and that is why they joined the military. The real attitude isn't in favor of defending our freedom...it's easy for them to put up a front on all of that...it's more that they NEED the money and the education.

Aaron just left...he is not a Bush supporter neither are many of the guys in his unit. They pretend. He comes from a broken home, is 18 and already a qualified EMT. In the Bush administration's eyes, these boys are dispensible. How stupid do you think the youth are? They are smarter than many people put them up to be. They are defending their financial freedom and have nothing to lose. If they make it through without losing their lives, they can live a financially stable life and avoid many of the economic hardships they see their elders go through these days. GET REAL people! THAT is what is going on with THIS WAR. Hopefully, Aaron will return to FULFILL HIS DREAM. Sadly, his unit is a replacement for a recent car-bombing that happened to kill 22 people.

One more point ot ponder: If we defended our country within itself, if you were the only indivisual left in your family, if your SUV was blown up or your favorite historical monument blown away, would you be called an insurgent or just a defender of your country???

Who helped put Saddeim in power? Who helped supply the Nazi's...this war is useless and is an invasion upon a country that posed no threat to us! We ought not to be afraid of death, just the emotions of death that occur in the living. When you read an Iraqi blog and see the realness of lose and the impact of this war on the Iraqi people, it is just as devistating to them to have Bush and his administration in power as it was to have Saddem in power. Their living conditions a far worse now than ever and mind you, it is not the American people they blame, just the American Administration.

Assume that I am democrat just for the argument. You will find that it sickens most people to be labeled Democratic or Republican anymore in this country. The labels are old and useless anymore and the real people in this society ARE smart enough to realize that there is no real difference between one or the other. It's all just one big baby-boomer FAD!

Thank God THAT generation is getting old, you all have about 10-20 years left. ENJOY!

Ya know, this whole war should have started out differently. Had Bush told the world we were going to go to war to free the Iraqis from a dictator, nobody could have argued with him, not even the French. Had a whole world coalition gone into this war, it would be over now. The terrorists believe they can win because its a war of the US against them, with the rest of the world not against them. The funny thing is, if Bush had sent our boys overseas to free Iraqi's, not a single conservative would have supported him. First, he had to scare the cowards into selfish action. Only when they felt fear in their gated communities did they leap into the fray. Its unfortunate Bush felt he had to decieve us to get the country to do the right thing. I think he underestimates us.

Oh, no....he misunderestimates us!

The President did provide many reasons, including the fight for liberty in Iraq. So did the Prime Ministers of the UK and Australia say as much, repeatedly. If you take just a second to think it through, even in crass political terms, these leaders who took their countries into this fight did so at huge risks to their re-elections.

Ms Sheehan's grief may blind her with rage, real, gut-wrenching rage, but that is no excuse for others who exploit that raw emotion for political haymaking in slow-news days of summer.

If those who support her protest are sincere, please reconcile her two demands with her many assertions -- including those made in her own words in a speech on August 8th. Where I see grief, you seem to see an enlightened protest. Shed some light on this, please.

Ooooh! A kiss!! Did she have the chance to back away (over a year ago)?

By the way, what does this say about Rumsfeld?

Rumsfeld

Oh, Glen....do you watch the news at all? You do not recall the President telling the Iraqis shortly before we went in "Your liberation is at hand"? WMDs, ignored UN resolutions, were other reasons.
GW....a mojority of the insurgents are NOT IRAQI...not citizens defending their country....TERRORISTS!
Cindy may want to cool her jets and look at the real reason her son died. What happened with Able Danger? Why were reports on Atta unfollowed? No 9/11, no war on terror..no civilian or soldiers lost....hmmm...who was president???

TGIB...thank God it's Bush

This lady is making her sons death a disgrace and all the others. She is a trader and should be stopped. She is up set that her son signed up for a job and unfortunately paid the ultimate price. I am sorry for that but she is disgracing her son and my friends how died for this great country that gives her the right to talk like she dose. I hope she dose not pay her taxes so they can through her in jail

TGIB...thank God it's Bush

Coming to the Cindy Sheehan discussion late. Trying to avoid it at yet another in a long (seemingly unending) thing being exploited by Leftoids

The vehicle du jour they're riding to express their "outrage".

Yes, Cindy Sheehan is being used and does dishonor her son's memory. He turned down his mom's offer to go to Canada and opted to do the tour of duty in Iraq.

After her meeting with President Bush in June 2004, Cindy said: "'I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis,' Cindy said after their meeting. 'I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith.'

Compare and contrast with the language of this year: Mr. Bush is an "evil maniac," a "lying bastard," and a "filth spewer and warmonger." In addition, she's asserted that the President and his "band of neo-cons" wanted the 9/11 attack "to get their neo-con agenda through." "We are not waging a war on terror in this country," protests Sheehan, "we're waging a war of terror. The
biggest terrorist in the world is George W. Bush"

What's really pathetic, transparent (and even scary) is how blatently the "compassionate" (sure, uh huh) Leftoids use this kind of stuff.

Cindy will be dropped like an old rag doll when the next vehicle rears its absurd head.