January 02, 2004
Michael Moore reprints letters from the troops.
If you want to know what at least some of the American troops in Iraq think of it all, Michael Moore has reprinted an extensive series of selections from letters that have been sent to him from those serving there. I suppose there's some selective editing going on here, but the tone of distrust in the American government is very clear and disturbing. Certainly something every American should read before they vote.
Selections from them, along with his comments, are
here, while the complete letters themselves are
here. There's a lot of them. A must-read I'd say. I especially liked
this one and
this one (great poem). Depressing as heck though.
Anyway, here's part of Mr. Moore's summation of it all.
It is Mr. Bush and his filthy rich cronies -- whose sons and daughters will NEVER see a day in a uniform -- they are the ones who do NOT support our troops. Our soldiers joined the military and, in doing so, offered to give THEIR LIVES for US if need be. What a tremendous gift that is -- to be willing to die so that you and I don't have to! To be willing to shed their blood so that we may be free. To serve in our place, so that WE don't have to serve. What a tremendous act of selflessness and generosity! Here they are, these 18, 19, and 20-year olds, most of whom have had to suffer under an unjust economic system that is set up NOT to benefit THEM -- these kids who have lived their first 18 years in the worst parts of town, going to the most miserable schools, living in danger and learning often to go without, watching their parents struggle to get by and then be humiliated by a system that is always looking to make life harder for them by cutting their benefits, their education, their libraries, their fire and police, their future.
And then, after this miserable treatment, these young men and women, instead of coming after US to demand a more just society, they go and join the army to DEFEND us and our way of life! It boggles the mind, doesn't it? They not only deserve our thanks, they deserve a big piece of the pie that we dine on, those of us who never have to worry about taking a bullet while we fret over which Palm Pilot to buy the nephew for Christmas.
In fact, all that these kids in the army ask for in return from us is our promise that we never send them into harm's way unless it is for the DEFENSE of our nation, to protect us from being killed by "the enemy."
And that promise, my friends, has been broken. It has been broken in the worst way imaginable. We have sent them into war NOT to defend us, not to protect us, not to spare the slaughter of innocents or allies. We have sent them to war so Bush and Company can control the second largest supply of oil in the world. We have sent them into war so that the Vice President's company can bilk the government for billions of dollars. We have sent them into war based on a lie of weapons of mass destruction and the lie that Saddam helped plan 9-11 with Osama bin Laden.
By doing all of this, Mr. Bush has proven that it is HE who does not support our troops. It is HE who has put their lives in danger, and it is HE who is responsible for the nearly 500 American kids who have now died for NO honest, decent reason whatsoever.
The letters I've received from the friends and relatives of our kids over there make it clear that they are sick of this war and they are scared to death that they may never see their loved ones again. It breaks my heart to read these letters. I wish there was something I could do. I wish there was something we all could do.
Hard to top all that. He goes on to list a number of ways to help the troops, along with links to various organizations that are doing so. I couldn't agree more with his conclusion.
I know it feels hopeless. That's how they want us to feel. Don't give up. We owe it to these kids, the troops WE SUPPORT, to get them the hell outta there and back home so they can help organize the drive to remove the war profiteers from office next November.
To all who serve in our armed forces, to their parents and spouses and loved ones, we offer to you the regrets of millions and the promise that we will right this wrong and do whatever we can to thank you for offering to risk your lives for us. That your life was put at risk for Bush's greed is a disgrace and a travesty, the likes of which I have not seen in my lifetime.
And, stupidest of all, unleashing this horror on us is exactly what Osama wanted to do. It's good that Saddam has been deposed and captured, but there were, and are, less violent and destructive ways of doing it. The fact of the matter is that Bush and company LIKE war. They LIKE bloodshed, they LIKE seeing the Iraqi people suffer, and they LIKE seeing poor Americans, especially those of color, die. They're sadists; it gets them off. And they're making big bucks off of it. Very big bucks indeed. More every hour than you'll likely make in your lifetime.
