Bush Praises Veterans on Veterans Day

Vets – Thanks for your service. Now let’s make sure we end discrimination in the military by allowing gay and lesbain americans to serve openly as President Clinton intended in 1993.
Bush – Thanks for nothing. Don’t let the door hit you on your way out.

Our trite ceremonies have nothing on the Canadians.

How dare this slimeball Attend any veterans day or Military function this WAR CRIMINAL SHOUL BE IN JAIL,He has done nothing for our veterans, and has done nothing for our troops other then use them for his lying war,HELL IS WATING FOR YOU BUSH!70 days to go and I hope i never have to look at your slimy face again!

Thank you, Veterans!
In Rememberence to my Father-in-Law that was in the Navy in the South Pacific in WWWII who passed away just a month ago.
In Rememberence to friends and to all lost on Oct. 24, 1983
Semper Fi
USMC 1978 – 1988

@Angie,
Evidently a liberal that knows nothing of our Military.
NO MATTER who the President is, whether you agree with him or not, he is the Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces.
He is elected by the people, NOT APPOINTED by the Military.
Plus, I thought this was a Forum to HONOR OUR VETS. Not for Left Wing or Right Wing Bull!

The president must answer as to why this war was necessary. Before the imbecile negotiates his way into oblivion he should be made to answer the veterans who survive and the American people. Why are over 4000 Americans dead and tens of thousands wounded? What was it for?

4054 killed since “Mission Accomplished.” May you rot in hell bush, you imbecile.

Kinda hard to swallow a “thank you” from a president that has continually tried to reduce veterans benefits, even while calling for more and more troops and longer and longer deployments.

Thank you for our Americans that are willing to place thier lives on the line. It was their CHOICE.

Again, THANK YOU Veterans for your Sacrifice so idiots like Samurai can have the right to spread their hate filled speech.

I like how President Bush says ” I am committed to making sure that today’s veterans get all the health care and support they need from the federal government for agreeing to serve in a time of danger.” Yet us Americans that are not in the service cant’ even afford it for ourselves. What about the rest of us Mr. President?

…maybe that’s an issue better taken up with your Congressional representative…

My grandfather served in WWII, my father in Korea. I have two uncles I never met who lie in honor at Pearl Harbor. My brother flew missions in both Gulf Wars.
The greatest gift we could give to our veterans is a world where war is an unthinkable relic of the distant past.
In the meantime, it wouldn’t hurt to make sure they’re getting the best medical, psychological, educational and vocational assistance available. The need transcends ideology, and our failure to address it is shameful.

As I woke up this morning a strong thought crossed my mind. I had to go and find my bible. Now mind you I do not consider myself religous. I believe in God, just have taken my own direction with things as I see it. So what is up with MMP here? What is his point today, this veterans day 2008? The nation seems to be one that has very much glorification for war. I know a lot of you are going to come after me here. That will only prove a point of how so many really have a mind set I cannot understand. There will be those who will tell me because of the wars is the reason I have it like I do here. Okay, So did anyone really want to go to war and die? I will move on here and let you all know why I started off here as I did. There will be a lot of prayers and honoring going on today, but I could not help but to go and seek out my bible and go to this part of the bible.
Isaiah 2:2-4
2
In the days to come
The mountain of the Lord’s House shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
3
Many people shall come and say
“Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.
I only want to make a point here that as we start a new future with a new president.
Can we ever get to the point of listening to a good source of information?
Now before a lot of you come after me, remember a lot of you go to church and have the cross as part of your jewelery or decoration or you have bibles like I do.
Rememeber one of the first thoughts that crossed my mind this morning.
Peace and Blessings to all, all over this world.
nuff said—————-MMP

I agree with you, Sal. And thank you to all of the men and women who served/are serving for this great country. God bless America!
I found a post on Peterman’s Eye about Veterans Day that gave me some more insight today…really made me thankful… Thought I’d share.
http://www.petermanseye.com/anthologies/dates-in-history/375-a-day-to-remember
Cheers!

@becky (the real one)
How about Hilary?
All the other Democrats that voted for it?
Oh, I forget, they could not think for themselves, they were misled. They could not dig, or check, or find out for themselves.
It is so funny how you Liberals speak so lowly of President Bush. That does not say much for all the Democrats that followed right along and voted for this war.

Posted by: Jonathan | Nov 11, 2008 4:34:05 PM
“I like how President Bush says “I am committed to making sure that today’s veterans get all the health care and support they need from the federal government for agreeing to serve in a time of danger.” Yet us Americans that are not in the service cant’ even afford it for ourselves. What about the rest of us Mr. President?”
Jonathan, as a veteran, I would like to address your comment specifically.
I am in FULL agreement with you that the health care system in this country NEEDS a full overhaul. EVERY American should be able to get decent health care.
However….
I have a titanium heart valve. It requires me to take “blood thinners” so that the blood doesn’t clot around the metal and make it clot closed. This requires me to have blood tests approximately every two weeks, and it also means that I must take warfarin every single day for the rest of my life.
In addition, I had a stroke while I was on the operating table having the titanium valve (and a dacron splint put around my aorta) put in, which left me brain damaged enough that I am unable to work to support myself. So I am on a VA disability pension.
I have also had breast cancer. Now it’s true that there has been no direct link established between Agent Orange and breast cancer, so I might have gotten it anyway. But there are also a suspicious number of female Vietnam vets who have developed either breast cancer or pre-cancerous conditions in their breasts (severe enough to justify mastectomies). Enough to suggest that there MAY be a link. At any rate, I received all of my breast cancer care, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and follow-up care, through VA hospitals.
Now, if Bush had been able to accomplish what he wanted to, my health-care benefits would have been cut off, and probably my pension as well. That would have resulted in my certain death before too long because I would be unable to afford the blood tests, the prescriptions, etc.
It was the US government that decided to put this titanium valve in my chest, and I allowed that because I believed that — having done so — the US government would also be willing to provide the follow-up care required.
Yes, ALL Americans deserve access to health care. But you simply cannot back out on a promise to provide health care to veterans who put their very lives on the line AT YOUR ORDERS. And that is exactly what Bush has been trying to do for the past several years. He knows this war is costing more than the US government can afford to spend, so he’s been trying to figure out a way to reduce the cost of the war. And reducing veteran’s benefits as been one of his prime targets.
If you’re going to send people off to war to get shot at, injured, and killed, you have to take the responsibility for doing that. And this nation has a history of doing just that. From the Veterans Administration website:
“The mission of caring for veterans traces its roots to benefits administered by the first U.S. Congress in 1789. The country’s recognition of its responsibility followed precedent set by English law and enacted in 1736 by the Pilgrims of colonial America. It read “If any man shall be sent forth as a soldier and shall return maimed, he shall be maintained competently by the colony during his life.” The concept of service earned through service has long been part of the American consciousness. It is for this reason that the first U.S. Congress in 1789 passed a law to provide pensions to disabled veterans and their dependents.”
Only Bush would decide that this war was costing too much money and to reduce costs he could stop health care to veterans. So his statement “”I am committed to making sure that today’s veterans get all the health care and support they need from the federal government for agreeing to serve in a time of danger” rings very hollow to a lot of veterans. How can he say that while continuing to push for reduced veteran’s benefits? The man is a liar.

Thank you President Bush for your hard work. First Lady, Laura, has been nice to watch as she served these last years. She has been an excellent first lady and I love her. You have two beautiful daughters who must hurt when they hear what some folks say about their father. Our family has veterans in cemetaries and I pray those of us who have enjoyed the blessing of freedom they did not have opportunity to to see so live as to honor their efforts in our behalf.

MMP – thank you
One of my favorite songs “Highway to Heaven” it’s a highway to heaven, none but to pure in heart… I have to pray that song every morning, especially when I think of peace-loving people who verbally assault others (ie. comments above). I wonder how people verbally slaughter those that they don’t understand in the love-ing name of peace. We are, because of life sacrificing, alive to slaughter, once again, a leader. Remember, while you read the Bible that the Gospel ends with the slaughter of the Lamb. Bush is not Jesus. And neither am I.

Thank you to all our brave service men and women over the last 230+ years who have stood up to defend us, our country and our freedoms in war time and peace time. Your devotion is commendable beyond words. Bless every one of you.

Thank you Veterans past and present. Thank you my dear baby son who died in Viet nam. And thank you brave young men and women who are gay and serve your country while we give you medals for killing another man, but a less than honorable discharge for loving one. And President Bush who lead an Administration that spun fact and fancy to engage in a war of choice, invade a soverign nation that had not attacked this one (against our own Constitution which you swore to uphold and defend) while using kleig light opportunity and a cod piece to stroll across a aircraft carrier beneath a banner designed by Karen Hughes (“Mission Accomplished”) while 4,000 would die as VP Cheney and Halliburton steal away into the night (complete with a pardon list to come) may I say respectfully – don’t let the door hit you in the arse as you exit. I love my family, my home and this country and after 83 years I can proudly say we on the end of the trickle down stream know what being trinkled on (word begins with a “p” and ends with “ed”) while you sipped away, had drunk driver records esponged, missed the military medical exam, swaggered into the twenty-first century leaving the country with two words, a failed economy and an international image far from what it was when you entered office and enemy number one strolling the hills of Pakistan (absent billions in the pockets of a corrupt administration) as you plead for Columbian “free trade” in exchange for what you know is nothing more than buddy up to another President who killed Ecuadorians innocently and who was condemned by every single Latin American country – but your “war on drugs” has a price to pay and what the hay – just another day with the upper income bracket won’t hurt your image one bit. You used this day to say you’ll “miss” the most treasured thing we as a nation has ever had – something your miserable Administration couldn’t get enough guts to muster up the money for adequate medical coverage and the misery of long lines and waiting lists, but then what the hay, just another day at the ranch – sure will “miss” those men and women. Why? I have seen sanctimonious people in my lifetime, but God help me, you probably top the list.

Can we please stop blessing God. If there was a God up there guiding us and looking out for us, we wouldn’t need Veterans Day!

This coming from a deserter from the Champagne Unit of the Texas Air National Guard. How sickening! This boy should be up for a court martial, instead he commands those who do the service he shunned.

16 Of The Best World War II Movies http://tubedirects.net/index.php?q=Veterans-Day-2008
highly recommend! everyone should know!

This is a day not about Bush and not about Obama. It is a day for all of us to reflect on our right to post some of the things posted today. It is not a day for your rants or mine. Today is a day for honoring our veterans. At times I get discouraged about the direction our country is heading. It discourages me that people act is if they are owed a better life and the government is responsible for providing it. Our soldiers have the traits that made our country great. Courage in the face of danger, teamwork to accomplish the mission, and self-reliance. If the Sergeant goes down the Corporal steps up. If he is removed the private takes charge. Our military is composed of men and women who set the example for all of us to follow. They are unselfish and determined to complete the task assigned to them. These are Americans, these are the people who still possess the frontier spirit and rugged independence that made our country an nation to be proud of. We owe them our lives, liberty, and happiness.

I hate having a coward, who used his daddy to cop out on his generation’s war speak to this veteran on Veteran’s Day. George crawl back under your rock.
I really despise conservative who lied about supporting our troops while they waffled on paying for the wars they fought in.
Where were you when I got out? I have never gotten so mush as a thank you. I never have gotten a break on a job for serving. If I died on the street you conservatives could give a damn.

On the 11th Day of the 11th month each year, Americans come together to honor those in uniform, the ones who sacrificed for our nation, on Veterans Day. As a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan, War on Terror, I urge everyone to take this day to not just thank a veteran, but to talk with veterans. Learn about how our experiences have shaped our lives and what issues we face as we make our transitions back to civilian life. I would like to explain my side of the story, my own experience.
When I joined the military I was a young, confused kid, who did not know much about life, due to being sheltered for most of my life by my over protective parents. I did not know much about the war, just that I was enraged at the hatred those terrorists had for all Americans and me. I wanted to help my country, to protect it at all cost, even giving up my life to do so. It may sound funny but when I initially tried to enlist in the military, I was to be a military post-man, but the job had already been taken. Since I am color-blind, I wasn’t able to have a range of opportunities in the military. My placement was therefore in Mortuary Affairs Specialist. I felt that I grew up quicker in my years in service than most people do in their whole lifetime.
I was nineteen years old on February 8th, 2002. It was kind of cold for Phoenix as I reached the Airport headed to Fort Jackson, in South Carolina for basic training. Upon reaching Fort Jackson, referred by some in the service as relaxant Jackson, I found that the life I had chosen would not be as easy as I thought. Those first couple of days I got a hair cut, issued uniforms, and learned the waiting line for training was long. During this time, since 9/11, there was a mass influx of new recruits; the Army had problems finding them units to train in. For me I was lucky kind of, since I had a school date that did not come around very often, they tried to offer me another job, but I turn them down, I was shipped from Fort Jackson, then to Fort Lenderwood Missionary. The Ozark Mountains are cold and during winter, it was unbearable. It was an extreme change for me because I was mostly familiar with the hot weather in Phoenix, AZ. Exercising and running in extreme weather with being out shape was horrible. There was no special treatment for anyone but the drill sergeants made me work twice as hard. The treatment I received was something similar to a movie, where the fat kid got picked on and abused, but it was some thing I needed in order to become who I need to be. Despite this, I worked hard, did everything I was ordered to do, and eventually I graduated from boot camp with a new physique. During graduation, my fellow recruits honored me with “The Most Changed Person” reward, the Order of the Dragoon.
I was off to my next challenge, training for my MOS. When I reached Fort Lee, Virginia, I missed my start date and had to wait for the next one. This meant that I couldn’t get a pass to go anywhere; I had to just sit at the barracks, clean the floors, and do KP duty. After awhile this routine got incommodious. I was so happy on Memorial Day 2002, because the next day I was scheduled to start school. Then all of a sudden, I had horrible stomach pains, and could not figure what it was. So I was sent me off to the ER, the doctors initially diagnosed appendix problems. The one-hour surgery was then scheduled immediately, however it took five hours to complete. Apparently, my appendix had been ruptured for over a month including basic training. The surgeons said I am so lucky to be alive. I got a month off to recover and relax. When I got back to Fort Lee, I had to wait another month for class, so eventually when I got to school; I did my best to learn about my job and almost graduated at the top of my class. The reason why I did not graduate at the top of my class was due to my stomach muscles not fully recovering, which made doing sit-ups very hard. I did it because I wanted to join my unit at Fort Lee.
My feelings of excitement and wanting to serve were still in tact even after months of prolong waiting and recovery. In order to be all that I could be, to be the best, I exceed my own abilities by 120%. The mindset I had, came a long way (physically from Phoenix and mentally from the first story I heard about the terrorist attacks), I had really changed for the better. In the first year, I received my first (minor) medal, the Army Achievement Medal. With this acknowledgement from the Army, I wanted to speed up my deployment overseas to Afghanistan, but that wasn’t going to happen until March 18th 2003. According to orders, my team that I was assigned to from my unit wasn’t schedule to arrive in Iraq first. Instead, I worked in the Theater Mortuary Affairs Evacuation Point, a place that went nonstop for the first three months.
Sleep was limited to when I did not hear a helicopter, and when body’s slowed down coming in. In the states I had worked at the Richmond Morgue, but war was different. Instead of just seeing some one you did not know in the states, in Kuwait you learn to know every one, due to them wearing the same uniform, and inventorying all their personal effects, you knew who they wear when they left. Not only was our job to process Americans, but we also helped process British, and any other Allies. During this time I saw the mistakes we made, such as shooting British helicopter down with Sam missiles, and killing Brazilin journalist when we hit the wrong building, during that time I saw the horrors that mankind was possible of. I start experiences, problems, and tried to seek medical help, but I was deferred and told I would be fine. My excitement had come to an end, and I start to get in trouble, pretty soon my 1st Sgt, thought that I was not experiencing enough of the war, so he sent me to the Iraq, Camp Alsad. In Camp Alsad, was slow, but became difficult. Some of the soldiers I ate with at the chow hall, and knew were head on a rest and relaxation mission, but instead of making it, their helicopter was shot down. My team had to go clean the site, recover the bodies, and inventory their belongings. Man life is tough, but even tougher if you know the people. There were two other tough missions. The first were, when three Special Forces soldiers had been killed, when they were given orders not to shoot into a crowd even if they were receiving fire, not only did we have to process their bodies, but we also had to process the bodies of the people who had killed them. We are mortuary affairs first, and as such we have a moral obligation not to look at uniform, or lack of one, but to look at the person and understand their journey had come to a end, and it was our job to treat them with respect because every one has family and friends that care for them, it was not are job to judge right or wrong, which is very hard. The second tough mission was when we went with a convoy head to a site, that they had reportedly killed Sadam Husain, but in fact the compound was filled with animals and women and children. I do not think the Air Force meant to kill them, they were trying to do there job in following cell phone singles, and when they split, they went after the most likely target. On this mission two things had happened. One back in Alsad I was having bad night terrors, but the person in charge of my team figured the answer was not sending me back, but instead was to put me on night duty, and to change the location I slept on, in the location I was, this almost spelled disaster for me and my friend, when I woke up and started to scream at the top of my lungs, the people sleeping around the truck react and were about to shoot in the back of the truck, when my Sgt yelled stop he is just dreaming, oh thank god. The second thing is as I stated before, we are trained to respect the dead, and their belongings. This did not transfer to the people there, instead they were ordered to bury everything, destroy all evidence and move on. That pretty much covers Iraq.
When I got back to the states, I faced many hardships under the care of the Army. I am like millions of other veterans dealing with mental and physical scars of war. Most Americans will never know about these issues because it is not covered in the news or articles. The Army has become a two-sided issue for me; it was once a place where I wanted to succeed at being a great solider and fight for our rights and our country. Now that I came home I am still fighting another battle, however, this fight, I fight alone. I am trying to cope with sudden flashbacks, traumatizing combat events, hyper-vigilance to the recurrence of danger, feelings of numbness, low self-esteem, rage, and lapses in concentration. All of these have caused me to descend in my quality of life. I thought the Army and my unit would continue to care for me, treat me as a fellow solider, and assist me with finding resources for coping and healing. However, this was not the case, my unit classified me as a troublemaker, an unfit solider. As a result, they discharged me out of the Army abruptly without taking responsibility for the causes of my PTSD illnesses. Like other soldiers, I tried to reach out for help but once the system failed, I tried to commit suicide twice during my service. Luckily, both times, one of my few friends stopped me. This incident put me in a mental hospital involuntarily, where they doped me up on strong medicines, and no one cared to seek the reasons behind the action. I wasn’t allowed to receive my care at the Army hospital, because if procedures were followed, there would have been a long investigation and no one wanted to take the time to take care of their wounded soldiers with PTSD. Instead, I was discharged immediately with personality disorder. This seems to be the common practice for the Army, not just in my case but also 20,000 other veterans. At 5 P.M. September 16, 2004, my last official orders from the Army were, TO GET OUT!! Heavily medicated, I received my car keys, and was told to drive over 5000 miles, all the way home to Phoenix, Arizona. My feelings that proscribed afterwards are indescribable.
Even though I am still in my own body, this whole experience has shaped my life. Following my physical return home to Phoenix, AZ, I, however, didn’t return home with my state of mentality. My homecoming wasn’t what I imagined, that is because it was based on tv and movies I’ve seen about returning soldiers as hero’s. I became hospitalized time and time again.
Don’t worry, my story gets better and does have a great beginning. This new chapter in my life begins with the chance meeting the love of my life, my wife. With her continued support, I am able to handle some things on my own. A great support system, love, understanding, and patience, is what I think all soldiers should have and receive upon their return home. After all, the important issue is that we are all humans! With the good and the bad, we will always have our memories.
So on this Veterans Day and every day the best way to honor our veterans is to connect with them. So please remember and honor our fellow humans, our veterans. Without recognition from our family and friends, it doesn’t seem like all of our efforts make a difference. Many of us new veterans are being left behind, we have honored you by defending your rights, and all we ask is to welcome us home.
Sincerely,
Joshua C. Poulsen
Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran

I am full of gratitude for all the veterans who
Unselfishly
Served
America
My heart swells with appreciation, and my eyes swell with tears for the sacrifices that you made for my freedom!! I realize that war brings untold suffering, and that every battle has its scares. Yet, I pray that the souls of soldiers would not be scarred by bitterness. I salute your courage on the battle field! For all you’ve been thru, please don’t lose the battle with bitterness. Never surrender to this enemy of the soul. Don’t let bitterness steal away you r heroic efforts, or defeat you on the home front. My father was a Marine in the fox holes of Korea, where he learned to persevere courageously thru a later battle with Parkinson’s. And, He is the one who gave birth to my patriotic gratitude. Always remember, that your season of service is an honorable legacy to America’s future generations.

I want to honor a veteran president. President Bush’s term was a timely one. For those who had ears to hear, his speeches were profound. And, I‘ll always be glad that he was the one we elected to lead us. He did so with great discernment and wisdom, epically in light of looming terrorism. The book he plans to publish will shed insight on policies of protection. I for one felt confident and comfortable under his leadership. And, I will miss him the way someone misses one to whom they owe a dept of gratitude. I know President Bush holds our safety close to his heart, and it is with prayer that he passes this responsibility on to the new president elect.

Dear “Grateful Heart”,
It’s so refreshing to hear you speak, to know that you’re one of the Americans who appreciate America as much as me.
You’re right, we are a nation under God and nothing can change that.
My grandfather was a priest back where I come from. God was banned. We weren’t allowed to even say the word “God”. I grew up with threats, yet that only made me go to church even more and I am not religious. I really don’t know how come the communists let me live anyway:).
And then I come to America and to my shock I see similar things here. It’s scary, it’s diturbing and it’s dangerous. I had to take my daughter out of the public school and put her into a private one. I wanted her to grow up with God because I wasn’t allowed to. I speek on different occasions, for different groups of people because I want America to understand how great and loved she actually is all over the world.
I was told that I can’t wear my cross pendant at work and of course I didn’t take the job…and I really need a better job, but I didn’t go through hell to come to the land of the free and not have the freedom to wear it.
I ran away from this a long time ago to come here and now there’s nowhere else to run anymore because this is it. This is as good as it gets. So I’ll stay and fight for her. She’s worth it! America might make mistakes but in the end she always comes around and is just as great in spite of them, do you know why? Because she is a nation under God whether some people like it or not and God watches over us.
Do you know how good it feels to be able to speak my mind like this without being afraid that I’ll pay with my life for it?
This country really is blessed.
Thank you for your thoughts “Grateful Heart”.
Good night America and pleasant dreams. Rest assured that you are loved and you will be ok.
Mariana

As a disabled Vietnam Veteran, any claim by Chicken Hawk Bush claiming to support Veterans after they return, is an insult to our intelligence. The disaster at Walter Reed Hospital, is not the exception, it is the standard.