Widow of Soldier in Jessica Lynch Unit Blasts Bush

Yahoo News ^ | 3/23/04 | Jim Forsyth

[Soundman4x4]

CENTER POINT, Texas (Reuters) - At a ceremony on Tuesday marking the one-year anniversary of the Iraqi attack on Pvt. Jessica Lynch's Army unit, the widow of a soldier who died in the fight blasted President Bush (news - web sites) for "lying to America" to justify the Iraq (news - web sites) war.

In bitter comments beside the grave of Army Specialist James Kiehl, widow Jill Kiehl accused Bush of fabricating reasons to launch the invasion that toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites).

"The evidence that's starting to come out now feels like he (Bush) was misleading us," Kiehl said, holding the couple's 10-month-old son Nathaniel, born seven weeks after his father died.

"It's almost as though he had things fixed so it would look like he needed to go to war," she said.

James Kiehl, a 22-year-old computer engineer, was one of 11 members of the 507th Maintenance Company killed when their convoy took a wrong turn at Nassiriya in southern Iraq on March 23, 2003 and were attacked by Iraqi fighters.

Several members of the unit, not including Lynch, attended the ceremony in Center Point, 35 miles northwest of San Antonio.

Jill Kiehl described herself as "bitter" about Bush's decision to declare war on Iraq.

"It's upsetting that he (Bush) would have lied to America to get what he wanted," Kiehl said.

"In a way, it's like he used people. That's how I feel. I think the reasons for going over there were bogus and misleading."

[bcoffey]

I'm not impressed. I guess the Dems and partisan media have to stoop to cover anyone who happens to have a cross word to say about the President.

Oh well... such is life.

[COEXERJ145]

Let me guess Jill, you voted for John Kerry, didn't you?

(If she was old enough in 2000, I'd bet 100-1 that she voted for Al-Bore.)

[Blue Scourge]

First of all...you have my condolences and thank you for your husbands sacrafice, he didn't die in vain.

"It's upsetting that he (Bush) would have lied to America to get what he wanted," Kiehl said.

I'm usually willing to give a pass because of grief...but she has to realize that she can't just read something from the DNC home page and automatically believe it...to the Dems her husband was more of a terrorist than Saddam.

[Terry Mross]

I would imagine it would be very difficult not to be bitter having lost her husband and now with a child to raise alone. I don't know how I would feel if my child had died in any war. But I do think that saying the war wasn't just would be saying my child died for nothing. That would be even harder to take. But, I guess that's how she feels. I'm sorry for her loss and all the others who have lost loved ones in this neccessary war.

[shiva]

Dumb Broad.......

[sinkspur]

She's young and stupid. And, still grieving over her dead husband.

She's also likely a Democrat.

[solitas]

Some slug who has a political gripe makes Yahoo News - so?

[bcoffey]

I agree with your sentiments. My comment was more directed towards the media types who are trying to make points with it.

[marron]

If she gets her information from the major media how could she think anything else?

But her husband didn't die in vain. He died to put an end to a psychotic killing machine; there are several thousand people who won't die this month because that regime is gone.

And he died to get the people behind the first World Trade Center bombing at the very least; he died to put an end to a 12 year war and a 30 year reign of terror; he died to liberate 25 million people. He didn't die for nothing.

Bush didn't lie to get us in there, but a lot of people have lied to keep us out. And a lot of people have lied to try and steal the victory her husband died for.

[inkling]

Mrs. Kiehl, your husband did not die in vain.

[CindyDawg]

They are messing with her head during her time of grief. If President Bush would speak with her like he did with the English widow it might help her to understand.

[Paul Atreides]

Yeah, yeah, yeah....Bush rigged the Florida ballots, bribed, blackmailed, coerced the Supreme Court into ruling in his favor, planned the entire thing in Texas, and provided planes to the 9-11 terrorists. He's was planning all of this, while AWOL from the National Guard in Alabama.

[deport]

Here are some articles/threads about the events surronding James Kiehl

Kiehl laid to rest with full military honors

What happened to Spc. James Kiehl that made his widow sick after meeting with military breifers?

Funeral for a Soldier (Texas Style)

Funeral In A Small Town In Texas

[cwb]

I actually don't blame this on Jill; I blame it on a media that is only too happy to exploit the grief and anxiety of those families who have lost loved ones. What the media does to these people is a disgrace...and it isn't journalism. Who knows who she voted for, but with the partisan media and democrats completely politicizing this war, it is very easy for someone who is uninformed, to come to these conclusions. Heck, it's the only thing you see in the mainstream media today, and unless you know how to access alternative sources, you'd think Bush was a monster. It's past time to take the media on.

[philetus]

Be a shame if the Army messed up her pension.

[John Lenin]

Who did you vote for Jill?

[kristinn]

Before folks here finish trashing the widow Kiehl, perhaps you can explain how it is possible that she came to be spouting leftist propaganda at the memorial service.

[Swiss]

I think the ethics of the media is low about this issue. You have someone who is emotionally out of their mind with grief and then throw them into controversty by covering their remarks.

I always image that persons like this widow who make statements for or against the war gets a lot of grief from the other side by people she knows and don't afterwards. I picture hateful phone calls, e-mails, letters, comments, etc.

If she goes to seek attention ok but those in the Press should think what their story will do to someone already suffering and not print the remarks.

[cubreporter]

Our deepest sympathies to this young widow on the loss of her beloved husband and the tragic loss of their baby's father. It IS heartbreaking to say the least.

He was (as the song says in the Toby Keith Album) An American Soldier. A true American Soldier.

We are proud of him and his service to our country. We are so saddened he lost his life and we wish nothing but the best for his very young widow and their baby. God rest his soul and God bless his family. God bless America too. Listen if you can to the An American Soldier selection. It seems to say it all.