Posted on 01/03/2006 10:20:43 AM PST by kristinn
Early on Aug. 3, 2005, we heard that 14 Marines had been killed in Haditha, Iraq. Our son, Lance Cpl. Edward "Augie" Schroeder II, was stationed there. At 10:45 a.m. two Marines showed up at our door. After collecting himself for what was clearly painful duty, the lieutenant colonel said, "Your son is a true American hero."
Since then, two reactions to Augie's death have compounded the sadness.
At times like this, people say, "He died a hero." I know this is meant with great sincerity. We appreciate the many condolences we have received and how helpful they have been. But when heard repeatedly, the phrases "he died a hero" or "he died a patriot" or "he died for his country" rub raw.
SNIP
Though it hurts, I believe that his death -- and that of the other Americans who have died in Iraq -- was a waste. They were wasted in a belief that democracy would grow simply by removing a dictator -- a careless misunderstanding of what democracy requires. They were wasted by not sending enough troops to do the job needed in the resulting occupation -- a careless disregard for professional military counsel.
But their deaths will not be in vain if Americans stop hiding behind flag-draped hero masks and stop whispering their opposition to this war. Until then, the lives of other sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers and mothers may be wasted as well.
This is very painful to acknowledge, and I have to live with it. So does President Bush.
The writer is managing director of a trade development firm in Cleveland.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Well said.
Another parent who disagreed with their child about the war in Iraq? What a surprise.
Ditto.
Well said, and quite true.
Fine. Run for President, and once you win, run the military as you please, in spite of their objections.
What an absolute shame that our guys, that are over there KILLING TERRORISTS, (which serves the whole world) just don't qualify as heroic to these fools.
They make me sick.
Unlike the Viet Nam conflict, the soldiers in this war are
volunteers! They enlist, knowing full well the risks;
particularly the ones that choose combat specialties.
Nice correlation. Thanks.
This Marine obviously believed in what he was doing. It's too bad his parents can't honor his memory by respecting the choices he made. Instead of cherishing his heroism, they besmirch his sacrifice with their selfish comments.
I don't know about your contention that they dishonor their son by renouncing the war effort. Does any parent out there really believe that the loss of one's child will somehow embolden someone's feeling for the war effort? I'll tell you from experience that no matter how full of zeal you are for the war, when you lose someone you love or even just care about, there is a dramatic shift in sentiment toward the war in general. Sure, you want to kill the guys that did it, but, trust me, you don't feel more each time like the conflict is justified; just the opposite in fact.
You have to examine what these parents hear about their son's involvement in the conflict, and then interpret that in terms of their loss. Basically, they likely have little accomplishments to directly tie to their son's death. I've seen a lot of dead in my two rotations in Iraq, and I've been on both sides of comforting people who've experienced loss. What would you think is a sufficient reason for your son to die fighting in a conflict that can't be easily explained or resolved? I think your criticism comes a little too easy for someone who's not the parent of the deceased here.
Just like all those who haven't been a part of the war can't say we need to keep fighting. Why? So we can proliferate the spread of terrorism by bringing war to a country that no one can prove had anything to do with terrorism before we came here? We've surpassed the point of diminishing return on this conflict and the time has come to take stock of our accomplishments and withdraw in large numbers.
Excuse me...ANYone stopping terrorists; impeding their efforts to destroy the world as we know it, ARE HEROES.
That is not hard to understand. To suggest we go away and leave them alone is stupid and naive. Do you believe the terrorists will just then leave all of us alone?
To somehow think evil can be negotiated with is dangerous.
It is one thing to lament that their son is gone and that the fact that he died in service to his country is not comforting. That would be understandable. But to further undermine the men who served with their son with their criticisms like this, calling the fight he CHOSE to fight an illegitimate fight, etc. is a dishonor to his service.
Welcome to FR and thank you for your service to our country.
The son who died obviously did not share his parents political views when he joined the service. We have had an all volunteer military for many years now.
I would be ashamed of my parents had they made any anti war comments had I died from the gunshot wounds in late April of 1969.
Yes, I saw even full Colonels in the Army have their lives shattered when their sons were killed in Vietnam. They did not bad mouth the President then, the military, or turn their loss into a political statement. I believe people had more class back then.
Look, I've got your point about you thinking that they dishonor their kids, but I still think that you've got a wrong read on this.
The sacrifice that is made when a Soldier goes to combat is made by everyone in that Soldier's life, and the family is definitely a weighty part of that. What solace does a parent, wife, husband, or child of a Soldier take when they have no idea what the Soldier goes through. I just think you need to appreciate that the Soldier's family is feeling this helplessness and probably always will. I've seen it in many a disabled Soldier and in more Soldiers serving here today than most Americans could conceive.
I am most contentious with the point that some politicians make that "we've got to continue the fight, lest we dishonor those Soldiers we've lost, even if that means losing more Soldiers' lives." I've got to say (as someone who has had to make peace with sacrificing his life for his country multiple times): everytime a Soldier dies here, it does not make the argument for war stronger. There is a reality here that a lot of people can't wrap their minds around that to an extent some of our actions here, no matter how good-intentioned, create more terrorists. Do you see the interrelation here?
Right now, I think our actions are eliminating more terrorists than they are creating. The appeasement approach that we took under Jimmy Carter and for eight years under clinton probably created more terrorists than our war on terrorism has.
If you do not have the guts to fight this country- quit living off the fat
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