Combat Veterans Oppose Iraq War

National Defense Council Foundation | September 13, 2002 | Milt Copulos

[Commie Basher]

The above was passed on to me via a Libertarian listserv.

Seems to me that Saddam has been pounded by air strikes for over a decade. He doesn't control his own air space. He is surrounded by nations with "weapons of mass destruction" far more potent that anthing he may have: Israel, Russia, Pakistan, India, and possible the Ukraine. Even Iran is opposed to him (a nation Saddam was unable to defeat -- despite U.S. aid sent to Saddam). Saddam is down and beaten, and if he tries anything, most of his neighbors can take him out. I see no reason for the hysteria that we MUST invade Iraq and topple him. He's a tyrant, but one of the most isolated and pent-in tyrants around.

[tomahawk]

This is crap.

[bybybill]

What nonsense, the key phrase is .."your contibution is tax deductable.."

[Consort]

But the military professionals at the Pentagon we speak with on a regular basis...

Are these the same "professionals" that were not driven out during the Clinton Administration? The same ones who were promoted by the Clintons?

[M Kehoe]

Well, I don't have a CIB, so maybe no one will give credence to the next statement...

Milt Copulos, you are clueless or brain dead.

5.56mm

[elbucko]

"your contibution is tax deductable.."

You get the "Bullseye" award for the day. This organization has crossed the line to political and if 501 3C, they should loose it.

[vbmoneyspender]

Date October 1, 2001:

President Bush and other officials have said this will be a long-term struggle, but Americans are notoriously impatient about foreign involvement and most officials had probably hoped for more visible successes before this.

Such hopes were unrealistic, said Milton Copulos, president of the National Defense Council Foundation (www.ndcf.org) in Alexandria, Va. The kind of war we can win is one in which we use small groups of advisers to train and equip Afghans - perhaps the Northern Alliance, perhaps other groups - to go in and liberate their own country. Obviously, that will take a while. A 'quick' victory might take 18 months; it could be two or three years, he said.

Copulos, who served two tours in Vietnam, along with his NDCF colleague Maj. Andy Messing, is concerned that the United States might be continuing to bomb beyond the point it is useful. But he warns that ground troops can?t expect quick success either. The Taliban, al-Qaeda and the rough terrain will make this a longer conflict than most had expected.

Source

Looks like Mr. Copulos was wide of the mark on Afghanistan.

[Commie Basher]

Are these the same "professionals" that were not driven out during the Clinton Administration? The same ones who were promoted by the Clintons?

Well, here's the credentials of their Executive Director:

NDCF Executive Director, MAJ F. Andy Messing Jr. (a decorated veteran of 21 years in uniform, with service in Vietnam, Grenada and El Salvador) was in Mogadishu on a medical mission for NDCF during the Somalia Operation, and saw first-hand what this means. He also was in the Gulf War for NDCF,

Seems far more experienced than all the chickenhawks who pulled strings to avoid combat during Vietnam, hiding out in Oxford, or the National Guard, or the Army Times.

[Millie]

The Andy Messing I observe now is not the same guy I observed a few years ago. His opinions have changed as dramatically as Scott Ritters over the years. What's with these guys?

[elbucko]

This is crap.

That's for sure. This outfit has lost a lot of credibility with me. Bush43 doesn't strike me as a trigger happy cowboy. I think he likes his enemies thinking he may be, but I think he is deeply considerate. He isn't the confused and scared coward as was LBJ and WJC.

[Dr. Frank fan]

Saddam is down and beaten, and if he tries anything, most of his neighbors can take him out.

Right. Well, if he "tries anything" overt, that is. What he can still do - just about the only thing he can do - is funnel WMDs to middle men and pretend that his hands are clean while he giggles as terrorists use those WMDs to attack Americans.

Which, I can only assume, is just fine by you, because you oppose taking steps to preempt such actions on his part.

[John W]

Look for a Saudi connection.They are next and a hunch-and thats all it is-is that many of the antis are letting their saudi-enriched pocketbooks wag their dogs,so to speak.

[Rockiesrider]

Hey Milt. Did anybody elect you to speak for them? We don't need your input into anything or the NACF. Sounds to me that your too old to go anyway. So don't sweat it. I'm sure if you advertise enough times some Iraqi will pump some greenies into to your hand, like they did Ritter. Your fact finding mission will be a joke, like you. Don't stand behind the combat veteran stance, because you don't speak for all of us who have been there. I'd bet a dollar to a donut that your a cherry anyway. There's a reason why most military people have little or no combat experience these days. The Viet Vets are long in the tooth (hate to admit it, but I'm 53 now) and all the other wars lately have been over with so quickly. If getting into a fight with an evil bad scary guy is too much for you...relax. Let the Marines do it. You just stay in the rear with the gear, Combat Boy... my ass.

[CIB-173RDABN]

Well, I don't have a CIB, so maybe no one will give credence to the next statement...

---

Well I have one, and if it makes any difference, I will say it, Milt Copulos, you are clueless or brain dead.

[elbucko]

Look for a Saudi connection.

The second "Bullseye" award for the day. There is massive amounts of Saudi money behind the "Iraq Peace Movement". Even "patriots" have been known to sell out their own country for a few pieces of silver.

[Commie Basher]

The Andy Messing I observe now is not the same guy I observed a few years ago. His opinions have changed as dramatically as Scott Ritters over the years. What's with these guys?

That makes them all the more credible. They're not knee-jerk for war or peace. They're open-minded to new evidence.

I guess the only people you trust are those who always tow the same line throughout their lives, as though assimilating new data is impossible.

[XDemocrat]

"Combat Veterans Oppose Iraq War"

This one doesn't! Vietnam 69/70

[clamper1797]

This combat Vet does support it.

[clamper1797]

Welcome home brother

[elbucko]

They're open-minded to new evidence.

Somehow, that phrase has always closed my mind to new evidence. "New evidence" needs to pass the smell test. This doesn't!