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Christmas Tribute to Our Troops
Merry Christmas, men. Wishing you a safe return.
CHRISTMAS - - 2004
I had no Christmas spirit when I breathed a weary sigh,
and looked across the table where the bills were piled too high.
The laundry wasn't finished and the car I had to fix,
My stocks were down another point, the Bronco's lost by six.
And so with only minutes till my son got home from school
I gave up on the drudgery and grabbed a wooden stool.
The burdens that I carried were about all I could take,
and so I flipped the TV on to catch a little break.
I came upon a desert scene in shades of tan and rust,
No snowflakes hung upon the wind, just clouds of swirling dust.
And where the reindeer should have stood before a laden sleigh,
eight hummers ran a column right behind an M1A.
A group of boys walked past the tank, not one was past his teens,
Their eyes were hard as polished flint, their faces drawn and lean.
They walked the street in armor with their rifles shouldered tight,
their dearest wish for Christmas, just to have a silent night.
Other soldiers gathered, hunkered down against the wind,
To share a scrap of mail and dreams of going home again.
There wasn't much at all to put their lonely hearts at ease,
They had no Christmas turkey, just a pack of MREs.
They didn't have a garland or a stocking I could see,
They didn't need an ornament-- they lacked a Christmas Tree.
They didn't have a present even though it was tradition,
the only boxes I could see were labled "ammunition."
I felt a little tug and found my son now by my side,
He asked me what it was I feared, and why it was I cried.
I swept him up into my arms and held him oh so near
and kissed him on the forehead as I whispered in his ear.
There's nothing wrong my little son, for safe we sleep tonight,
our heroes stand on foreign land to give us all the right,
to worry on the things in life that mean nothing at all,
instead of wondering if we will be the next to fall.
He looked at me as children do and said its always right,
to thank the ones who help us and perhaps that we should write.
And so we pushed aside the bills and sat to draft a note,
to thank the many far from home, and this is what we wrote:
God Bless You all and keep you safe, and speed your way back home.
Remember that we love you so, and that you're not alone.
The gift you give you share with all, a present every day,
You give the gift of liberty and that we can't repay.
"...this is an open and grateful tribute to the men and women
who serve every day to keep our nation safe."
it's the most wonderful time of the year.
thank you and God bless you.
Where is my "This thread is gay" Richard Simmons pic when I need it?
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| Originally posted by Zild Where is my "This thread is gay" Richard Simmons pic when I need it? |
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| Originally posted by Shakka Probably stuck up your ass, along with your mother's head. |
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| Originally posted by Zild |
believe me the whack poem offends me more than i'm offending you
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Zild believe me the whack poem offends me more than i'm offending you |
Our troops?? I beg your pardon?
He's talking about Zild's location. San Antonio... USA
The term jingoism comes strongly to mind and i quote from the oxford english dictionary..jingo..a supporter of policy favouring war;a blustering patriot..make up your own mind the former or the latter
| quote: |
| Originally posted by zig The term jingoism comes strongly to mind and i quote from the oxford english dictionary..jingo..a supporter of policy favouring war;a blustering patriot..make up your own mind the former or the latter |
Well the whole thread really,i assume if i posted a similar poem decrying the position that iraqi insurgents have been placed in this thread would be busy with replies flaming me..just a point
Is it just me or does it seem the poem is to reassure the public more than the troops? Yea I guess the troops are going to need some holiday cheer ...
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The pattern of discontent in US ranks By Brad Knickerbocker | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Griping among the troops is as old as armed conflict, illustrated most memorably by cartoonist Bill Mauldin's "Willie and Joe" characters during World War II. But something more than that is happening now in Iraq with what appears to be growing resistance from the troops. Evidence includes numbers of deserters (reportedly in the thousands), resignations of reserve officers, lawsuits by those whose duty period has been involuntarily extended, and a refusal to go on dangerous missions without proper equipment. There's also been a willingness at grunt level to publicly challenge the Pentagon - as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld found out recently in a trip to the war zone, where he got an earful about unarmored humvees. While some don't see much defiance - and, in fact, have been surprised by the depth of solidarity - others see an unusual amount of tension surfacing for an all-volunteer military force. "What is driving the resistance is the same thing that drove it during Vietnam - a lack of trust in the civilian leadership and a sense that the uniformed leaders are not standing up for the forces," says retired Army Col. Dan Smith, a military analyst with the Friends Committee on National Legislation in Washington. Colonel Smith doesn't expect the kind of "fragging" incidents that occurred in Vietnam where soldiers attacked their own officers. "This force is too professional," he says. "But the lack of trust and the inequity of the tours will very likely be reflected in the numbers of Guard and reservists who vote no-confidence with their feet." That already appears to be happening. The Army National Guard is short 5,000 new citizen-soldiers. "Although generally successful in overall mission numbers, we continue to experience difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified individuals in certain critical wartime specialties," Army Reserve chief Lt. Gen. James Helmly told the House Armed Services Committee earlier this year. The number of officers wanting to resign from the Army Reserve has jumped as well. And according to a recent report on CBS's "60 Minutes," the Defense Department acknowledges that more than 5,500 service personnel have deserted since the Iraq war began. While the complaints and the resistance to following some military policies may pattern earlier conflicts, the fighting in Iraq has a unique context, experts say. It's the first large-scale 21st-century conflict against an aggressive insurgency, causing thousands of US casualties; the first war in more than a generation in which homeland security and the threat of domestic terror attack seem so real; the first "semi-draft," with the Guard/reserve component approaching 50 percent of combat and combat support troops (and already taking more casualties than they did in Vietnam); and it's the first time in many years that soldiers have been ordered to serve beyond their commitments. Legal challenges to military authority appear to be increasing as well, with more use of civilian attorneys than was seen in Vietnam. "It's very much in evidence," says Eugene Fidell, a former military lawyer who heads the National Institute of Military Justice. Mr. Fidell just finished teaching the first course on military issues at Harvard Law School since 1970. All this is happening in an age when CNN brings live war coverage to the trenches and barracks, when troops are more aware of the successes and debacles on the battlefield than ever before. At the same time, reporters embedded with combat units, as well as e-mail and Internet access, make it easier for families and others back home to be heard by the soldiers - and for the soldiers to complain to them. This is especially true, perhaps, of citizen-soldiers, who are not only older than the average GI but more used to speaking out. Since the fighting began in Iraq, the number of Guard and reserve troops on active duty has more than doubled. Critics say this is an indication that US forces are stretched too thin. One such critic is Senator John McCain (R) of Arizona, a supporter of the war who declared this week that he had "no confidence" in Secretary Rumsfeld. At this point, much of the data is scattered and anecdotal, like the doubling of desertions at the Army's Fort Bragg in North Carolina last year to about 200. It may be too early to draw exact comparisons with earlier wars, experts agree. But they also note a growing trend for GIs to speak out and to find leverage points to protect their interests - including personal safety. "I am amazed that it is not greater," says retired Air Force Col. Sam Gardiner. "The war continues to go badly. Their equipment is in bad shape. Supply problems continue. Tours are extended. Many are on a second or third deployment to a combat zone. I would expect a louder voice." A key issue for war planners is whether any of this adversely effects individual morale and unit performance. That remains an open question, particularly as the war goes on and its original rationale (weapons of mass destruction and ties to Al Qaeda) fades. "Soldiers always gripe, and often with good reason," says Loren Thompson, head of security studies at the Lexington Institute in Arlington, Va. "But I don't see much evidence that the enemy in Iraq is eroding the will of US forces to fight. As long as US forces are well led, the gripes aren't likely to lead to more serious problems." Others aren't so sure. "When you are risking your life on the battlefield, the importance of knowing why you are doing so cannot be underestimated," says Ivan Eland, national security analyst at the Independent Institute in Oakland, Calif. "If soldiers don't know why they are fighting there or believe they've been hoodwinked, we may see the same phenomenon happen in Iraq as occurred in Vietnam." http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1216/p01s01-usmi.html |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Reverend_Trance So a poem about troops overseas fighting and dying for your right to bitch about this, is more offensive than your picture? Yeah right...... |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by zig The term jingoism comes strongly to mind and i quote from the oxford english dictionary..jingo..a supporter of policy favouring war;a blustering patriot..make up your own mind the former or the latter |
Yeah and I have 3 friends over there. Not in the National Guard either. Two of em in the Marines with the 1st expeditionary and one in the Army with Special Forces. Now because I don't support the war doesn't mean I'm disrespecting them at all. I hate to see grown men on RR literally balling their eyes out because they don't want to go back to Iraq. Oh well I'm sure you can't understand that.
Seeing as how I received the poem from a retired general(and Vietnam veteran)...
It is merely a tribute to our troops for doing what they do. Whether you agree with the actions of the government or not, the tribute is to those who volunteer to defend the rest of us, regardless of what the cost may be. They deserve our respect and our appreciation, regardless of your political affiliation. The fact that some of you choose to mock them is the greatest offense of all. Go play in the traffic if that's all your brain is good for.
Better yet, why not go spend some time with a few WWII vets and learn something before that generation is all gone.
new avatar for the troops ...merry christmas
WWII vets smell bad. I'd rather hang out with my friends when they get back from Iraq. Shakka, the personal attacks show a definite lack of intelligence. We're not mocking the troops we're stating our views you already stated yours. So what if I feel you're mocking the global community with that gay ass poem? Oh well i'm not going to cry about it I'm just going to call a spade a spade. I don't need to make any personal attacks to get my point across. k thx drive thru plz
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Zild WWII vets smell bad. I'd rather hang out with my friends when they get back from Iraq. Shakka, the personal attacks show a definite lack of intelligence. We're not mocking the troops we're stating our views you already stated yours. So what if I feel you're mocking the global community with that gay ass poem? Oh well i'm not going to cry about it I'm just going to call a spade a spade. I don't need to make any personal attacks to get my point across. k thx drive thru plz |
Calling a poem gay is different than making personal attacks. Actually my friends in the military don't support the war, they despise being over there, they don't know why they're there. They hate bush, they're confused and all they want is to make it back home alive. They know my stance on the war and they're as proud of me as I am of them.
I guess really mature means saying stuff like, up your ass with your mom's head or go play in traffic or something equally stupid. Least I can think for myslef. My beliefs lead me to say that war is never acceptable. I don't care if you can't understand that or if I get flamed or if you need to make personal attacks to make yourself feel better. Go right on ahead I'm not going to call you any names I'll pray for you though.
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Zild Calling a poem gay is different than making personal attacks. Actually my friends in the military don't support the war, they despise being over there, they don't know why they're there. They hate bush, they're confused and all they want is to make it back home alive. They know my stance on the war and they're as proud of me as I am of them. I guess really mature means saying stuff like, up your ass with your mom's head or go play in traffic or something equally stupid. Least I can think for myslef. My beliefs lead me to say that war is never acceptable. I don't care if you can't understand that or if I get flamed or if you need to make personal attacks to make yourself feel better. Go right on ahead I'm not going to call you any names I'll pray for you though. |
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