Majority Of Military Families Lose Support For Bush Iraq Policy

LA Times:

Families with ties to the military, long a reliable source of support for wartime presidents, disapprove of President Bush and his handling of the war in Iraq, with a majority concluding the invasion was not worth it, a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll has found.

The views of the military community, which includes active-duty service members, veterans and their family members, mirror those of the overall adult population, a sign that the strong military endorsement that the administration often pointed to has dwindled in the war's fifth year.

Read the whole story: LA Times

Comments

[Harrier]

I was over there in the beginning and I can tell you that people were amazed that we went into Iraq on such weak information. Once the war broke out, it also appeared the reason why were there was simply to prolong the war and not necessarily win it. It was almost like every time someone was doing well or had a great idea, the administration would make a decision to ignore him, run him over or move him out for a replacement that would make the worst possible decision.

As far as I can tell, he was hell bent on a legacy that he thought would make him look like the immortal god that resolved all middle east problems.

When you have military families disagreeing with the President, you have serious problems because you know those fighting the war are giving that information and they, at minimum must feel the same way. Couple this with most military families have at least one older generation that has served and all the mistakes made here appear to ignore Vietnam and you have sometime that is a lot more serious.

[outnow]

The real reasons for the war in Iraq - control of oil pricing and policies, expansion of US power, establishment of US military bases in the strategic Middle East, defense of Israel were kept hidden from the American people. Instead, justifications for the illegal war were cloaked in high-sounding slogans of "fighting the war on terrorism," "keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of rogue states," and finally, "bringing democracy to the Middle East."

I speak to soldiers and their families who now are able to see through the lies, distortions and deceptions used by the bi-partisan elites to justify the invasion and occupation of Iraq. These Americans uniformly assert that, in the final analysis, it was about the oil. They are further disappointed that gasoline prices have gone up and the war has been used as a recruiting ground and cause for further jihadist activity.

Real wages have increased by a single penny, as adjusted for inflation, during the past four years for wage earners. The inflation-adjusted hourly wage for rank-and-file workers has risen by just one penny over the past four years, from $17.62 in November of 2003. Over the last year, they have fallen.

AMERICANS AT THE TOP OF THE INCOME LADDER HAVE DONE WELL.

Real estate downturn and weak job markets result from free traders whose corporations have outsourced manufacturing jobs while making record profits. CEOs have never done better. Many jobs are going to Mexico while consumers are unable to afford the cheap goods from abroad. 70% of the economy is consumer spending.

Private sector jobs are worse than averages reveal because of the increase in public hiring. The downward spiral continues for those who fight the war. Food prices are up sharply.

Defense contractors, oil companies, oil service contractors such as Halliburton, private security companies, like Blackwater, have all made a killing.

[Meah]

Mitch McConnell was speaking for the GOP when he said that about the troops who volunteered vs draftees. In other words, they really believe they are expendable. They do not give a damn about the troops. Our vets will be home and in need if real support in every way. We cannot let them go the way of so many Vietnam vets. What have these people done to our young men and women who are so brave, so very brave? We have to make sure that they have services and that the Veteran's administration does what they are supposed to do.

[doinaheckofajob]

Anyone with a brain, and I am not counting the martians here, knows BOOSH is a pathalogical liar, died in the wool killer, and war profiteer. And just to rub salt in your wounds, he has no problems screwing the heros coming back from Iraq. Wise up people, BOOSH wants you dead or forgoten.

[Libertysconscience]

My entire family inclusive of relatives consisting of 20 kids per family for the first time over generations of dedicated highly decorated career military service are not sadly encouraging our children to join the military due to the administration's, the former Attorney Gonzales', the former Defense Department SEC., THE FORMER JOINT CHIEFS OF THE MILITARY, THE STATE'S DEPARTMENT'S INCLUSION OF OVERPAID BOUNTY HUNTERS INSTEAD OF SPECIAL OPS IN THE FIELD, AND THE TRANSITION PROCESS TO VA WHEN DISABLED IN OR FROM COMBAT DOCUMENTED DISHONORING OF THE MILITARY FORCES THAT THOUGHT NOTHING OF WHAT HAPPENS OR RECOURSE OUR NATION LEGALLY WOULD TAKE PERTAINING TO OUR POW'S NO LONGER BEING PROTECTED UNDER THAT QUAINT BUT NECESSARY GENEVA CONVENTION SUCH THAT EVEN IF THE ENEMY BREAKS THE CONVENTIONS BUT IS RECORDED BY THE RED CROSS AFTER THE WAR THE OFFENDERS CAN BE BROUGHT TO TRIAL AS WAR CRIMINALS.
UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IF OUR VIETNAM VETS NEVER INFORMED OF PTSD, STILL FIGHTING FOR THEIR DISABILITY RECOGNITION 30 YEARS LATER RETURNED HOME WITH THE STIGMA OF BEING CALLED BABY KILLERS FOR ONE BAD APPLE CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW THESE SOLDIERS WILL BE TREATED WHEN THE ABU GHRAIBS ARE BROUGHT FORTH BY VICTIMS AND HISTORY?
NOT DISTINGUISHING THE FIELD OF THEATRE BY LUMPING EVERYONE TOGETHER WAS A HUGE MISTAKE NOT DISTINGUISHING THOSE IN THEATRE FROM ERA VETS. TROOPS TAKE PRIDE IN DISTINGUISHING THE THEATRE THEY FOUGHT IN WHICH THIS ADMINISTRATION NATURALLY WOULD KNOW NOTHING ABOUT SINCE THEY NEVER SERVED IN COMBAT WHEN OUR NATION NEEDED THEM.
FINALLY, WHEN OUR LEADERS LIE, OUR SOLDIERS DIE ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS WAS FOUGHT LIKE A STAGE BACKLOT WAR WORST THAN SOMALIA!

[nomobull]

send this to pelosi shes out of the loop

[Seath]

For the love of the Constitution - the country and your own wellbeing - can we please get on with the impeachment. Please. Please. Please. If this is too much trouble, can we just skip to where they put Bush/Cheney in for eight more years - in a nice cold mens prison.

[brooklyncitizen]

That one picture of the troops lined up saluting Bush as he walks down in front of them reminds me of a scene from Kurosawa's "Kagemusha" in which the thief/criminal Takeda is persuaded to pose and impersonate the powerful warlord that has been killed by the enemy.

There is a scene in which Takeda the thief gallops down a row of troops as they hail him with swords...but the audience knows he is a phony leader...all that gallantry and respect and cheer for an impostor....a common criminal.

[ElkoJohn]

still no implementation of the Dole-Shalala Recomendations,
repug motto: "Support our troops until they get killed or wounded"
`

[lungfish]

Title should read "Bush loses support of Majority of military families" or "Majority of Military Families no longer support Bush".....
whatever...

just more evidence that Imperial Washington is still out of touch with the population.

Hail Cheetah.

[RedRooster]

Gee could this be because George W. Bush:

1. lied them into an avoidable war of choice
2. didn't prepare for their injuries
3. instituted "stop gap" to keep them in service
4. asked injured troops to "repay" enlistment bonuses
5. is a psychopath!

Wake Up America!

[outnow]

War is good business - invest your son or daughter.

[leftLibertarian]

Impeach the Criminals Bush and Cheney Impeach the Criminals Bush and Cheney Impeach the Criminals Bush and Cheney Impeach the Criminals Bush and Cheney Impeach the Criminals Bush and Cheney Impeach the Criminals Bush and Cheney Impeach the Criminals Bush and Cheney Impeach the Criminals Bush and Cheney Impeach the Criminals Bush and Cheney Impeach the Criminals Bush and Cheney Impeach the Criminals Bush and Cheney Impeach the Criminals Bush and Cheney Impeach the Criminals Bush and Cheney Impeach the Criminals Bush and Cheney Impeach the Criminals Bush and Cheney

[saxmaniac]

Today is Pearl Harbor Day. I was a little kid, but I remember my folks crying and carrying on while the neighborhood kids ran around with their cap pistols yelling "Kill the Japs!" Within a few days, more men enlisted in the military than were actually drafted, until well into 1943. That's when it was obvious the Allies were going to invade Europe, and the draft age was lowered to 18. I can't remember anyone not wanting to serve, and the few "4F's" -- men who couldn't physically qualify - kept a very low profile.
66 years later we have a professional military, the most sohpisticated equipment and the best-trained troops in the world. What we had in 1941 -- and sadly do not have today -- is leadership. When the military "community" won't support the Commander in Chief then the war is lost. Time to get out. Happened in Korea, happened in Vietnam. Happened in the Gulf War, too, only that one was relatively decisive. Anyone who's ever put on the uniform knows that actually going to war is the last resort. I hope the USA can survive until the Bush administration is over.

[chirps]

Harry Truman said if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog. Bush has a dog.