It's no secret that President Bush has long turned his back on the soldiers fighting his war of choice in Iraq. Many of our soldiers are still buying their own body armor, even after a secret Pentagon study showed that many of the marines killed in Iraq by upper-body wounds might have survived had they worn more extensive armor. This is unconscionable.
As a result of this and other acts of callous disregard for life, more than 3,000 troops have died. The fallen heroes include National Guard Sgt. John Ogburn III of Fruitland, Idaho, Marine Private First Class Brent Vroman of Oshkosh, Wis., Army Reserve Capt. Paul J. Cassidy of Laingsburg, Mich., and National Guard Sgt. Bill Normandy of Augusta, Ga. - all proud public employees and AFSCME members.
Bush has also turned his back on many of the more than 23,000 soldiers who have been wounded in Iraq - particularly those who need care in state-run veterans' homes. These nursing homes provide services that our vets rely on, at a cost that's shared by the state and federal governments.
Sadly, the Bush administration proposed cutting a chunk of the federal funding for those veterans who are receiving assisted-living services in the homes. The proposal would have left up to 80 percent of the vets with nowhere to go.
Thankfully, the U.S. Senate intervened and the proposal was dropped into the garbage heap where it belonged.
How ironic: Bush and Cheney accuse critics of their plan to escalate the war of disloyalty to soldiers. But how loyal are they when they propose cutting vital services for veterans and refuse to get our troops the equipment that could save their lives?
And now Bush wants to put another 21,500 troops in harm's way.
No wonder most of the soldiers included in a poll by Zogby International said they don't want to heed President Bush's call to stay in Iraq as long as it takes. I say let's bring the troops home and send Bush and Cheney to Iraq for as long as it takes. At least we'll make sure they are equipped for the job.