Boehner's "Small Price"

Just yesterday on CNN, Wolf Blitzer asked John Boehner, the leader of the GOP in the House, this question (video on Horse's Mouth):

"The loss in blood, the Americans who are killed every month, how much longer do you think this commitment, this military commitment is going to require?"

And Mr. Boehner responded:

"The investment that we're making today will be a small price if we're able to stop al Qaeda here, if we're able to stabilize the Middle East, it's not only going to be a small price for the near future, but think about the future for our kids and their kids."

What a stunningly cavalier statement about the lives of the young men and women who serve our country.

Whether you support or oppose the Bush escalation, no American should ever for even a moment think the cost of war is small.

A single life is a large price to pay for any endeavor. Sometimes, in our national interest, we choose to pay that awful price, but we must always make sure that the policy is worthy of it.

Visit our wounded warriors at Walter Reed hospital and ask whether the price they paid was small. Talk to the mothers, fathers, husbands and wives of those who have been killed and ask them to measure the price of war. Young lives stopped short, children who won't have a mother or father there as they grow up, when they graduate, when they get married -- that loss is many things, but it is not small.

Where is Representative Boehner's apology? And where is an Iraq policy equal to our soldiers' tremedous sacrifice?

Comments

[JimLarkin]

bush... its his leadership qualities

[RandyRanson]

Oil hit $80. and up.

The US $ Dollar is sliding down losing its value.

The President wants $50 Billion US Dollars for the short term demands on the War in Iraq.

He intends on having the Iraq war go on forever, at a cost of about $200 Billion US Dollars a year, lets see that's roughly over 2 Trillion every decade. Is saving Iraq and hoping it becomes a democracy, worth $6 to $8 Trillion US Dollars to America? How far does your own money go?

To think that Alaska, cost the United States $50 Million US Dollars, and that after spending another $8 Trillion US Dollars on Iraq, the only thing America will get out of it is, a huge shopping mall, with a WalMart and a McDonalds, brilliant, just brilliant.

The Banks are increasing by $3.00 US, a new charge fee for every-time you use your ATM machine, taking an unwarranted, unwanted toll on your cash, all because, they are losing their shirts, on all of the Mortgage payments they are losing money on, from homeowners who go into default, and end up in foreclosure. Can you afford another hit and surcharge from your Bank?

There will be a day of reckoning at this rate.

The US has never looked so good, as far as Bush is concerned. Then again he's certifiably insane, so your on your own now.

But then again, it's all so small a price to pay.

[win2kpro]

John Boehner has vast military knowledge. He "reportedly" served in the Navy for 8 long WEEKS.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Boehner

I would guess that he probably has a "bad back" problem that apparently afflicts many republiCONS, it's called yellowstreak backitis.

"Boner" is truly a Bush patriot. He wants to send someone else to do the fighting. Then this bag of monkeyshit has the audacity to say; "The investment that we're making today will be a small price if we're able to stop al Qaeda here, if we're able to stabilize the Middle East, it's not only going to be a small price for the near future, but think about the future for our kids and their kids."

I doubt that a family that has lost a loved one in the quagmire in which we are now involved would feel that the loss of their loved one was a "small price". This SOB owes an apology for that statement to every family that has lost a loved one.

I can only hope that the good people of Ohio can see through this bastard, and "retire" his ass in 2008.

[brooonie]

I shall end up on the fourth page of this and no one will ever read it, but John Boehner does not care about our children. Not one bit.

He happily ruined the college grant program, while making more money for the banks by making loans (with higher interest rates than ever before) easier to get. Then our young people go off to die in the Middle East and he says it is a small price.

One also has to love how he thinks the war in Iraq will 'stabalise the Middle East.' Since when has that area ever been stable? And invading a country there on Bush's lies didn't help.

The man's hubris is truly amazing and disgusting.

[secondedition]

Senator Kerry,

Mr.Boehner's remarks go beyond cavalier. To consider our troops lives a "small price" to pay for a mistaken policy and strategy is actually crass. I would like to know how the mother's and father's of our brave soldiers and the soliders' themselves feel about being considered so disposable.

[rabrophy]

Of course, Mr. B is a Vietnam Draft Dodger.

[vikings65]

of course Boehner the bozo thinks its a 'small price'; this is the guy who walked through the well of the House flashing big tobacco money; you expect him to have his prioities straight about the War? He's another chicken hawk; all wars are a 'small price' from a table at Abramoff's restaurant!

[mari2JJ]

The high cost of this war is always a problem for the war supporters like Boehner. Not only do they snitch on the actual dollar cost of this war, but also far worse is their cavalier attempt to downplay the cost in lives. The full cost of this ridiculous war has to include support for the surviving family members of those wounded and dead, the cost of rehab and a life of financial and emotional support for the wounded, the cost of re-equipping and retraining of replacement military personnel. The greatest problem besides the terrible human sacrifice must include the years of set back for our national name in the world. It is anyone's guess as to how long it takes us to recover our military readiness, our reputation in the world, and financially from this trumped up war. Shame on Mr. Bush and his cohorts for using this war to cover the ineptness of his administration. God help him to ever get over the shame of his leadership.

[UltraClassic]

Hello Senator, Interesting issue you address, the worth of human life. Certainly, there is some value although it seems obscene to discuss it.

I wonder if the lives lost on Iwo were worth an emergency airstrip for B-29 bombers to land on? Some military scholars say Iwo Jima was a huge mistake. I wonder if the allied soilders killed during the great german counter offensive (battle of the buldge) were worth keeping the Germans from breaking through the lines? I wonder if the thousands of lives lost during the daylight air raids over Germany were worth the damage done to german industry? What about the Tet offensive? Popular culture of the left has branded Tet a huge defeat for the Americans when in fact, the exact opposite is true. As you well know, the NVA completely spent itself and would never again mass such numbers or equipment.

My question to you Senator is, if despite all the forces working against them (including the far left of this country), if the Iraqis can pull a government together and stabilize their country and form some type of free society, will it have been worth it Senator?

This Marine would like to know. Semper Fi Senator.

[cowboyjerkface]

Mr Semper Fi. Answer one question for me and I'll shut up...Is it necessary to attack a country and get bogged down in another Vietnam? There are no similarities between WW2 and Iraq. I like it when you so-called former soldiers refer to WW2 and compare it to Iraq. History lesson for you..JAPAN ATTACKED US, IRAQ DID NOT! People like you said if we left Vietnam communism would erupt and spread...never happened and now look at Vietnam. And it was the fault of the US that the Khmer Rouge took power in Cambodia not the other way around. And it was Vietnam that drove them out. Now your group is using the same argument in Iraq about the spread of terrorism. Not gonna happen. There is a cause and effect to terrorism. So I repeat my question sir...Was it necessary to invade a country that never attacked us? And when will we know what victory looks like? Even the General and Ambassador said we would not know what victory looks like. Sounds alot like another Vietnam to me. How can you even have an end plan if you do not know what it will look like? Would you like Russia or China to referee a fight here in the US between the north and the south or the left and right? I seriously doubt it!

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

I see that you are/were a marine. I also assume that since you are writing this, you are alive and well. (Of course, being a Marine doesn't mean you ever served in a combat position). Would this war, in the wrong country, with the wrong people, for the wrong reasons, be worth your life or the life of one of your children? Given the facts as we know them to be today, would you give one of your sons or daughters so Chimpy and Darth could retire, flush with oil and Halliburton money? How about your legs? Or your mental health? Your vision? Your marriage? What IS it worth to you?

[UltraClassic]

Trolls, you lost your seriouness when you launched into the standard "chimpy, darth, Halliburton" nonsense.

You raise legit issues. You and your brand need to stay on target and drop the cute little "chimpy" comments if you want to be taken seriously by anyone other than the choir you preach to. There are so many serious issues to consider, I just don't see why it is a standard requirement to mix childish insults with serious topics on this website.

Given the facts as we know them today, yes, I'm just as po d about this conflict as you are. But that's hind sight. The question is, what are we going to do about it, good people can disagree on this question.

[maddog2112]

Fox news anchor Britt Hume said that the deaths in Iraq were "negledgable". Any repsonsible American news outlet whould have dropped him for that. Had HIllary made the same claim the right would have mobbed her!

[deminmo]

Perhaps Fox News is not living up to the hype that they are "fair and unbiased"?

[AnotherMcIntosh]

"small price" = "nothing I had to pay for"

[Robert59]

And what you left out Senator Kerry are Boehner's multiple deferrments during the Vietnam War. He's another one who hid out in academia. I guess that war wasn't worth his small sacrifice, but this one is worth your child's life.

We hear this argument again and again from the right. They talk about the 3000 plus who died storming the beaches at D-Day, but it's irrelevant.

They also don't recognize their hypocrisy. These are the people who champion right to life, claiming each is important, but they don't extend that same importance to the men and women in uniform.

McCain, Webb, Hunter, and Biden I respect even if I don't agree with them because they at least have children in the fight. They understand the costs in a very personal way.

If Boehner had a son or daughter in Iraq he'd be singing a very different tune. Those sacrifices would be described as huge.

And Americans keep voting for these snake oil salesman.

[alfrede]

Hi,
The reasons for starting this war we now know were incorrect (they were lies). Will we ever find out the real reasons for doing this?
There have never been enough troops on the ground (even now) to stabilize (pacify) the country.
Those who have volunteered to do this (any members of the Boehner family??) are performing heroically.
It has been conceded by all sides that this "war" will not be won militarily.
Our military and government is now almost completely occupied with prosecution of this war. Therefore, Osama Bin Laden and Amen al Ziquari (spelling?) are taunting us from their safe havens along the Afgan/Pakistan border. Will Pres Bush & VP Cheney ever speak about how we are going to capture and/or kill these two individuals? What about you Mr Boehner, perhaps you can use your influence to redirect our troops to fighting the real al Quida - the ones who attacked the World Trade Center and killed 3,000 + Americans.
Probably Pres Bush & VP Cheney will leave this fight to the next President (Republican or Democrat) because it appears they have their hands full with the war in Iraq (the war that wasn't needed UNLESS u wanted to tap into Iraq's oil reserves). Iraq's oil reserves are said to be the third largest in the world. Imagine if Exxon/Mobil, Shell, BP, Chevron could pump these wells!! Perhaps Mr Boehner, that is why you say that it is a "small" price to pay for the families of the 3,700 + killed and 27,000 + wounded Americans.
What do U think??

[Clayton]

why isn't this on HARDBALL, or THE SITUATION ROOM??

[Taan]

The mightiest military force on earth has been slogging away for five years in a country smaller than Texas with a comparable population. Bush and Cheney know no more about military planning and strategy than the man on the street. This can't be it. Generals have come and gone. The death toll continues to mount while they have come to admit a military victory is not in the cards. How can we "win" when the military is not fighting an army but rather an idea. The war on terror is like tossing teapots full of buckshot at the ocean. Remove oil from the equation and you have an immediate focal point for withdrawal from Iraq.