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Oerdin, my sister and I agree on the politics, and my late brother-in-law joined to defend the country after 9/11, not to go on foreign adventurism based on cooked intelligence (see my exchange with Ned on Rumsfeld, man of the year, when things were still "going alright"). He didn't support the war in Iraq, and we weren't at war with Saddam when he joined. However, as you well know, you don't get to join and pick your deployment based on what you agree with.
Actually, the hardest part was that my sister didn't want details on the risk factors, and unfortunately military hardware is a hobby of mine. At the time when he was deployed in Iraq, my fervent hope was that he would not be deployed in a Stryker or a humvee, the latter of which two out of three men in his armored unit would be deployed in. When I discovered that he was being deployed in an M1, I stopped worrying. Stupid me.
Please understand, my opposition was based on the point that I felt that the Iraq operation could only hurt, quite possibly substantially, the war against Moslem terrorists. I was very aware of the history in that part of the world, and the issues between Sunni and Shia (and Sufi and Bahai), Arab, Persian (there is tension betweent the Arab and Persian Shia communities), and Kurds, etc. not just what gets play in the popular press. Up till now I could tell people - I (we - the other's like me) told you so - now it's bitter herbs.
His death was unnecessary. Unlike wars from Korea and earlier, where the political leadership and elites had sons in harms way, now we have a Vice President who had, how did he phrase it, "better things to do" than fight in Vietnam. Bush took all those risks in the National Guard, as per HIS press release about flying out over the Gulf of Mexico. I respect people like my late brother-in-law, and you, for serving in the military. Your sacrifices make this current administration, trying to do foreign adverturism on the cheap while cutting taxes for their constituencies, an abomination. The sacrifice is all one sided. As I've stated in the past, I supported John McCain four years ago. I still wish he could run.
One area you might help. The officers who gave my sister the death notification were very kind, but not very helpful. The entire family is trying to make arrangements to get to the funeral. How long does it take to repatriate remains on the average? Also, since he died on Active Duty in a combat zone can she request he be buried in Arlington. Any info would be appreciated. Also, if she still has his child - as I mentioned they were just about to do in vitro, what happens with the benefits? Has this come up before?
Actually, the hardest part was that my sister didn't want details on the risk factors, and unfortunately military hardware is a hobby of mine. At the time when he was deployed in Iraq, my fervent hope was that he would not be deployed in a Stryker or a humvee, the latter of which two out of three men in his armored unit would be deployed in. When I discovered that he was being deployed in an M1, I stopped worrying. Stupid me.
Please understand, my opposition was based on the point that I felt that the Iraq operation could only hurt, quite possibly substantially, the war against Moslem terrorists. I was very aware of the history in that part of the world, and the issues between Sunni and Shia (and Sufi and Bahai), Arab, Persian (there is tension betweent the Arab and Persian Shia communities), and Kurds, etc. not just what gets play in the popular press. Up till now I could tell people - I (we - the other's like me) told you so - now it's bitter herbs.
His death was unnecessary. Unlike wars from Korea and earlier, where the political leadership and elites had sons in harms way, now we have a Vice President who had, how did he phrase it, "better things to do" than fight in Vietnam. Bush took all those risks in the National Guard, as per HIS press release about flying out over the Gulf of Mexico. I respect people like my late brother-in-law, and you, for serving in the military. Your sacrifices make this current administration, trying to do foreign adverturism on the cheap while cutting taxes for their constituencies, an abomination. The sacrifice is all one sided. As I've stated in the past, I supported John McCain four years ago. I still wish he could run.
One area you might help. The officers who gave my sister the death notification were very kind, but not very helpful. The entire family is trying to make arrangements to get to the funeral. How long does it take to repatriate remains on the average? Also, since he died on Active Duty in a combat zone can she request he be buried in Arlington. Any info would be appreciated. Also, if she still has his child - as I mentioned they were just about to do in vitro, what happens with the benefits? Has this come up before?
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