Sacrificing troops for the Bush surge

Below are some key excerpts from an opinion piece in the Billings Gazette published on Friday, April 13, 2007. Such an op-ed piece, so factually documented, would be MOST unlikely to appear in the Chicago Tribune.

Those of us who never had the privilege of knowing Pvt. Matthew Zeimer ... have an obligation to learn more about the sacrifices [he] made.

... recently, U.S. Army officials informed the soldier's family that he and another soldier killed on Feb. 2 may have been hit by friendly fire, contrary to information given earlier by the Army. ... Zeimer was sent to Iraq combat without "the intense four-week pre-Iraq training" that most of his fellow combat soldiers received. Instead, Zeimer and about 140 other soldiers among 4,000 in the 1st Brigade received only a "10-day course on weapons use, first aid and Iraqi culture," ...

... this sad story indicates that the U.S. military command is still cutting corners in providing troops on the ground with all the resources needed for their difficult work in Iraq.

... the four-year occupation of Iraq is straining the U.S. military to the point that troops training for combat don't have all the equipment they need and troops in the field are using equipment that is rapidly wearing out. ...Marines no longer have time to complete their standard training classes because of demand for troops in Iraq.

... all regular Army units in Iraq and Afghanistan - about 100,000 U.S. soldiers - can expect their tours of duty to be extended from 12 months to 15 months ... In the past week, the Pentagon has notified National Guard units in four states that to prepare for a second combat deployment to Iraq. ... The surge means asking more of the Americans who have already sacrificed much in four years of the Iraq War.

Those of us who haven't sacrificed anything should think about those who do. If your brother, sister, spouse or child were among the U.S. troops in Iraq, what would you tell President Bush?

WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE 
words and music by Pete Seeger
performed by Pete Seeger and Tao Rodriguez-Seeger

Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the flowers gone?
Girls have picked them every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young girls gone?
Taken husbands every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the young men gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young men gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young men gone?
Gone for soldiers every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Gone to graveyards every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Covered with flowers every one
When will we ever learn?
When will we ever learn?

©1961 (Renewed) Fall River Music Inc