Portland, Tennessee Blog

I'm a 21 year Vet, and would love to see the troops come home. But what would you imagine will happen if we do that right now? With the obvious power vacum we would leave, who do you suppose would fill it? Iran and Al Qaeda certainly spring to mind. And imagine further the instability of that region if Iran invaded Iraq (They ARE bitter enemies)and the tenous stability over there is shattered? What would our response be, have to be, when a major source of our oil was threatened as well as the security of our staunchest ally in the region (Israel)?

I make no attempt to either justify or condemn our entry into this war, but now that we are there do we want to tell those who have already lost loved ones that it was in vain. Do we want to leave the region in complete chaos, only to have to return again and start from scratch against a much better armed and more sophisticated enemy? One possibly supported by the ever-resurgent Russia.

I don't think anyone would argue against the fact that the current war was botched almost from the moment it started. However, due to a few forward thinking individuals things have begun to improve. If we leave now, mark my words we will have to return again and our losses will make those suffered in this war pale in comparison.

Was just reading the war blog and wanted to put in my 2 Cents. Just because someone is a 20 year vet doesn't mean they know what they are talking about. I'm a Army Vet and I've been over there so I think I've earned the right to say we should bring the rest of the troops home.

I did not read this entire page but I saw some that wants to bring or soldiers home. I can say that the most of you have no Idea what you are talking about. I put 20yrs in the Army and retired. I am a 100& disabled Vet. so I I more than earned the right to speak my peace. I am also from Portland. We eight er fight them there or here. Each time someone in the US says this bring the troops home the Emmey is that much closer to winning. Now when you say bring them home you think about this.

Our troops have no business being caught in the middle of that civil war over there. Bring them home. We could stay over there for 50 years and nothing would change. What a tragedy for our country to be involved in that chaos over there.

so tim, am i right to take it from your quote that you voted for john heinz kerry?
how can someone who professes to be a associate pastor align themselves with the party of abortion on demand, gay marriage, high taxes, partial birth abortion, anti 2nd amendment etc., i could go on and on. glad you're not running again you might get elected.facts are facts, the left wingers are for these things not the right.

Why should Bush start making decisions now? Why not just stay the course and continue to be bullheaded and let more troops die needlessly? After all, he has been totally honest in his representations to us and what we are doing is a good thing. So, we should not change a thing. Go, Bush!

I dont think there is a difference JW, thats the point I'm trying to make. Obviously not as clearly as I would like to. I dont think there is any difference at all between the two parties.Members of both parties want us,the American public, to believe that they stand for this or that,whether it be for or against abortion ,war,etc. But when they get to D.C. they usually represent themselves long before they start representing us.Candidates from both parties will say anything to get elected. It would be easy for you or I to jump on the democrat or republican bandwagon and ride that parties coat tails, so to speak, but thats just not the right way for me. It may be for you,and if thats the case I'm happy for you.But you'll never convince me that anyone believes that either parties views are 100% right or 100% wrong. If one party says something is black, the other party is bound to say that its white just to garner the opposing vote. I personally would like to see a lot more gray. Thats why I was glad to see the democrats take control of the house and senate this year.When one party controls the White House and the other controls the house and senate, it either forces them to work together or it forces gridlock. Hopefully it will be the first option. I really hunger for one of two things: either a multiple party(3 or more) system or a system with no political parties.As for your questions, I wouldn't know what it means to be one or the other, I cant bear to affiliate myself with either of them. I'm sure though that someone will feel the need to enlighten me on this subject soon enough. So I actually dont have an opinion on what it means to be one or the other.

Tim,

I have been reading your posts's with interest.

I have a couple of questions for you.....

In your opinion, what does it mean to be a democrat?

In your opinion what does it mean to be a Republican?

I am just very curious as to the differences you see.

I never stated that I had heard anyone say that. I just personally feel that they try to pass themselves off as more Christian than anyone else. I had a person at my church,someone I love and respect tell me that you couldn't be a democrat and a Christian. I'm sorry she feels that way but she's wrong. Thats the kind of clode mindedness that I'm speaking of. Maybe its not so much the republican party as it is the people that support that party. And I agree with you 100% DC, they are all cut from the same cloth. But to try to get back on topic, I think w seriously need to consider bringing the troops home. Once again, it appears we are trying to force our style of democracy on a people that either doesn't want it or isnt' ready for it. As soon as we leave, whenever that may be, Iraq will be right back where they started in my opinion.

Can you please tell me Tim, where you have heard any Republicans say that if you're not a Rep. then you're an atheist? I'm not trying to pick a fight here, just curious where you have and whom you have heard this from. I'm for neither party, I think they all lie for their own gain, not ours. Just curious.

This is a touchy subject right now but I feel compelled to throw my two cents worth in. I am neither democrat or republican, and I personally feel that anyone that aligns themselves solely with one party or the other has some serious flaws. I didnt vote for King George II and probably never will vote republican in my life if he is the best they have to offer. I voted the third party candidate in 2000. And in 2004 I didn't so much vote for Kerry as I did against George. My main complaints about the repulican party are these two: they try to make you feel like if you don't support the president that you also don't support the troops in Iraq. That simply isn't the case. Also, they want everyone to believe that they have God in their corner. Like if you're not republican you're an atheist or something. As far as the war is concerned, I think we all know that whether we stay 10 hrs, 10 days or 10 years, as soon as we leave its all going to collapse. It appears to me that we are trying force our style of democracy on coutry that is culturally different from ours. Our freedoms came about because our fore fathers got together and fought tyranny from the inside out, so to speak. But that has yet to be the case in Iraq. They have to want it for themselves, we can't force it on them.

I think we should send 80 percent of our army in today to wipe out as many terrorists as possible and then make a deal with Iran because they play a huge role in the future of Iraq. Tehran is more important than Washington in the future of Iraq. We let too many terrorists in the back door when we created this war to run out now but I think it's too late, we've started the begginning of the end.

This is also an issue that has torn me.

Here is where I am on this thing....I voted for Bush twice.....given the alternative...was there any choice? My one concern about him when I voted for him, is that he would be the same generally vanilla president his father was. Well, for me He has been a disappointment, I rarely ever vote democrat.....and did not in this last election...and won't for President in 2008. However, I don't know that I can vote Republican either? I will probably vote a 3rd party because we need to get rid of all of these crooks on Washington and get new blood from a new party in there.

With that being said, here is where I think Bush went wrong. I agreed with going in to Afghanistan, it was the right thing to do. I did not agree with going in to Iraq although I do believe Saddam needed to fall. BUT, instead of going in to Iraq, what should have been done after Afghanistan was bring the troops that were originally sent to Iraq, back to U.S. and secure our borders.

There are terrorists coming in to this Country every day, just walking over our boarders....Bush AND the dems say they are so concerned about terrorism....yet nothing is being done about our boarders. Bush says he want to fight the terrorists on there own turf rather than here....BUT these same people that he claims he wants to fight on their turf, are freely walking into our country to engage in their terrorist acts on our turf.......This is why the boarders need to be secured....this is why we need to know every person that crosses that boarder.....this, among many other things, is why all illegals need to go!!! For our own safety. Now the bleeding heart, kool aid drinking left will tell you that most of the people coming over the boarders are doing so for a better life....or to "take jobs americans won't do".....Please! Tell me this....is letting whoever crosses our boarder just get a free pass...worth risking the safety and stability of our own country that our president is sworn to uphold the constitution of?

How many of these Illegals are Terrorists...unfortunatly we probably will never know.

The boarders should be secured immediately. Democrats will tell you that this last election was a mandate on the war in iraq.....I don;t see it that way at all....I think that is what the Dems have spun it in to....I think it was more of a mandate on a total lack of Boarder control and Illegal Immigrants running freely into our country.

So, to answer your question....Is it time to start bringing troops home?....I think it is time to start slowly bringing them home and redeploying these troops to our boarders, which should have been one of the very first things that was done after 9/11.

I'm really torn on this subject. On one hand I think yes, send the troops home. Enough have died and the fighting is getting worse by the day. On the other hand, we started this and should see it through. It's obvious something has got to give one way or another.