Support Our Troops. For Real.

[tightpants4eva]

It turns out (surprise, surprise) that Republican leaders did know how bad conditions were at Walter Reed all this time, but they didn’t want to say anything about it because they “did not want to undermine the confidence of the patients and their families and give the Army a black eye while fighting a war.”

So this is what "Support Our Troops"

Comments

[alistairenix]

To be fair, the Democrats knew just as much and did nearly as little about it, as stated in the article. The only one who did anything significant as reported in that article is Rep. Murtha (D.- PA), who helped hospitals overseas in Germany and Iraq. And even the Republicans did try to help individual soldiers, they just didn't try to solve the larger, systemic problems.

Now, I like finger-pointing and sucker-punching the GOP as much as the next Northeastern Liberal, but much like the War on Terror, the War in Iraq and the national economy, it looks like everyone on all sides of the aisle dropped the ball on this one. They're all saying, Republican and Democrat, "What more could we have done? We're legislators, not administrators!" and pointing the finger, somewhat rightly, at the Department of Defense.

[tightpants4eva]

But it's not like the Democrats have been the ones repeating the "Support Our Troops" theme ad infinitum since the war started. I'm not going to pretend that the Democrats are a perfect party (my God, they certainly are not), but they haven't been the ones screaming "Support Our Troops" until they go hoarse. It's the hypocrisy of the Republicans that infuriates me most of all.

Republican politicians and their pundits have been quick to label themselves the ONLY party that cares about the troops. They claim that Democratic plans for withdrawal (e.g., Murtha's plan) embolden the enemy and border on treason. Despite whatever vitriol left-wing bloggers (myself included) have used against the current administration, I haven't seen many Democratic Leaders actually insinuating that anyone who disagrees with them supports Al-Qaeda. But the Republicans? They claim to be the sole party that "supports our troops". And methinks this suggests otherwise.

[alistairenix]

This is absolutely true. Ever since Dubya said his "With us or against us" speech back in 2002, the GOP has been using that to insinuate that anyone who stood against the War in Iraq was "aiding the terrorists." Hell, Ann fucking Coulter (may she be mounted by a rabid hyena) has gotten rich and famous stating over and over again that Democrats and Liberals as a whole are enemy combatants and aiding the enemy

[tightpants4eva]

Great point about the GOP's long standing tradition of hypocrisy. But, I don't think we should condone their behavior simply because it is more-of-the-same. We need to stay vigilant. Was I surprised when the aforementioned Coulter used the word "faggot" to describe John Edwards. Heaven's no! Considering she's called for the forced conversion of "ragheads", has ridiculed 9/11 widows, and once told a maimed veteran "people like you are the reason we lost the Vietnam War", there was nothing surprising about her spouting more bullshit. But that didn't make it acceptable. Similarly, the GOP ignoring the plight of our wounded veterans while they talk about "supporting the troops" is not surprising at all (thus the 'surprise, surprise' parentheses I had in the post). But again, it is not acceptable.

And "Johnny-Come-Lately"? I clearly need to make it out to Western MA more often if you think this is anything new on my part. :)

[mirthness]

Perhaps they wouldn't have had so many issues if the GOP had not cut the VA budget every single year for the past 7 years?

But hey, what I know!

[tightpants4eva]

"But...but...but if we don't cut the VA budget, then we need to repeal tax cuts for the top 0.05%. And if we do that...uh...well...then the terrorists win! It's all simple. You either support cutting funds to help our veterans, or you love Al-Qaeda. Which side are you on?"

;)

[tonysalieri]

I can't wait to see how the GOP spins this one. I really, really can't.

Oh, wait, they already did. Don't wanna give aid and comfort to the enemy by letting it be known that our near decade-long cuts of Vet benefits and medical care is hurting our troops. Might kill morale and all.

Colbert was right: Reality has an overwhelmingly liberal bias. This sickens me so much, I can't even come up with an appropriately playfully snarky response.

[tightpants4eva]

Yeah. My hope is that this will infuriate voters even moreso, and 2008 will make 2006 seem insignificant in comparison.

I could also hope that our soldiers might finally start getting adequate medical care, as well as adequate training and armor, but even I'm not naive enough to think there's a chance of that happening.

[tonysalieri]

It DOES strike me that the American people are becoming very impatient for REAL change. I have to wonder if that is the impetus behind this ridiculous "Well, the elections are over 20 months away, but lets campaign now" kerfuffle. 2006 happened, people were angry, nothing seems to be changing, or at least fast enough. I think folks want to just fast forward to 2008, and try it again then.

Certainly, the Dems need to be a supermajority in the Senate to get anything done. The GOP has demonstrated that they are going to be the party of gridlock for the next two years.