thedrifter
01-10-07, 06:40 PM
Mom wants president to bring back troops
By Brad Woodard / 11 News
Far from the quagmire of violence in Iraq, so many sons and daughters of Texas are never far from thought.
Among them, Private First Class Mark Barber, serving with the 101st Airborne near Baghdad since October.
Not surprisingly his family supports the troops fighting the war, but when it comes to the war itself things are different.
“I don’t support the war at all. I don’t think what we’re doing is correct,” said Cindy Barber. A soldier’s mother.
While he’s expected to concede missteps have been made in Iraq when he addresses the nation, the solution President Bush seeks does not involve pulling out troops as some have suggested but rather sending an additional 20,000 in.
“I think what’s going to happen is we’re going to have more casualties. We’re giving them more targets. I don’t think we should send anyone else. I think we need to pull out what we have,” said Barber.
The obvious question: Where will the additional troops come from?
It’s not as though the military can go out and recruit 20,000 people overnight.
The most likely scenario will involve holding existing troops beyond their expected stay.
Many of those military men and women will be redeployed from national guard and reserve units.
“It leaves us thin. There are reports now that we may be unable to respond to national disasters or for that matter hot spots like North Korea or Afghanistan. I’d say the president is out there on a limb,” said KHOU political expert, Bob Stein.
And if Cindy Barber were sitting across from the president instead of a reporter this is what she would say. “What are you thinking? What are you doing? You are wasting our youth. Bring them home!”
Her son notwithstanding.
Ellie
By Brad Woodard / 11 News
Far from the quagmire of violence in Iraq, so many sons and daughters of Texas are never far from thought.
Among them, Private First Class Mark Barber, serving with the 101st Airborne near Baghdad since October.
Not surprisingly his family supports the troops fighting the war, but when it comes to the war itself things are different.
“I don’t support the war at all. I don’t think what we’re doing is correct,” said Cindy Barber. A soldier’s mother.
While he’s expected to concede missteps have been made in Iraq when he addresses the nation, the solution President Bush seeks does not involve pulling out troops as some have suggested but rather sending an additional 20,000 in.
“I think what’s going to happen is we’re going to have more casualties. We’re giving them more targets. I don’t think we should send anyone else. I think we need to pull out what we have,” said Barber.
The obvious question: Where will the additional troops come from?
It’s not as though the military can go out and recruit 20,000 people overnight.
The most likely scenario will involve holding existing troops beyond their expected stay.
Many of those military men and women will be redeployed from national guard and reserve units.
“It leaves us thin. There are reports now that we may be unable to respond to national disasters or for that matter hot spots like North Korea or Afghanistan. I’d say the president is out there on a limb,” said KHOU political expert, Bob Stein.
And if Cindy Barber were sitting across from the president instead of a reporter this is what she would say. “What are you thinking? What are you doing? You are wasting our youth. Bring them home!”
Her son notwithstanding.
Ellie