thedrifter
03-17-07, 08:25 AM
Vets: It's time for troops in Iraq to come home
By JONA ISON
Gazette Staff Writer
The draft and bringing soldiers home were key points veterans tried to drive home Friday.
Congressman Zack Space, D-Dover, met with about a dozen veterans to discuss veterans care, but also to pick their minds about the current situation in Iraq.
"Bring them home," said, Jackie Davis, a Vietnam veteran of the Marines. "Those people in Iran, Iraq and Syria, those people have been having tribal wars since the time of Christ ... We're not going to change it ... We do not need to waste our resources and our people for a war that will never be won."
Since taking over the majority in Washington, Democrats have been focused on setting a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq while President Bush and his administration have been requesting more funds for the war. Space said another push by Congress is expected soon.
"The leadership team has crafted legislation that everyone is not going to be happy with, but something they may be comfortable with ... At the outside, the longest we can keep troops over there is March of next year," he said.
The legislation will require benchmarks already lined out to be hit on a timeline and if they aren't met, troops will begin to be withdrawn by July. However, if the benchmarks are met - which would be determined by Bush - the pullout wouldn't begin until March 2008. Space said Congress would withdraw funding to push or force the withdrawal if necessary.
"I have a feeling that this is the most difficult vote I'm ever going to have to cast," Space said. "I wish I were in the position to say I have the utmost faith in the president and administration to fight this war, but I don't."
Ray Pryor, secretary of Ross County Veterans Council, agreed troops need to be withdrawn soon.
"I think (the service men and women) will tell you they're there to save people ... and doing a good job. But, I think we've done it for too long," he said. "We have to leave within a few months, a year."
Some veterans were frustrated that the claim is the Iraqi army needs more training when many of the Americans doing training were sent off to war after 12 to 16 weeks of training between basic and advanced individual training. However, Iraqis have been being trained for years now. They also compared the war to Vietnam - mismanaged and unwinnable.
Space expressed the Iraq War may turn out to be worse.
"What makes it worse than Vietnam is when we picked up and leave Vietnam, the world doesn't end, but if we leave Iraq, does it?" he said, adding the war's ties with terrorism has raised the stakes.
Another added burden in Iraq is the same men and women are being deployed over and over again.
"We're asking a very small percentage of our citizens to bear the burden of this war ...they're exhausted, fatigued," Space said.
Blaise Reader, a Marine veteran of Vietnam, said part of the problem in Iraq stems from media coverage.
"Media in the field is a problem. To me, that advertises what our plans are ... I think the media is too much covering in the field. A soldier can't do his job with someone over his shoulder," he said.
The majority of veterans also spoke out, saying the draft should be reinstated to provide the manpower needed in Iraq so that the same people are not being sent over and over.
(Ison can be reached at 772-9367 or via e-mail at jison@nncogannett.com)
Ellie
By JONA ISON
Gazette Staff Writer
The draft and bringing soldiers home were key points veterans tried to drive home Friday.
Congressman Zack Space, D-Dover, met with about a dozen veterans to discuss veterans care, but also to pick their minds about the current situation in Iraq.
"Bring them home," said, Jackie Davis, a Vietnam veteran of the Marines. "Those people in Iran, Iraq and Syria, those people have been having tribal wars since the time of Christ ... We're not going to change it ... We do not need to waste our resources and our people for a war that will never be won."
Since taking over the majority in Washington, Democrats have been focused on setting a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq while President Bush and his administration have been requesting more funds for the war. Space said another push by Congress is expected soon.
"The leadership team has crafted legislation that everyone is not going to be happy with, but something they may be comfortable with ... At the outside, the longest we can keep troops over there is March of next year," he said.
The legislation will require benchmarks already lined out to be hit on a timeline and if they aren't met, troops will begin to be withdrawn by July. However, if the benchmarks are met - which would be determined by Bush - the pullout wouldn't begin until March 2008. Space said Congress would withdraw funding to push or force the withdrawal if necessary.
"I have a feeling that this is the most difficult vote I'm ever going to have to cast," Space said. "I wish I were in the position to say I have the utmost faith in the president and administration to fight this war, but I don't."
Ray Pryor, secretary of Ross County Veterans Council, agreed troops need to be withdrawn soon.
"I think (the service men and women) will tell you they're there to save people ... and doing a good job. But, I think we've done it for too long," he said. "We have to leave within a few months, a year."
Some veterans were frustrated that the claim is the Iraqi army needs more training when many of the Americans doing training were sent off to war after 12 to 16 weeks of training between basic and advanced individual training. However, Iraqis have been being trained for years now. They also compared the war to Vietnam - mismanaged and unwinnable.
Space expressed the Iraq War may turn out to be worse.
"What makes it worse than Vietnam is when we picked up and leave Vietnam, the world doesn't end, but if we leave Iraq, does it?" he said, adding the war's ties with terrorism has raised the stakes.
Another added burden in Iraq is the same men and women are being deployed over and over again.
"We're asking a very small percentage of our citizens to bear the burden of this war ...they're exhausted, fatigued," Space said.
Blaise Reader, a Marine veteran of Vietnam, said part of the problem in Iraq stems from media coverage.
"Media in the field is a problem. To me, that advertises what our plans are ... I think the media is too much covering in the field. A soldier can't do his job with someone over his shoulder," he said.
The majority of veterans also spoke out, saying the draft should be reinstated to provide the manpower needed in Iraq so that the same people are not being sent over and over.
(Ison can be reached at 772-9367 or via e-mail at jison@nncogannett.com)
Ellie