Father speaks out against Iraq pullout

Father speaks out against Iraq pullout

STURBRIDGE, Mass. -- President George W. Bush is expected to call for an additional 20,000 servicemen and servicewomen for Iraq, but that policy decision is already drawing fire from the new Democratic majority on Capitol Hill and some of the families of military personnel who have died in the conflict.

"We broke Iraq into a thousand pieces. Now it's our responsibility to finish the job," said John Booth.

NewsCenter 5's Amalia Barreda reported that Booth's son, Marine 2nd Lt. Joshua Booth, 23, was killed by an insurgent in Haditha, Iraq, last October. Since then, Booth said he often remembered a conversation he had with his son when he expressed doubts about the correctness of the mission.

"He said, 'Dad, you don't get it. This is not Vietnam. This is worse than Vietnam. The Viet Cong never wanted to come to America to kill civilians.' He says, 'Dad, I capture these people every day. Their greatest wish in the world is to get to the United States and kill Americans,'" Booth said.

Booth said that up until now, the administration's policies in Iraq have been a "text book study on how to do it wrong." He said a bigger fighting force is what was needed from the beginning, along with a mission that was well defined. That is what he hopes to hear from Bush on Wednesday night and from the new Democratic leadership in Washington.

"Democrats, you make sure that we don't have a president that's going to say 'Stay the course.' We finally got oversight. Now that we have oversight, let's win the war," Booth said.

As for politicians who are calling for a pullout from Iraq, Booth asked what they hoped to accomplish.

"To run and hide now -- what have we accomplished? We've wasted 3,000 lives of Marines and soldiers. And are we safer? I don't think so," Booth said.

Booth said his son's death will not be in vain if politicians become statesmen who focus on tough choices -- not their political futures.

"I believe that it's not too great a sacrifice to give these generals the year that they need to make these tactics and this strategy work," Booth said.

When Joshua Booth died, he left an 18-month-old daughter and a pregnant wife. On Sunday, Erica Booth gave birth to a son, Tristen Joshua Booth.

More than 3,000 members of the U.S. military have died in Iraq during four years of combat.

Ellie

I one problem I see is that there has not been a Statesman in this country for over forty years. Our so call statesmen today are just a fence rider that has a sore set of balls from never taking a stand on anything.
It also pains me to see just how much the Media helps this fence riding by always painting the picture of losing all the time. If the media in the past where like todays we would have lost the Second world war . Can you see the up roar over the losses on Omaha Beach and Iwo Jima if the media of today would have been played out if their was the instant knowing of what was happening at the time.
I just pray we fight to win and never give up.
:)

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Originally Posted by 003XXMarineDAD

...one problem I see is that there has not been a Statesman in this country for over forty years.

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You got that right only I'd venture its been much longer than that. All we have are politicians more concerned with themselves than what the people want. Oh sure one party or the other will reclaim control of Congress, because the people are disgusted with the party in power as happens on a regular basis in our system. Once that happens the victorious party claims to be the only party that speaks for the people, but all they're really doing is using us for their own political ends. The party that can appear to stand more for the people than the other one, will win and deception is key in that success. I say throw them all out and start over fresh with people who will honor and obey the Constitution, fear the people and do what is in the best interest of the nation. FAT CHANCE OF THAT EVER HAPPENING.

We cannot pullout of Iraq until we complete our mission, if it takes 10 more years than so be it. Too many americans died over there. We should give total control to the military when it comes to there budgets. I just retired after 20 years and I'll go over there at a drop of a hat, because I'm a Marine and for the people who don't understand why we should stay there, they should talk to a spouse or parent of a servicemember who gave their live over there.

One last thing, people seem to forget we still have U.S. bases in Japan, Germany, Kuwait just to name a few. Just something to think about.