Subject: Letter from a veteran

Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 11:01:27 -0500

Folks,

For those who believe that public opposition to the war at home undermines the morale of troops in combat, here is a point of view from someone who knows what he is talking about. For the record, many I served with in Viet Nam were angry about the protests in the US (in no small part because we were demonized in the process), but they were not demoralized by it. They, like those of us who thought as the writer of this letter below does, were demoralized by incompetent, careerist leaders, a lack of rational strategy and politicians who play the game for their benefit with our lives. THAT was demoralizing.

Please pass this along, particularly to those who, without benefit of war time experience, claim that protesting the war demoralizes the troops.

Honor the warrior, not the war

Bring our troops home, now

Take care of them we they get home

Dave Collins

Austin contact, Viet Nam Veterans Against the War
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http://www.lodinews.com/articles/2005/08/29/opinion/ltr_neely_050829.txt

Support our troops by keeping them out of war

I am a retired Army captain. I fought in Vietnam with the 196th LightInfantry Brigade. In Vietnam, I walked the jungle carrying an M-16. I know about anti-war protest, as I grew up in California during the 1960s.

Some people think that because someone does not support the war, that they do not support our troops. That is just not reality. There might be some soldiers who believe that protest equals lack of support, but the vast majority that I served with knew protesters were trying to end the madness.

Yes, we went over there, and yes, we fought the war, but almost none of us wanted to be there. But we stayed there and we fought, because that is what soldiers do.

Thank God that while we were there doing that, some brave people back here had the courage to stand up to say that war was wrong.

Thank God they were brave enough to act on their convictions and stand upto a government that had lied to us.
I applaud you! Maybe you could have treated me a little better when I got back, but that's another letter.

However, I do find incredibly offensive those who have never fought a war, never fired a shot at another human being, never been shot at or hunted, or never had to listen as a good friend screams in agony, sending or supporting the sending of our brave soldiers to war for lies.

Look at the facts. There were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

There were no connections with the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

There were no reasons to go to war. You should be outraged.

You want to support our troops?

Keep them out of war and get rid of those who would put them in harm's way, unless absolutely necessary.

Maybe we can't leave Iraq immediately because of the mess we created, but we should get rid of those responsible for the current situation.

God bless our troops. I do not support the war, but I do support you.

George Neely

Lodi
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