Bush Penny Pinching Costs Soldiers

Good evening,

Moments ago, I read a troubling story about a group of 150 soldiers from Massachusetts who served our country bravely in Iraq, fortunate enough to make it home safely, only for them to be stranded in Indiana by this administration's penny pinching ways when it comes to soldiers.

How is that for our government to treat those who put their lives on the line daily? They are American citizens, who volunteered to serve this country, to even give their lives if need be, now being told there isn't enough money for them to be flown home to those who love, care, and have missed them during their tours of duty.

Here's the story as told by ABC News .....

150 soldiers, from a Massachusetts based regiment, received a surprising "welcome home" from their government when they touched down on American soil after doing their extended terms of service in Iraq. The soldiers landed in Indiana Friday morning, happy to be home, the soldiers excitedly asked when they would be going back to Massachusetts. It was then they were told that flying them home was out of the question as it would be too expensive, and that they should make their own arrangements (at their own expense) for bus transportation (an 18-20 hour ride back home), since they couldn't stay on base long after their debriefing and "cool-down period".

It wasn't until one of the soldiers, a Sergeant still looking out for his troopers, called the office of Senator Edward Kennedy, explaining the dilemma the soldiers were facing. The Senator wrote an official correspondence to the Secretary of the Army, describing the situation, and asking for an explanation about the treatment of the soldiers upon their return to American soil.

I'm impressed with the actions of that brave Sergeant, how's that for overcoming and adapting to a situation? He went above and beyond for his soldiers, I greatly admire his efforts.

It seems that after the letter from the Senator to the Sec'y, and probably a phone call from the Sec'y to the administration, brought about the realization of what sort of a media black-eye the situation could cause, the government somehow quickly found the money to fly the troops back home to their families who were eagerly awaiting their return.

See? I told you the story was troubling. It's so darn troubling it makes me furious to think our soldiers are having to deal with yet another example of the administration's penny pinching when it comes to them.

First there was the lack of body armor for our soldiers: there just wasn't enough to go around, therefore lives were lost due to lack of a vital piece of equipment that could have saved their lives or lessened the extent of their injuries.

Then came the inadequate body armor that was shipped into the warzone: the body armor wasn't rated high enough to deal with the velocity of the projectiles and shrapnel that could impact, therefore our troops were going into battle with government issued body armor that couldn't stop the stuff that was coming their way, more lives were lost.

Then there were the Humvees that weren't armored up for battle conditions, our troops actually had to scavenge for scrap metal plates sometimes from the hulking shells of burnt out enemy tanks, cut and weld them up themselves, to have some sort of protection on the doors, and floors of the vehicles they were told to carry out sometimes dangerous missions in, more lives were lost.

I'm sure there were other incidents, but aren't those enough examples?

Now comes the time for what should be a celebrated homecoming for a small number of our troops, they did their time in the warzone, and just want to get back home. "If you wanna go home, take a bus and you're paying, cause we're not going to spend the money on you", is what the official position amounted to when it came to them.

How is that any kind of thanks for them putting their lives on the line daily?

Granted, soldiers don't expect special treatment, but I do expect the government to go as far they can for these brave men and women. So often they've been used as props for speeches, and photo-ops. Our soldiers deserve more respect than that from this administration who see's it possible to justify spending 177 Billion ($177,000,000,000) dollars per day in Iraq. That dollar figure breaks down to 7.4 Million dollars per hour, or $122,820 per minute being spent on that country, but the doors to our tax dollars suddenly slam shut when it comes to flying soldiers home to their families? How is that fair?

Another question about something not fair, is...

"why is it that Halliburton employees fly back home to their families?"

Yep, no letters nor phone calls needed to help get them home, I guess it helps to have their former CEO sitting in the Vice-President's chair.

We need a real President and Vice-President sitting in those chairs, real patriots who look out for the soldiers, not just as expendable assets, but as brave Americans. We deserve better than someone who would just put on a flight suit and stand under misleading banners, once again using our brave soldiers as a backdrop. Our soldiers deserve better than a "commander-in-chief" who would yell "Bring it on!" to our enemies, while they send them over there with inadequate equipment, We deserve better than those who would ship all of our tax dollars to a foreign country at an alarming rate, then claim there's no money for seniors who depend on Social Security, who would leave our citizens stranded on rooftops because they appointed their unqualified corporate cronies to key positions, or who would leave our soldiers stranded far away from home when they return from war.

It shouldn't have taken a letter and a phone call to get those soldiers home, it should have just been the principle of the matter, not even the principle, it should have been the honor to deliver them home to their loved ones, alive and safe.

So what do you think? Does this story make you as angry as it made me? I'm steamed the more I think about this. If the administration wonders why recruitment is down, it's not just because of the war, it's because of how quickly they forget about the sacrifices these people have made, once they return. Where's the respect? Where's the honor? I sure dunno, but it's nowhere to be found in those who inhabit our nation's highest offices. Actions speak louder than words, but so far this administration seems to have trouble doing much more than whispering sweet-nothings in the ears of their corporate friends.

I can't wait for November.