They should've said, `You're too old.'
They didn't realize they were too old?
:-)
posted by psyche777 at 04:39 P.M. EST on Fri Jul 22, 2005 #
fequalsma73, u better hope & pray YOU don't get old! :--)
Regardless of sometimes working my last good nerve, I have a ton of respect for elders PERIOD...they all have in common one thing: a WEALTH of knowledge to share. Getting an elder to talk to you about his/her life experiences is an open bank vault, except you can't put a price on the experiences of the past.
Mrs Phoenix
Bought sense is better...unless you're in the grave.
posted by MrsPhoenix at 06:09 P.M. EST on Fri Jul 22, 2005 #
What an interesting story. These women are very courageous, and have a creative way to make their point.
What would war be like if older people fought it?
They would probably figure out a way to settle differences without violence, or, like some of the older people I know, would never talk to the person they are mad at.
Conversely, if it came down to violence, and the elderly were leading the charge, leaders would probably try other methods, since it would take too long for the elderly to reach the front.
Can you see an 80-year old grandmother driving an M1-A1 tank? She'd be driving 2 miles an hour with her turn signal on, and the tanks would be backed up, never reaching the battle.
(historymike goes into the corner for perpetuating stereotypes of older drivers. Bad boy!)
posted by historymike at 06:36 P.M. EST on Fri Jul 22, 2005 #
(Lisa sits here thankful that historymike wrote it before she did that way she can pretend to be nice about elderly drivers.)
Visions of grandmothers with canes smacking terrorists is what came to my mind first though, then...the driving...
:-)
posted by psyche777 at 07:14 P.M. EST on Fri Jul 22, 2005 #
I'd pity the terrorists. They probably wouldn't stand a chance...
:-)
posted by Hooda_Thunkit at 08:30 P.M. EST on Fri Jul 22, 2005 #
Two main things are going on vis a vis Iraq - they can't get the oil out... whereas that wasn't a problem before the oil-greed cabal attacked; AND - they are running out of troops for the meat grinder they have created - AND running out of time - the list with the 6000+ names of the American dead in Iraq is due out before the 2006 election.
Article:
Pentagon Wants Old Meat for the Iraq War Grinder
by URI DOWBENKO
The Pentagon wants Congress to raise the age ceiling to 42 for all branches of the US armed forces, since the Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard have all fallen short of their recruitment goals for the unpopular and illegal War on Iraq.
Pentagon officials euphemistically call this request "urgent wartime support initiatives," i.e., we need more cannon fodder (even if it's old meat).
At a hearing on July 19, Under Secretary of Defense David S.C. Chu noted that the Pentagon's inability to find new 20-something recruits forced them to find additional incentives, like lowering the bar to include clueless 40-somethings.
Other "incentives" for military recruitment have included cash bribes like "raising the maximum re-enlistment bonus to $90,000; maximum hardship duty pay to $750 a month; special pay and incentive bonuses for nuclear qualified officers to $30,000; assignment incentive pay to $3,000; and increasing accession and affiliation bonuses for reservists," reports Army Times.
posted by edie at 03:54 P.M. EST on Sat Jul 23, 2005 #
While I am against the war, and angered that the administration has misled (or actually lied to) the public, I must take issue with edie's estimates.
The current US military death toll in the Iraq war is 1774 as of today:
http://icasualties.org/oif/
139 before the May 1 2003 Bush announcement of the "end" of major combat, and 1265 since that point:
http://icasualties.org/oif/
Through today, there have been 252 coalition contractors killed:
http://icasualties.org/oif/Civ.aspx
There have been between 22880 and 25915 Iraqi civilians killed (note: these figures include deaths from non-combat causes; the keepers of the database include deaths "which the Occupying Authority has a binding responsibility to prevent under the Geneva Conventions and Hague Regulations," so it will include terrorist bombings, people who died from inadequate health care, and deaths from snaitation-related illnesses):
http://www.iraqbodycount.net/
I am curious as to the source of the 6000 figure, which edie said would be through November 2006. Are you expecting a sudden increase in the rate of deaths?
Since the war began, there have been an average of about 61 dead US soldiers per month. YTD 2005 is slightly higher, at about 65 per month.
At the current rate, there will be another 1040 US soldiers killed by November 2006, bringing the total to about 2800.
Not to be nit-picking, but accuracy counts.
posted by historymike at 07:20 P.M. EST on Sat Jul 23, 2005 #
I think that issue comes down to how you count it. If you only count people who were enlisted into the service, I would think the 2000 something estimate is accurate, if you count all the contractors that were hired to go there along with the troops, eddies estimate is accurate. It’s all a matter of how you count it.
posted by mike2004 at 10:07 A.M. EST on Sun Jul 24, 2005 #
Either way, I am against the war in Iraq. I don’t want to pay for it.
posted by mike2004 at 10:09 A.M. EST on Sun Jul 24, 2005 #
They aren't my estimates. And I did NOT say 6,000+ BY the 2006 election. I have posted this number in at least two other strings. What I said then and above is that the list is due out before the 2006 election and it will include the actual names (not just numbers) and this has the administration and many in Congress (who want to hold on to their jobs) worried.
The list is being compiled by a meticulous researcher. I could go back and search for the researcher's name, background, etc., but I'm not going to. There comes a time to "do your own homework." I did wonder, however, how easy it would be to get something to come up at Google when I typed in "6000 dead in Iraq war". Here is the 1st part of the 1st article that came up....
9000 Dead GIs In Iraq?
By: Brian Harring on: 04.06.2005 [03:45 ] (26601 reads)
(31167 bytes)
US Military Report: Bush’s Achilles’ Heel
The Bush Butcher’s Bill: Officially, 84 US Military Deaths in Iraq from 2 through 28 May, 2005 – Official Total of 1,747 US Dead to date (and rising)
U.S. Military Personnel who died in German hospitals or en route to German hospitals have not previously been counted. They total about 6,210 as of 1 January, 2005. The ongoing, underreporting of the dead in Iraq, is not accurate. The DoD is deliberately reducing the figures. A review of many foreign news sites show that actual deaths are far higher than the newly reduced ones. Iraqi civilian casualties are never reported but International Red Cross, Red Crescent and UN figures indicate that as of 1 January 2005, the numbers are just under 100,000.
Note: There is excellent reason to believe that the Department of Defense is deliberately not reporting a significant number of the dead in Iraq. We have received copies of manifests from the MATS that show far more bodies shipped into Dover AFP than are reported officially. The educated rumor is that the actual death toll is in excess of 7,000. Given the officially acknowledged number of over 15,000 seriously wounded, this elevated death toll is far more realistic than the current 1,400+ now being officially published. When our research is complete, and watertight, we will publish the results along with the sources. In addition to the evident falsification of the death rolls, at least 5,500 American military personnel have deserted, most in Ireland but more have escaped to Canada and other European countries, none of whom are inclined to cooperate with vengeful American authorities. (See TBR News of 18 February for full coverage on the mass desertions) This means that of the 158,000 U.S. military shipped to Iraq, 26,000 either deserted, were killed or seriously wounded. The DoD lists currently being very quietly circulated indicate almost 9,000 dead, over 16,000 seriously wounded and a large number of suicides, forced hospitalization for ongoing drug usage and sales, murder of Iraqi civilians and fellow soldiers , rapes, courts martial and so on – Brian Harring
Haven’t we had enough of this?
----------------------
I think the majority of Americans HAVE had enough. But you would never know it judging by the posts on this board, that seem curiously UNcurious about the actual number of dead. Curious in a nation that makes much ado about the Vietnam wall. By which I mean, I do not believe the majority of comments on this board even vaguely reflect the mood of American citizens at this point in time.
In real life, people are VERY interested and VERY unhappy with this war. Almost everyone I speak with across the political spectrum feels that "supporting" our troops would be bringing them home from that ill-conceived bloodbath.
The main reason I don't think very many different people are posting here, is that there is no real variety of opinions or outlooks. I have accurately posted previously that soldier deaths enroute to and at German hospitals are conveniently not counted. And nary a peep out of another poster. Again - in real life, people are thunderstruck when you inform them of this.
posted by edie at 11:45 A.M. EST on Mon Jul 25, 2005 #
I just re-read my post and "insert". I believe Brian Harring is the researcher in question. One thing you can take to the bank: The administration already knows his name and is trying to head him off at the pass. Judging from the lies they have fabricated in the Rove debacle, they will stop at nothing. I personally believe, however, that God will be with Brian Harring - that would be the same Creator God in whom President Bush professes faith. And to quote Al Martin, once again: The jig is up.
posted by edie at 11:54 A.M. EST on Mon Jul 25, 2005 #
> granny goes marching to war
I agree, send them! It'll help save on social security, medicare, and medicaid!
Remember the "human shields" and "peace bibs?"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/03/02/wshiel02.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/03/02/ixnewstop.html
http://host10.cpusa.org/article/articleview/2947/1/138/
swd
posted by swd at 03:38 P.M. EST on Sun Aug 07, 2005 #
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