Dear Mr. President
From Truthout.org:
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
As a young man I was honored to serve our nation as a commissioned officer and helicopter pilot in the US Navy. Before me in WWII, my father defended the country spending two years in the Pacific aboard the USS Hornet (CV-14). We were patriots sworn "to protect and defend". Today I conclude that you have dishonored our service and the Constitution and principles of our oath. My dad was buried with full military honors so I cannot act for him. But for myself, I return enclosed the symbols of my years of service: the shoulder boards of my rank and my Naval Aviator's wings.
Until your administration, I believed it was inconceivable that the United States would ever initiate an aggressive and preemptive war against a country that posed no threat to us. Until your administration, I thought it was impossible for our nation to take hundreds of persons into custody without provable charges of any kind, and to "disappear" them into holes like Gitmo, Abu Ghraib and Bagram. Until your administration, in my wildest legal fantasy I could not imagine a US Attorney General seeking to justify torture or a President first stating his intent to veto an anti-torture law, and then adding a "signing statement" that he intends to ignore such law as he sees fit. I do not want these things done in my name.
As a citizen, a patriot, a parent and grandparent, a lawyer and law teacher I am left with such a feeling of loss and helplessness. I think of myself as a good American and I ask myself what can I do when I see the face of evil? Illegal and immoral war, torture and confinement for life without trial have never been part of our Constitutional tradition. But my vote has become meaningless because I live in a safe district drawn by your political party. My congressman is unresponsive to my concerns because his time is filled with lobbyists' largess. Protests are limited to your "free speech zones", out of sight of the parade. Even speaking openly is to risk being labeled un-American, pro-terrorist or anti-troops. And I am a disciplined pacifist, so any violent act is out of the question.
Nevertheless, to remain silent is to let you think I approve or support your actions. I do not. So, I am saddened to give up my wings and bars. They were hard won and my parents and wife were as proud as I was when I earned them over forty years ago. But I hate the torture and death you have caused more than I value their symbolism. Giving them up makes me cry for my beloved country.
Joseph W. DuRocher
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
As a young man I was honored to serve our nation as a commissioned officer and helicopter pilot in the US Navy. Before me in WWII, my father defended the country spending two years in the Pacific aboard the USS Hornet (CV-14). We were patriots sworn "to protect and defend". Today I conclude that you have dishonored our service and the Constitution and principles of our oath. My dad was buried with full military honors so I cannot act for him. But for myself, I return enclosed the symbols of my years of service: the shoulder boards of my rank and my Naval Aviator's wings.
Until your administration, I believed it was inconceivable that the United States would ever initiate an aggressive and preemptive war against a country that posed no threat to us. Until your administration, I thought it was impossible for our nation to take hundreds of persons into custody without provable charges of any kind, and to "disappear" them into holes like Gitmo, Abu Ghraib and Bagram. Until your administration, in my wildest legal fantasy I could not imagine a US Attorney General seeking to justify torture or a President first stating his intent to veto an anti-torture law, and then adding a "signing statement" that he intends to ignore such law as he sees fit. I do not want these things done in my name.
As a citizen, a patriot, a parent and grandparent, a lawyer and law teacher I am left with such a feeling of loss and helplessness. I think of myself as a good American and I ask myself what can I do when I see the face of evil? Illegal and immoral war, torture and confinement for life without trial have never been part of our Constitutional tradition. But my vote has become meaningless because I live in a safe district drawn by your political party. My congressman is unresponsive to my concerns because his time is filled with lobbyists' largess. Protests are limited to your "free speech zones", out of sight of the parade. Even speaking openly is to risk being labeled un-American, pro-terrorist or anti-troops. And I am a disciplined pacifist, so any violent act is out of the question.
Nevertheless, to remain silent is to let you think I approve or support your actions. I do not. So, I am saddened to give up my wings and bars. They were hard won and my parents and wife were as proud as I was when I earned them over forty years ago. But I hate the torture and death you have caused more than I value their symbolism. Giving them up makes me cry for my beloved country.
Joseph W. DuRocher
posted by Khalid at 6:06 AM
17 Comments:
That is surprising. I wish I can meet with the sender of the letter. I want to tell him, “I salute you for your bravery in expressing what the US administration has done. I salute you because you refused to be part of the tragedy that served in the destruction of Iraq. All Iraqis who are suffering from the results of an unsuccessful war. Thank you, thank you and thank you.”
Khalid, thanks a lot for posting the letter. You are a sincere Iraqi.
I don't think it is laziness... but I do think that Bush is sort of a fraud. He is so heavily managed, almost everything he says is scripted by his advisors. He is like a PR guy, saying things that sound good, and then I guess he thinks someone in his administration will make the stuff happen.
My impression, is that when the Republicans were scrambling to find a candidate who could win, they looked at the fact that George W. had inherited name-recognition from his father, he would win his own state of Texas (a huge state) and his brother could make sure that he won Florida, another very important state. These were big advantages....and actually, he did not win his first election, and many suspect that electronic voting machines were used to steal the second one for him as well.
He obviously was prepared, and coached... he was schooled in what former presidents did right, and wrong, resulting in his tendency to make weird statements during his campaigns about what presidents do, and what leaders do...almost like he was just regurgitating his study materials.
Now, he seems to be living in a fantasy world. It is scary.
As for the letter from Mr. DuRocher... I think many, many Americans feel as he does. Especially those of us who remember Vietnam.
I have fallen in love with your entire family. Your lives give hope to the entire planet. I admire your courage. I admire your humanity. Would that I had even 1%.
Blessings, blessings, blessings.
(Grey sells) and (jc),
Yes indeed!
(Baghdadtreasure),
Dont be a stranger brother!
(Drkwinesea),
Thanks, Thanks, Thans!
:))
I hope to see your around more!
any,
I hope we won't have to see any more of them! say Amen!
Amen
About Bush.
"He is like a PR guy, saying things that sound good... He obviously was prepared, and coached... he was schooled"
I would call him the anti-PR guy, and I don't see much evidence of schooling either. Everything he says just sounds so wrong. I know what you mean about the coaching though, his body-language is a laugh. He always looks like he's thinking to himself "this is it, I'm doing it!" while remembering to take the right length strides or keep his head at a considerate angle while listening to others who are speaking for him. There is something caged about his whole performance, like a parakeet doing tricks at showtime. In truth, I feel pity for him. He is not free.
OliveBranch! its been a long time body! how are you?
:)
Truer truth, my good friend, are you suggesting maybe we should go liberate him?
:D
Bush is a manufactured moron surrounded by self-serving men and women whose actions border on the criminally evil. They walk up to the line of civic decency and spit over it.
Bush seems like he would be happiest playing Rancher. Hopefully we'll learn about the family this time and not ushure in Jeb. Can you imagine? A President named Jeb. =p=p=p
Good to see you replying to comments, though! Signs of life. =)
bush is anti humanity and most of his actions towards Iraq, palestine, afghanistan proves it. what type of human being he is to occupy other countries without feeling any sympahty on the sufferings of others? JUst rememember Allah is great, there will be the time when the oppressed will be help by the Almighty! to all Muslims, strengthen your faith to Allah , always seek for his help, be patience. this is a test from Allah .Ameen
In war, torture happens, it always has - the historian only dare whisper it. But this is far worse, this is torture sanctioned by our own government? How outrageous is that?
But then, this is a war WE STARTED, isn't that outrageous.
I served my country for 14 years, but I wouldn't ask a soul to sacrifice 10 seconds for this (no longer America).
I wish that our fore fathers would return to haunt this White House as the blood of hundreds of thousands runs down her face.
And back to the post topic, an update on Malcolm Kendall-Smith "the New Zealander who has put the British armed forces and Government on edge with his studied conclusion that the war in Iraq breaches international law - and so he will not serve in it."
Hey Khalid, how you doing?
I hope you're feeling like your old self again.
Dubya is nothing more than halicheney's puppet, he does as he's told and thinks as he's told to think (either by cheney or god).
There's a great book called "Bush's Brain" , which details how karl fatfuck rove molded bush into a governor and then a presznit. The sundance channel has run a great documentary on karl rove too. He has a colorful background showing the dirty political games he's played ever since his days in texas helping reich wingers win office.. (google him).
Bushko is just inept, incompetent but not corrupt, he's too stupid to be corrupt.. just those all around him are corrupt..
They have their national spin in the form of Fox News (or as we like to call them, the Faux News Channel). They have a direct sugar drip that comes straight from the White House and they spin their lies and nonsense to help promote this administration to all the simple minded kool aid drinkers in America. (For those who don't understand the kool aid reference, it's Jim Jones).
If you are unfamiliar with these sites let me throw you a bone and offer up a couple great sites to keep informed with. One I give 5 stars to is RawStory.Org. Another good site is News Hounds whose motto is "We watch Fox so you don't have to". For referencing the media and their mass manipulation or inept reporting turn to Media Matters, and lastly a great site that posts video clips of moments to remember is Crooks and Liars.
I found this blog by googling something else, that led me to something else, that led me to something else, that led me here!!! I love discovering new blogs and more views on what's going on around the nation and around the world :)
Mr Joseph W. DuRocher
I am a ARMY Veteran, Airborne, Air-assault. Your letter, deep inside is motivated by fear and cowardice. Your father, if is true what you said, must be ashamed of you were ever he is now. We are soldiers, Soldiers have NO SAY on political decisions. You wanna protest, stay a civilian. You want to sound as a flower boy in the 60's...too late. Our government is not perfect by far but still the best on earth, the last thing you can do to help is been with the ones who want to destroy it. I am 100 % certain you gave back your commission not as a war protester but as a coward scare to be called back on duty because YOU KNOW Iran is next, and later North Korea and Venezuela. Shame on you.
But you know what...thats fine, who wanna go in combat with a coward? You just did us a favor by getting out of the way, you are not to be trusted. Children to the back, WOMAN and MEN step forward and fight. (see, no place for you in that statement)
The american people have the POWER to deal directly in politics and with or against the politicians every 4 years, we toppled governments without bullets every 4 years, we raised against the government every 4 years, WITH OUR VOTE Mr DuRocher, If you don't like Bush, vote against him or his government. You don't like the outcome of the elections? well, try again next time or MOVE to some Islamic Republic, maybe you like it there better. But don't go out there discrediting our representatives in front of a anti-american audience in an Iraqi Blog. Do it at home in front of your fellow veterans, family affairs are fixed in-house.
To my Arab brothers in Ala, I said that I may not be 100% in agreement with the government but is the one I believe in and the way democracy works here is you change it by VOTES, and IF it is not good enough, one of the founders fathers of the USA, Benjamin Franklin once said, that a Revolution once in a while is good for a nation ...thats why the Constitution grants the people the RIGHTS TO BEAR ARMS..in case one day we need to do it here to.
Real freedom after all is liberty of taught, the freedom to think free of fear, instigated by politics or religions. Ala is great, not the Ayatollah, not the Pope, not the President, not the Emir, so don't be fanatic of any one and listen to GOD, ALA directly, without middle man, Priest or Imam and Brother you will be really free...open your mind and your hearth will follow.
Remember, this war is about POWER between rich people who use Religion as a motivator for young people to fight the wars for them, not about ALA or GOD, they are to great to worry about Power they already have.
Why I was in the ARMY then? Because like I said before, is a Warrior brotherhood and war is our JOB. You dont go in the Military to be a judge of what is good or bad, you train to FIGHT and FIGHT you will, but that dosn't mean I am BLIND of the corruptions and good things in my goverment.
George W. Bush is a war criminal, plain and simple. Our nation's invasion of Iraq was illegal, as is our continued occupation.
I pray for peace and for a time when our differences will be mended. I look forward to a world where our nations can operate as equals; unfortunately I do not think that will be the case anytime soon.
Anyone posting here in favor of the invasion and occupation is supporting a war criminal who is also now committing crimes against the citizens of the United States of America by stripping us of basic legal rights such as Habeus Corpus and by legalizing torture. Any American supporting the actions of this president is no patriot; they are a traitor.
As an American, I am embarrassed by the actions of our nation. I look forward to a day when we can live in peace.
Great blog... keep writing!
Any patriot who serve for the defence of his country will believe in what u confessed.
America was going after the oil,everyone knows that truth. The American themselves believe in that.
One day Bush and his followers will be punished by the history as criminals of war.
please visit my web http://watanomaymen.maktoobblog.com
It is in arabic but at least u can see the ground truth of war from the pictures.
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