Obama Will Lead Us

I AGREE with letter writer John Rogers (“What a Moron,” March 5-11) that “men and women who serve in the armed forces of their country do not make the decision to go to war.” 

I too admire Senator John McCain for a number of reasons. He has always been quick to debunk fabrications and mudslinging (i.e., Swift Boat). In addition, has been an ardent critic of the Bush administration’s torture policy. 

Unlike most Republican politicians he has neither resorted to immigrant bashing, nor has he justified lobbying/influence peddling.

Nevertheless, I would like to address some of Mr. Rogers’ historical inaccuracies and omissions. First of all, President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first to send advisors into Vietnam, not Kennedy. In fact, it was no secret that Kennedy had planned to withdraw from Vietnam. 

Secondly, President Lyndon Johnson was the first to send American combat troops into Vietnam.  (I am, incidentally, a Vietnam veteran).

Johnson, like President George W. Bush was a Texan, and like Bush he received big Texas dollars from big oil and defense contractors. 

Thirdly, Mr. Rogers failed to mention that we suffered over 21,000 casualties under President Richard Nixon, who had promised to end but secretly escalated the war.
Yes, I admire McCain for multiple reasons.  Regrettably, however, he chose to support the continuance of Bush’s disaster in Iraq. 

The “pre-emptive” and arbitrary invasion has cost thousands of American lives, tens of thousands of American limbs and created thousands of fatherless and motherless American children. In addition, tens (or hundreds) of thousands Iraqis have been killed or crippled.
We have lost credibility and the respect of most of the world. Furthermore, we have created millions of enemies.

The full pricetag in human suffering has yet to be calculated, but must include post traumatic stress, broken families, disease, substance abuse and suicides.

Financially, the war costs billions a month, has bankrupted our nation and put the U.S. dollar in the proverbial toilet. For the first time in history, the Canadian dollar is worth more than ours.
Meanwhile, it took the federal government almost a week to launch its token response to Hurricane Katrina, engendering further mass suffering).  Millions of Americans have no medical coverage.  Hundreds of thousands are losing their homes, and nothing has been done to discourage or punish greedy corporations from exporting millions of good jobs to slave labor markets. 

Quite obviously, the time for change is long overdue.
Yes, our soldiers did not choose war. Unlike Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, they put their lives on the line every day.

Beyond meaningless slogans, however, the only real way to support the troops is to bring them home to their families.  Senator Barack Obama is the only major presidential candidate that opposes both the continuance of the Iraq fiasco and the treasonous export of American jobs to slave labor markets.

In short, he is the only major candidate not hamstrung by huge corporate campaign contributions. Thus, a vote for Obama is the only vote for long needed change.