A Disproportionate Sacrifice, Md. Mother Lobbies to End Sons'...deployment

[Rose Siding]

When Ann Swann's twin sons were deployed to Iraq with the Marine Corps Reserve last year, she fired off a letter to President Bush. Her eldest son already was serving there with the Army Reserve, she explained, and she wanted one of her boys brought home.

"This letter is from a concerned mother," wrote Swann, 53, principal of Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary in Prince George's County. "I request that if at all possible, you conference with me to discuss the reason that all three of my sons (my only family left) are serving in Iraq."

What Swann discovered since sending her letter in the fall has surprised her. The Department of Defense has no prohibition on sending every child in a family into combat -- even in the same unit at the same location.

The only way to get her sons back early would be if one of them was killed, captured, maimed or missing.......

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8525-2005Mar4.html

[Kimber Scott]

1. Private Ryan got saved because the president at that time gave a shit. nt

[Warpy]

2. Well, we know how Fuckwit feels about it.

The only use for the working class is either as slaves or targets.

If they get broken, the best thing to do is discard them. It's cheaper than fixing them. I'm sure that's been his policy with all his toys.

[Kimber Scott]

3. I'm sure he agrees with his buddy Kissinger that "soldiers are dumb,

stupid animals to be used as pawns" in foreign policy. That's why he wanted him in charge of the 9/11 commission since they both think so much alike.

[AirAmFan]

5. Thanks for the Kissinger quote! I don't remember hearing it before.

Some googling got me to an authoritative reference for it, at the end of http://www.onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/080604Nichols/080604nichols.html

'4. Kissinger's quote regarding military men comes from Chapter 14 of "The Final Days," which extensively discusses Al Haig, Kissinger and other Nixon staff advisors' negotiations and differences over national security issues during the 1969-1974 period. The exact, direct quote marks begin with the word 'dumb' and terminate after the word 'used'. Source: Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein, "The Final Days," second Touchstone paperback edition (1994), Chapter 14, pp. 194-195.'

[Erika]

4. You don't see the Bush twins over there.

Nor the middle class. My GOP co-worker is building on an addition to their house so their 21 year old boy can be independent and have his own quarters. She wants to do everything to keep him from the need of enlisting. She doesn't want to lose him. She "regrets" the loss of life of our kids in Iraq as she supplies her own boy every reason not to go to Iraq.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

6. I'd feel better about this

if she weren't a school principal writing "I request that if at all possible, you conference with me to...."

Edited to correct my post's title and to point out that Pat Tillman and his brother were in the same place at the same time when Pat Tillman died in Afghanistan. There was a two-part article in the WaPo about this back in December. Searching now....

Barrage of Bullets Drowned Out Cries of Comrades

Army Spun Tale Around Ill-Fated Mission

Google for tillman firefight washingtonpost.com

[Erika]

7. Ah what does this have to do with the Bush Twins

not volunteering for service? My original post was a right-winger who would choose to remodel their residence to allow their 21 year old boy to stay there rather than going to Iraq. They didn't want him to feel pressured. True elitists.