Do those who "Support the Troops" support Operation Truth?

[BurtWorm]

http://www.optruth.org/main.cfm?actionId=globalShowStaticContent&screenKey=issuesHome&lnav=1

Here are some of the key issues facing our soldiers. Operation Truth will continuously adapt to changing circumstances and focus on the Troops' most pressing needs.

Honoring the Fallen
Soldiers who have given their lives in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom deserve a public memorial. Unfortunately, their sacrifices have often been hidden from public view.

National Guard and Reservists
For decades, Reservists and National Guardsmen have been treated as second-class citizens within the military. Reservists and National Guardsmen should be equipped and trained on par with their active duty counterparts.


The Mental Strain of War
Returning vets face serious psychological problems, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, as well as adverse reactions to the vaccine for malaria (Lariam). These issues increase the risk of family problems, alcohol and drug abuse, and even suicide.

Armor Shortage
Due to poor planning by the Pentagon, 6,530 Humvees in Iraq and Afghanistan lack adequate protection as of December 2004. While Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said that armor for the Humvees was being produced at maximum capacity, this is not true....

More at link.

[chknltl]

1. Not pleased with their take on depleted uranium nt

[BurtWorm]

2. Please elaborate.

[chknltl]

3. OK

I may have missed it but I saw no references to Leuren Moret, a person whom I feel is doing a great deal of work on this topic. I do thank you for the CSM link which I went to. For '03 coverage it was well done and somewhat a pleasant surprise to see. Kudos to CSM for that. Another thing I might have missed was the British Governments take on DU and the fact that they are alerting their troops more on this topic as of late to include testing for returning vets. I guess overall the article was ok but it left me feeling less alarmed about the hazards of DU then I feel folks should be.

[BurtWorm]

4. You may be more familiar with DU than the average person.

It seems to me that Operation Truth is designed to find common ground between leftists who oppose the war and those who "support the troops" without knowing what issues the troops are really facing. I think their tone is just right. They educate about the issues without preaching or being alarmist about them. This site ought to be better known in freeperville. Maybe it would shame them into taking actual *action* to support the troops, beyond congratulating themselves for covering the backs of their SUVs with magnetic ribbons.

[chknltl]

5. I agree with you

I had not considered the overall moderate tone of the article My bad. I think you are right to point out that there is a need for non-alarmist style articles. These can be used to inform those who might disregard more alarming articles therby missing the truths contained therein. I believe the truth needs to get out. I suppose the part of that article which got to me was where it said that the radioactive properties of D.U. munitions could be stopped by tissue paper or clothes. I have read in other papers where some of our soldiers are sitting on D.U. munitions containers in their vehicles and are coming back with anal/uterine cancers. It may take some work on my part but I would gladly give you some of my links on this topic. It was this very topic, depleted uranium, which has started my presence here in the Democratic Underground. I felt an overwhelming need to share what I have been finding. I am pleased to see that many people here feel as I do.

[BurtWorm]

6. I'd like to see more of your posts on the subject.

Welcome to DU! :toast:

[chknltl]

9. Thank You for the welcome BurtWorm

I am honored to be here. I feel I am still too new to be writing articles or editorials yet, hasn't stopped me from writing congressmen and Representatives, church-groups and college newspapers, and anyone else I can think of on the topic of Depleted Uranium munitions. Your point about moderation was well taken and will be incorporated in my future writings. (Outside of the Democratic Underground that is, you folks can handle the truth just fine)

[IrateCitizen]

7. All good work, but their exec director is a complete asshat...

Paul Rieckhoff made public statements prior to the 3/19 demo in Fayetteville, NC that the protestors there would be protesting the troops -- despite the fact that the demo was organized by military families and vets' organizations.

OpTruth has done good advocacy work on behalf of soldiers' needs, but they are NOT an antiwar organization, and their executive director has placed his own personal ambitions before those of the movement as a whole.

[Just Me]

8. I love Operation Truth!!!

I sincerely hope they will branch out and that we can all coordinate effective means of taking down those neoconcriminals and BushCO scum!!!

Our military has been used and abused and it pisses me off!!! They deserve a helluva lot better considering what they have to sacrifice!!!

GO OPERATION TRUTH!!!!!