Yes, Jackie, it is hard to remain optimistic. It's something I work in regularly. If we give up - where does that take us?

If someone tells you something and then does not follow through, again and again, but keeps repeating what they initially said, what do you believe, their actions or their words?

Repeatedly over the months since Bush initiated this war, he has stated his support for the troops. Today an ariticle from Newsweek printed online on MSNBC points to the discrepency between what he does and what he says. First, I refer you back to an article I posted on this subject on January 2, 2006. I've listed it again for your convenience.

Bush visits wounded troops in Texas
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/01/01/bush.troops.ap/index.html


quote:
"The president, as commander in chief, feels it's one his most important duties to visit with those who are serving in the armed forces and providing great sacrifice for this important mission," White House spokesman Trent Duffy said.

"He thanks them for their service. He asks how they're doing. He is always interested in seeing if they are getting the kinds of care they need," Duffy said, adding that not all the troops' injuries were sustained in combat.
The following addresses the fact that it's a lot of civilian contributions through a civilian organization, rather than the government, that seems to be doing most of the gungho legwork for getting treatment for soldiers with catastrophic wounds.
In todays' news there's something interesting that's happening with our wounded troops and the care they are receiving.

A new rehab center for injured U.S. soldiers sparks a controversy over healthcare for veterans
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10842565/site/newsweek/


quote:
But should such an institution really be funded by private sources? Inevitably, organizations like Intrepid have raised questions about whether the Bush administration--committed to two wars--is too stretched to properly take care of returning veterans. "It’s surprising to us that there needs to be a facility that’s privately funded, and we hope that the Congress and the Bush administration will recognize that we need to meet these goals of the severely injured," says Peter Gayton, director of veterans affai rs and rehabilitation at the American Legion. “The fact that the Intrepid Center needs to exist shows that the VA is not receiving enough funding."

The debate is being fueled by syndicated radio host Don Imus, who has donated $250,000 and has made raising money for the fund a regular feature on his morning show. On Friday he told listeners he doesn't know why "the government wouldn't just simply pay for [the center], considering the extraordinary amount of money they spend on ... this idiotic war." And later said "We have a tradition in this country, well, going back to the Civil War, in which we send off young people to fight these wars. Stuff happens to them. They lose their arms and legs. And we just discard them. You know, like they are iPods of old telephones or something."
Since we are sending troops to war, we'd better take care of them. Remember how Bush cut funds to the veterans last year? He can say all he wants about supporting the troops - but it's his actions that count. Maybe we need to send him to a new group to be founded, Liar's Anonymous, were people learn to tell the truth in a 12 Step Program.

[ January 14, 2006, 08:50 PM: Message edited by: Vi ]