The first phase of major Iraq campaign almost over with the U.S. toll this month to 78.
BAGHDAD, June 23 -- Eight U.S. soldiers died Saturday in Iraq, including seven killed in roadside bombings, the U.S. military said, bringing to 30 the number of U.S. servicemen whose deaths were announced in the past six days.Meanwhile it was judgment day in Iraq as Iraq's 'Chemical Ali' has been sentenced to hang while roadside bombs in Iraq Killed 7 more Troops.
Here is more unfortunate news, our government is struggling regarding treating war wounded GIs.
Wapo reports, America's war wounded, has received less attention than the 3500 troops killed in Iraq. I guess this could be a real reason why fewer blacks are joining the military.
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5 comments:
I believe the low numbers of Blacks joining the military is part of the anti-war protest by Black people.
AAPP:
Follow the train of thought
1) In Hurricane Katrina/Rita there was a notable shortage of First Responders and National Guardsmen. The police/firemen had a hard time recruiting. The Guard was said to be shorted due to deployments in Iraq/Afghanistan. Their ranks were not at capacity due to fears of an active war.
2) The choice to focus upon the fear of war also had the impact of having fewer civil servants than needed when a natural disaster took place
No doubt you can fully articulate how in your view this is the fault of George Bush for not considering the full consequences of this war.
My question to you is - Do you have any comments to make to the various politicians who told young people not to join the National Guards because they MIGHT be sent off to war which also meant that there was a shortage of manpower during the time of need in LA, MS, AL and TX?
Various police and fire departments have talked about continuing shortages in personnel due to their commitments to National Guard service. Is there some time of CIVIL SERVICE CLASS in your mind where these people (mostly White Males) have a greater obligation to provide dual service to their country while those who choose to NOT become civil servants out of fear of a war which they disagree with might kill them - while ignoring the general need from their community?
Once again - you will no doubt "Blame Bush" - this is easy. What do you say about the shared responsibility for protecting your community by committing to become a first responder despite the risks?
Individual Americans decide if they want to become a first responder or national guardsman. It is not politicans who decide. Like Vietnam people will decide if they want to enlist. When Bush made a calculated decision to lie about WMD's and go into Iraq without using the Powell Doctorine, it placed our nation at risk in many ways. I agree with you the war also had the impact of having fewer civil servants than needed when a natural disaster took place.
The various politicians who told young people not to join the National Guards because they MIGHT be sent off to war, was a decision they probably made based on their concern for human life and a unjust war.
George Bush, Military planners and War College experts should have taken that into consideration, as part of a war time scenerio, which also meant that there would be a shortage of manpower during the time of need in LA, MS, AL and TX.
CIA and Joe and Val say there is no WMD and that's the answer.
So again - we can look at our communities today. We can make note that of the fact that we live in a representative democracy. 4 years ago the political forces of this country decided to allocate resources to fight a foreign battle. You did not agree with this allocation of resources.
With your personal goal being to maximize the protection of your community and with the knowledge that you have with respect to the shortage of first responders and national guardsmen (the National Guard is not consider a first responder) what do you choose to do to insure that your community has enough people:
* Who know first aid and CPR - knowledge that they would have gotten as participants in the National Guard or Fire/Police forces?
* Who have vehicles in which as a community can leverage the principles of "Each one teach one" and thus as they pack up to depart an incoming storm - insure that they offer their empty seats to those who lack cars?
* With your city known to flood as it is below sea level, ringed on 3 sides by powerful water ways....any notion of raising community money to purchase large rafts so that the ability to perform initial rescue operations can be localized at the community level rather than waiting upon a municipal/state/federal government that has failed at their rapid response efforts previously.
It's like this AAPP:
I returned home to the brownstone house that I grew up in and hadn't seen for about 10 years recently in West Philly. I marveled at how on a summer afternoon no one was playing football in the street as we used to, the playground was sparsely populated - where it was crowed when I grew up. What were the young people doing? They were sitting on the porch or inside watching television/playing video games - at least the ones that I saw.
I looked at the one brownstone that I used to live in and the aluminum siding was falling off. Trash was in most of the yards and the streets were in need of sweeping. But there were about 4 young Black males sitting on the porch. Where as my mother made us clean up our property and the ones on both sides of us because ultimately we were impacted by the leaves and trash - there was no such sentiment from these young Black males who had a "renters mentality". If the landlord did not come and do his part....it just was not going to get done - not even the basics of community maintenance.
So what does this have to do with Black folks joining the military or becoming National Guardsmen? A whole lot. This war will pass and yet the entire nation will still require the services of these people who put their lives on the line - fighting wild fires, performing river rescues and providing recovery efforts after a tornado or hurricane. In deciding to not participate many of these idle young men will not receive the advanced training nor be opened up to a greater view of the world that departing from their communities provides them.
It is my opinion that while their service at this time may increase their exposure to death or disability.........their choice to not be inducted is spread throughout their greater community when there is an acute need for their service.
Again - you seem to be able to articulate "Bush's Burden" in causing this.....surely these young people will feel the consequences of a shortage in skilled rescuers far beyond the end of both Bush's term and the war.
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