tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-109568492011-04-21T10:53:55.796-07:00Rambling tales of discovery, bravado and unexpected kinship. Travel defines us and marks our progress, whether through the gates of Marathon, the awkward grace of adolescence, those glimmering shores of our dreams or the bracing crash and surprising fulfillment of parenthood. Share and be welcome, weary traveler...Timmer of Righting Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066376042780513627noreply@blogger.comBlogger11100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10956849.post-1136057885787665432005-12-31T00:30:00.000-08:002006-09-14T21:11:57.476-07:00Two weeks ago, as I was starting my sixth month of duty in Iraq, I was forced to return to the USA for surgery for an injury I sustained prior to my deployment. With luck, I'll return to Iraq in January to finish my tour. I left Baghdad and a war that has every indication that we are winning, to return to a demoralized country much like the one I returned to in 1971 after my tour in Vietnam. <br /><br />Maybe it's because I'll turn 60 years old in just four months, but I'm tired.<br /><br /><blockquote><strong>I'm tired </strong>of spineless politicians, both Democrat and Republican who lack the courage, fortitude, and character to see these difficult tasks through.<br /><strong>I'm tired </strong>of the hypocrisy of politicians who want to rewrite history when the going gets tough.<br /><strong>I'm tired </strong>of the disingenuous clamor from those that claim they 'Support the Troops' by wanting them to 'Cut and Run' before victory is achieved.<br /><strong>I'm tired </strong>of a mainstream media that can only focus on car bombs and casualty reports because they are too afraid to leave the safety of their hotels to report on the courage and success our brave men and women are having on the battlefield.<br /><strong>I'm tired </strong>that so many American's think you can rebuild a dictatorship into a democracy over night.<br /><strong>I'm tired </strong>that so many ignore the bravery of the Iraqi people to go to the voting booth and freely elect a Constitution and soon a permanent Parliament.<br /><strong>I'm tired </strong>of the so called 'Elite Left' that prolongs this war by giving aid and comfort to our enemy, just as they did during the Vietnam War.<br /><strong>I'm tired </strong>of anti-war protesters showing up at the funerals of our fallen soldiers. A family who's loved ones gave their life in a just and noble cause, only to be cruelly tormented on the funeral day by cowardly protesters is beyond shameful.<br /><strong>I'm tired </strong>that my generation, the Baby Boom generation, who have such a weak backbone that they can't stomach seeing the difficult tasks through to victory.<br /><strong>I'm tired </strong>that some are more concerned about the treatment of captives then they are the slaughter and beheading of our citizens and allies.<br /><strong>I'm tired </strong>that when we find mass graves it is seldom reported by the press, but mistreat a prisoner and it is front page news.<br /><strong>Mostly, I'm tired </strong>that the people of this great nation didn't learn from history that there is no substitute for Victory.</blockquote><br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />Joe Repya, Lieutenant Colonel, U. S. Army 101st Airborne Division<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/10956849-113605788578766543?l=globebloggin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Timmer of Righting Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066376042780513627noreply@blogger.com0