EscoWatchDog wrote on Aug 28, 2007 11:08 PM:Right on..love seeing the people get involved in ending this war! Great job my patriots!

Pluto wrote on Aug 29, 2007 6:47 AM:Thanks and congratulations to those 89 year olds who are still in the streets fighting for peace and justice - what an example for us all!

Sad wrote on Aug 29, 2007 8:07 AM:Too sad that the writer diminished the story by putting the last sentence in- people are against this war and we must leave Iraq. Having one bozo drive by with a cutesy slogan doesn't change things. How many more lives lost and serious injuries do people want to agree to? This war is immoral.

quinnie wrote on Aug 29, 2007 8:09 AM:we've given war a chance and it has done nothing. Iraqi kurds are at war with Pakistan and Iran through those "secure borders" we keep hearing about. the iraqi puppet government is tying its strings to syria, who has been threatened with war by israel. the same lies are being shoved down our throats about iran. I say pull our troops out, let blackwater finish *THEIR* job and let the corporations have their little country and LEAVE THE USA OUT OF IT.

These people are always around wrote on Aug 29, 2007 8:13 AM:These same sorts of people, in much greater numbers, protested and rioted during the Civil War. They certainly have a right to protest but they are just as misguided.

STEVE wrote on Aug 29, 2007 8:50 AM:I know of this group and the anger they dispense. They don't care about the war. They take any advantage to promote the liberal agenda against US citizens concerning any case.

Tyler wrote on Aug 29, 2007 8:51 AM:These people are jumping on the bandwagon. Protesting war, any government action, has become a fad. After the war is over, these people will go on to protest something else. Frankly, I'm tired of the cute sound bytes these protesters eschew. We've heard all of this crap before, say something meaningful instead of cliché.

To Davis Bell.... wrote on Aug 29, 2007 9:03 AM:I have to disagree with your comment that being in this war is bad for the country. I firmly believe it would be much worse, in fact even more deadly, if we WEREN'T in this war. When an intruder walks into your home do you lie down and let him "have his way" with your wife and children, steal your money and food and then drive your car way after setting your house on fire?! If that's how YOU choose to live then I'm sorry you have a death wish. For the rest of the country, except for you and the mere 75 people involved in this protest, we believe in standing up to those who do wrong! If you don't like it here - move to Iraq or Afghanistan. Take your pick. Either country will welcome you with open arms.

Matthew wrote on Aug 29, 2007 9:04 AM:You can't just brush something off by baselessly calling it a fad.

Concerned-1 wrote on Aug 29, 2007 9:24 AM:I didn't support the protesters against Viet Nam and I don't support these protesters today. They are of the same ilk. Spinless followers. We need a solution in Iraq, not some fool hardy withdral. Get the politicians out and let the generals do their job and to hell with being politically correct. The real Iraqi people need us. Ask one of them.

Marine wrote on Aug 29, 2007 9:26 AM:Protesting is all well and good! BUT I never, ever, heard any of these people have any idea how we leave the innocent people of Iraq to get slaughtered. The facts are when we leave, the killing will continue and get worst and worst until the US will be blamed for leaving the innocent people there alone! Then the next step will be Irans and things will take a whole new deadly direction! BUT, the peace people have no idea how to prevent any of that. They have also forgotten how bad it was under Sadam, how many Iragie men women and children were killed every year if they were even thought to be against him or his family. That seems to be the one constant in America, we have the shortest memories of any other people in the world! Give me a plan, a real plan to address the issues above and I'll listen BECAUSE I am really, really tired of this war also.

If only... wrote on Aug 29, 2007 9:43 AM:half the money wasted on this war had been spent on securing our borders, we could have solved the majority of our security issues, the immigration problem, and avoided unnecessary loss of life to U.S. troops.

Mike wrote on Aug 29, 2007 9:48 AM:Don't these people realize that questioning anything this Neo-Orwelian administration does, including their ruinously expensive, counterproductive war, only emboldens the enemy? To make matters worse, the evil liberal media is giving news coverage to it!

Judie wrote on Aug 29, 2007 11:28 AM:Thank heavens we have "Patriots" such as the ones who got off their sofas and easy chairs last night to "Stand up an be Counted". We are citizens who love and care about our Country, our Military and the rest of the Planet! This event was sponsored by MoveOn.org which has over 3 million members nation wide. I cohosted the very same event in Vista last night. We had approximately 140 attendees at our Peace Vigil, which included about 50 highschool students. Their Government Teachers gave them the option to join our Rally as part of their Community Service committment. We were proud to have them. They showed tremendous spirit and passion for their country. Fad? Not on your life!

George wrote on Aug 29, 2007 11:37 AM:President Bush lied about what? Did Congress lie when they voted to enter the war? I don't see anyone blaming them. More progress would be made there if as a nation we had the resolve to win this very winnable war. Unfortunately, the Muslims see the weakness of our liberal citizens like Harry Reid and both Ca. senators and they get bolder.

Right On, George wrote on Aug 29, 2007 11:54 AM:Muslims see them weak liberals and it just emboldens them! Let's win this "very winnable war" and achieve our "objective"!

Mike wrote on Aug 29, 2007 12:06 PM:"In the face of terror and murder the call for peace is not patriotic, it's COWARDICE!" If the war ended tomorrow, MoveOn and the rest of their left-wing fellow travelers would find something else that our country and government is doing to protest. Their entire premise is to hate America first and ignore everything else. Why aren't they in Dafur protesting genocide? It's easy to cary a sign when you know you won't be beheaded.

You're all wrong! wrote on Aug 29, 2007 12:52 PM:This "war" is unwinable becuase the USA refuses, and will always refuse to provide the Iraqi's with sufficient and adequate weaponry to protect itself. We refuse because we don't want to face "the muslim terrorist" with our own weapons! All this talk about the dominoes falling and Iran stepping into the vacumn is all a bunch of hooey. The doomsday scenarios did not pan out in 'Nam, and they won't pan out here. As for the rule of Saddam being so horrible, well, yes, but he was our guy. Now he's dead. Here's a plan to get out - pick a side, arm them to the teeth, and let them fight it out. That way, we can go back to the cold war. Iran's not going to step in, Russia will. China will be there two. Isreal will be unleashed. Oil will be tougher to get, but the USA, Russia and China will have one heck of a testing ground for weaponry! All this because Bush Jr. couldn't wait to start a war.

Peter wrote on Aug 29, 2007 1:18 PM:I hope the protestors aren’t too sore today from patting themselves on the back for being such moral people who care so much about the troops. How many of them even know any of those troops or their families? One of them is quoted as saying they are fed up, but they are probably not fed up with the material goods they have that can be traced through our economy to the stability that the efforts of a few for the common defense provide to this nation. Allowing a myopic view that ignores the realities of the world drive our foreign policy will only make us more vulnerable to those that seek to destroy our way of life. They are sad people that will willingly live in slavery than fight for freedom.

Lee wrote on Aug 29, 2007 1:22 PM:Peace is so threatening to you, War-nicks. Afraid you'll lose your job? I'm waiting for our military to rise up and control the real threat to our country, George Bush.

Shaky Jake wrote on Aug 29, 2007 1:31 PM:This war has killed more Iraqi civilians than Saddam Hussein (our friend before he was our enemy) could have killed in his wildest fantasies. And George should take his head out of his sand. LOTS of us hold the congresspersons who voted for the use of force in Iraq just as responsible, as well as those who continue to vote to fund it (see Hillary Clinton). But that would require one to look beyond the NCT website for information. The other pro war commenters here are the true spineless racist cowards who sit in their stratoloungers and deride us for standing up to a war based on lies. To believe that the Iraqis had anything to do with terrorism is just lazy stupidity. There were no Iraqis on those planes on 9/11. To lump all muslims in with those few lucky nutcases is as racist as it comes. If you want to be a sheep and believe the rich war mongers, go ahead. You are in the minority. We weak liberals will run over you like a steamroller. All of your lying neocon rats who started this atrocity have now fled the government for greener pastures, leaving a bloody trail of dead innocent Iraqi civilians in their wake. But I'm sure that's WAY too much for the conservatives who hate everything not Christian to handle. So just sit back, 'cause at least it's not YOUR neighborhood being bombed. Yet. If you think that bombing Iraq back into the stone age will not motivate more fanatics, I have a bridge in Minneapolis I want to sell you.

Virginia wrote on Aug 29, 2007 1:50 PM:To Tyler - If any individual or group is guilty of cliché, it’s the dysfunctional Bush administration. Their repetitious bleating on the reasons for occupying Iraq should be an insult to all you blind Bush servants. To Concerned 1 – Regarding leaving decisions to the generals. The Bush group does NOT listen to the generals. Instead they fire the people who do not follow lock-step with the Bush agenda. Now, we learn that the much anticipated Petreaus September report will not be written by Petreaus, but by the White House. Take your head out of the sand (pun intended) and pay attention to the facts. They’re not heeding the boots on the ground; they’re heeding the fancy footwear of their corporate cronies. To the Marine who wrote that he “never, ever, heard any of these people have any idea how we leave the innocent people of Iraq to get slaughtered.” And to the others who seem to think that we need to bomb the living day-lights out of Iraq or any other country (again pun intended); you all conveniently forget that Iraq had NOTHING to do with 9/11 nor did Saddam Hussein. So, Mike – the real act of COWARDICE is attacking a country that posed NO threat to the United States. We have created what that wise man Dick Cheney said would happen if we invaded Iraq, a “quagmire”. We have created such desperate ‘living’ conditions in Iraq, such a greater “face of terror and murder” that we should hang our heads in shame. Vietnam found its way after our exodus from that country and Iraq will as well. You and your ‘fear’ paranoia; you who spew such anger and hatred toward folks who ask for more peaceful solutions to conflict, you are the real cowards. BTW – the “real” Iraqis have been asked, and they want us to leave.

Shaky Jake wrote on Aug 29, 2007 2:04 PM:Peter, invading and occupying a sovereign nation that has no ties to terrorism is not common defense. And it provides us with zero material goods, unless you work for Chevron. Go read a bit before trying to pick a quote from something as important as the Constitution to wave around. Our glorious foreign policy of killing innocent civilians is the best way to make us MORE vulnerable, as it makes our real enemies more determined, and emboldened. It's called blowback. Look it up.

Peace, Love and Ignorance? wrote on Aug 29, 2007 2:39 PM:Yes, the spelling-challenged have decided that those who dislike useless slaughter are "spinless" cowards. In fact, I have asked visiting Iraqis what they want, and they all say "Thanks for coming, now leave". It's a simple message. Can you hear that? No, because you believe the pablum on FOX and CNN. Time to think about what you're saying. There can be no winners in Iraq. It's a bloodbath right now, and it will not get better the longer the US stays there. Support Our Troops: Bring Them Home ALIVE!

To Virginia wrote on Aug 29, 2007 3:09 PM:It is you who needs to get your head out of the sand. Why don't you go back to the time when President Bush gave the State of the Union Address in 2003. No where in there did he say that Saddam had anything to do with 9/11. It had to do with the atrocities that were being committed by Saddam Hussein not only against his own people, but also his neighbors. It is people like you who cherry pick the arguments they want to defend. Weapons of mass destruction...spouted off by every politician well before G.W. was elected. United Nations sanctions, peaceful wasn't it, did not work. Iran/Iraq war that claimed close to one million lives. As much as we hate to think about it, the U.S. military is not only for national defense. It is also used to protect freedom around the world. No military person wants to stay at war indefinitely. We know the sacrifices much more than the average American. It is the apathy of the American person who votes or doesn't vote for our politicians who put us in harms way or keep us there. As for more peaceful solutions, give us a viable way of doing it. Yelling on street corners "Bush lied, soldiers died" does not solve anything. By the way, talk to any Vietnamese who remained in Vietnam after the American left. They were put in "Reeducation" camps" until they found the way. Protesting is not unpatriotic. I don't begrudge anyone their ability to speak their mind, but do it in a meaningful and constructive way. BTW - what real Iraqi's did you talk to? Because the ones we spoke with in Iraq want us to stay.

Go enlist wrote on Aug 29, 2007 3:26 PM:If you people are so supportive of this ridiculous war, go enlist! Encourage your family members and friends, anyone you know that has children over 18 years old. Go on, have your children go fight" for your freedom." I'm waiting.

AW4cryinoutloud wrote on Aug 29, 2007 4:19 PM:Enough is enough, get out of Iraq now

Roy wrote on Aug 29, 2007 5:23 PM:A few cowards protest and that is news? Those are the same type of people that embraced Chamberlain and ridiculed Churchill years before WW2. People easily embrace their parties' brainwashed slogans and slanted reasoning but lessons learned from the past should be embraced. Crush dangerous ideologies early before they become strong enough to crush you. As of now it is evident that the current Iraqi leadership would crumble if we left. We would be foolish to allow a worse Islamic fascist regime more dangerous than Saddam to take over. If this happened all of those that have sacrificed and fallen will have done so for nothing and that is the probable waste of lives that current Secular Progressives are promoting through their ill concieved policies that promote short term political gain at the expense of long term U.S. security.

wow roy wrote on Aug 29, 2007 6:45 PM:so when are you going? Your kids there? Any loved ones of age you can persuade to go over and support your quest?

Shaky Jake wrote on Aug 29, 2007 6:53 PM:Roy, if you want to learn from the lessons of the past, please stop trotting out the same old Chamberlain/Churchill analogy. Iraq is not the nazis. If you look at the pertinent history lessons, that of Britain's attempt to subjugate the Iraqis in the 1920's, you will see what a miserable failure THAT was. The neocons are causing us to repeat all of the same mistakes. And if the current Iraq

Alfonso wrote on Aug 29, 2007 7:13 PM:to "go enlist"..First, our military IS an all volunteer military, wake up. Many sons and daughters have already enlisted and are serving to provide "FREEDOM" for Iraqi's every day. I have a great question for these protesters; Why don't you protest in Iraq to get the religious extremists and terrorists to stop killing people so we can come home? Protesting against those who would like the violence to stop just doesn't make sense. It reminds me of the illegals protesting for rights in America when they should be protesting for rights in Mexico. What, no guts to protest where the problem is? What does that make these protesters?

Shaky Jake wrote on Aug 29, 2007 7:14 PM:Roy, trotting out the old Chamberlain/Churchill analogy is the conservative one trick pony. The Iraqis are not the nazis. Try looking a bit further back, to the 1920's, and you will see how Britain also failed miserably at subjugating Iraq. Your view of history seems rather limited to 1938 and beyond. Iraq has nothing to do with radical muslim ideology. They were the most secular Arab nation in the ME until we went in. They were burdened with a tin pot dictator that WE armed. I believe it is YOU who are embracing slogans and slanted reasoning. You have NO evidence that our puppet government in Iraq would be replaced by anything more repressive than what we have put there, if that is even possible at this point. That the blind followers of Bush's disaster think that the Iraqis cannot determine their own future is imperialistic arrogance to the highest degree. We failed at it in Vietnam and it cost 58,000 US lives. And now we trade openly with them. The upheaval that followed our withdrawal from Vietnam was because of OUR failure, not theirs. Now we have relegated Iraq to the same fate with our arrogant sense of superiority. Bush did not learn this because he was a coked out deserter during the Vietnam conflict. So which is it? Are we there to fight terrorism, or to bring democracy? You reich wingers keep jumping back and forth between the two "justifications" whenever is suits your fancy. Me? I'm solidly for the right of Iraqi self determination. They don't NEED us, and they don't WANT us. But you seem to think the choice is not theirs to make. Incredible.

Sid wrote on Aug 29, 2007 8:17 PM:There are some who like the idea of being at war and some who don't. why don't you BUSH lovers get out and protest against those who are protesting the war instead of writing comments about those who don't like the idea of our young men and woman being killed and maimed in a war we had no right to start and be in. You don't seem to know that this war is all about money for those S O B.s in Washington and in BIG business. I served my country for 20 years and I still think war is stupid and it stinks!

Mary wrote on Aug 29, 2007 8:28 PM:Let's take a refresher course - Bin Laden is the guy who attached us on 9/11. He is not in Iraq. Read a story the other day that we actually almost stumbled onto his camp and his followers were about to execute their kill Bin Laden and commit suicide plan but they were able to escape. And this was with just 15,000 troops in Afganistan. Maybe if we had 150,000 troops in Afganistan instead of Iraq we would actually get the guy who is the one who actually attacked us. That would be a war we can all get behind. Iraq is the most foolish foreign policy blunder we have ever done and it will take 10 years for our military to recover and replenish.

wow alfanso wrote on Aug 29, 2007 8:44 PM:makes sense, i think? The protesters want the U.S. out so they should all fly to Iraq and protest to the religous extremists. hmm. I know its all volunteer-the people that support it so blindly should enlist, when you going?

To NCT wrote on Aug 29, 2007 9:01 PM:so a few dozen people showed up - this is news? There were at least 20 in my son's high school graduating class alone who joined the Marines (my son included). That does not include those who joined other branches of the military and those who have joined since graduation. Also, the last paragraph is misleading reporting when it says the slogan Give War a Chance "could" sum up Move America Forward's position. It is no where that trite and simplistic and I don't know anyone who would use such a slogan. That makes it sound like people like war, and although that distorted view of "the other side" may be shared by many of the protestors, most people know that's simply not true. It's also possible that man was actually a protestor, using sarcasm - a "plant" - common tactic. How about a story on Move America Forward? That's an intelligent group with more military parents involved than this protest bunch.

Nina wrote on Aug 29, 2007 11:49 PM:I'd like to know how many of you that are in favor of the war have a loved one over there? Your son? Your daughter? Not many I bet. What have we accomplished there besides creating a civil war? Absolutely nothing. In my opinion our president should have been hung right next to Sadam Hussain. Would he send his daughters over there to fight his immoral war? Does he believe in it that much? I'm sure not. And where is Bin Laden? Isn't he the reason we went there in the first place? Please don't tell me that we cannot find a six foot something man walking around hooked to a dialysis machine that he needs to sustain his life? Ya right! In the end it will be President Bush and Bin Laden at the gas pump together, arm in arm, with the price of gasoline at ten dollars a gallon, and the two of them will be holding a sign that says mission accomplished.

Shaky Jake wrote on Aug 30, 2007 12:00 AM:Sorry for the double post.Hit the wrong key. Oops, another liberal "mistake" I guess.

Shaky Jake wrote on Aug 30, 2007 12:30 AM:Alfonso, I must be mistaken. I thought our sons and daughters (and reservist fathers and mothers) enlisted (or were backdoor drafted) to defend our country, not to "provide freedom". What YOU provide is more politically incorrect rhetoric from the "superior" conservative factions. We continue sticking our long noses (see Pinnochio) into the affairs of sovereign nations that never threatened us. Add Iraq to the list that includes such "superpowers" as Guatemala, Chile, Nicaragua, Argentina, El Salvadore, the Phillipines, Haiti, Panama and Iran. The list goes on to this day (see Venezuela). Providing freedom? That's a sick joke. It's been 60 years since our armed forces actually defended us from a real threat. They have been USED as a tool to expand our influence around the globe. How many of them have died to protect the bank accounts of Monsanto, United Fruit, Halliburton, Giuliani and Associates, Blackwater and the Carlysle Group to name just a few?

Alfonso wrote on Aug 30, 2007 6:41 AM:to "wow alfanso wrote on Aug 29, 2007 8:44 PM:" Yes, they should protest against those who are strapping bombs on their young, NOT American military who are trying to help bring order to a country in chaos. Why do people so blindly protest? My son is there for the second time, I'm too old. You have your freedom to make cowardly posts in this blog but other people from oppressed countries shouldn't have the same chance you do? I will agree with and support ANY protest against our enemies but not against our efforts to stop oppression and radical religious extremism. Someone who walks away from the weak and unprotected is called a "coward"; My America is not like that. PROTEST AGAINST AL QUEDA, BIN LADEN, IRAN, MUQTADA AL SADR as much as you can and get our troops home as soon as possible.

Tyler wrote on Aug 30, 2007 6:53 AM:Virginia, I like how you labeled me a supporter of Bush. I am no such thing. I am a Libertarian, and I firmly believe that the point people continually miss is that, whether we agree with him or not, the president is the Commander in Chief, giving him the authority to have Marines anywhere he wants them. Now, declaring war, on the other hand, requires Congressional approval, and when this thing got going, there were plenty of senators and representatives on board. As we have seen that fighting in Iraq is not a video game, the American people have looked to leaving. Never mind the toll a withdrawal would pose on the mothers and fathers in Iraq. We want our boys home now, but what are we going to do when (or if) Iraq implodes? Unfortunately, we're in this mess, and if we want to live up to one of the more noble (albeit wasted and tiresome) ideals we stand for, then we need to finish this thing and clean up the mess. Running from it won't make it go away, nor will it help clean up the disaster we left behind. However, I don't hear anyone on the "leave Iraq" side mention these aspects of withdrawal. When I was in Iraq, children and Iraqis that I worked with thanked me. However, I understand their point: thank you, but please leave. Yet, the Iraqis have yet to do much to secure their country. When we had Iraqi border patrol classes come though our base, we heard about them abandoning their posts when insurgents/enemy combatants approached them. How can we, after creating this nightmare, in good conscience, leave them for the wolves?

Roy wrote on Aug 30, 2007 7:45 AM:To wow roy: Two members of my family have served two tours over there. How about you? Are you protesting while others sacrifice for you? My family is proteecting that right for you.

Alfonso wrote on Aug 30, 2007 12:11 PM:to Shaky Jake....You question enlisted motives; I say look how many have enlisted SINCE we invaded Iraq in 2003. What I provided was FACTS, you have provided the rhetoric. So, it's ok to send more foreign aid than any other nation in the world to the needy but if "force" against bullies is necessary we only do it for Greed? Our military started defending us against real threats in 2001, are you on a different planet somewhere? Do you really think the attacks and bombing of our troops in several nations around the world is just modern "detant"? You think Americas attempts to influence foreign governments toward democracy and anti-drug commerce is all for greed? You need to think past your... nose and use caution where you use your politically charged diatribe. I'm not buying your garbage. Isn't America great? We can both have opinions except I like mine better!

Shaky Jake wrote on Aug 31, 2007 1:08 AM:Alfonso: "influencing foreign governments towards democracy"? Is that what you call it? Do you even read what you are writing, or are you copying it directly from the PNAC handbook? Just how are we "influencing" them? By invasions and occupations? You put the cart before the horse when you talk about "attacks and bombings of our troops in several nations". Why are our troops there in the first place? to protect the population? From whom? Themselves? Our multinationals CONTROL those governments and steal from those countries under the guise of "developing their resources". Read "Confessions of an Ecomomic Hitman" by John Perkins. Taking 70% of the profit from those resouces is not helping those countries. It's colonialism, and in Iraq it's all about the oil. We don't even have to pump it. We just control it. For now, that is enough. Your statements show that you openly deny the sovereignty of other nations, and advocate forcibly denying the right of self determination by those nations. It shows when you call them weak. Regarding enlistment, here's a FACT for you. Enlistment is DOWN from pre-invasion levels. No-shows by the national guard call ups are UP into the tens of thousands. That is why deployments are extended to 15 months and down time between deployments is shortened. Google it, if you know how. THOSE are the facts. Facts that you refuse to accept because you have a son there, and that might threaten your false justification for his being used by Cheney and the other draft dodging cowards that were so quick to send him to do their bidding (how ironic). I'm sorry for you. You are a pawn of the military industrial complex that Eisenhower warned YOU about. I was out there in the streets trying to get your son out of that bloodbath that your NON VETERAN fearless leaders created with their string of lies.

Alf wrote on Aug 31, 2007 10:30 AM:"Shaky Jake", having debated "Alfonso" and won and lost points here and there, I must put in my 2 cents worth here. It's better to be civil and debate facts than to resort to insults. Thinking is clearer when there isn't rancor. By the way, I disagree with several of the basic premises that "Alfonso" has. Now, if you'll excuse me, I shan't inflict myself upon you further. Regards, Alf.

Alfonso wrote on Aug 31, 2007 4:09 PM:"Shaky Jake"... Isn't America great? We can both have opinions except I don't resort to insults. I appreciate your efforts at trying to get our Military home as soon as possible. I am sorry for you too. Sorry that you are so willing to abandon 23 million Iraqi's to whatever evils that region may impose if we just "depart". Unless you have served or have someone serving, you should meter your rhetoric to intelligent dialog, not disrespectful rants. If you have something you want to discuss, say so. Otherwise, I have no interest in your rants, insults and attacks at a personal level when it is obvious that you don't know enough to formulate them with any accuracy. I really believe that protesting here is meaningless to the source of the problem. Protest where the agreesors are to do some good. Good day to you. Alf....I'm trying to be subtle and stay under the radar. Not working, huh?