Paulie, I KNOW that you wouldn't be disengenuous or two faced, so why don't you list the pork and earmarks dems packed into this bill making it unpalatable to Smith?

From my op-ed in today's Oregonian.

The war to end all wars On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, it became “All quiet on the western front.” An armistice signed at six o’clock that morning took effect and brought a cease-fire to the “War to end all wars.” Since that fateful hour, most nations, which fought in that conflict, observe Armistice Day. The United States in 1938 made it official with a proclamation that states in part: “…it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and…inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.” Unfortunately the horrors of World War One were to be outdone by those of World War Two and to honor the sacrifices of the veterans of that fought in it, Armistice Day was changed to Veterans Day in 1954. While it is fitting and proper to honor all veterans for their service, it is a shame that the original intent of November eleventh has become lost to the militarization and commercialization of this important date. With flags flying and bands playing, veterans from all eras march in parades. Dignitaries give glowing speeches glorifying the heroism of those who had the misfortune to end up in combat. Fighter jets streak above the gathered crowds, cannons roar, taps is played and shopping malls offer special sales on merchandise more than likely made in third world countries. So one day a year we remember those men and women who put on the uniform and took the oath. The rest of the year it is business as usual. We pass by the homeless vet with the cardboard sign. We allow our elected representatives to gut the Veterans Administration. We aren’t permitted to see the coffins arriving at Dover Air Force base, and the wounded are flown in at night to keep us in the dark. I am troubled by the fact that more disabled veterans are being produced in a war based on lies and deception, commanded by a Commander-In-Chief who believes he is above the law, and the budget for the Veterans Administration fails to keep pace with the increase in demand. It all plays out in the background, ignored by most of the media and the average American. But not ignored by this veteran. And not by my fellow members of Veterans for Peace chapter 72. We will honor our brothers and sisters in arms in a different way, by working to increasing public awareness of the costs of war. We will work to restrain our government from intervening, overtly and covertly, in the internal affairs of other nations. We will work to end the arms race and to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons. We will work to seek justice for veterans and victims of war, and to abolish war as an instrument of national policy. This is our mission. So on this November eleventh we will not be marching in parades. We will not be worshiping at the altar of the God of war. For war is a false god worshiped by warmongers and poll watchers; a false god worshiped by those in the media who wish to be bathed in its reflected glow; a false god worshiped by those who have never seen, heard, smelled or touched the obscenity of the violence they glorify. Instead we will be gathering to renew the spirit of Armistice Day and commemorate it, …”with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations.” We will be gathering to reflect on our mission and to move it forward with purpose and commitment. We will be gathering to renew our bonds of service and the bonds forged by a realization that war is obsolete and that peace is the only path to a “more perfect union” with “liberty and justice for all.”

Kurt,

Most of them (dems and repubs) wear different uniforms but still play for the same team, big money. There's pork in every bill no matter who is in the majority (remember the Bridge to nowhere?). Until both parties get off the corporate teat, don't expect any change.

Thank you for your service US Veterns...there are still a few patriots that understand your sacrifices overseas.

Saudi Prince Buying 'Flying Palace' Jet Monday November 12, 2:07 pm ET By Barbara Surk and Anna Johnson, Associated Press Writers Saudi Prince Buying Private Superjumbo 'Flying Palace' Jet, Airbus Says

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, it became “All quiet on the western front.” An armistice signed at six o’clock that morning took effect and brought a cease-fire to the “War to end all wars.”

The Armistice was not signed at six in the morning. All military and political leaders knew at six in the morning that the Armistice had been agreed to and would be signed at 11:00 am. Despite this the generals - French, British and American - ordered their troops to continue fighting until the eleventh hour - for nothing - so that many died and were maimed needlessly in those last five hours of the war. In some cases, there were a few casualties in the last few minutes. General "Blackjack" Pershing, who was in charge of American forces and gave those orders to American forces, and his subordinate and obedient generals were honored as heroes with a ticker parade in New York on their return to the United States. The Germans essentially laid down their arms at dawn in anticipation of the Armistice but had to pick them up again in self-defense against the degenerate attacks of the Allies. See "11th Hour, 11th Day, 11th Month" by Joseph Persico.

Another point to be noted about this disastrous and squalid war is that there was a chance of a truce to end the war in 1917 when the British, the French and the Germans were fighting in the mud of the Western Front to gain a few yards one day and lose them the next. But the British had an understanding that Woodrow Wilson would get the U.S. into the war and make victory possible. So the war continued with hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians being killed and eventually setting the stage for World War II. See "The Politics of War" by Walter Karp and "In Flanders Fields" by Leon Wolff.

Other than that I commend BOHICA for his article.

For the record, I'm a veteran with eight years' active duty included in a total of more than 20 years involvement with the Armed Forces. When I look back on those years with greater knowledge than I had then and despite getting good performance reports, I can honestly say that most of that period was a waste of my time and taxpayers' money.

For the record, I'm a veteran with eight years' active duty included in a total of more than 20 years involvement with the Armed Forces. When I look back on those years with greater knowledge than I had then and despite getting good performance reports, I can honestly say that most of that period was a waste of my time and taxpayers' money.

On Veterans Day?

For the record...I agree with you. You were a waste of taxpayers time and money.

For the record...I agree with you. You were a waste of taxpayers time and money.

I'll consider the source and give this comment the lack of regard it deserves.

I can see that.

Truthout has an excellent article on Veterans Day by Ann Wright.

I will not let Socialists/democrats and progressives redefine Veterans Day.

So let’s look at Truthout, as if, and Ann Wrights article from a conservative perspective. An ideological re-write of the bohica’s article of this thread……hmmmmmmmmmm.

I wonder who thought of it first?

Veterans Day: A Day for Peace or for War? By Ann Wright t r u t h o u t | Perspective Tuesday 13 November 2007 Could you ever imagine that Veterans Day was originally enacted as a day for world peace? Not by the way veterans who stand for peace are treated in Veterans Day ceremonies! Yet, according to the Veterans Affairs web site, Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally a US legal holiday to honor the end of World War I and to honor the need for world peace. When it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926, to honor the end of World War I, the US Congress stated: Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations. In 1938, the US Congress codified its earlier resolution by legislation naming November 11 as Armistice Day and dedicating the day "to the cause of world peace." In 1954, after World War II and the Korean Conflict, Congress - at the urging of the veterans service organizations - amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars and a national holiday still dedicated to "the cause of world peace." Yet, now we have many Veterans Day organizers who want to silence "peace" on Veterans Day.

Nobody is trying to silence anybody or anything…sorry, you can’t have that. Wag all you like; go on and on about Veterans Day used to be called Armistice Day. Doesn’t mean you get to redefine the purpose of Veterans Day to suit your little mindset. It became Veterans Day for a good reason. Because you don’t like the traditional patriotic and nationalist reasons for it and because most citizens demand respect for the sacrifices…does not constitute a muzzle on your part. You don’t get it…not my fault.

This past weekend we "celebrated" Veterans Day, a day for all veterans and a day for "world peace", or so I thought, until I went to Long Beach, California. Like so many aspects of our military, events surrounding Veterans Day have been privatized. The City of Long Beach has given Veterans Day to a private group, a group that decides which veterans can participate in a Veterans Day parade. The private organizers in Long Beach said veterans groups that are against the war and for peace were not allowed to march in the parade, as they did not have the proper "spirit."

Yeah and? Do you now get to define what the proper spirit of the occasion is? Does it offend your sensibilities that Americans have a traditional and patriotic view of those who served and sacrificed? Ask me how much I care…go ahead, ask. It offends me deeply that you would even question what Veterans Day is for. Makes me think you have no sense at all and learned nothing in your formative years.

Yet, the legislation enacting Veterans Day states that "the cause of world peace" is the goal of Veterans Day. Private citizens who have never served in the military are authorized by the City of Long Beach to decide what Veterans Day stands for and which veterans are the "real" veterans - the veterans who meet their agenda.

Again…yeah? And? You think people who recognize the sacrifices their countrymen made for their freedoms, for their right to stand there and talk like jackasses do not want world peace? You have some exclusive domain for caring about world peace or recognizing mans inhumanity to his brother? I think you’re real dim. I think people who think you’re bright or post your tripe as something special…are even dimmer…is that a word?

In another strange anomaly about Veterans Day, in Santa Barbara, California, members of the Veterans for Peace chapter have had to carry their discharge papers in order to march in the city's Veterans Day parade. The same requirement was not made for Veterans of Foreign Wars or American Legion or any other veterans group participating in the parade.

It was probably a collusive effort to hide the vast American Legion/VFW conspiracy…OR the people running the parade instantly realized what a bunch of zeros the Veterans for Peace were and what they were trying to do…mock the celebration they purportedly pretended to support. No mystery here, move along folks

This year the Boston police arrested eighteen members of Veterans for Peace when they refused to move from the front of the podium at City Hall Plaza when parade officials wouldn't allow them to carry signs opposing the war in Iraq while marching in Boston's Veterans Day parade. Some of the protesters wore gags over their mouths, which they said symbolized the fact that they were permitted to march in the parade but not exercise their right to free speech. According to the Boston Globe, Nate Goldschlag, a veteran standing in front of the podium, said: "Our free speech and civil rights are being abridged here. We should be allowed to express our opposition to this war."

Well see, there you go. True patriots. Clearly it was aaaall about honoring our Veterans and their sacrifices. I think the guys in Santa Barbara had your number too. Freakin clueless.

In Atlanta, the Veterans for Peace Chapter and the American Veterans for Equal Rights Georgia (AVER), a gay and lesbian veterans group, had their applications to participate in the Parade initially denied with this comment from the parade organizers: "Application denied. Failure to follow guidelines in previous year." Last year the VFP Atlanta chapter had a truck with a banner that said, "BRING THEM HOME ... NOW!" The truck also had a banner with a picture of First Lt. Ehren Watada, the first commissioned officer to refuse to deploy to Iraq because he believed the invasion of Iraq was illegal. After first denying their applications, the association in charge of the Atlanta Veterans Day parade later said the groups could march but could not display any messages of peace, in the case of VFP, or show any "public displays of affection," in the case of AVER. "This is not a political parade. We don't allow anyone out there to promote ideas. There is no agenda allowed," Melvin Myers, president of the Parade Association, told Atlanta Progressive News. 
In the Denver parade this year, the local Veterans for Peace chapter that had walked in the parade last year was told it was not invited back because its members were against the war. The day before the parade, a representative of the Denver United Veterans Council, the group organizing the city of Denver Veterans Day parade said there had been a misunderstanding and issued a late invitation to the VFP chapter. Frank Bessinger, a member of the Veterans for Peace group, said, "We didn't want to have to fight to get into the parade, we didn't want to have to protest. We're a veterans group and we just wanted to be in the Veterans Day Parade." 
We veterans know that veterans have always had a variety of opinions on policies of every administration. During the Vietnam War, many, if not most, of those who served in Vietnam disagreed with the United States invasion and occupation of Vietnam. Today, many who have served in Iraq disagree with the invasion and occupation of Iraq, but despite their disagreement they served. Over 70 percent of the American people disagree with the war in Iraq, so why should veterans who also disagree with the war not be allowed to march in a Veterans Day parade? 
City leaders should not give private organizations the right to deny veterans who believe in peace a place in a parade on a national veterans holiday created for peace! 
Next year, we should put pressure on our city councils early to ensure the right of all veterans organizations to march in Veterans Day parades on a day dedicated to peace.

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Ann Wright served 29 years in the US military (13 years on active duty and 16 years in the US Army Reserves. She also was a US diplomat for 16 years and served in Nicaragua, Grenada, Somalia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Sierra Leone, Micronesia and Mongolia. She helped reopen the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, in December, 2001. She resigned from the US diplomatic corps in March 2003 in opposition to the war in Iraq. She is the co-author of "Dissent: Voices of Conscience" that will be available in January 2008.

I’m tired of you and your little Vets for Piece. I have your number…socialists and dolts don’t, but I do; most Americans do. Although it saddens me to admit, yet again, that service to our nation is by no means a qualifier to knowing what service to our nation is.

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