Give a soldier a gift by taking action to bring the troops home
Christmas in the military is a very lonely time. I spent Christmas 1970 in the Army, infantry, in Vietnam. The gift boxes and cards were fine, but what I really wanted was to be home.
If you want to do something for those in the military this holiday season, consider these actions. Write a letter to your federal representative and senators telling them you want the troops home. Put a sign on your car and your lawn saying, “Bring the troops home.” Discuss the cost of invasions and occupations with your family and friends -- the dollar cost, the health costs, the moral costs, the environmental costs.
Then send a letter to someone in the military telling them what you’re doing to bring them home. Your letter will be the best gift they’ll receive.
Arnold Stieber
Grass Lake
Comments
E_beth
Sun, Dec 18, 2011 : 4:50 p.m.
@roadsidedinerlover We can't just "hope". We are citizens, not subjects. It is our responsibility to act. It is our country, not a President's. Let's not forget the soldiers in Afghanistan. The number of soldiers there has dramatically increased during the Obama Presidency. Let's also not forget the civilians in these countries. A couple years ago, I did some calculations that put the price tag of the war in Iraq at $23,000 per man, woman, and child in Iraq. In contrast, the level of funding per refugee (and there were millions and still are) was $89 per refugee per year. I'm glad to hear that the last soldiers are returning from Iraq today. The credit for that belongs to the people of Iraq and those who actively opposed the war in the US. It is our responsibility to make sure the soldiers are not sent somewhere else. It's going to take more than bumper stickers.
Top Cat
Sun, Dec 18, 2011 : 1:38 p.m.
To quote Ron Paul, "We marched them in. We can march them out." We need national building in America.
roadsidedinerlover
Sun, Dec 18, 2011 : 4:49 a.m.
I have my "Bring the troops home" sticker on my car...President Obama is bringing some of the troops home...hopefully more soon!
justcurious
Sun, Dec 18, 2011 : 12:38 p.m.
But Obama is replacing them with contractors.
David Briegel
Sun, Dec 18, 2011 : 1:21 a.m.
Thanks again Mr Stieber for your service and for your wisdom. I spent two years in a far away place and I know full well what it means to be lonely and anxious. My family was so very supportive and that is what got me through those difficult times. While Ron Paul is considered by many many to be extreme, our nation would benefit from his wisdom. Personally, I'm pretty confident that we could bring home well over half of our forces currently serving in far away lands and not be even a tiny bit less safe, secure or defended! After all, it is the Department of Defense and no longer the War Department! Although I'm really not certain the reverse isnt a more accurate description! After all, Perpetual War Profiteering is our most ignoble value!
Chase Ingersoll
Sun, Dec 18, 2011 : 12:21 a.m.
Don't blame me - I voted for Ron Paul.
Roadman
Sun, Dec 18, 2011 : 11:51 p.m.
Ron Paul has local ties. He completed his residency as an ob-gyn at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit in the early 1960s.
bedrog
Sun, Dec 18, 2011 : 2:26 p.m.
Ron paul: an ultra isolationist loon in an age of complex, often messy and dangerous --but unignorable --international issues and the need to actively engage and confront them. Paul is a complete non-starter ( i pray) in the presidential sweepstakes ( although his republican rivals are all as loony in different ways, except for Romney...who is just a panderer to the teaparty and a repudiator of his own decent past record).
justcurious
Sun, Dec 18, 2011 : 12:33 a.m.
And Ron Paul is still stressing that we must bring our troops home. He's my chosen candidate for 2012.
Tex Treeder
Sat, Dec 17, 2011 : 11:07 p.m.
100% agree. Iraq, 2006-2007; Iraq, 2009-2010 Support the troops. Bring them home.
Craig Lounsbury
Sat, Dec 17, 2011 : 10:47 p.m.
Merry Christmas Arnold and thank you for your service to our country.