http://mfso.org/ Military Families Speak Out advocates ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by bringing U.S. troops home now, and caring for veterans once they get here. http://mfso.org/article.php?id=1090 <div class="text blurb">A member of my immediate family served for 14 months as a member of the Army reserves in Iraq, and like Will Bardenwerper I, too, have noticed that the American people seem not to value the sacrifice of our enlisted personnel.</div> Tue, 23 Oct 2007 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=1090 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=1081 <div class="text blurb">Our son, and all who serve in the military, performs every day with courage and honor. Neither of those attributes is displayed by the commander in chief and those in Congress who put their political fortunes above our troops every day.</div> Tue, 18 Sep 2007 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=1081 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=1029 <div class="text blurb">As the mother of an active-duty United States marine, I am conflicted by your editorial. While I applaud your bold stance — “It is time for the United States to leave Iraq” — it is clearly too little, too late. (click to read 7-8-07 editorial calling for U.S. troops to come home from Iraq) </div> http://mfso.org/article.php?id=1029 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=956 <div class="text blurb">I am a member of Military Families Speak Out and a lifelong Democrat. The members of my party who voted to continue the war another 17 months believe they did all they could do to end forward combat operations in Iraq ["House Passes Iraq Pullout Timetable," front page, March 24]. The best they could do was ensure the death of 1,500 more service members by Sept. 1, 2008. Many who voted to continue funding the Iraq war have publicly said our preemptive invasion was a mistake.</div> Wed, 28 Mar 2007 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=956 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=949 <div class="text blurb"> The House leadership is trying to get members who oppose the war, you, to support the appropriations bill by claiming it has provisions to support our troops. In reality, the bill allows the president to indefinitely extend the withdrawal date of August 2008 if the troops are "engaging in targeted special actions limited in duration and scope to killing or capturing members of al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations with global reach; and/or if the troops are 'training members of the Iraqi Security Forces.' " This provision could be used to keep tens of thousands of troops in Iraq for years.</div> Wed, 21 Mar 2007 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=949 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=919 <div class="text blurb">As the mother of a soldier who served in Iraq for 10 months, I ask readers to join me in urging our representatives to vote against supplemental appropriations for the war. Defunding the war does not mean defunding the troops. The $70 billion that Congress approved in September 2006 can be used to ensure that the troops have the armor, food and supplies they need to come home quickly and safely.</div> http://mfso.org/article.php?id=919 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=918 <div class="text blurb">I am not completely sure, but I believe that I met Mr. Wroblewski at my son's wake and he had very kind words for me at that time. It is partly because of him that I have gone to wakes of the other Marines who have been killed from this area. We both share the hope that no more American soldiers are injured or killed. How best to accomplish this goal is where we part company... I have joined Military Families Speak Out, a group that supports the troops and not the president. You can support one and not the other. Iraqis have never attacked us, but I am sure that a lot of them might now. This war is out of control and we need to bring our kids home alive. </div> Fri, 02 Mar 2007 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=918 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=899 <div class="text blurb">This week, the president submitted a supplemental budget request for an additional $100 billion to be spent on the war in Iraq. While this amount is staggering, it's not nearly as staggering as the cost in human life that this war has taken on American families. The over 3,100 soldiers who've lost their lives in the Iraq war paid the highest price, as have the families who loved them. </div> Thu, 15 Feb 2007 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=899 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=893 <div class="text blurb">Recently, another military mom, whose son died while serving in Iraq, asked me the question, "How many U.S.A. military must die before Americans insist on ending the war in Iraq?"</div> Sat, 03 Feb 2007 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=893 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=887 <div class="text blurb">Bush needs to admit that the current situation in Iraq is a catastrophe of his own making and quit hiding behind the bravery of our soldiers. The beginning of the end to the chaos in Iraq is to be found in getting our soldiers out of Iraq, not by sending more to their graves.</div> Wed, 31 Jan 2007 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=887 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=874 <div class="text blurb">The November election was a mandate of the American people to get out of Iraq - not to stay the course or escalate the war. If the Democrats do not bring this war to an end by defunding it, then they will be just as responsible for this war as the Republicans. </div> Thu, 18 Jan 2007 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=874 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=860 <div class="text blurb">Paul Krugman is right: gambling on the Iraq war is much easier “when the lives at stake are those of other people’s children.” Except that it is my son, a 20-year-old United States marine stationed in Falluja, whose life is being gambled with.</div> Wed, 10 Jan 2007 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=860 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=825 <div class="text blurb">While we are having our holiday meal, there will be an empty chair with a picture and a candle in front of it. This is our third Christmas since our son died in Iraq. There will be almost 3,000 empty chairs.</div> Sun, 24 Dec 2006 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=825 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=826 <div class="text blurb">We don't need an exit strategy, or a phased withdrawal over the course of another two years or yet another series of slogans from our elected officials. The military families that have sacrificed so much deserve to be treated like the precious resource that they are, not expended to preserve political capital. No more families should have to attend funerals while our leaders dither.</div> Sat, 23 Dec 2006 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=826 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=743 <div class="text blurb">Yesterday I heard someone make this comment: "If we still had a draft, we'd have anti-war demonstrations on every college campus, like in the '60s." If we had a draft? Many people currently serving in the military are not doing so voluntarily. We have all heard news stories of troops whose scheduled release from active duty has been postponed. A lesser-known fact is that many soldiers who already have served and been released are being forced to return to active duty.</div> Mon, 11 Sep 2006 http://mfso.org/article.php?id=743