September 11 families split over US toll in Iraq

[Barrett808]

September 11 families split over US toll in Iraq
by James Hossack Tue Dec 26, 8:25 AM ET

NEW YORK (AFP) - The families of the September 11 victims gave a mixed reaction to the US military toll in Iraq passing the number of people who died in the attacks on New York and Washington five years ago.

For some, the grim milestone proved that the "war on terror" was a war that needed to be fought and won. Others said the chilling human toll only reopened old wounds, and raised questions about why troops were in Iraq at all.

Families of the 2,973 people killed in the attacks were divided about going to war in the first place and seemed similarly split over the significance of the number of US troops killed in Iraq since the war began in 2003.

For Adele Welty, whose firefighter son was killed in the World Trade Center, the level of casualties only proved that the war was a mistake.

"The more carnage that we experience from the standpoint of our military as well as the civilian casualties in Iraq, the more absurd the whole concept of this war appears to me," she said.

"I can't understand anybody supporting it now."

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061226/ts_alt_afp/usattacksiraqmilitary

[SayWhatYo]

1. Maybe it's not the goal...

but that article seems to be trying to make some sort of connection between 9/11 and Iraq... I think a more relevant group to ask would be the families of those who died in Iraq, on both sides. Or even those who survived Iraq, but lost body parts in the process. Those are the opinions that matter.

[uppityperson]

4. The connection I see is 2 happenings in which a group of people died.

"our" people, as it were. "Our" people died in vain, both times. That is the connection I can see.

[newyawker99]

11. Hi SayWhatYo!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Harper_is_Bush]

12. The article isn't making a connection between 9/11 and Iraq

The connection has been made long ago, by Bush/Rumsfeld/Cheney/Condi et al.

They went to Iraq in the name of 9/11.

So, the article is asking those who's suffering was utilized to justify the war what they think about it now.

Let's lay the blame where it belongs, no?

[BadGimp]

2. Yaho has disabled the Discussion feature

Apparently people talked about stuff too much and ended up forming their own opinions.

http://news.yahoo.com/page/messageboards

.................................
To Yahoo! News readers:

Yahoo! News is working on new ways for readers to comment on the news and participate in a discussion around it. While we work on our new community features, the message boards that were linked from individual news articles have been taken offline.

As they were set up, the Yahoo! News message boards allowed a small number of vocal users to dominate the discussion. In addition, related discussions from similar news articles were not easily linked.

Over the next few months, we plan to offer new discussion forums based on topics in the news and incorporating the latest features to foster a better discussion for all of our readers.

Neil Budde
General Manager
Yahoo! News

[SayWhatYo]

6. I don't think that's why...

The yahoo message boards were a haven for "trolls" who were simply trying to rile up the masses. Seriously, how many times have you ever seen a serious discussion on there? Nine times out of ten it was mostly trolls baiting people...

[IndianaGreen]

3. Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11

and those that chose to avenge 9-11 by supporting the war in Iraq are no better than the terrorists that crashed those planes into the WTC.

[Pastiche423]

5. Did I miss it?

"Her thoughts were echoed by Eva Rupp, whose stepsister was killed when Flight 93, hijacked by Al-Qaeda members, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania on September 11.

Was there the White Paper that was promised by Powell actually written and reported to the people?

Maybe an investigation that proved Al-Qaeda members were the perps was finished?

Links? Anyone?

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. Sumner, who co-founded 9/11 Families For America is a real winner

Sumner, who co-founded 9/11 Families For America, which he describes as a proactive group advocating strong national defense and representing around 300 people, said the military was just doing its job in Iraq.

"Every one of our soldiers understands the risks. They don't have to stay. They can leave. Long before you ever set foot in a combat zone your eyes are pretty fairly-well wide open.

Someone needs to inform him that the soldiers do have to stay and they can not leave. If they do, then they will subject themselves to an assortment of punishments, including prison.

[fujiyama]

8. Sumner sounds clueless

He never mentions Afghanistan or the fact that the administration failed that as well...

I get the impression that there is less real "division" than is reported. Very few, and only the truly deluded still believe this war had any justifiable reason to be fought. I also know that NYers aren't a stupid bunch and I would be willing to bet that a majority of the family members of those that died want truth - as to why their government failed that day to protect them - as well as using the date their friends and relatives died to justify a war that had nothing to do with it.

What is most preposterous about Sumner's idea is that Iraq has anything to do with a stronger DEFENSE. Iraq wasn't defensive in any definition of the word. A strong defense, means smart policy overall and having the good sense to intervene militarily when necessary.

[saigon68]

9. Another Bush Bot caught in denial

[gratuitous]

10. The families are split? No freakin' duh, Ralph!

So is the United States. But right now, the population seems "split" about 70-30 that the invasion has been a colossal mistake. And yet Bush was able to annoint himself with a "mandate" after winning 51% of the fraction of the electorate that bothered to vote in 2004.

Split? I should say so; but what are the percentages of those families? Is it closer than a 70-30 split? Or wider? Or about the same. The article doesn't say, but gives over quite a bit of space to the lunatic rantings of minority assclowns trying to say that it's all been worth it in Iraq, a stance that a vast majority of the American people reject outright.

The media elites gotta cheerlead for war; the folks actually paying for it don't seem quite so enthused anymore.