This morning at the grocery store ...

[Tracer]

... there was a “Military Families Support Group” standing outside.

I was approached (pleasantly) by a man who joked that they were collecting “junk food” for the troops.

After a little good-natured back and forth, I said (as pleasantly as I could) “You know that if we weren’t over there, you wouldn’t have to be doing this”.

He said “I know. My son is over there.”

Then came the kicker:

He said “If this country had developed an independent energy policy, we wouldn’t need to be there.”

Damn! I’ve heard this argument/excuse more often these days -- the outright admission that we are there for the oil. Said with no apologies or regrets.

Not wanting to confront this very nice man, I simply said “I hope your son stays safe and went inside.

(I did buy snacks for their collection drive.)

[raccoon]

1. At least the man has his head out of his arse, didn't say, "We have to fight them over there

so we don't have to fight them over here."

Yes, "the outright admission that we are there for the oil. Said with no apologies or regrets."

[POAS]

4. But we are fighting them over here

Every time we buy gas the oil giants take more out of our economy.

[glowing]

2. Oh, the guys know its all lies..

My brother in law is there now.. I asked why he went.. he is not a stat that would normally sign up.. He said, "because some of these other guys need to come home to their families"... he also said, "everything over here is a lie".

[lynnertic]

6. I got lost- where's 'over here', stateside or Iraq?

[patrice]

3. People are waking up to the fact that we've been USED in the worst way. One step at a time.

[Beregond2]

5. In my experience, soldiers are the least likely people

to have any illusions about the reasons for war. Some of them allow their families to cling to their fantasies, if it makes it easier for them to bear it. But plenty of others talk plainly to their relations, and they learn.

[fishwax]

7. I don't understand what you mean by "not wanting to confront this very nice man"

What would you confront him about?

[Tracer]

8. You don't understand?

Simply put, the man knows that the U.S. invaded Iraq to grab the oil.

He doesn't care! And he didn't seem to mind that his son was over there, helping to ensure that the oil gets grabbed. As long as the oil benefits the U.S. it seemed OK to him.

[fishwax]

11. what made you think that he didn't care? I didn't get that from your OP

I've heard any number of military folk and their family say similar things, and I never assumed they didn't care. It's not as though they have any control over policy.

[ColbertWatcher]

13. Don't forget...

...the GOP is using a variation of the "independent energy policy". Instead of saying we need an independent energy policy that doesn't damage the planet any further, the GOP says we need to drill in ANWR and off the coasts in order to achieve their idea of an independent energy policy.

To some it may seem nitpicky, but it might not be worth arguing about when all you want to do is send your kid some snacks while he's in Iraq.

So, I agree that you would want to avoid confrontation just after finding a consensus.

[tinymontgomery]

9. My co worker, a retired Marine

that served one tour in Iraq watched my copy of OUTFOXED the other day and was just amazed, said thats it for watching that channel, then he watched Fahrenheit 911 and now he just hates the * administration and believes that * sold out the country.

[madeline_con]

10. What precentage or the oil we use is Iraqi?

This issue raises some real questions, one of which is cost vs. benefits. The cost is enormous, both in blood and money. I think we could have bought so much Iraqi oil by now, we'd be set until new technologies are developed.

[cynatnite]

12. There are plenty of military and their families who hate the war and bush...

My nephew and most in his unit included. Those poor guys are on their third tour. My nephew has said most guys believe it's a useless war and that most Iraqis don't want them there.