Military Nurses: What do you think of Bush and the war?

[baby_gurl0604]

I have been considering joining the Air Force after I graduate with my BSN this December. My step dad was in the AF and I have learned a lot about it over the years; I believe it is a great path to take in terms of nursing because of the opportunities available for travel, promotion, leadership, etc. plus more respect from doctors.

The only thing holding me back in my mind is that I am so opposed to what we are doing in iraq right now. I strongly disagree with a lot of President bush's decisions, and I am afraid this makes me the wrong type of person for the military. I love my country and have always been politically active/opinionated. But I have very little respect for our current administration.

Are you looked down upon in the military if you disagree with the president or oppose the war? I know this might seem like a dumb thing to ask, but i am the kind of person who wants to live my life in an honest way, and if I joined the AF I could not pretend to support this war when I don't. I support the men and women of the military, not the war.

[Nurse Entrepreneur]

For all of you that are not military and have not since 2003 stepped foot in Iraq...have you seen for yourselves that there are no reasons for us to be there or are you just relying on the news media that only show the American public what THEY feel is news worthy? They did not show the equipment found with French writing on it which just may be why the French did not want to back us when we went in. No one wants to say whether or not it is possible with all the playing around the UN did that maybe the weapons were moved to Syria. There are thousands of miles of deserts in which to hide things...look how long it took to find those mass graves. Do you really think he could not hide weapons? Clinton did nothing when the WTC was bombed in 1993 but everyone wants to blame President Bush for everything since. Why because he is now in office? And if he wasn't who would we blame...Al Gore? Al Gore was told about how dangerous Bin Laden was when he was still a senator by Oliver North and he told North he was the one who was crazy. Now where are we? People who bad mouth the President and do not support our military need to remember a few things...with the backing of Congress we would not be at war. He did not do this by himself. The media releasing more photos of prisoner torture is just going to get more innocent soldiers killed but I guess that is not the press's fault either right. Maybe some people should just focus more on what they know...nursing... and less on what they obviously don't.

You talk to most service men and women with boots on the ground in theatre and they will tell you the same thing. The American presence is making a huge and positive difference in the lives of the Iraqi and Afghan people.

[Corvette Guy]

First, I am curious as to why, when the original poster wanted to know what military nurses thought, that non-veterans felt they should share their perspective, when they have not served and sacrificed as we have?

I am an Army Nurse Corps veteran and served during Operation Desert Shield and Storm. I continue to care for Soldiers and their families now as a civilian. I absolutely support our Commander in Chief and the Global War on Terror.

Excellent point!

Thank you for your service as member of the Army Nurse Corps, as well as your continued service as a civilian nurse.

:beer:

[Nurse Entrepreneur]

Excellent point!

Thank you for your service as member of the Army Nurse Corps, as well as your continued service as a civilian nurse.

:beer:

Same to you Mustang- Semper Fi!

[maura66]

Well it's pretty obvious you share the administration's view- suppression of free speech.

I like the way you make assumptions as to who or who is not a veteran or knowledgeable. Or who listens to the "media" or goes to Walmart (perpetuates poverty). Some of you are actually making my point. Carry on, dittoheads!

Excellent point!

Thank you for your service as member of the Army Nurse Corps, as well as your continued service as a civilian nurse.

:beer:

[twotrees2]

know what didn't happen on 9-11?? any attack or involvement by iraq...nor was one planned and they didn't even have the capability to launch any kind of attack. bush, blair, rumsfelt, ashcroft, wolfowitz, and especially cheney (now there's a good marksman) lied, lied, lied, and lied some more. now we have 2274 americans dead and 16549 wounded, many because our "wonderful" administration has failed to provide them with needed equipment while they throw billions of $$$ in no-bid contracts to private corporations who turn around and overcharge on top of it all.

i'm sick and tired of all the dittoheads that keep trying to tie 9-11 to iraq. it just isn't true. why did't our cic continue to pursue bin laden in afghanistan (which, btw, i do feel was justified)? because the war in iraq had already been planned for 3 years- they just needed an excuse to go in there. 9-11 could have been prevented but it was more convenient to let it happen. let's not forget that osama bin laden's brother was george w bush's first (oil) business partner and the bush family is very close to the bin ladens:

http://www.hermes-press.com/bushsaud.htm

i could go on and on but just thinking about the crimes this administration commits frankly makes me sick.

i support cindy sheehan, paul hacket, and patrick murphy.

supporting the troops means more than a yellow magnet on your car. it means not sending them into needless wars, giving them the supplies and equipment they need to keep them as safe as possible, and providing needed health services for veterans - including mental health benefits(not closing va hospitals and cutting services). there are way too many hippocrits in this country.

it appears to9me you know noone in the war cause there is not one i know and i know most of the marines in my sons whole battalion - and not one complaint about not having what they need to do their job - plenty of what they want but not what they neeed> their needs are met. and my son and his battalion has been right on the front lines from day one. further more - wheteher there were wmds or not is no longer an issue for me - i have seen the grotesque pictures and my son adn his buddies have dug up the mass graves - that man desereved to be removed - he was warned and warned and its about time someone had the balls to take hi out. those poeple deserve to be free. and i am proud and my son s proud that he wsa a part of it all. he did harbor thoise terrosrists and thats good enough for me. as for cindy sheenan i can feel for her loss however her poor son is probably rolling over in his grave tht she has politisised his death - we have had our share in our own town and the parents of those lost here still support what thier son did and what is being done. but i will say this - you are entitled to your opinion simply because my son and many more are fightinhg for your right to do so. the only hypocrtes i see are thise that believe that people like the iraquie do not deserve the same freedoms as we have - those that feel that way are not only hypcritical but selfish. my opinon.

[twotrees2]

know what didn't happen on 9-11?? any attack or involvement by iraq...nor was one planned and they didn't even have the capability to launch any kind of attack. bush, blair, rumsfelt, ashcroft, wolfowitz, and especially cheney (now there's a good marksman) lied, lied, lied, and lied some more. now we have [size=5

bytheway doesnt that mean that clinton and all those cronies lied as well??? either they all were mistaken or they all were liers - you cant have it half and half causethey all had the same intel.

[91CRN]

mjlrn97 - LOL, we can get you an age waiver since your only one year past the age criteria limit of 46 yrs old to enter the Army Nurse Corps.

Seriously, isn't this a great country, the USA! American citizens, not active duty military, have the freedom of speech, which includes public disagreement with the decisions made by the US government. I like your comments on your daughter's [an Army Specialist... CONGRATS!] viewpoint on the war in Iraq... she is a political agnostic. In otherwords, she has no public politcal viewpoint as a US Soldier regards to the war in Iraq.

I know your very proud of your daughter, and rightfully so. I, too, signed the papers allowing my son at the age of 17 to enter the Army. He went to Army BCT at Ft Sill the summer before his senior year in high school. BTW, he was an honor graduate at BCT. He thought it was kind of funny that he was an expert grenade thrower, and slotted to become a 91D, OR Tech in the USAR. Anyway, after 4 yrs in USAR he was accepted into the University of Houston Army ROTC program. He is a Pre-Med student.

Anyway, if baby_gurl0604 can adopt the political agonist military ideology, then she has my encouragement to see an Army Health Care Recruiter.

Congrats to your son, an honorable path indeed.

I don't believe ones political views are that key to doing a good job in the military. I do believe that a healthy relationship with authority is extremely helpful. I think that may have been the point corvette guy was trying to make in the above response. While it's true it would be uncool to discuss opposing views with civillians. I can remember very heated debates with my fellow soldiers. I AM PERSONALLY NOT HAPPY ABOUT ANY WAR. Of course we live in the real world; and YES, SOME THINGS ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR, AND PROTECTING. I know this isn't a political web-site but I like to ask people this question: How do feel about the fact that it took American so long to respond in WW2 to the atrocities of the Nazi regime? America had a pretty isolationist position in the early years. Many innocents were victimized. I compare Iraq in a way to WW2. I really do feel that we are helping these people. I know there are a lot of other reasons cited for our involvement. There are people around the globe suffering. Many in power brutilizing and engaged in mass killing--it's pretty convenient that we pick an oil rich area to be involved in and concerned about. The war on terrorism brings us to the region of the Middle East as well. Considering all these things, isn't is fair to say that we are: A: helping the Iraqi people out of a pretty bad situation/brutal dictator and all, and B: trying to stop terrorism at it's origins? Those are just some of my thoughts. I believe if we pull out now, we are sealing the fate of Iraqi's working for peace and justice; NOT IN A GOOD WAY. We are one world--I don't feel that we should sit by enjoying our abundance without rendering aid. I don't mean building another America and making things our way. I MEAN PROTECTING THE INNOCENT. JEEZ guys--this is important stuff--- Am I wrong here?

Soap box over.

[Corvette Guy]

Follow this link for a plain english interpretation of politics and military law. http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/militarylaw1/a/milpolitics.htm

yes, you can display a political sticker on your private vehicle.

I have managed to write this reply several times and have condensed it to the paragraph above. Somehow I did give up my right to freedom of speech.

Proud to serve the people of the United States of America

Sir, I respectfully disagree. An active duty member should not display a political sticker on their POV. Otherwise, how does such an individual remain politically neutral? Answer is they cannot remain politically quiet with a I hate Bush bumper sticker. In comparison, would it be acceptable to wear such a T-shirt with similar speak? ... NO!

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

know what didn't happen on 9-11?? any attack or involvement by iraq...nor was one planned and they didn't even have the capability to launch any kind of attack. bush, blair, rumsfelt, ashcroft, wolfowitz, and especially cheney (now there's a good marksman) lied, lied, lied, and lied some more. now we have 2274 americans dead and 16549 wounded, many because our "wonderful" administration has failed to provide them with needed equipment while they throw billions of $$$ in no-bid contracts to private corporations who turn around and overcharge on top of it all.

i'm sick and tired of all the dittoheads that keep trying to tie 9-11 to iraq. it just isn't true. why did't our cic continue to pursue bin laden in afghanistan (which, btw, i do feel was justified)? because the war in iraq had already been planned for 3 years- they just needed an excuse to go in there. 9-11 could have been prevented but it was more convenient to let it happen. let's not forget that osama bin laden's brother was george w bush's first (oil) business partner and the bush family is very close to the bin ladens:

http://www.hermes-press.com/bushsaud.htm

i could go on and on but just thinking about the crimes this administration commits frankly makes me sick.

i support cindy sheehan, paul hacket, and patrick murphy.

supporting the troops means more than a yellow magnet on your car. it means not sending them into needless wars, giving them the supplies and equipment they need to keep them as safe as possible, and providing needed health services for veterans - including mental health benefits(not closing va hospitals and cutting services). there are way too many hippocrits in this country.

amen to most of the above.

i do not support radical left-wingers any more than i do radical right-wingers, nor do i believe that 9/11 could have been prevented. i do think, however, that had we kept after bin laden with a fraction of the ferocity with which bush attacked iraq, we would have not only captured him but taken a lot of the fight out of al-qaeda.

but, that's just me.

[Corvette Guy]

Congrats to your son, an honorable path indeed.

I don't believe ones political views are that key to doing a good job in the military. I do believe that a healthy relationship with authority is extremely helpful. I think that may have been the point corvette guy was trying to make in the above response. While it's true it would be uncool to discuss opposing views with civillians. I can remember very heated debates with my fellow soldiers. I AM PERSONALLY NOT HAPPY ABOUT ANY WAR. Of course we live in the real world; and YES, SOME THINGS ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR, AND PROTECTING. I know this isn't a political web-site but I like to ask people this question: How do feel about the fact that it took American so long to respond in WW2 to the atrocities of the Nazi regime? America had a pretty isolationist position in the early years. Many innocents were victimized. I compare Iraq in a way to WW2. I really do feel that we are helping these people. I know there are a lot of other reasons cited for our involvement. There are people around the globe suffering. Many in power brutilizing and engaged in mass killing--it's pretty convenient that we pick an oil rich area to be involved in and concerned about. The war on terrorism brings us to the region of the Middle East as well. Considering all these things, isn't is fair to say that we are: A: helping the Iraqi people out of a pretty bad situation/brutal dictator and all, and B: trying to stop terrorism at it's origins? Those are just some of my thoughts. I believe if we pull out now, we are sealing the fate of Iraqi's working for peace and justice; NOT IN A GOOD WAY. We are one world--I don't feel that we should sit by enjoying our abundance without rendering aid. I don't mean building another America and making things our way. I MEAN PROTECTING THE INNOCENT. JEEZ guys--this is important stuff--- Am I wrong here?

Soap box over.

A & B are correct!

:cheers:

[twotrees2]

I am not necessarily in support of the war but I have been there. Right in the heart of Baghdad. I am a nurse and have seen first hand the great things we have done for the people there. Unfortunately, yes there have been casualties but there are training accidents everyday where we lose soldiers. We have done surgeries to correct gross abnormalities and defects that would have been corrected here in the US at birth. We have done surgeries to correct lady partsl traumas so severe surgery was needed due to the severity of trauma inflicted upon them by Hussein and his men. It has already been made public that he hid weapons of mass destruction from the UN weapons inspectors. I was injured and unable to stay in the U.S Army but would have stayed until mandatory retirement had I been able. We are the only society that gets to speak out publicly about how bad we have it while a few in uniform give thier lives for everyone to go to Walmart whenever they want or go on CNN and speak out about President Bush and how bad this country is. You can hate the war all you want but you must support the soldiers and what they do everyday to give you and your family the freedom you so easily take for granted. Unless you have the courage to raise your right hand and take the oath to support and defend this country with your life then you need to step back and thank God you were born here and just be quiet and be thankful.

thank you for your service - and im sorry you were injured - you paid a high price but know many appreciate your sacrifice and the good you have done for those people wiol not go unrewwarded in the end. people in amercia can be ungracious and harshbecase they take for graned what comes naturally but thegood lord will never forget the good you have done for an oppressed people and never will those people once their fear has settled and they get settled. by the way i too believe he had the capability for WMDS - just cause a part was here and a prt there but not together they say he did not have em - well - it doesnt take a genious t9o figure out all he had to do was pput em together and use them AGAIN as he had in the past on HIS OWN people. hugs and semper fi

[Nurse Entrepreneur]

Well it's pretty obvious you share the administration's view- suppression of free speech.

I like the way you make assumptions as to who or who is not a veteran or knowledgeable. Or who listens to the "media" or goes to Walmart (perpetuates poverty). Some of you are actually making my point. Carry on, dittoheads!

So Maura, if you are a veteran, I believe the original poster would be interested in knowing if you have served our great nation as a veteran. Or are you not proud of being a veteran just as you are not proud of being an American?

If you dislike America so much, perhaps you should try enjoying your freedom in the Middle East.