My biggest fear is that we will continue to oeprate our foreign policy using outdated paradigms and outmoded approaches. My hope is the next generation.

Childishly, my hope is that my husband doesn’t have to go back to Iraq, that his brothers and nephew come back safe and unharmed, and that I will go to bed tonight and it will all go away leaving a peaceful world where humanity means the best of what we have to offer each other and not the worst.

I did not want our country to go into Iraq and I want our troops out now. The Bush administration should be charged with treason and we should be ashamed of ourselves for allowing this to happen to our troops.

Very interesting to read this string and to hear that many of you don’t want to be in a war. I’m in France and people here are very confused about what America is trying to do in Iraq. Seems like all you can do is use your vote wisely to bring an end to it. Not at all relevant here, but this site had a write in the UK Sunday Times last week. Felt quite smug as I’d already found it!

My biggest fear about Iraq? My son will have to go back to Baghdad. I always though I knew about fear, the fear of a child running into the street and getting hit by a car, the fear of loosing a child in the department store, the fear that comes with an ill child and will they get well. The fear of day to day that every time you hear news of a bomb in Baghdad and soldiers being killed. Was that my child? Let me be clear, my son choose this life. After college he announced that he would be going into the military to attempt to be a part of an elite group. He succeeded and I knew as a mother he would always be in harms way when on deployment whether we where in a war or in peace. Much like a fireman or a policeman or any dangerous profession. My biggest hope will be that all the work done and all the young people who die in Iraq will be for nothing. The people of Iraq and the Volunteer Military of the United States deserve better.

My biggest fear is that our soldiers have/will remain there too long without a clearcut plan in place; and also that a military draft could potentially be implemented. To me, war is an ancient mindset and I think we as human beings are capable of more creative solutions. My biggest hope is that Iraq will stand on their own and show the world they have the ability to settle their own conflicts/issues in a humane and democratic way.

Correction My biggest hope will be that all the work done and all the young people who die in Iraq will NOT be for nothing. The people of Iraq and the Volunteer Military of the United States deserve better. Sorry I have never posted before and this is a big first for me.

My 23 year old nephew, Ryan, left for Iraq last night. He’s a member of the US Army, as was his grandfather (ret CSM 30 years), his uncles and I (4 years and proud of it!). We are very proud of him. But, thanks to this present Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike…gee, thanks, Hillary, he entered Hell last night. He volunteered because he’s a patriotic young man. And, also to pay off school loans. WHERE are the protests for his generation? I grew up during VietNam, but I was a young girl and raised in a military, i.e., Republican environment. I don’t even know what to say anymore…I’ve done no real protesting of my own, except to tell everyone that I can, that supporting our troops, especially the Army, is NOT to send them into political situations. Ryan’s e-mail is stangman6989@yahoo.com. Please include him in the prayers, that we all prayer, for him and all the other brave one’s in harm’s way. FOR WHAT? FOR WHAT? FOR WHAT?