Father of dead soldier confronts war protesters

The father of a Bay Shore soldier killed in Iraq berated anti-war demonstrators Saturday for showing portraits of fallen Long Island troops without the permission of their survivors.

[VOR]

"We're commemorating the loss," one of the protesters, Brian O'Haire, 50, of Ronkonkoma, told Fletcher.

This is a joke. These protests dishonor the brace men who have died, saying instead that they gave thier lives in vain.

Since most of the families and all of these men who enlisted felt otherwise, Ohaire should only display photos of those servicemen whose family gave him permission to do so. He would likely have very few photos to show.

[Carter Burke]

They are most certainly NOT "commemorating the loss", they are using other peoples dead children to further a political agenda and it's grotesque.

[Had it]

Oh please. These people died needlessly. There was no need to go into Iraq.
Many of the people who enlisted did so thinking they were going to avenge the people who attacked us on 9-11. They were duped. Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11.
We were attacked on 9/11 by a group of Saudis financed and led by a Saudi. Why is this never discussed or examined? Are our borders secure? Where are our National Guard troops? Why aren't they here if as we are told its a matter of if not when we are attacked again.
Are we to believe that a little pissant country like Iraq, and a simple mission to disarm them of Wmd's is too much for our Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps to handle without our National Guard too? if so, Ladies and gents, our secuirty is indeed in serious trouble.
This whole "war" has been utterly mismanaged and many of our young people have died needlessly and been maimed needlessly.
That's just fact.
if Dad is angry, he can be Angry At Bushco.

[Had it]

sorry, should read "Avenge our country against the people who attacked us on 9/11."

[MCR]

These kids die in a needless war, and their parents can't deal with these facts, and they lash out at a bunch of peace marchers?

Get real Daddy Deadone! You sent your son off to war - no one else - deal with your guilt

[MCR]

It's too bad they didn't draft.
Then complete toolbags like me might actually have a chance to be in harm's way instead of hiding behind my computer like the fat, useless slug I am enjoying what other brave men have died for.
I'm too stupid to realize that a handful of sixties leftovers walking around a low-class mall are NOT 'activists' or 'peace marchers' but rather bored complainers who need hobbies.
I am sorry for using up other people's oxygen and water as I clearly deserve neither.

[a patriot]

Had it wrote:

Oh please. These people died needlessly. There was no need to go into Iraq.
Many of the people who enlisted did so thinking they were going to avenge the people who attacked us on 9-11. They were duped. Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11.
We were attacked on 9/11 by a group of Saudis financed and led by a Saudi. Why is this never discussed or examined? Are our borders secure? Where are our National Guard troops? Why aren't they here if as we are told its a matter of if not when we are attacked again.
Are we to believe that a little pissant country like Iraq, and a simple mission to disarm them of Wmd's is too much for our Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps to handle without our National Guard too? if so, Ladies and gents, our secuirty is indeed in serious trouble.
This whole "war" has been utterly mismanaged and many of our young people have died needlessly and been maimed needlessly.
That's just fact.
if Dad is angry, he can be Angry At Bushco.

I'm an Iraq war veteran and I hate to admit it, but you sir are correct. The invasion and occupation of Iraq was illegal and only the U.S. could have have gotten away with such bulls***. Any other country would have been labeled a criminal had they had done what we did to Iraq. We truely are a rogue state. "Mission Accomplished" my a**. If anything, we invaded the wrong country. If President Bush really had some balls, he should have sent the Ranger Regiment to the middle east to kick out the Israelies from the Westbank and the Gaza Strip. Our country's unconditional support for the state of Israel is the root of the problem in the middle east and the main reason why everyone in the rest of the world hates the Unided States. Our politicians know this, but it would be political suicide for anyone to even mention it. They would rather just remain silent and support the status quo. Our country is in such dire need of true leadership, its appalling.

[Al Jolson]

a patriot wrote:

<quoted text>I'm an Iraq war veteran and I hate to admit it, but you sir are correct. The invasion and occupation of Iraq was illegal and only the U.S. could have have gotten away with such bulls***. Any other country would have been labeled a criminal had they had done what we did to Iraq. We truely are a rogue state. "Mission Accomplished" my a**. If anything, we invaded the wrong country. If President Bush really had some balls, he should have sent the Ranger Regiment to the middle east to kick out the Israelies from the Westbank and the Gaza Strip. Our country's unconditional support for the state of Israel is the root of the problem in the middle east and the main reason why everyone in the rest of the world hates the Unided States. Our politicians know this, but it would be political suicide for anyone to even mention it. They would rather just remain silent and support the status quo. Our country is in such dire need of true leadership, its appalling.

Mammy!

[Audie Murphy]

You 'a patriot' are the farthest thing from such.The word treasonist comes to mind.You should be drawn and quartered in front of these so called protestors.God Bless these fallen soldiers and their parents.

[cooltemp]

The threat of attack against our soil has come from terrorists organized and financed in the Arabian Peninsular, Pakistan and the frontier between Pakistan and Afghanistan. 9/11 threatened this administrations plans for invading Iraq so it was bundled in with "The War on Terror" as a cover for the real reason of invasion, to oust Saddam and establish a puppet government that is more aligned to our foreign policy.

[gassed]

I'm a member of VFP, Veterans For Peace. Soldiers images shouldn't be used without families consent. That is just respect. I am VEHEMENTLY against this war! Does anyone out there who supports this war believes that corportations should be making millions in profits? Does anyone remember the Bushies whisking the entire Bin Laden family out of the country right after 9-11? Americans couldn't fly anwhere to be by the bedside of a loved one that needed them...but the Bin Laden family was flown to "safety" on private jets??? If you support this war you aren't thinking. The Saudis and the Bushes have been in bed for decades. They attacked us people, not Iraq. God bless those men and women who have died, and all of the innocent iraqis. May Bush and Cheney burn in hell.

[paul]

a patriot wrote:

<quoted text>I'm an Iraq war veteran and I hate to admit it, but you sir are correct. The invasion and occupation of Iraq was illegal and only the U.S. could have have gotten away with such bulls***. Any other country would have been labeled a criminal had they had done what we did to Iraq. We truely are a rogue state. "Mission Accomplished" my a**. If anything, we invaded the wrong country. If President Bush really had some balls, he should have sent the Ranger Regiment to the middle east to kick out the Israelies from the Westbank and the Gaza Strip. Our country's unconditional support for the state of Israel is the root of the problem in the middle east and the main reason why everyone in the rest of the world hates the Unided States. Our politicians know this, but it would be political suicide for anyone to even mention it. They would rather just remain silent and support the status quo. Our country is in such dire need of true leadership, its appalling.

Sorry patriot, I think you are a liar. If you are not, prove it by having the courage to give your army serial number. I am a ww2 vet, serial no. 42270688, look it up.

[WWII Vet]

a patriot wrote:

<quoted text>I'm an Iraq war veteran and I hate to admit it, but you sir are correct. The invasion and occupation of Iraq was illegal and only the U.S. could have have gotten away with such bulls***. Any other country would have been labeled a criminal had they had done what we did to Iraq. We truely are a rogue state. "Mission Accomplished" my a**. If anything, we invaded the wrong country. If President Bush really had some balls, he should have sent the Ranger Regiment to the middle east to kick out the Israelies from the Westbank and the Gaza Strip. Our country's unconditional support for the state of Israel is the root of the problem in the middle east and the main reason why everyone in the rest of the world hates the Unided States. Our politicians know this, but it would be political suicide for anyone to even mention it. They would rather just remain silent and support the status quo. Our country is in such dire need of true leadership, its appalling.

You sir... are a liar. You are not a vet. You never served. You are a moronic liberal - And it's quite obvious.

We should bring back the draft.
Then you would see what it's really like... Except I think you would have run to Canada...

The problem has never been pissant countries like Iraq. The problem has always been bleeding hearts who see a couple of bodies on TV and start crying. People die in wars. It sucks. But that's what happens.

What would you have done in World War II after the first 10,00 Americans died? What about after the first 100,000?

We've lost a couple of thousand really good boys (well mostly boys). My heart goes out to their families.

But as for a liar hypocrite like you, stay home and bake some more brownies. The 60's a'int comin back - no matter how hard you try.

[womanspirit]

So if the father wants to believe as he does - so be it. BUT, if those of us who believe otherwise want to say so publicly - so be it too. I do not believe our soldiers have died for the right reasons. PERIOD. They may (or maynot) believe they are putting their lives on the line to protect our country and that is their chice. I - however - believe if they are going to put their lives on the line than it had BETTER be for legitimate reasons and Iraq is NOT a legitimate reason and it never has been. I support our troops - I say bring them home or have them fighting a war that really IS being fought to protect our nation. NOT some bogus excuse of a war that has never been adequetaly explained to us. One excuse after another has been thrown at us and we are expected to believe blindly - well SORRY - but Bush has all but destroyed this nation and after living through Vietnam I do not belive very easily without adequate proff and we have never been given that.

[womanspirit]

Audie Murphy wrote:

You 'a patriot' are the farthest thing from such.The word treasonist comes to mind.You should be drawn and quartered in front of these so called protestors.God Bless these fallen soldiers and their parents.

Clearly you do not understand the meaning of treason. And moreimportantly you fail to understand what it means to bean American if you think that stating your opinion means you are perpetuating treason against your contry. When your country has betrayed your trust you had BETTER say something or else you have failed to be the better American dear.

[womanspirit]

Joey wrote:

<quoted text> Traitor, take your cab and go back to Syria.

and YOU sir are a jerk. saying you are a patriot because you follow any and everything your president says you should only makes you and idiot. To allow yourself to be led by your nose into a war that should NOT be fought does NOT make YOU a better AMerican. It only makes you pathetic.

[Vic - Retired]

You and your kind still don't get it, none of our fallen hero's asked to be put in a situation like Iraq or Afghanistan and you only show how cowardly you are by using their deaths to further your own agendas. A warrior dies and you use his or her death as to why we should not be somewhere. If anything you should be ashamed of yourselves for allowing them to go into harms way with inferior equipment. You should be ashamed for putting restrictions on how they conduct themselves. I am proud of each and everyone of our service personal. It is not their fault that we have incompetent leaders in our Senate. Think about what you have elected.

[locomo joe the vet]

What these people did was a disgrace not only to the families of our fallen heros but to this country. If anybody should rot in hell it is all those that are not supporting our troops. You can't have it both ways folks, either you support or you don't. If you don't maybe you should think of moving to Holland where you can smoke your so called peace pipe. Nobody lied so get off your soap box, they went on information that they had period.

[womanspirit]

LOL AMAZING how many right wing nut s here refuse to accept a war vet would be against the war. Well, Ihave met them folks - they exist - REALLY! GROW UP!

[Carter Burke]

MCR wrote:

These kids die in a needless war, and their parents can't deal with these facts, and they lash out at a bunch of peace marchers?

Surrendering to a psychotic bunch of fundamentalists won't bring "peace" so most people with a functioning intellect see that these people are not "peace marchers" but rather political activists using the war and its casualties for propaganda.