In The Oregonian (08/01/05 front-page article, “Wavering on the War”) Marilyn Ornelas contended that the idea a person could support the troops and not the war was “hogwash.” Wow, I could swear my wife and I are currently sending weekly “care packages” to our son in the Middle East.

“The Troops” were misled into a quagmire! Over 1800 of them are dead, thousands are missing limbs, have other gruesome injuries and/or are experiencing mental/emotional damage, not to mention the tens of thousands of Iraqis’ who have been killed. There is no end in sight.

The administration continues to cut VA benefits (most recently the housing allowance). Many troops are forced to sell their homes while fighting the war.

To top it off, Bush is giving huge tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans. He’s not exactly what I’d call supporting our troops!

If Marilyn really wants to support the troops, they just raised the maximum age for entering the military. Sign up!

Kent Frigaard

Marilyn J. Ornelas, 46, Gresham
Monday, August 01, 2005
The Oregonian
A teacher, mother of two and Republican who voted for President Bush in 2000 and 2004

“I was very, very much for President Bush going into Iraq. Saddam Hussein was Hitler in the making. He paid money to the families of Palestinians who blew themselves up. Anybody who is supporting terrorism is an enemy of the United States.

I believe he had weapons of mass destruction and that they shipped them out. They probably are sitting in Syria.

I’m very proud of our women and men over there. They are doing this out of love of their country.

They are showing these people who America really is. Americans are people trying to raise their kids and working hard to pay our bills. We are good people here. But people don’t know that. They only know what Hollywood portrays.

We’re making progress. I don’t rely on the mainstream media for information. We have a pastor who is over there as a chaplain. He just came back recently, and he tells us what is going on.

They have rebuilt a lot of the infrastructure. Schools are open. Hospitals are open. Women are allowed to walk down the street, go to school and serve in politics.

The fact we haven’t had another terrorism attack in the United States since 9/11 should speak volumes.

I have a problem with political leaders who are more interested in power than in protecting the American people.

They say, ‘I support our troops, but I don’t support the war.’ I’m sorry, that doesn’t fly with me whatsoever. You’re going to sit there and say, ‘I don’t support the job that you are doing, but I support you?’ That’s hogwash.”

©2005 The Oregonian