how come our guys are buried over there? why didn't we ship them back here!!!!!!!!!

beats the shit out of me............lot of dead people though

i meant soldiers.

yeah....and i'm so surpised tht either the government or the families didn't bring them back! how strange. so many strange things in the world.

Well, the world wars produced many dead soldiers and civilians alike. Sometimes it was not possible to bring them home. They just did not have the resources as they have since Vietnam.
As far as the potential prisoners we had, on land we would take them prisoner or use them in exchanges for our men. When at sea, especially the Pacific, it was impossible to take prisoners. There wasn't room and it wasn't safe to keep the enemy on your ship, so Thompson machine guns would take care of them so they didn't suffer. It sounds brutal and illegal, but it was being compassionate and I don't mean this jokingly.
Now, There is a question of statements made. This is what we call diplomacy, and sometimes it is not only the right thing to do, but a smart thing to do. We are arrogant, and we have earned the right to be. I myself have been called arrogant, smart assed, and many other names. I have to agree with them. It's true. It's better to admit it than to lie. That earns us respect, something many countries do not have.
It really comes down to the circumstances and context of what is said. The President did nothing wrong.
I would have done and said the same thing if I were him. Only I am not even close to having the diplomatic ability he was gifted with.
Where did you come up with those numbers? Unless you are a student of history, most people have never even heard of those places. No offense intended, I'm just curious how you came up with the list?

My Ex Husband was in the Marines for 21 years he said they used the m-16 not to kill,,,but to wound , because it would knock three out,,two to carry the injured away,,,interesting,,He fought at Kandahar to retake the airport from the Taliban,, God bless all the people that keep us safe,,and to all that lost their lives in doing so,,,

I agree Marty 100%

That's right Neut.....I agree.....most people don't understand what you said,...but I do..OUR President did nothing wrong in that.

i forgot about this thread........it came in an e-mail..........so i passed it on............

i fail to see the arrogance although i do see the sacrafice. Kind of like being called a racist..............

and if arrogance is the correct word, i will be damn if i appologize to anyone.

Well, Marty, I understand and respect your ideology. But it isn't so important to save your face these days as it is to build bridges that would end a lot of violence and tensions that start these wars in the first place.

Again, I do not wish to sound challenging or am looking for an argument, but read the last sentence of your last post. That is a very arrogant statement. " (i will be damn if i appologize to anyone.) "

Someone has to make an effort to make peace, whether it is their place or not. I do it all the time. It is disarming and conflicts just fade away when you "be the bigger person" I think the President was just "being the bigger person".

IMHO: I have put up with a lot of Presidents that I didn't vote for or agree with. But I support the President whomever it is and defend the Constitution. In the previous eight years before the new President was elected, I never sent one email or chain email that questioned GWB or his policies. I have friends on both sides of the aisle. But, in the last year, I receive daily messages and chain letters slamming the President because mainly, he doesn't share the values or ideas the other party shares. But when I receive these emails, I read them and delete them. I do not reply. I am just surprised how vicious and hateful the other side can be. After all, we lived with them, why doesn't the party not in power respect our Government enough not to send such emails. I know everyone has probably received at least one, so I know you know what I'm talking about.
Besides, He was elected with overwhelming results. He is cleaning up messes that came to him from previous administrations. He didn't cause the recession, the wars or Wall Street to plunge. He inherited all of that.
And as far as health care, everyone here should be for it, I mean, we are all ill. We need help. We need to help the people who don't have help. We just sent more money to Haiti than we spent on our own disasters. That was a good and right thing to do. But we can't support each other? I wish someone would explain this to me. I mean explain it other than the FOX NEWS spin they spew. They tell everything bad, drive that home, play on peoples emotions and that is how this all gets started.

i so agree with you, neut. eloquent said.

the arrogance that the president was talking about and the guys buried on foreign soil are two different things. it's that old apples and oranges again.

after 911 i traveled to ireland, wales and was absolutely shocked! at how much hate there was in those countries for us! never before did i encounter that. right in the middle of dublin on the side of a building, in huge letters were the words "STOP AMERICAN TERRORISM." in wales an 85yr old lady came up to me and said "i do not feel one bit sorry for your country. you think you can just go around bombing all over the world and it's fine. now you know how it feels to have a bomb on your own soil."

and this is just a few people who wanted to tell me what they thought. imagine all the people who just think these things yet never say it? we are not loved around the world. we may say "oh people love us thats why there are so many illegal aliens, etc. and people all over the world want to live here." but that's another argument.

i totally support our troups! they are doing their duty to protect us. every person in the military is a hero! i love and pray for them every single day! and give money to homeless vets.

we are regarded as bullies in the world. yes, they do think we're arrogant. it would be wise of us to try to change that image.

if the middle east had only bananas and no oil we would NOT be there. we are looking out for our own interests not theirs.

oh believe me i agree with most everything you say neut. Being the bigger and better man/woman is the way to be. Our president is a very gifted individual and not to mention it would be ridiculous to think he could be responsible for any of the messes we are in now.

But i guess the question is, why is there a need for an apology?

I think it had diplomatic reason.
But what the hell do I know? LOL
Everyone says, I agree Marty and I agree Neut,
we don't really want you to agree with us, but feel free to express you own opinions : )

Damn neut............i'm sorry.

I can't stand Fox News!......They fuckin lie to everybody and what gets me is that the people that are watching it....actually believe everything they are saying instead of doing their own research and then come to a conclusion ......