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The Obama Administration

Obama Honors Fallen Soldiers

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#1 of 167 Posted Oct-29 10:38 PM

From Michael H. Posts 3455 Last 5:29 AM
To All [Msg # 213451.1 ]

President Obama has done something that President Bush never did.

He actually traveled across the Chesapeake Bay to Dover Air Force Base so he could honor fallen Americans by meeting with their families and paying his respects to those being carried in the flag-draped caskets as they were returning home.

Obama honors fallen Americans at Dover

President Obama later spoke about the experience from the White House. "It was a sobering reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices that our young men and women in uniform are engaging in every single day, not only our troops but their families as well," he said.

According to the Associated Press, President Bush never traveled to Dover to pay his respects to those Americans whose lives were sacrificed in the wars he started.

>> Meantime, the dramatic image of a wartime president on Dover's tarmac was a portrait not witnessed in years. Obama's predecessor said the appropriate way to show his respect for war's cost was to meet with grieving military families in private, as Bush often did, but he never observed cases carrying remains coming off a cargo plane. <<

Not only did President Obama go out of his way to honor our nation's fallen heros, he did so in the wee hours of the night. His pilgrimage to the solemn scene at Dover Air Force Base began around midnight, and he remained in Dover until at least 4 a.m. when the last casket was finally carried off the huge, C-17 cargo plane.

After arriving in Dover, the president first met with the families of the fallen in a chapel on the base. This must have been a difficult time for all in attendance as the loved ones of those families had only fallen two or three days before.

The president then went out to the tarmac and joined a group of dignitaries for prayers on the plane after which they all moved outside to stand in a line of honor as the flag draped caskets were carried from the place to the vehicles that would carry them for the next leg of their journeys home.

The article linked above includes an image of the event. Several of the families permitted the caskets of their loved ones to be photographed.

What do you think about this? Was this something the president ought to have done?

Or do you think presidents should insulate themselves from the real effects of the wars they conduct? Could this put too much media pressure on the president?

Do you think this experience will impact his policies with respect to those wars? If so, will the impact be good or a bad for the nation?

Tell us what you think.

"You have absolutely no reason, none,
to trust our words or our actions at this point."
-- Michael Steele, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Feb 13th, 2009

Free Your Mind. Free Yourself.
Ferrapontifex Invictus

Edited Oct-29 by Michael H.

Edited Oct-30 by Sysop Alex Krislov

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#2 of 167 Posted Oct-29 11:02 PM

From Mr. Selkirk Posts 15113 Last Nov-24
To Michael H. [Msg # 213451.2 213451.1 ]

>> According to the Associated Press, President Bush never traveled to Dover to pay his respects to those Americans whose lives were sacrificed in the wars he started. <<

Bush did, however, travel to other places to pay his respects and meet with families.

I'm not sure that the place matters all that much.

>> What do you think about this? <<

I think what Obama did was a good thing. I think the attempt to use our dead to demean Bush is a bad thing. But that's just me.

>> Do you think this experience will impact his policies with respect to those wars? <<

I suspect meeting with the families will have an impact and will be good for the nation. The rest? May or may not. Hard to tell from a distance.

Larry S.

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

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#3 of 167 Posted Oct-29 11:21 PM

From esther Posts 5641 Last 9:13 AM
To Michael H. [Msg # 213451.3 213451.1 ]

m - Tell us what you think.

es - President Obama standing smartly in the darkness and wind at Dover, presiding over the transfer, was the first image I saw this morning. And I have never seen that look on his face before. He was emotionally devastated by what he saw and did there. The full weight of his decision came to rest on his shoulders this morning, and it was visible for all to see.

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#4 of 167 Posted Oct-30 1:06 AM

From Michael H. Posts 3455 Last 5:29 AM
To esther [Msg # 213451.4 213451.3 ]

It's hard to imagine a more sobering experience than that must have been.

"You have absolutely no reason, none,
to trust our words or our actions at this point."
-- Michael Steele, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Feb 13th, 2009

Free Your Mind. Free Yourself.
Ferrapontifex Invictus

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#5 of 167 Posted Oct-30 2:39 AM

From raincitytroll Posts 4785 Last 5:22 AM
To Mr. Selkirk [Msg # 213451.5 213451.2 ]

**I think the attempt to use our dead to demean Bush is a bad thing. **

i don't think the comparison is inherently demeaning to bush in as much as it just defines obama a bit differently.

some inferences can be made by the comparison, though, such as how the individuals address and cope with circumstances. for example, nixon avoided ceremonies like this because he didn't want to let emotions influence his decisions. whether that was good or bad is debatable.

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#6 of 167 Posted Oct-30 11:33 AM

From esther Posts 5641 Last 9:13 AM
To Michael H. [Msg # 213451.6 213451.4 ]

m - It's hard to imagine a more sobering experience than that must have been.

es - So true. One thing about President Obama, even if you disagree with his politics, he's a genuinely compassionate human being.

That's evident on so many levels.

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#7 of 167 Posted Oct-30 1:08 PM

From Michael H. Posts 3455 Last 5:29 AM
To esther [Msg # 213451.7 213451.6 ]

>> One thing about President Obama, even if you disagree with his politics, he's a genuinely compassionate human being.

That's evident on so many levels. <<

He's also contemplative and intellectual, qualities that I think have been missing from the White House for far too long.

"You have absolutely no reason, none,
to trust our words or our actions at this point."
-- Michael Steele, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Feb 13th, 2009

Free Your Mind. Free Yourself.
Ferrapontifex Invictus

Options

#8 of 167 Posted Oct-30 1:45 PM

From sparkey Posts 3033 Last Nov-24
To Michael H. [Msg # 213451.8 213451.7 ]

>>He's also contemplative and intellectual, qualities that I think have been missing from the White House for far too long.<<

GW Bush was a veteran, Obama was not. Obama honored these soldiers on their return home. I wonder if it would disturbed Bush to have made the same honor.

I think that everyone should see the HBO film, "Taking Chance." A honorable film showing Americas feeling for it's fallen heroes and our Military's respect and love for their comrades. Neither Republican or Democratic, pro or anti war, just a wonderful film of America and it's great military.

http://tinyurl.com/84tzjz

http://tinyurl.com/yaa8wat

A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned to walk forward.

Franklin D. Roosevelt , radio address, Oct. 26, 1939

Edited Oct-30 by sparkey

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#9 of 167 Posted Oct-30 3:29 PM

From Mr. Selkirk Posts 15113 Last Nov-24
To raincitytroll [Msg # 213451.9 213451.5 ]

>> i don't think the comparison is inherently demeaning to bush in as much as it just defines obama a bit differently. <<

That is one possibility.

Larry S.

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

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#10 of 167 Posted Oct-30 9:52 PM

From Michael Hoffman SL Posts 25674 Last 9:43 AM
To raincitytroll [Msg # 213451.10 213451.5 ]

>i don't think the comparison is inherently demeaning to bush in as much as it just defines obama a bit differently. <

Right. It defines Obama as seeking cover for his eventual refusal to send the troops requested.

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Message 213451.11 was moved to 213481.1

#12 of 167 Posted Oct-30 11:48 PM

From esther Posts 5641 Last 9:13 AM
To Michael H. [Msg # 213451.12 213451.7 ]

m - He's also contemplative and intellectual, qualities that I think have been missing from the White House for far too long.

es - Well put. If "the decider" had taken the time to consider the consequences of some of his actions, we might not be stuck in these two wars.

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#13 of 167 Posted Oct-31 3:48 AM

From raincitytroll Posts 4785 Last 5:22 AM
To Michael Hoffman SL [Msg # 213451.13 213451.10 ]

**Right. It defines Obama as seeking cover for his eventual refusal to send the troops requested.**

i hear ya, ares. that old "people are dying for no good reason" cover is so lame.

if obama won't get more americans killed, then we need to elect someone who will.

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Messages 213451.14 through 213451.15 were moved to 213481.2

#16 of 167 Posted Oct-31 5:10 PM

From hyperlynx Posts 171 Last 8:57 AM
To All [Msg # 213451.16 213451.1 ]

<<<President Obama later spoke about the experience from the White House. "It was a sobering reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices that our young men and women in uniform are engaging in every single day, not only our troops but their families as well," he said. >>>

Obama's approval ratings have a better chance to rise with displaying attention to the fallen soldiers than to give support to the living soldiers. It's not too much of a sobering reminder for the Commander in Chief or he would make a decision to give our soldiers the right tools and freedom to fight with the greatest chance of survival. If he can't CHANGE things for them, then he needs to stay away....too little, too late.

Remember when The Associated Press published photos of the dying Marine against his father's wishes .....his father had been writing to lawmakers for weeks complaining of the new rules of engagement he believed put U.S. troops at unacceptable risk in the insurgency-wracked country. After the death of his son, John Bernard's voice is finally being heard .
http://letthemfight.blogspot.com/

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