Please forgive me for speaking my mind because I know hell is fixing to come down on me.
To the AWOL soldiers, you can come and hide at my house. You are being asked to fight a war that an idiot and the vice idiot conjured up in their stupid minds.
They can't find a 6-foot, 7-inch man in a bath robe and a towel on his head who has to have dialysis three days a week in a cave. They can't find WMDs in Iraq. The vice idiot can't find quail, but shoots a human so he can hear his gun go off, and the idiot in charge says we will stay the ignorant course.
So to you guys, come to my house. I will protect you more than your president.
Carlos Dempsey
Signal Mountain
tidefancd@msn.com
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Yes Mr.. Dempsey, you are right about one thing, hell is about to come down on you. But it won't be from me because I personally do not think you are worth it.
I just sent my husband away to Iraq to fight this war to protect your right to write senseless, hurtful letters to the editor. As a matter of fact, this is the third war he has been called to in 30 years and every time he leaves home it breaks my heart, but he says that America is worth his effort. He thinks his family and his friends and all Americans are worth his effort.
And every time we bring one home and bury him or her, it breaks my heart. Now every time we bring one back to bury I will remember they died to give you the freedom to write letters to the editor telling spineless people in a volunteer army that they can hide out at your house. Maybe you should offer to feed the family of a dead soldier or better use your home space as a shelter for a widow of a soldier rather than offer it to someone to break the law and hide from the authorities. Those people who run from their commitment are not drafted...they volunteered to protect and serve this country. If they are cowards, they should not have joined.
Linda Weathers
Chattanooga
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Having read Mr. Dempsey comments about the President and the Vice-President and how it would be alright for the AWOLs to just come stay at his house.
First having been a soldier myself and serving in Bosnia, having been to Honduras to help with Hurricane Mitch cleanup and also having been deployed to various other places around the world to support my country, I have a couple of questions for Mr. Dempsey.
1) You are feeling sorry for someone who, unless we are in a draft, raised their hand to support our country. I didn't make this person volunteer, neither did the President nor the Vice-President and neither did you. This soldiers' age leads me to believe that he was about 14 or 15 when the war in Iraq started, so he knew what he was getting into when he joined. So tell me what gives him the right to go AWOL and not be punished for it?
2) This is exactly what is wrong with America? Too many people like to point the finger at everyone when there is a problem instead of turning that finger around and taking the blame when it is their fault. Everyone is so worried about what everyone else is doing that in the mix, we kind of forget that we aren't our brother’s keeper. Does this mean that all the other criminals out there are more that welcome to come stay at your house also? And when things start coming up missing or people start getting killed in your neighborhood, then they will know exactly where to start looking. Or better yet, when your house is so full from all the soldiers that are going AWOL and staying at your house, and America cannot even protect herself any longer then we will know where the finger will need to be pointed.
Tim Lane
East Ridge
tlaney1@yahoo.com
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I agree with you Carlos. I don't blame anyone for going AWOL. If I was in their situation, I know I sure would.
If you go to the Silverdale workhouse, you have a much better chance of getting out alive than if you go to Iraq to fight a pointless war.
I would urge my family and friends to do the same if they had to go to Iraq.
Lindsay Wood
Red Bank
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Mrs. Weathers, thank you for your sacrifice and the service of your husband. It is he and your family who answered the nation's call. I do cherish the right Carlos has to free speech even if it is incredulous.
History will prove that the work we have done in Iraq was worth the sacrifice. Though we all may not agree at least we have the freedom to debate. Iraqis now have the freedom to chart their own course.
It took our country over seven long years to win our independence. Maybe if Carlos spent more time studying U.S. History the light might dawn that freedom is not free and not achieved overnight.
Thank you again and pass along my heartfelt gratitude to your husband.
Cliff Sarbel
Chattanooga
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Mr. Dempsey,
Your country is at war. The United Nations agreed on resolutions that Saddam Hussein had to abide by. For over 10 years, he refused to comply. Saddam could have avoided war in Iraq by simply leaving the country as he was requested to do. Justice requires that laws have teeth and disobedience comes with a price. The US Congress has voted repeatedly to fund military operations in Iraq. As I said, your country is at war in Iraq and has been since 2003. Your military personnel have been daily putting their lives on the line in Iraq because the American people sent them there.
AWOL soldiers are those that are simply not where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there. Those that would hide to avoid combat service are deserters under Article 85 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The maximum penalty for desertion in war is death. Do you still want to invite 18-19 year old soldiers to hide in your house? Encouraging service members to desert in time of war is a major felony under 18 USC 2387 and 18 USC 2388. The maximum penalty is 20 years. Whether or not Hell comes to your house, the Feds should.
I am embarrassed that such a letter as yours bore a Tennessee address. Tennesseans have historically volunteered in droves whenever the country required fighting men. If you wish to publicize the fact that your backside contains huge quantities of confectionary sugar, please have the decency to lie and give your address as San Francisco.
Jeff Young
Soddy Daisy
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I have one question about this AWOL nonsense. Who cares about a coward that won't follow through with his commitment? I can just about guarantee you that no man or woman in Iraq would want Brandon Brown serving with them anyway. If you were in a war zone and you had a coward like that forced to be in your squad and to watch your back, would you trust him? I think not.
So what do we do with coward that won't honor his commitment? Rather than waste taxpayer money having to feed, clothe, and house these people for a year, they should simply be branded as deserters and forced to reveal that information on any job application for the rest of their life without the ability to get that charge expunged.
In short, think about your priorities before you sign on the dotted line. If military service isn't for you, don't make a commitment.
Mike Lyons
Chattanooga
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As a soldier that has done two tours in Iraq and still in the military (National Guard) fulltime, I take my beret off to Judge Moon. This judge has set the example for the all National Guard troops.
This AWOL held up his right hand and took an oath to uphold and no one forced him to do this. guess since he thought he could volunteer to get in he could volunteer to get out.
I don't think so.
SFC Rick Mullins
Cleveland
rick.mullins@ng.army.mil
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Dear Mr. Lyons and Mr. Young, et al.:
I fully agree with your assessment of AWOL military personnel. I suggest that you forward your e-mails to the White House, inasmuch as Bush was AWOL during wartime (yes, according to the UCMJ that's desertion), and chickenhawk Cheney got five, count 'em, five, deferments to avoid serving. These are our proud, warmonger leaders.
Dr. G. Norman West
Sewanee