My friend just told me her kid leaves for Afghanistan in April

[Missy Vixen]

Her son already did one tour in Iraq. I woke up every morning and prayed he'd come home safe and sound, and now he's going again.

I wish I could tell anyone here how angry I am, how utterly disappointed, and how scared for him.

HOW DARE WE ask someone else's kid to make these sacrifices?

Imagine how much fun it was for me to explain to a relatively apolitical person why President Obama promised to withdraw troops, but evidently's changed his mind.

In the meantime, what does any of us say to someone whose kid is going into harm's way AGAIN?

[rockymountaindem]

1. Obama never promised to withdraw troops from Afghanistan n/t

[Missy Vixen]

3. So, it's okay that he's sending more?

These are other people's kids, and it's not their first tour of duty.

Why are we there?

[elocs]

12. I believe Obama clearly stated during the campaign he would send more troops

to Afghanistan.

[EFerrari]

13. Yes, he did. He didn't make any sense then and he still doesn't make sense now.

[gratuitous]

2. The same thing you say to any parent

"I hope your kid comes home safely."

Oh, and because I'm a real mean bastard, "Have your kid say 'hi' to Jenna and Bar Jr. for me."

[Missy Vixen]

4. I can't even imagine being in her shoes

I'm just sick that he has to do this.

[luvspeas]

5. I think it's perfectly appropriate for you to be angry and upset...

I am disappointed with the fact that Obama has not moved more quickly on ending the wars. It's OK to feel the way you do. He is still our best hope for ending these conflicts, and we need to continue to try to persuade him and others that it is the best decision for our country. I do believe that he understands this, but if we can show him that this is truly what the American people want and need, he will make changes sooner. At least there is someone in the White House who will listen. I am so sorry about your friend's family and I know your pain is deep too.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

6. You say the truth -

that you'll pray for him. Or whatever it is you can do for him from where you are.

I, too, am disappointed in Obama's plan for Afghanistan. It's not smart, and it is dangerous.

Because I take cabs in the city, I encounter a lot of drivers from the Middle East. They are almost always very educated and incredibly savvy politically. Conversations with these guys - all who voted for Obama - are enlightening.

And every one of them wants the US out of their home country. Their history should tell Obama that we are going to suffer even more horrendous losses in Afghanistan than we have in Iraq. Ask the Soviets. Ask anyone who tried to invade and conquer Afghanistan.

I'd be sick with worry, too, for your friend's son. It sucks.

[Missy Vixen]

10. Now this is fascinating

I don't have to take cabs very often. When we're in the city, we're either on foot, on public transit, or we've brought the car. I think it would be truly interesting to hear the thoughts of the drivers you get to talk with.

This is a weird little story, but true. When I was a teenager, there was a group of Russian citizens that ended up holed up in a church basement in Seattle for a period of time. They were asking for political amnesty; there was some problem. Finally, they got amnesty, IIRC, and they came to our church. Someone in the congregation knew them, and asked them to visit. This was the mid-70's -- you know, all people from Russia were our enemies, right?

Imagine my shock to learn that, while there were cultural differences, they were as anxious to know us as we were to know them.

Mostly, I'm more freaked out for my friend. We've all read the statistics about the chances for injury or fatality are much higher during a second tour. :scared:

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Keep your head low, come home

and give my your mail address so I can send care packages

That's what you tell them. Oh and if you send that over PM, I will send him a care package like I have with so many other kids over the last few years. sometimes at anysoldier.com, sometimes kids of DU'ers or friends, or what have you

As to other kids going to war... why we need a draft... but god every time that is told, we have many a hew and cry about it...

But if we want empire, we'd all better be part of it. FULLY

<-------Navy wife, sent hubby twice on war patrols thank you

<-------= Got shot at way too many times thanks to that other failure called the war on drugs... not fun... on the bright side, while in the middle of it, you just do your job... and I was the damn ahem, neutral medic... really...

There are times that both of us wake up at night in a cold sweat by the way

[specimenfred1984]

8. Have fun protecting Europe's heroin supply

and trying to shoot your way into "the hearts and minds" of a culture than knows you are there for your own selfish interests.

[TBF]

9. I'm so sorry.

My dad was wounded in Vietnam. I know what it's like to live with "collateral damage" every day of my life. I truly hope your friend's son comes home alive and in one piece.

No matter what anyone says, what Obama is doing in Afghanistan is wrong.

[rcrush]

11. Too much money in the opium trade I guess.

To just give it up. I know some people in Washington are thinking that right now.

[EFerrari]

14. I ask them why they're going. YMMV.

[elocs]

15. My nephew just got home yesterday on leave from his first tour in Afghanistan.

When he enlisted while not even having a high school diploma it was a certainty that he would go to Iraq, but he ended up in Afghanistan. He volunteered, he was not drafted and even now he says he has no regrets (he is stationed in the mountains of NE Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan).

When a person volunteers to be a firefighter or a cop they know ahead of time that they may be commanded to go into harm's way regardless of whether they think it is right or not. As much as I tried to talk him out of it my nephew was determined to enlist and he knew full well ahead of time where he might be going. It's choices and consequences, something I tried to teach him about since he was a kid. To enlist was his choice and he understood the consequences. I didn't agree, but life is not fair and people make bad choices and I don't know how to undo either of those things.

[MadBadger]

16. "Why Obama promised to withdraw troops, but evidently's changed his mind." Prove it.