Slain SEAL's dad wants answers: Don't hide behind my sons death

[kpete]

Link to tweet

................

Owens’ father, Bill, had learned only a short time before the ceremony that Trump was coming. Owens was sitting with his wife, Marie, and other family members in the solemn, living room-like space where the loved ones of the fallen assemble before they are taken to the flight line.


“I’m sorry, I don’t want to see him,’’ Owens recalled telling the chaplain who informed him that Trump was on his way from Washington. “I told them I don’t want to meet the President.”

...........


Now, Owens cringed at the thought of having to shake the hand of the president who approved the raid in Yemen that claimed his son’s life — an operation that he and others are now calling into question.

“I told them I didn’t want to make a scene about it, but my conscience wouldn’t let me talk to him,” Owens said Friday, speaking out for the first time in an interview with the Miami Herald.

..............

“Why at this time did there have to be this stupid mission when it wasn’t even barely a week into his administration? Why? For two years prior, there were no boots on the ground in Yemen — everything was missiles and drones — because there was not a target worth one American life. Now, all of a sudden we had to make this grand display?’’

.........

MORE:
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article135064074.html#storylink=cpy

[milestogo]

1. I would not be surprised if Trump started trashing the father on twitter.

[Ilsa]

3. We already know that he has no shame in doing so.

[mucifer]

14. President Obama had parents of fallen soldiers voice their anger at him

and he showed respect.

I doubt trump has the self control to do show any respect.

[Bengus81]

24. They should have voiced anger at Bush.IDIOT who started the War to begin with...nt

[mucifer]

28. Parents who are grieving aren't always the most logical. Sometimes you just have to be respectful

or you will just cause more pain.

[murielm99]

39. He already did that to the Muslim parents

who lost their son. Remember the man who offered trump his copy of the Constitution?

Sad.

[Cha]

2. Well, I'm glad his dad is speaking out.. it

sounds like the mission was horribly botched from the beginning.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. There goes the right-wing argument that we should shut up because the family

wants solitude.

[not fooled]

42. If the mission made sense to the father

he would accept his son's death and be silent.

It's the waste and suspicion that this mission was ordered for duplicitous reasons that anger the father.

[Baitball Blogger]

45. I believe what we are seeing is jingo exhaustion.

GBII and his failed mission required a lot of patriot rhetoric to shut down criticism for his decisions. I think people are beginning to see through that. And they are finally asking the right questions.

[Achilleaze]

5. republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief was busy tweeting kisses to Russian BFFs

My sincere condolences to the Owens family on the loss of their son, who had the misfortune to serve his country under the "leadership" of an unqualified republican casino sharpie and conman.

[pinboy3niner]

7. That never gets old...

Nor does this:

[democrank]

16. Trump grabbing that Purple Heart " he always wanted"

was one of the most sickening moments (among many) of his disgusting campaign.

[pinboy3niner]

21. He thought he deserved one for fighting STDs while others of his gen were dying in Vietnam

They're equivalent, right?

[MrPurple]

41. If he lost that battle and had syphylitic dementia...

How could you tell?

[Achilleaze]

22. It was such a disrepectful slap in the face to all our wounded

[3catwoman3]

27. One of the most sickening moments, indeed.

A person with class and dignity would have thanked the veteran for his (horribly misguided) gesture and firmly declined the offer. And definitely not joked about always wanting one.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

33. As with so much about him, I find the fact that he was not widely condemned by Republicans

for this far more troubling. He's a thoughtless, disgusting, egomaniacal, bully and has always been. The people who have elevated him to this position of power are despicable blatant hypocrites and opportunists.

[mnmoderatedem]

35. and yet...

no outrage from the right. Now if a democrat had done that? Cue the manufactured outrage....

[George II]

6. This whole incident has been a sad reminder that we need sane leadership in the country...

....the only reason that operation was ordered was for trump to flex his muscles one week into his "presidency".

Horrible that a man died for trump's ego.

[Docreed2003]

9. Trump didn't even have enough leadership

To be in the situation room during the raid! From what we know, it doesn't seem like anyone was there! Trump's idea of being a figurehead is not what America needs for leadership. The raid was nothing more to Trump that a potential way to show off how tough he intends to be on ISIS. As you said, we need "sane leadership".

[Docreed2003]

8. The father is absolutely correct...

We need answers. The whole raid sounds like a cluster from the start and in the immediate aftermath the administration suggested the raid was a huge success because it achieved its purpose of gathering Intel...except it wasn't the purpose of the mission, the purpose of the raid was to take out an ISIS leader. It wasn't until he started trolling Trump on social media that the world found out the truth. The raid was ill timed and thought out and there should be investigations

[pinboy3niner]

11. And Trump was too busy tweeting to monitor his first op putting troops in harm's way. nt

[mercuryblues]

15. I think that

finding out that trump was tweeting some inane shit during the raid is what pushed this father to speak out.

[Docreed2003]

18. That alone highlights Trumps concern for our military in harms way

[Botany]

10. Both the Obama admin. and the pentagon had rejected that raid before as ....

... not worth the risk but Trump wanted to look like a "strong man" and
so with the help of his son in law and Bannon he gave the go ahead for
the mission in the White House dinning room. Afterwards he went up to his
bedroom to watch TV and send out tweets.

1 SEAL KIA
3 SEALs wounded
30 others killed including women and children
50 million $ aircraft was lost
and the al Qaeda person we were after got away.

No doubt Trey Gowdy will be calling for an investigation into this cluster fuck.

and please to any right wing whackl jobs who are reading this please go check out
if everything I have written is correct.

[Oneironaut]

12. Drumpf killed his son because he wanted an early victory he could brag about.

This raid was careless and thoughtless.

[Ligyron]

25. Think it'll teach Trumpy a lesson?

Naw, didn't think so.

But it might give his son-in-law pause next time.

[smirkymonkey]

13. The poor man.

Having to face Trump would be adding insult to injury. Just too cruel.

[AgadorSparticus]

17. I don't blame Owens one bit for everything he is feeling. I would feel the same.

It is appalling and infuriating. That seal died because of trump. That is all on him.

[democrank]

19. Heartbreaking

May this family find peace.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

20. Yakla Raid: Trump committed his first war crime in only 9 days (decision was made on day 5). nt

[Bengus81]

23. Remember the Pat Tilman LIE and how his parents fought back.....

They USED Tilman as fodder for Bush approval ratings. Trump tried to get a ratings jump with this raid and it went south in a hurry and should have NEVER have taken place.

[Johnny2X2X]

26. YouTube video

A 10 year old YouTube video Trump had seen was at least in part the reason he ordered the strike.

Trump is a clueless buffoon and he's going to get thousands of Americans killed because he doesn't take things seriously.

[3catwoman3]

29. Kudos to Mr. Owens for declining to meet...

...the pRezident.

Grand gesture is exactly right.

Fuck Trump.

[Stellar]

30. This was just too awful and sad!

[bucolic_frolic]

31. Why?

If the mission had succeeded it would have made a winning tweet for Twittler.

What other reason could there be?

[AnotherMother4Peace]

32. My heart breaks for Ryan Owen's family. Bill Owen is right to demand answers.

[Kingofalldems]

34. Kick this for Trump's yeoman cavers to see.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

36. Shouldn't we be making a Benghazi-style fuss over this?

I know, there's so much to be angry about with Pissolini in charge, but this...this seems like it ought to have legs.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

37. ....

[Maru Kitteh]

38. This father would not allow Trump to use him as photo-op prop. Good for him.

This courageous man deserves answers, and he deserves not to be used a prop in the failing Trump propaganda effort.

ALSO:
I just watched a story on this on CNN with Fredrika Whitfield!

[iluvtennis]

40. This man's son is no longer here because #Illegitimate Trump wanted to make a fkn splash. GAH

[burrowowl]

43. Good on Him!

[Blue_Roses]

44. This definitely needs to be investigated.

I didn't realize the EO ban was signed the day before the raid. Mr. Owens makes some good points, especially regarding how their cover was blown. Who's to say that it wasn't retaliation (in addition to other things) because their country had a ban on it. It would explain alot.

Just so sad...

[Achilleaze]

46. CBS News is reporting on this now

Investigate this ill advised Republican clusterf*ck