One Message. Many Voices. All troops home now.

www.bringmehomenow.org

read, "Do you think the President has made a change in strategy?" Because he keeps saying he has but that is not the public perception. If we could say, but sir, 5% of the people think you've actually MADE a change, that might (might, might) shut him the hell up on this one. As Randi Rhodes would say, he'd have to throw out that 3x5 index card.

including the marines -

Published Monday, February 26, 2007

Felons In Uniform

Time was when the slightest blemish on one's record was enough to disqualify one for military service. But the Iraq war, with extended and multiple tours of duty, is changing that considerably.

Enlistment into the armed services can be barred for two categories of crime: felonies and serious misdemeanors such as burglary and vehicular homicide. But those with such convictions can serve if they are granted a moral waiver.

The numbers of such waivers granted by the Army increased about 65 percent in the past three years - from just more than 4,900 in 2003 to 8,129 last year. That was happening while the Army used other methods to increase the recruiting pool. Those included cash bonuses and less-stringent weight and age restrictions.

The Marine Corps has issued far more moral waivers than the Army, but it has a stricter policy on drug use: It requires a waiver for one-time drug use; the other branches of service do not. The Marines granted 20,750 moral waivers last year.

In the past three years since the beginning of the war, the total number of moral waivers granted by all four branches of the armed services totaled 125,525. And in the past three years, the number of felons who enlisted in the armed forces nearly doubled, going from 824 felons in 2003 to 1,605 last year.

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070226/NEWS/702260331/1036

of course the military is taking those with criminal records now because they are stretched too thin.

(drug addicts with guns in poppyland Afganistan ? real smart. more military come back as drunks and addicts anyway , might as well send them that way right?)

US military recruits more felons

The US army says it will recruit quality young men and women

The number of people with criminal records in the United States military has doubled in the past three years, according to a new study.

The report comes at the same time as the US armed forces is facing a decline in the number of volunteers wishing to enlist in the armed forces.

It says 824 felons were allowed to sign up in 2004 as opposed to 1,605 in 2006 under the moral waivers scheme.

Almost 59,000 drug abusers entered the military in the same period.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6361281.stm

Not to forget that according to our own reports - since his illegal lying wasting human life of a war began in Iraq - Bush has INCREASED the amount of terrorists worldwide. He's made more than existed pre 911. ( and iraq had nothing to do with it)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-intel24sep24,0,2161892.story?coll=la-home-headlines

If condumbs really supported the troops why all the cuts to vet benifits since bush slimed his way into office ?

FROM THE MILITARY TIMES -

Down on the war

Poll: More troops unhappy with Bush’s course in Iraq

By Robert Hodierne

Senior managing editor

The American military — once a staunch supporter of President Bush and the Iraq war — has grown in creasingly pessimistic about chances for victory.

For the first time, more troops disapprove of the president’s han dling of the war than approve of it. Barely one-third of service members approve of the way the president is handling the war, ac cording to the 2006 Military Times Poll.

When the military was feeling most optimistic about the war — in 2004 — 83 percent of poll re spondents thought success in Iraq was likely. This year, that number has shrunk to 50 percent.

Only 35 percent of the military members polled this year said they approve of the way President Bush is handling the war, while 42 percent said they disapproved. The president’s approval rating among the military is only slight ly higher than for the population as a whole. In 2004, when his popularity peaked, 63 percent of the military approved of Bush’s handling of the war. While ap proval of the president’s war lead ership has slumped, his overall approval remains high among the military

Just as telling, in this year’s poll only 41 percent of the military said the U.S. should have gone to war in Iraq in the first place, down from 65 percent in 2003. That closely reflects the beliefs of the general population today — 45 percent agreed in a recent USA Today/Gallup poll.

It is official. Bush is mentally ill. He is suffering from serious delusions. It is now time to call the men in the white coats to take him away to an institution where he won't be able to be a danger to others any longer. This is truly the reign of Mad King George.

Not a myth. It was a guy in my senior class who got in one too many fights (long time ago). Marines thrive on self-mythology and hope no one busts them on it.

Back when I was teenager the local courts would sometimes *sentence* petty violent crimals to the marines. What a bunch of anti-social dumbshits.

-- Doctor Gnu

This is an urban legend. The military wouldn't take someone with a conviction for a violent offense.

And what, precisely, is a"petty violent criminal"? Sounds like you're just blowing smoke out your ass.

It is true that Bush has brought about changes to Iraq. What

is important however is this. Who wants this sort of change

made? Infrastructure destroyed. People leaving the nation to

save their lives. Such horrors brought to Iraq by Bush should

never befall any human being. It is bringing shame to all

citizens of the United States the type of change Bush has

caused in Iraq. Shame on him. Taking a nation that had a

brutal dictator and changing it to a nation broken into pieces

with a brutal occupation force. Are the Iraqi people really

better off with Bush's change?