Read the Letter This VETERAN WROTE to Senator Bernie Sanders About HIS Vote on Iraq War

[Segami]

A United States marine posted a heartfelt letter addressed to Senator Bernie Sanders on Reddit Tuesday from user CharlieDarwinsFather. In the message, The Marine expressed regret for having fought in an unjust war and gratitude to the Senator for having been one of the few to stand up against the proclamation of war.

“Senator Sanders,


I want to thank you. I want to thank you for exercising sound judgement even when everyone around you was beating the war drums.


See I fought in the streets of Fallujah, Iraq. I saw more blood and death than any 19 year old ever should. The amount of friends I’ve lost to war will likely be surpassed by the amount of friends I’ve since lost to suicide.


I know first hand the moral cost of war. One of the most painful truths that I must go through life with is that I fought in an unjust and unfounded war. While my intentions were good and I fought hard for the men to my left and to my right, and while I thought what I was doing what was right for the people of Iraq- I was wrong.


You knew this. You knew this before we went to war and you fought, and you spoke truth to your peers and though your words largely fell on deaf ears, I am truly heartened to know that I now have a chance to vote for a man who exercised sound and moral judgement when the war drums were beating the loudest.


I have a son. He is only one and a half years old but someday he will be 18 and I fear that if we continue to elect the same establishment politicians, he too will face the same decision that I did, and he too will go off to fight in an endless quagmire and that he too will come home, broken, and never fully returned or worse- never come home at all.


So thank you, Senator Sanders, for being of sound mind and judgement. Thank you for being the only voice in this race that does not want to continue this legacy of warfare. Thank you for being the only voice that is and has been standing up for those of us that fought in these misguided wars. Thank you for giving me hope for a peaceful future.”



Sincerely, A U.S. Marine – 0311 Operation Iraqi Freedom

It’s hard to argue with that.



http://trofire.com/2016/01/27/this-veteran-wrote-a-letter-to-senator-bernie-sanders-thanking-him-for-voting-against-the-iraq-war/

[Jarqui]

1. Yes but Jonathan Chait told me today all Bernie can do is income inequality nt

[draa]

2. Veteran groups must speak up.

It's important that we're never in that position again and that our President has enough foresight to avoid the mistake of going to war unless absolutely necessary. Thanks Segami.

[farleftlib]

3. Such poignance from a 19-yr old

I saw more blood and death than any 19 year old ever should. The amount of friends I’ve lost to war will likely be surpassed by the amount of friends I’ve since lost to suicide.

I know first hand the moral cost of war. One of the most painful truths that I must go through life with is that I fought in an unjust and unfounded war. While my intentions were good and I fought hard for the men to my left and to my right, and while I thought what I was doing what was right for the people of Iraq- I was wrong.

That is just heartbreaking.

[Divernan]

25. Fallujah was in 2004 - he's now around 30/31 yrs. old

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_Fallujah

Whatever his age, it's a heart-breaking letter.

[farleftlib]

29. Yes, I got that

what I was referring to was what he went through at the tender age of 19.

[global1]

4. WoW!!!! A Powerful Letter....

This letter needs to go viral. It needs our help to distribute it far and wide through social media.

[VulgarPoet]

5. This is why I hold as much vitriol as I do for Clinton.

Her, and every single Dem that voted for war are complicit in what this countryman went through, and what hundreds of thousands of my countrymen, my brothers-in-arms went through. And if you believe she won't do it again, I've got some waterfront property to sell ya in Kansas.

[KingCharlemagne]

51. And what the people of Iraq went through. - nt

[VulgarPoet]

57. Amen; and every incidental victim by association thanks to her. Iraq, Syria, Libya, my countrymen

all of them.

[cali]

6. And this young man is why Hillary's vote is still a huge mark against her.

[beam me up scottie]

7. Rec from a former Marine.

Semper fi.

[Matariki]

8. We need an extra super Rec button

or one that indicates a post has moved you to tears.

[libdem4life]

9. There could be 10s of thousands of these letters. For Shame, Hillary et al.

This issue isn't an Annie Oakley shoot-em-up.

[CharlotteVale]

10. That is powerful.

[colsohlibgal]

11. If Only More Had a That Courage

Way too many democrats were either easily fooled or did not have the courage to vote no. Of course one off them was Hillary, she went with the blind herd and so many thousands are not here anymore or are compromised if they are. Oh and it is costing us trillions.

Thanks Bernie and the few others who had the smarts and moral compass to resist the rush for "shock and awe".

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

53. What Bernie has is wisdom

and it takes time and experience to acquire it.

[ChiciB1]

12. Ive Heard Many Veterans Talking The Same Way...

There's a group here where I live called Veterans Against The War!

[dragonfly301]

13. Thank you for sharing this

it really helps to put the focus on what is important. I just finished reading Joan Walsh's article where one privileged white woman was telling me that because I'm a woman I should vote for the privileged white woman in the race because she's getting picked on. I don't think she understands that this woman's health would deteriorate if her sons were sent to war. I stand with this veteran who worries that his child may have to fight a senseless war - that is why I'm voting for Bernie.

[WillyT]

14. HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!!

[JDPriestly]

15. K&R.

[SammyWinstonJack]

16. What else to say?

[Javaman]

17. three guys, much younger than me, whom I work with...

all served in Iraq, two of which were in the invasion.

all three are voting for Bernie for the exact same reason the vet in the letter states.

[PatrynXX]

18. differences between Obama, Sanders vs Hillary

names . Hillary is all me. Barack and Bernie especially Bernie isn't entirely concerned about himself (kinda like the current pope) He's more concerned with Americans. Doesn't care what happens to him, he'll keep working for America the Beautiful till he is no longer able to. Thats what I like about Bernie. Elizabeth Warren is too. She didn't really want to get into the Senate. But she's there because no one else will. I still think a Sanders Warren ticket would be a killer. Never assume the Military is gonna be pro Left or Right. They are more Independent. While Bush chose to ignore the Soldiers coming home in Boxes. Barack did not. They deserved respect. and a Hail to this Vet.

I once helped one Soldier who I didn't entirely agree with on politics but he was over there in Iraq and wanted to watch a certain webchat (ahem no comment on where) I pointed him towards some good VPN's. He's home now . Probably not a Marine I'd want to irritate either. He'd take on Rambo and probably take him out. Still he hasn't forgotten that I helped him get outside the controlled internet the Soldiers over there have. The information they get is restricted. Like Good Morning Vietnam. So what if I helped out in finding a VPN for a Soldier. I'd do it again. there are a few obvious VPN's but either way it worked and he was able to watch a webchat from time to time.

[Uncle Joe]

19. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Segami.

[democrank]

20. K & R

~PEACE~

[Paka]

21. K&R

[kenfrequed]

22. Yes!

Bernie does not accept stupid wars!

I trust the candidate that gets this stuff right the first damned time!

[chervilant]

23. I find it astonishing

that anyone can dismiss or minimize Hi11ary's yea vote on the illegal invasion of Iraq.

Her cavalier and flippant observations after the Seals killed bin Laden have been off-putting, as well.

I just cannot support her. I stand with the millions of citizens UNITED for Bernie, and I'm prepared to continue to work as an activist to help him achieve our goals.

[sulphurdunn]

27. Hillary voted for the Iraq War in 2002

for the same reason she opposed the Vietnam War in 1970. They were the best triangulations to further her own advancement. It never ceases to amaze me that the same people who had no trouble figuring out what the Bushes and Romneys are can't figure out what the Clintons are.

[chervilant]

34. Something else I've found interesting:

Since I've started "misspelling" Hi11ary's name, I get very few snarky rebuttals from her supporters, both here and in other social media. Either the majority are now posting exclusively in that group from whence I've been banned, or the way I spell her name doesn't get a hit in the search or advanced search options.

[Juicy_Bellows]

39. I'll go with the latter. Nt.

[sulphurdunn]

42. I was banned from the Hillary group for being

mildly critical of her. I didn't know it was the Hillary group. Maybe you can explain to me how their stuff gets posted on the home page.

[Unknown Beatle]

24. Contrast that with this:

"We came, we saw, he died", and then she laughs. I mean, c'mon, death is funny. SMH

Hillary is a warmonger.

[chervilant]

35. Yes, isn't that a "classy" response?

I observed herein above that her cavalier and flippant attitude about bin Laden's death was really off-putting. Blech.

[cantbeserious]

26. Thank You For Sharing These Truths

eom

[mountain grammy]

28. K & R

and from my Vietnam Vet husband, a huge "hell yes." Unbelievably, he still supports Hillary, but has assured me he'll have no problem voting for Bernie.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

30. I wonder if Hillary would use the "world is a better place with Saddam gone" argument.

[Duval]

31. I'm glad he spoke out, and I'm sure many of our Veterans feel the same.

I spoke to one a few months ago, and he said "I lost a lot of friends due to a FU#King war just for oil!" He was angry even years later, and sad.

NOOOO to any more "boots on the ground" in the Middle East. That's just one of the many reasons I'm voting for Bernie.

[Martin Eden]

32. "sound and moral judgement when the war drums were beating the loudest"

........THAT is among THE most important qualifications for PRESIDENT.

Not too difficult to compare Bernie Sanders with other contenders for the White House.

[tinkerbelle]

33. Happy to see this here!

I posted a piece about it at DKos earlier today. Such an inspiring letter, and a wonderful young man, too. I just sent him a link to this piece and he said he'd read it shortly, when he finished phone-banking for Bernie!

These kids blow me away with their dedication and courage.

[Mnpaul]

36. Foreign policy

you can believe in. Smart foreign policy that puts America's best interests at the forefront.

[Doctor_J]

37. The simplest difference between Sanders and Clinton

Sanders has morals. Most of the policy differences between them boil down to the fact that Hillary has none.

[Juicy_Bellows]

40. It's odd.

By damn, honesty is a commodity? How refreshing!

[FairWinds]

38. Hey Mr. Vet - I fought in an unjust war too . .

Vietnam. In some ways it was even more evil and stupid than Iraq, 2003.

One thing that helps me, and I hope helps the country, is to be
a member of Veterans For Peace (and there is also Iraq and Afghanistan
Veterans Against the War).

VFP's goal is to abolish war as an instrument of national policy.

Why not? If not now, when? If not us, who?

And this goes beyond Bernie - these orgs need your support.

[Enthusiast]

41. K&R! This post received hundreds of recommendations! Yay!

[John Poet]

43. A time for peace

K & R

[raouldukelives]

44. K&R What initially brought me to this site was my opposition to war.

What made us "underground", IMHO, was the fact that all the mainstream dems were lining up to bang the war drums.

Now, many seem to be longing for the "good old days".

[beemer27]

45. Amen

This young Marine knows what he is talking about. Listen to him. The war in the middle east was totally unnecessary, and unjustified. The people who took out the twin towers were Saudis, not Iraqis. Iraq was not our enemy. There was no good reason to be over there. Our "leaders" lied to get the public on board. This will always be a black mark against them, and I hope that no one lets the world forget who was behind this needless war.
I too was 19 when I went to war. My war was Vietnam. That was another war that we did not belong in, and many of us came back with wounds that will never heal. And many of us did not come back. At the time, we thought "never again". There must come a time when we have honest and wise leaders who will learn from these past mistakes. Our military is trained to defend our country, and I hope that we always have a strong military. It should never be used to protect economic interests, never be used for empire building, and never be used to provide profit for the military industrial complex.
Bernie is our best chance for this change in American attitude and policy. I hope that he gets the voter turn out that he needs to win.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

46. But that should only cost Hillary one election, not two

...according to her supporters. Statute of limitations.

[heaven05]

47. the beat goes on

While I applaud Sen. Sanders and his war vote and not surprised by HRC's war vote, as long as the bankers, industry/Walton types/their lobbyists along with the influence of the hawks in congress, both party's and the Pentagon the beat of the war drums has not changed from my service time in Vietnam to this marine's experience. We will see what Sanders will do about those drums IF he is elected

[avaistheone1]

48. Kicked & Recommended

[Ivan Kaputski]

49. Who'd want to argue with that?

"I made a mistake ...cackle cackle"

[KingCharlemagne]

50. KnR - nt

[misterhighwasted]

52. Did he mention that it's ok that bernie loved the MIC/F-35 Wall Street Investor deal?

Did he love bernie's big thumbs up to the MIC F-35 War & Death of Innocents for Profit Deal he made for VT?

Must have missed that part.
Brrnie plays both sides again & again.

Kudos to our Brave Soldier for his Service.
Bernie's no hero to the Military, however.

IMO.

[cali]

54. Oh so YOU speak for military?

And though I strongly disagree with Bernie support for the F-35, He's been on the good side on these issues far more often than not, and far, far more often than neocon Hill.

[d_legendary1]

55. The letter was about the hells of war, not the hells of war machines

If there is no war then there is little incentive in wasting money on war machines, right? Or are war machines more important to you than people being sent off to war?

[misterhighwasted]

56. Appears war was unimportant to bernie till he figured how to profit from it

Pretty low.
And he shakes his fist at Hillary's "Wall Street" ties.
Wall St profitted from Lockheeds F-35 production. One he welcomed in his own home State.
Playing both sides, rah rah bernie.

[d_legendary1]

59. Yeah that's why he voted no on the Iraq War

to make money off war machines. Makes perfect sense! BTW he never took money from Lockheed martin, unlike HRC who takes money from people with deep pockets and influence.

So I take it you want our armed forces to use old tech vs. new tech?

[bvar22]

58. One minor quibble.

The MAJORITY of Democrats voted AGAINST the IWR.
Hillary, and a few others crossed the aisle to help Bush and the Republicans Get The War On.