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General Category => Grab Bag => Topic started by: Pooh on May 01, 2011, 08:14:52 PM

Title: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: Pooh on May 01, 2011, 08:14:52 PM
May all the family members of the victims of 9/11 sleep peacefully tonight.  God Bless our Troops!
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: luise.volta on May 01, 2011, 08:23:39 PM
Amen!
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: pam1 on May 02, 2011, 07:12:22 AM
Yep yep!

Although now I'm starting to wonder what the new guy will do. 
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: overwhelmed123 on May 02, 2011, 07:22:03 AM
Yes, Amen to that Pooh!  God bless our wonderful troops!
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: holliberri on May 02, 2011, 08:07:02 AM
Three cousins of mine were in the Towers that day and never made it out. I was happy, but I sobbed going to bed last night. I can't really articulate it, but the fact that one man was able to harness and use so much hate is a devastating prospect to me. I was 18 at the time...and I can't explain the profound loss of innocence I felt watching the news that day. Then I saw what my family went through...and then I multiply that 3,000 times over, and then another 5,000 times over during two wars, and that is just American lives I am talking about...the magnitude is exponential when I consider how the Middle East has been affected.

I know the world is safer, while at the same time I know this is all far from over. I certainly never expected him to be found, but I didn't ever think I could be happy and grief stricken at the exact same time. I didn't go into work today. I had a victory shot at 1 a.m., and I figured I better spend the day reflecting on the last 10 years and all those weird emotions this has brought up for me. I can't really call it victory, although I'm so proud of our troops and the hard work they've done to have him found. It's a little bit of closure that I didn't have before.

It is certainly a little bit of closure and a little bit of peace, but I didn't realize how complex it would be all the same.
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: pam1 on May 02, 2011, 08:20:33 AM
(((Holly)))  I know what you're saying, my emotions have been all over the place with this.

Right before 9/11 I had just returned from a deployment to Saudi Arabia.  I can't articulate it but I'm sad for everyone, no matter what side of the world they are in. 
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: Rose799 on May 02, 2011, 10:35:46 AM
I'm so sorry, Holly.   It hit home, for me, how long it's taken for the 9/11 families to feel any sense of justice or closure.  I'm not feeling celebratory either, though I am mighty proud of those who went in after him.   Is your dd home with you today?  Maybe the two of you can go for a stroll or to a park to feed the ducks.  Maybe dh can take off work a little early & join you.  You're in my thoughts...
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: holliberri on May 02, 2011, 10:51:44 AM
She is home today! I drove to my Aunt's house (2 of her children and her son in law worked at the WTC), but she was not home. I left some cookies and a note on the doorstep and headed home. So, I went to have lunch with DH instead. I suppose this day worked out as it should for me.

It really does help to know I'm not the only one that is feeling the gamut of emotions today. I know 9/11 affected every single one of us.
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: Sheen on May 02, 2011, 11:37:31 AM
I was begining to think I was the only one not in a celebrating mood today. Yes, it is good that they were finally able to find him, however where they found him opens up even more questions concerning who we believe are on the right side . When I woke up this morning and watched the news, it was a mixed bag of emotions.  The images of the celebrations going on in Washington etc did not bring feelings of proudness, but rather a bit of disapointment that in such a civilized country, we were reduced to this type of display over a loss of a life, regardless of their path  that person chose in life.

I understand how many will view this a closure but I hope that the future will not bring us more pain in the process.
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: holliberri on May 02, 2011, 11:50:27 AM
I'd wager to say the majority of us aren't celebratory, but I suppose this is just a perfect example of how a news story enables people to paint with a broad brush. Squeaky wheels get the grease, and even if the news networks were knocking on my door right now, I don't think I'd open it for them to explain my melancholy, so I don't even think I could disprove the assumption people are getting from wathing the news if I wanted to.
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: pam1 on May 02, 2011, 12:13:04 PM
I finally ended up turning the tv off and went for a walk.  Life is sure strange sometimes.
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: elsieshaye on May 02, 2011, 12:19:42 PM
I haven't even watched the news, or read any of the analysis.  I'm proud of our SEALs, and glad this particular stage of things is done.  I think there is a great deal of symbolic and psychological impact in what happened, but I don't personally believe it changes the situation much with respect to the global terrorism situation.  Which saddens me.  The fact that the situation exists at all saddens me.  So, yeah, not in a celebratory mood either.
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: Pen on May 02, 2011, 03:00:10 PM
I'm with you all. I hope as a nation and world we can come together for possible difficult times ahead. This chapter may be closed but the book isn't finished yet.
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: Pooh on May 02, 2011, 06:52:32 PM
Someone said to me today, "Oh, this is going to cause them to retaliate."  My philosophy on this is that they were already planning their next act of terrorism anyway.  Terrorists are terrorists simply to cause as much hate and discontent that they can, in the name of some kind of cause.  I was not celebrating a death of a person, I was celebrating some closure for the victim's families, the American public and anyone that believes that what happened was wrong.  I am also hoping this means we can finally start a bigger push to get our Troops home.

Holly, I am so sorry this has been a hard time for you, and yes, I remember exactly where I was that day.  I will never forget it.
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: FAFE on May 02, 2011, 07:04:33 PM
God Bless the USA and keep our troops safe. 
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: holliberri on May 02, 2011, 07:09:15 PM
I really am okay, Pooh. Closure I suppose is just a word tossed around, pretty elusive at best.

I did hear a bit of good news from my brother, who was a guard at Gitmo, then went overseas for a long time on a Fast Team in North Africa and then he spent time in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria in Special Ops. He said there is generally only a spike in recruitment and planning after a successful attack is carried out. He said our successes don't do much to increase activity like that, so you might be right.

He also said that there are only an estimated 1500 people affiliated with Al Qaeda and offshoot groups, and that since so many attacks have killed innocent people in the Middle East, that terrorism has, thankfully, begun to lose it's luster when compared to other, more legitimate means of livelihood.

I might mention, we can all do something to prevent things like this: be vigilant. The NYC bomber was caught because of 1.) a hot dog vendor spotted a smoking vehicle and 2.) an airline attendant was suspicious that a passenger would need an immediate one way ticket but wouldn't have any luggage. They both called in the tips and the Feds were able to keep that plane grounded. Everyday heroes are often forgotten about, but both of those people deserve Medals in my mind. I do think most of us will be safe here....I do worry about the troops though. They don't always have the luxury of time and planning like that had in this instance.

I can always count on little brother to allay my fears somewhat, if not completely.
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: Pen on May 02, 2011, 07:19:32 PM
Thanks for passing along the info, Holly. I've heard similar news as well from people who are also in the know.

I'm glad you're OK, if one is ever OK with these things.
Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: Rose799 on May 02, 2011, 08:07:13 PM
Quote from: Pooh on May 02, 2011, 06:52:32 PM
I am also hoping this means we can finally start a bigger push to get our Troops home.

I hope so, too...

Title: Re: God Bless our Troops!
Post by: Rose799 on May 02, 2011, 08:10:11 PM
That is good news, thanks for sharing Holly.  I'm glad you're okay...