I read the news today, oh boy… The “out by year’s end” mantra is really starting to get under my skin so I felt compelled to compose the following letter to the candidates.

I certainly hope I’m not told to go back on my word.Sgt Hook out.

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Posted by Hook @ 0913 zulu | | Permalink
This post is filed under: Americana & Soap Box

Troops to Politicians: Please… Just Shut the F**k Up! « AmeriCAN-DO Attitude linked with Troops to Politicians: Please… Just Shut the F**k Up! « AmeriCAN-DO Attitude
J's Cafe Nette linked with Those Who Would Cut and Run (or pull out early) from Iraq, Please Listen Up
Stix Blog linked with A letter to the Candidates

Personally — my opinion — I am afraid that when candidates are quick to say bring the troops home, they are simply trying to get Mom and Dad to vote for them. They don’t really have any thought beyond “get that vote”.
And to the worried every day parents whose son or daughter is in Iraq or Afgh., that sounds good. Although they have sense enough, one hopes, to see it for what it is — campaign rhetoric. Doesn’t make the “who to vote for” decision any easier.

Comment by Kath — 16 January 2008 @ 1006

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“Year’s end” works… just not THIS year’s end.

This might be the first year of my life that I will not vote… because it feels a LOT like bobbing for turds.

Thank you, no.

Thank YOU Sgt. Hook (and all our outstanding young men and women “over there”) for making a difference… have you considered the Presidency?

I have hope… a little …

Comment by Pixie — 16 January 2008 @ 1014

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SGM,

That is a fine letter, SgtMaj. I am very heartened to hear and see that there are more than one of you who feel this way, including the most junior personnel. I hope this letter will be modified and used by many of our Men to let our “Leadership” (and I use the term very loosely because I’d hate to follow most of them anywhere, including just to find a bathroom) know how damaging their words of stupidity and self agrandisement and their lack of backbone and intestinal fortitude in the face of a true enemy is to Men and Women who bear the brunt of their cowardice (on both sides of the aisle) and provide the only backbone in American foreign policy throughout the world today.

I pray for you and your charges every day, and I hope you will all find your way home safely, after completing your mission, to a well deserved and restful homecoming. There is not a single man or woman in this world who does more for the principles of Peace and Justice today than the American Fighting Man and Woman who stand up under the harshest and most adverse of conditions to offer sanity, action, and moral clarity to the oppressed and tortured of this world. You guys are a credit to the human race, and will all “feast on lamb in paradise”, as far as I am concerned. God bless. Press on, sir.

Subsunk

Comment by Subsunk — 16 January 2008 @ 1456

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Interesting stuff! I’ll probably vote for the candidate with the most pragmatic policy on Iraq as opposed to one ideological and short-sighted.

Comment by LT Nixon — 16 January 2008 @ 1458

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I think you are being too kind with your reference to their “…service and dedication to this great nation of ours…” Most of them serve themselves and their political parties.

Now can you explain part about the “…wonderfully enticing prospect of democracy, whiskey, sexy…”?? I must be missing something there.

Comment by Anthony — 16 January 2008 @ 1500

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Whatever you do, don’t sit this one out. There are issues that are too important and there are candidates who approach them seriously, and are not advocating immediate withdrawal.

Excellent letter, btw…

Comment by Miss Ladybug — 16 January 2008 @ 1505

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You won’t be told to go back on your word. That $h!t’s not going to happen again. Not if any of us can help it.

Comment by MaryAnn — 16 January 2008 @ 1516

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Excellent, Hook. As good as it can be said.

An honorable perspective, calling for honor among a community (politicians) not known for honor.

Comment by dadmanly — 16 January 2008 @ 1522

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“They do so because the trust the American Soldier and that he/she has got their backs.”

Coming from one who has studies COIN for over two decades, this is the best definition of Counter Insurgency I have seen.

Comment by Francis Marion — 16 January 2008 @ 1536

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I wanted to write to you and tell you thank you for your service to our great country and I also wanted to tell you that alot of us back in the states support you and our other military personnel serving overseas. We also would like for you to come home as well and that should be when your Commanders say your job is finished. Again I would like to thank you and all the others that are serving or have made the ultimate sacrifice from the bottom of my heart and know that you are in my prayers everyday

Comment by Earl Sullivan — 16 January 2008 @ 1556

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Sgt. Hook:

We haven’t spoken for awhile although I remain a faithful reader. Your letter prompts me to engage once again. In your business as in mine, words do matter. Not in the sense that politicians think they matter; swaying the masses, influencing the vote, etc., but in the real world sense.

I don’t shoot or get shot at as you and your fellows do, but in a similar sense I’m on the front line of a domestic war. What’s important is that politicians understand that what they say resonates in ways unanticipated by them on the front lines of our society’s scuffles. Way down here where the rubber meets the road. Where those who find themselves on the pointy end get to see the eyeballs of our comrades and those on the other side of the ditch. You know what I’m talking about. Where it really matters. Where lives and success or failure are immediately and precariously positioned on the razor’s edge. And when they tip, those same eyeballs see, in real time the result.

And as those things take place, more often than not the blatherings of some no nothing politician miles removed and mentally disconnected from the actual events, are on the minds and lips of both the doers and the doees. For better or worse. Problem is,….. its more often the latter.

If it were up to me, the acronym STFU! would take its place and share equal billing with those hoary old artifacts of our wars; FUBAR! and SNAFU! They all come from the same place and are directed at the same group. You’d think the wisdom of the grunts would take hold someday.

Be safe. All the best. Happy New Year.

Judge Walker

Comment by Judge Walker — 16 January 2008 @ 1620

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Our “dear” retarded politicians are just plain brain dead. Consider this spread.

Snooper out.

Comment by Snooper — 16 January 2008 @ 1659

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Sgt Hook
Thank you for wearing the uniform and serving our country,
The overwhelming number of Americans want all of our troops home within a definite timetable.This seems to be opposite to your own personal views. At some point the Iraqis must either rise or fall on their own. When the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down: Bush said that 30 months ago. The time has come for us to go and the 2008 election will prove that.

Comment by John Ryan — 16 January 2008 @ 1740

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The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the - Web Reconnaissance for 01/16/2008 A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.

Comment by David M — 16 January 2008 @ 1758

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Wish I could be assured they’d read it, because I’d like for all politicians to get this letter. Hook, you’ve said quite succinctly what needs to be said and what would be taken to heart if there was any honor among our elected Congress or among those who aspire to be our newly elected President. Honor and Love of Country seem to be out of fashion these days and replaced by personal ambition and multiculturalism. I know I’m old and out of fashion myself, but I liked it when Americans were Americans, not hypenated anything, and we all thought our country was the best anywhere. I’m still proud to be an American with the values that you’ve outlined in your wonderful letter. I can’t tell you how proud I am for what you folks are doing, have accomplished and what you hope to accomplish - and I thank God every day for y’all. I’ll fight with all I have to see that you get the chance to finish what we’ve started!

Comment by MissBirdlegs in AL — 16 January 2008 @ 1838

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Thank you for your service and this post. Well said, indeed!

Comment by The Interface — 16 January 2008 @ 1935

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A letter to the Candidates

This is a great letter that every political pundit and candidate should read before they speak. We are not in Iraq for the fun of it or the short term, we are there to help the people of Iraq. We

Trackback by Stix Blog — 16 January 2008 @ 1948

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Holy Moly, I didn’t know you were back on the blog Sgt. It’s been a while.

Great letter, should be required reading (beyond the candidates).

All the best to you, your comrades, and your family.

Dave

Comment by Dave in Texas — 16 January 2008 @ 1955

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well, if they are looking for the votes of “moms and dads”, then they better be reading Hook’s admonition. As I tell people (ad nauseum): we all want our sons, daughters, husbands and wives home… and that day cannot come soon enough for any of us; but when they come home, we want to be sure they never have to go back. Finish the mission. (See the Sgt.’s letter if you are confused about the mission.)

Comment by Some Soldier's Mom — 16 January 2008 @ 2011

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Wow, very well said Sgt. May I share this?

To answer John Ryan…how little you must know of our own history. It took us a whole lot longer than 30 mos, or even 5 years, to stand on our feet as an independent country. We may have been oppressed by the aristocracy of England, but from over a thousand miles away. Not exactly the same as having the dictator and his henchmen sitting in your back yard. And we didn’t have constant barrages of people bent solely on creating a caliphate in our midst. We didn’t have to deal with IED’s, ambushes, and an influx of terror from countries bent on over-running us. So, why is it Mr. Ryan, that you believe that these people that have lived for generations under such conditions, should immediately grasp what democracy is and how to obtain it? Why is it that you think the Iraqis should be able to do what we weren’t able to do, in better circumstances?

Comment by tankerswife — 16 January 2008 @ 2025

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As always….Well Done Sir. This is EXACTLY what we need to say and more importantly they need to UNDERSTAND. Not just hear…understand.

Kick Ass, Hook!

Comment by Tammi — 16 January 2008 @ 2206

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Thank YOU! I will also be posting this, (and linking to you) encouraging all to use your letter as a basis for their OWN letters to your candidates.

I will even volunteer to go ‘read’ it to those of them who apparently can’t read.

On it from over here in BOB….

Comment by brat — 17 January 2008 @ 0133

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Those Who Would Cut and Run (or pull out early) from Iraq, Please Listen Up

A must read “Letter to the Candidates” from Sgt. Hook.
HT:Lone Wolf at Blackfive where he writes:
Sgt. Hook has a Letter to the Candidates that should go to every politician, not just those running. It is well worth reading, and well worth …

Trackback by J's Cafe Nette — 17 January 2008 @ 0537

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[…] Just Shut the F**k Up! Laughing Wolf at Blackfive directs us to Sgt Hook’s “Letter to the Candidates“. As Laughing Wolf notes, this letter should be read by all elected officials, not just the […]

Pingback by Troops to Politicians: Please… Just Shut the F**k Up! « AmeriCAN-DO Attitude — 17 January 2008 @ 0641

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When asked by others if I think Iraq is worth it, I simply reply that my opinion really does not matter, for I have chosen to defer to my son’s opinion. Mike Stokely thought Iraq was worth it because he loved his family, friends, and country so much that he would rather fight a war there than “here”. Mike Stokely thought the Iraqi people were worth fighting for so they could have the same opportunity for self governance in a civil society where rule of law controls rather than lawless murdering thugs. Mike Stokely believed that Iraq was worth bringing freedom to, and that freedom’s outer boundaries should not remain static, but should continually reach out. Mike Stokely believed Iraq was worth it enough that he refused to take a recruiting job and run out on his “guys” that he had trained with for three years, and kissed his high school sweetheart / bride goodbye (whom he married ten days before he deployed to Iraq on May 15, 2005) and went to fight for his own people and the Iraqis. Mike Stokely thought Iraq was worth it enough that even though he had been given the night off after a long day after many long days, that he jumped into an empty seat on a three humvee team mission and went back to work for them. Mike Stokely thought Iraq and her people were worth it enough to die for them.

proudly remembering my son, SGT Mike Stokely
KIA 16 AUG 05 near Yusufiyah Iraq south of Baghdad
USA E 108 CAV 48th BCT GAARNG

Comment by robert stokely — 17 January 2008 @ 1945

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I am with you Sarge. My son has done two tours of Afghanistan (first, right after 9/11), his wife went on the second as well, and he is preparing to leave for Iraq in March. I think you are too kind for the idiots who are destroying our country, all of whom are major media puppets. I am a Nam vet and I sure as the world understand your feelings and the desire to finish the job. We are the only country in the world that wants to lose and give up properly gained rights and territory. We continue to set the standard for American youth that quitting is the only answer for most solutions. Bless you and I admire you from the bottom of my heart.

Comment by Mike "Moon" Mullins — 17 January 2008 @ 2343

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Hook as always, your writing rocks!

Continue to take care, and please tell your men thank you for me.

Comment by SK — 18 January 2008 @ 1240

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Way to go, Hook. Awesome letter!

Comment by Connie — 18 January 2008 @ 2035

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Thank you, Sgt Hook! Thank you!
This will be shared to as many as I can get it to.

Comment by yankeemom — 19 January 2008 @ 0149

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I suspect I know who I’m voting against in the primaries… that leaves one person with a check in the box for his name. I vote for no one anymore… only against.

I am sending him a link to your letter. You wrote it for all of them… I figured why not send it directly?

Comment by Bou — 19 January 2008 @ 2002

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This should be read by EVERY politician, regardless if they are running for POTUS or not. Oh and every American, too. Well done Hook…stay safe and Godspeed.

Comment by gypsy — 20 January 2008 @ 1538

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That was a home run — in fact, a grand slam.

Comment by Jim - PRS — 20 January 2008 @ 2030

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