For Stephanie Miller & Cindy Sheehan
On August 18th, 2005 Cindy Sheehan was on Stephanie Miller’s Air America radio show and Ms. Sheehan was talking about the support she has gotten for her quest to see the President (for a second time), and Stephanie was praising her and telling her she has put a human face on this issue, how strong and brave she is, etc. Referring to the deaths of U.S. service personnel in Iraq Miller says, “These are not numbers, these are our children. 43 soldiers killed yesterday”. When I heard this I nearly crashed my car. Stop right there! There were not 43 soldiers killed in Iraq the day before. It was four! Not forty three, four! There were 43 Iraqis killed in suicide bomb blast in Baghdad on the 17th, but it was four Army soldiers killed in a roadside bomb attack in Samarra. There is a huge difference between 43 and 4.
The soldiers were killed on that day were: PFC Timothy J. Seamans, Specialist Ray M. Fuhrmann II, Sergeant Nathan K. Bouchard, Staff Sergeant Jeremy W. Doyle. They died as heroes defending the freedom loving people of Iraq from the terrors of the insurgency. I wonder if Stephanie Miller knew this, or even cares? Maybe she will call the newly minted Gold Star Mom’s and ask them to join Ms. Sheehan in her little camp out.
If people listen to Air America and take the talk show personalities at their word, Stephanie Miller is distorting the facts. I am sure she knew what she was doing, making the news from Iraq seem worse than it was. Of course, the deaths of four of my Army comrades makes me sad and I feel tremendous sympathy for their families, but do not cheapen their deaths by claiming 39 others also died that day.
As for Ms. Sheehan, she did not give up her child as she claims. Casey grew up to be a man. A man who joined the Army to serve his country; a man who, after serving in Iraq , reenlisted and returned; a courageous and dedicated professional who loved being a soldier, loved his unit and his comrades, and most of all, loved his country. He died on a mission he volunteered for.
Cindy Sheehan has a right to be sad, and even mad that her son is gone. But don’t make it sound like he was a child who was drafted. Don’t call the President of the United States a terrorist because your son has died. Casey Sheehan knew what he was doing. I didn’t know him, but I know a bunch of guys just like him. Young men and women who just want to do their part. Give something back to this great country of ours and help spread freedom and democracy anywhere people are being oppressed or massacred. If there was ever of doubt as to why were are in Iraq, ask the 29 million free citizens of Iraq who now participate in democracy, free trade, international sports, freedom of speech, freedom of religion. The new Iraq is about to have the most liberal and progressive constitution of any country in the Middle East. The new Iraq will be a member of the world community. Nearly 100 countries have reestablished diplomatic ties to Iraq and dozens have opened up embassies in Baghdad. The Iraqi military has already taken over 19 bases formerly controlled by coalition forces. Yes, there are still insurgents. Yes, US soldiers are still being killed. But their sacrifice has been for the greater good of Iraq. History will judge us and so will the next generation of Iraqis. They will grow up free and they will remember that it was the USA that freed them. I’ve read your open letter to President Bush and it is clear to me you had an anti-Bush agenda from the first day of the campaign. Anyone who still claims he stole the election in 2000 and then stole it again in 2004 has a screw loose. Cindy Sheehan, who is all but divorced from her entire family, whose brave son is doing cartwheels in his grave, has joined the ranks of the Michael Moores, Jane Fondas, and Jesse Jacksons. Only she will not last. Her 15 minutes of fame is up.
Spike Thiesmeyer, OIF Vet
