Families, Vets Urge Troops Come Home

Thursday, August 14, 2003

The Associated Press

Lt. Col. Jim Cassella, a Pentagon spokesman, said the antiwar campaign does not reflect the views of most soldiers or family members. "This small group is clearly out of step with the vast majority of servicemembers, families and veterans who clearly understand that we can fight and win the global war on terrorism in places like Iraq, or we can lose it in the streets of America," he said. "The troops know that, they've connected the dots."

WASHINGTON -- AP
Susan Schuman's son writes home from Iraq complaining of poor living conditions, skimpy water rations and dozens of daily attacks on U.S. troops that go unreported.

The mother of a Massachusetts National Guardsman stationed in Iraq since March, Schuman has joined others - longtime pacifists, military veterans and parents with children on extended deployments - in a campaign to bring them home.

"Our soldiers are demoralized. They are fighting an illegal and unjustified war," Schuman said at a news conference Wednesday introducing the campaign, Bring Them Home Now.

They want the U.S. occupation in Iraq to end, even if they disagree on how to take care of the war-ravaged country.

"I want to bring them all home now and let the Iraqi people determine the future of Iraq," said Stan Goff of Raleigh, N.C., a military veteran whose son is serving in Iraq.

The campaign's name is a twist on President Bush's comment at a July news conference. Responding to attacks on U.S. forces, Bush taunted, "Bring 'em on."

The utterance was criticized as an encouragement for violence against American troops.
(More: Military.com)
2003 © The Associated Press.

Dan