Leave Bush Alone

Newsmax ^ | Dec. 23, 2003 | Steve Malzberg

[Maria S]

Those who oppose our successful efforts in Iraq and despise our commander in chief have found a new charge to level against President Bush. No, it's not the tried and true "He's a miserable failure." It's not "He doesn't work well with others." It's not "He didn't go to the United Nations before getting us involved in an unnecessary war." It's not even "He was SELECTED, not ELECTED, president in 2000."

Those attacks have failed to move the president's disapproval rating out of the low 30s. In an effort to move that number in an upward direction, some have taken to blasting Bush for not attending the funerals of our servicemen and women who have been killed in Iraq. They have also attacked the president for not allowing TV cameras to be positioned at Dover Air Force Base, to record the coffins of those killed in action as they return home one final time.

At least one man who lost his son in Iraq has had enough of the criticism of the president.

"I'm the father of a soldier who was killed in Iraq on May 30 earlier this year." That's how Ron Griffin, who lost his 20-year-old son Kyle, began his phone call to me on my WABC Radio program in the wee hours of a New York morning. He had just heard Gen. Wesley Clark bring up the issues of the base at Dover and the funerals. He had also seen the issues raised as questions in a recent poll, where the majority of Americans answered that they thought President Bush should attend some of the funerals and should allow viewing of the returning dead soldiers.

"Very simply, the media has no reason to be at Dover Air Force Base," he told me. "My son was killed with two of his best friends. If I was to sit and watch TV to see three soldiers coming off a plane, how do I know who is my son?" What about the 17 soldiers who were killed [in Somalia]? How do you have the media there?" Griffin told me that at first he wasn't going to go to pick up his son, but he did head out to meet his son at Dover. "We went to pick my son up. They hold a full military ceremony with honors. The old guard is there from Washington, D.C. It's all done in private with the soldiers and their family only. I was told very nicely by those in charge that they take care of their own." Ron Griffin says it would be impossible for President Bush to be at every military funeral. "The day that my son was buried, his two friends were buried the same day at the same time in different places. Two in Pennsylvania and one in New Jersey. How does the president pick and choose which one he goes to? Does he go to my son's and not his two friends? Or does he go to one of the friend's and leave my son out?"

And then there is the possibility of turning the funerals into a media event. "If he would have showed up at my son's funeral, there would not have been any room at the church. So who gets kicked out?" Griffin wondered. "One of my son's friends?"

Griffin says: "Bush is doing absolutely the right thing. We don't want a media circus. It would take away from everything the day was. It was a celebration of my son's life."

Kyle Griffin, born on Sept. 11, 1982, was a long-range reconnaissance special operations soldier. He was killed in a traffic accident between Tikrit and Mosul. His dad, a Vietnam veteran, says that Kyle loved being in the military and knew that there was a chance he wouldn't return home. "I don't need somebody like Wesley Clark to tell me that I should be angry at George W. Bush because he doesn't attend funerals," Ron Griffin said. "I don't understand how people can use the death of somebody to their advantage."

"My son and I talked about [U.N.] Resolution 1441. He wanted to be a soldier. He had no qualms about going to Iraq." The proud father added: "There are only about 450 families who are going through this. People don't understand what we're going through."

I think that President Bush does, and you would think that the general would too.

[Paul Atreides]

"I don't understand how people can use the death of somebody to their advantage."

You have to be a liberal in order to understand the thought process.

[PeteFromMontana]

and so it goes... If you do not walk in the shoes you cannot possibly understand....

Thank you for posting this, very timely, very powerful.

[Reagan Man]

"I don't need somebody like Wesley Clark to tell me that I should be angry at George W. Bush because he doesn't attend funerals," Ron Griffin said.

Thank you for your sons service and sacrifice for his country, Mr.Griffin. America honors him.

[Joe Boucher]

Humble dittos Mr. Griffin.

[presidio9]

"I don't understand how people can use the death of somebody to their advantage."

Easy: If he has evidence that may be incriminating to you, you fake his suicide in Ft. Marcy Park.

[MEG33]

Amen

[shaggy eel]

"He doesn't work well with others."

,,, another way of saying the UN can't walk all over him.

[chainsaw]

How many funerals of enlisted men did Wesley Clark attend when he was in the service? Did he attend any?

[Fester Chugabrew]

"You have to be a liberal in order to understand the thought process."

No joke.

[brewcrew]

,,, another way of saying the UN can't walk all over him.

In both business and politics, the best work is always done by brilliant individuals working alone, away from the distractions of "group dynamics."

[ladyinred]

They actually expect the President of the US to attend the funerals of those killed in Iraq? These people have gone bonkers. No President has done that before, at least not that I am aware of. As to not showing the returning caskets, that is a policy that has been in place for years, including during Clinton's administration. They well know this, and are just hypocrites as usual.

[My2Cents]

Right. Another way of saying, "Won't capitulate to the international community which wants to make the US into a second-rate power."

[My2Cents]

When did Hillary ever attend a memorial service of someone killed on 9/11?

[shaggy eel]

BTTT

[onyx]

Excellent post, Maria S.

God bless Kyle Griffin and his family. True Americans.

[Hot Tabasco]

I was in a bar this past Friday night when 3 Marine Corps soldiers came in in full dress uniform from a Toys-For-Tots function. To say that these guys looked extraordinary is an understatement! As each one passed by I shook their hands and personally thanked them for their sacrifice. We also gave up our seats at our table so that they could have a place to sit in a SRO bar.

I had a chance to talk to one of the sergeants who said that he was active duty for a long time then got out and stayed in the reserves. He has just voluntered for active duty and will be deployed to Iraq in February. He is with an Engineering group (?) and his speciality is seeking out and eliminating land mines.........

And I thought my job sucked......

I talked to the bar owner and asked him if he would comp their drinks and he said he would do so gladly. Kinda made my otherwise lousy week......

[perfect stranger]

And it made my night to read your post. Thank you.

[spookycc]

Likely only if she knew there'd be media coverage.

[Texagirl4W]

I wish some TV stations could pick this up. This is one thing I worried for President Bush about. This article puts it in a new perspective. Thanks for posting.