Military Mom's Story Has Romney Questioning How Obama Sleeps at Night

ABC OTUS News ^ | Sat, Mar 3, 2012 | By Emily Friedman

[robowombat]

BEAVERCREEK, Ohio - After a military mother told him her daughter doesn't understand her mission in the Air Force, Mitt Romney questioned how President Obama can "sleep at night," knowing troops overseas don't understand "precisely what they're doing there." "If your daughter is not familiar with the mission that she's on, how in the world can the commander in chief sleep at night, knowing that we have soldiers in harm's way that don't know exactly, precisely, what it is that they're doing there," Romney said. Vicki Chura, from Fairfield, Ohio, was one of several people who stood to ask Romney a question this afternoon, explaining that her daughter, who she didn't name for privacy reasons, constantly tells her than she is desperate to come home from her deployment in Afghanistan.

[robowombat]

If this has already been posted I apologise. There are plenty of questions about the by now muddled Afghan mission but this strikes me as a rather whiney and self indulgent ploy for 15 seconds of fame.

[SatinDoll]

Well, I guess it depends on whether you’re afraid your kid is going to get killed for no reason what so ever!

With Obama in the Whtie House, I understand her concern, whiney and self-indulgent, or not.

[robowombat]

True, but having been in the USAF and been in another insurgency campaign (Viet Nam) I have to say that unless this woman's daughter is combat aircrew she stands a far bigger chance of being killed or injured in a motor vehicle related accident on base than she does from enemy action. Afghanistan as with Viet Nam presents the curious picture of a large majority of US military personnel existing in materiel comfort cocooned on large operational support bases while a minority of combat and combat support personnel principally Army and USMC are in intense and frequently savage ground combat. There is nothing quite like the absurdity of post modern military operations. It has to be experienced to be fully savored.

[Tigerized]

First, the link is missing the “ml” at the end of the string (should be “html”). Works OK after adding it.

Very interesting comments, mostly from people without any skin in the game in Afghanistan.

We’re counting the days until my son’s second deployment is up. You can hear the frustration in his voice when he calls, especially after another casualty or injury.

Democracy and self-determination are concepts lost on peoples who are hopelessly stuck in the 7th century. They have no concept of the modern world, relying solely on word of mouth from local mullahs to shape what worldview they may have.

And our CinC has no idea what the term “victory” means, or what it looks like. Until we, as a nation, absolutely know why we’re there, we have no business risking the lives our finest young patriots and our precious treasure on this “hearts and minds” crap. All the Afghans see are suckers dressed in camo, only there to do their bidding.

One thing the Afghans have no shortage of is patience. They’re still invested in grievances that go back a thousand years. And things will remain the same once we’re gone.

Handing them a shot at freedom and liberty is like giving a laptop to a cat. What’s the point?

[SatinDoll]

I was stationed in Rota, Spain, 1982 - 1986, while in the Navy. I was a crypto-linguist with NAVSECGRU. I told my parents Rota was a resort town where norther Europeans liked to vacation, and this was true so they had nothing to fear per my safety despite the bombings in Germany.

What I didn’t tell them was that Black September terrorists had come over to Spain via Morrocco, were armed with automatic weapons, and planned terror activities against military personnel, like their daughter, in southern Spain.

I knew why I was there and what role my department played in national security. There was no need to tell my folks the truth.

The problem with Afghanistan is the Bush administration felt they had to make up for the lack of help given to that nation after the Russians pulled out. I remember at the time of the 9-11 attack the media accusing the government of ‘abandonning’ the Afghans to the Taliban. The problem is we never stopped to consider whether a culture stuck in the 7th century should undergo nation building, the attempt to turn it into a modern state. OOPS!

After 9-11 we should have treated Afghanistan like any nation involved in piracy/terrorism. Punish the nation and make them so damned miserable they throw the pirates/terrorists out, or kill them.

[robowombat]

Afghanistan is pretty much what you describe. I would discourage anyone from joining the ground force services who are primarily doing it for altruistic reasons such as patriotism. The all volunteer force in the age of protracted combat is for those who find the phoniness of contemporary culture and the sheer lack of authenticity to be so gagging they have to escape to a harsher place. Or people who are looking for an economic out. In other words the classic building blocks of a professional long service military. If one is a young patriot stay home, have a family and work within your community to make it a better place and raise good children.

One thing you do allude to is the destruction PC is bringing even to the ground combat people. The US military is so powerful and the people it fights are so primitive compared to our capabilities that the people at the top have lost sight of what military services are for and the resulting dysfunction and rampant careerism as one ascends the chain of command have the potential for producing an military establishment such as France had in 1940 if we ever do face a real peer opponent again.

[robowombat]

Your comments are correct and then some. Apparently after late 2002 the Beltway establishment pretty much forgot about Afghanistan as the run up to Iraq took place. Incredibly, the highest levels of the US government cannot multitask worth a crap. The campaign to rout AQ faded and no effort to squeeze Pakistan to enter the tribal areas in real force or we would was attempted. One has to see the bureaucracy in action to really see how dysfunctional, marginally competent and sometimes just plain unserious people are and this sort of thing gets worse the higher one goes.

[T-Bird45]

Excellent summary and socio-cultural history as regards Afghanistan. As has been the case in other post WW2 US military engagements, something that seemed clear at the start very quickly devolved through mission creep. Probably the most frustrating thing about Afghanistan is the fact that we had a prime example of everything factor you noted with the USSR misadventure there in the 80s. It’s not like we have to consult a book on the history of the British Empire.

Love the laptop to a cat analogy!!

[StonyBurk]

To play devils advocate-as best I can without committing suicide. So far as the 0 is concerned our men and women in military uniform exist for only one purpose—to make sure he gets what he wants done.Having grownup with Communists he brought that into the White House. And the Islamic factors fit with the Communist the depots wherever they are found tend to think alike. And I never met a “community organizer” that wasn’t a despotic wannabe. The 0 is a zipperhead-his power is only as great as is given him by others. Those in uniform will never have a clear mission beyond doing the will of the man in the White House. those who try to escape will find they are no different than Col Terry Lakin— or Army Sp. Michael G.New.

[SoFloFreeper]

Obama’s mission for the military is to weaken its fighting capability, and to use it for social welfare purposes.

I actually saw a Navy commercial on TV a few weeks ago that championed the service—not for protecting us from enemies, but for helping some poor family get through a crisis.

[SoFloFreeper]

Obama’s mission for the military is to weaken its fighting capability, and to use it for social welfare purposes.

I actually saw a Navy commercial on TV a few weeks ago that championed the service—not for protecting us from enemies, but for helping some poor family get through a crisis.

[Venturer]

I wonder what the Rules of engagement will be when Obama turns the military loose on us after he outlaws guns.

[panthermom]

My son is there too, we are 10 mos. in. It is very frustrating for him...Actually, he will say “Why am I being asked to give candy to kids?” There have been times over the last few months where his platoon has gotten hit real hard, he said they then make them stay inside the wire for a few days, in the meantime, he said the Taliban are out planting new IED’s.

I have 2 sons that are Infantry, I accept the fact that they have an MOS that puts them on the front lines and understand the consequences. What I do NOT accept is putting them on the front lines with their hands tied behind their backs!

[blueunicorn6]

Mitt Romney was heroically defending France during America’s war in Vietnam. Vive le poulet!

[ansel12]

LOL.