The USA, owned and operated by. . . . ???????????

[Hardballer]

This was written by my wife and clearly echo's my own feelings.

Mrs. hardballer:

I feel sad, writing this but here goes.

I am afraid that the only thing patriotic about this country is the majority
of the citizens who live in and believe in this country. It includes those
who fight for the flag.

I have nothing but respect and gratitude for our soldiers. Past, present
and future. I have tearfully hugged many of them. What they do is legit,
especially heroic!!!

Our government, at this time is not patriotic. Legit or heroic.

For a long time it has been a corporate conglomerate. We have been field
workers, line workers for a hidden agenda.

How can you fight a war and believe in it's validity if the government isn't
square with you?

How can you be patriotic if the government isn't square?

By being square, I mean by being truthful and honest about what they
are doing in this world. We are being lied to by our own government.

How can we say anything we do is worth a darn. If our government is
being deceitful, our young men and women are being worn out, used,
Killed and lied to. They're fighting for what ever our government's true
agenda is. Unknown to any of us.

Saving women and children, the Kurds etc. is just a positive by product of
the deceitful reasons of why we really are there. Looks good in the news
but what's really going on.

Strategically, it appears to be oil ownership. Just look at where our
forces are positioned on a map. I just didn't wake up and think of this
today. This has been going on prior to Lincoln.

Our government has been fighting self corruption since it's inception and
lost the fight early on. You might as well say, The USA, owned and
operated by. . . . ???????????

Hint. . . not it's people.

[OBrien]

Soon to be China.

[oldredneck]

It's sad to say but I realized very quickly back in the sixties that, for good or bad, once you sign on that dotted line and put on that uniform you are simply a tool of your government's foreign policy. I came out of the military with a whole new take on how our government operates and who pulls the strings in the background. I'm proud of my military service and I love and respect everyone who has ever worn a military uniform. I just have a deeper understanding of how our government, and really all governments, use or misuse military power for reasons other than our self defense. Politicians put us into Vietnam and then established rules of engagement that made victory impossible and when the going got tough under those idiotic rules, too many faint hearted politicians turned tail and ran while encouraging or at the very least, tolerating the treasonous activities of the Jane Fonda types. Does anyone on this board believe the majority of U.S. citizens would respond as all Americans did during WWII? Never happen my friend, most Americans would throw up their hands and surrender in a heartbeat.

[Southern Boy]

the best I've seen us come togather was just after 9/11. For a brief moment, we were all patriots, So perhaps if it ever gets to the point of losing our country, we will all remember what it means to fight as free men rather than serve as slaves. "perhaps" One of the biggest problems I've seen, is people who do really care, are called the silent majority. We should give up the silent part. Mayne we need it to really hit the fan, for all our sakes. Wake up America.