Iraq war anniversary sparks heated reactions

Dick Cofran stands in support of President Bush and the war in Iraq while surrounded by antiwar protesters. [Stephen J. Coddington | Times]

Watch the video.

Hillsborough honors fallen soldier

BROOKSVILLE -- One side of the street chanted "Jail Bush. War criminal." The other side sang "God Bless America."

The collision of 75 Iraq war demonstrators on the street corners in this small Hernando County town exposed the deep rift among Americans five years to the day after the war began. The protest and counter protest, which was much smaller but just as ardent, prompted shouting matches between those opposed to the war and those against.

A large contingent of police officers monitoring the crowd separated a few people at times, but no arrests were made and the protest was deemed largely peaceful.

Rick Pederson of Brooksville wanted to see more educated discourse, but acknowledged it is a protest. "I tried to start a dialogue, but it's not easy to do," he said. "This is a hot topic."

Plastic soldiers tagged with anti-war slogans were distributed by protesters outside the Hernando County Courthouse in Brooksville this afternoon. [Stephen J. Coddington | Times]

Sal Barone, a 79-year-old World War II veteran, said he never attended a demonstration before today, but he felt compelled to counter what those against the war were saying. "We have a lot of young kids getting killed there, and whether we like it or not, we're going to support them," he said.

"It's supporting our troops, supporting our president, supporting our government. Because we believe in what they're doing, and we're going to support them until they come home," said Dick Cofran, 73, of Inverness. Cofran held a sign reading: "Support President Bush and our troops."

A man who gave his name as Preacher Green who said he's from "a little bit of everywhere," shouted antiwar slogans during the demonstration.

"I'm here because of the war, and I'm tired of it," Green said. "I'm tired of people saying it's because of 9/11. It's a shame."

Elsewhere, veterans, military family members, activists, clergy, and citizens of all political persuasions were expected to gather at demonstrations outside Sen. Bill Nelson's Tampa offices today. A candlelight vigil protesting the war is scheduled outside U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young's office in downtown St. Petersburg this afternoon.

-- John Frank and Stephen J. Coddington, Times staff writers

Comments

I respect their right to protest, but I support our troops & our war to keep America safe.

[Tom]

One would think that if there was a lot of strong anti-war sentiment around that they could find more than 75 people to speak truth to power. These are a bunch of aging hippies who are rebels without a cause. Why does anyone pay attention to them? I saw real war protests a couple of centuries ago when I was in college and this one is a joke. Get a life, people.

[melissa]

5 YEARS OF WAR= A BAD ECONOMY!!

ABSOLUTELY DELUSIONAL!

thats the chimp and his enablers!

dont jeopardize our GAINS in vietraq, the lyingdrunk babbles...

[Not an aging hippie]

Bush lied to get us into war and is ultimately responsible for the mounting body count. He should be impeached at a minimum. Clinton was impeached for much less and no one died as a result of his lies. I support the troops wholeheartedly. They should not have been put in harm's way to begin with.

[Carey]

What a waste of lives and resources. Bush's preemptive war was all about ego. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. Now we are wasting thousands of lives and billions of dollars. No wonder this country is headed into a recession. Thanks Bush!

[Nathan]

This "war" has done nothing to make the U.S. safer from terrorism. It has, however, gotten a petty dictator out of power, emboldened religious extremism (perhaps both Muslim and Christian), depleted valuable resources; and killed over 4,000 Americans and countless Iraqis (not to mention coalition force casualties). Enough. If you believe this war has anything at all to do with terrorism, you are as dim as our president.

[melissa]

Bush is just looking to line his pockets! Gas prices rising just in time for the "stimulous" ck.So it goes right back into his pocket since we'll have to spent it on gas by the looks of it...

WHAT GAINS?

how many thousands dead on our side -- including "contractors? FIVE THOUSAND-PLUS

injured?...who knows because DoD is constantly LYING

how many iraqis dead and displaced?...2 to 3 MILLION

$3 BILLION a week to support this fiasco...$150 BILLION A YEAR

total estimaed cost is over HALF A TRILLION DOLLARS -- MINIMUM!!!!

the VIETRAQI government has no more clue how to govern than your pet monkey, including gwshrub!!

osamabeenforgotten is STILL alive in afghanistan...and the situation there is getting worse as we speak

our military is in shambles..DO YOU KNOW that between 20,000 and 40,000 air force and naval personnel have been deployed to vietraq 'cause the army does have the personnel to fill those positons?

anybody seen the U.S. CONSTITUTION lately?

those lying humps have shredded it and you fools have bought each and every lie!

"support our troops' all you want, jerk!!

we have been royally screwed by the chimp and the dick!!

and it will take yearsandyeras to recover, if we ever can!

and the ECONOMY...............?

[Go Rays!!]

Get these anti war freaks off the street. Would it be better to let all the terrorists into the country and just hug them and have tea with them? I don't think so. We need to kill them now before they kill us. How else do you propose we do this?

[melissa]

And anyone who wants to vote for McCain needs to get their head checked. He is just as bad as Busch. You think the economy is bad now let McCain run the show for about 4 plus years! This country will remain at war NOTHING will change!

[gerry]

Doesnt anyone remember the bunch of old tired rich gray hairs that started Vietnam for us? Same old flag waving arguments for a war that was started on a lie - just like Vietnam!!! Dont we ever learn anything!!

Been watching the history of the Roman Empire on the history channel lately...sure looks alot like the path of the good old USA...nobody thought the empire would ever fail either!...

PS Melissa...actually I will have to use my 'rebate stimulus' to pay my 2007 taxes...did'nt keep that $$$ money long did I!! :0((

[D]

Sorry, "Go Rays", but Al-Qaida was not in Iraq. So our war there is entirely pointless. We screwed up, and the half-trillion dollars that we've put into the war would have staved off this recession that we're staring down the barrel of. No, I don't support withdrawing our troops all at once, I think that it would entirely undermine the money and lives that have been spent there, but we as a country need to acknowledge that we screwed up.

[melissa]

Here is the million $$ question???

When is this country going to take care of it's own and not worry about getting other countries out of the "hole" all the time??

[Shango Wango]

I don't know nothin about any war but I do know that a new stadium on the St. Petersburg waterfront would single handedly kill thousands of bums. NO NEW STADIUM!

[Paul]

Supporting the troops has nothing to do with supporting the war...Supporting the troops means bringing them home.

[Tom]

As a Retired USAF member and veteran I have no doubts where I stand on this issue; I AM TOTALLY AGAINST THIS FASLE WAR. How many Americans have to die for this president to feel like a man. When a coward leads; brave men die needlessly. The two cowards at the head of our government have never put themselves in harms way for this country (unless being surround by the secret service is considered harms way). If Gen Patton was a live and a commander, he curse the leaders even if it cost him his command. He who serves cowards is a fool amd will die a fools death.

[Tom]

As a Retired USAF member and veteran I have no doubts where I stand on this issue; I AM TOTALLY AGAINST THIS FASLE WAR. How many Americans have to die for this president to feel like a man? When a coward leads; brave men die needlessly. The two cowards at the head of our government have never put themselves in harms way for this country (unless being surround by the secret service is considered harms way). If Gen Patton was a live and a commander, he would curse the leaders even if it cost him his command. He who serves cowards is a fool and will die a fool’s death.

[Duane]

What is really ironic about this whole sad affair is that not one of these neo-cons who wanted to go to war ever had to fire a shot or get shot at during the Vietnam War. They were all old enough to go, but their rich parents and well connected backgrounds got them deferments. When is America going to smarten up and take back America from the rich and powerful lobbyists. Look at what Halburton's stock has done since the war started. It's tripled in worth.

[Excuse Me While I Slip Into Something More Comfortable]

J. Edgar Hoover would never have allowed these anti-war protests to escalate. Support Our Troops and our veterans!

[kitty]

Tom, perhaps there weren't that many protesters because they were all at work. I wanted to attend, but I need to work just to put food on my family and gas in my ride.

Meanwhile, according to this article, there were far more anti-war protesters than pro-war supporters. If there were such a pro-war sentiment, you would think they could find more than a handful.

[kdr]

I have had three cousins go to Iraq and return, and all three of them have said the same thing...We are doing a lot of good over there. Why is that everyone forgets this? Oh wait, maybe that is because it is not news worthy so we dont hear about it from Fox Network or CNN.

[melissa]

KDR... You said it "We are doing a lot of good over there"

Well when are we going to do alot of good in our country. It's time to get out and let them take care of their own country.

"We are doing a lot of good over there."

and exactly what will become of that "good" we are doing, once we leave, and MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE!!??

sooner than later.

even McBush admits to that.

you are aware, arent you, that a HUGH MAJORITY of iraqis want us OUT of their country...NOW!!??

we CANNOT remain in vietraq indefintely
and once we make the decision to "leave" nothing will stop the natural flow of power in that "nation" to the biggest and meanest --

unfortuaately, that is NOT the faux government we have been supporting, proping up, buying off and bribing for the past five years while they have been living like fat cats and laughing at us, our DEAD and WOUNDED and our $BILLIONS!!!

in 2002 i predicted the islamic republic of iraq in ten years.

seems to me, the CHIMPand his enablers are right on schedule!

and some FOOLS envision four more years with McBUSH??

INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Just Slapped]

4,000 DEAD, BILLIONS WASTED, OPEC SMILES, AND WE LOSE THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

[D]

KDR, we definitely are doing a lot of good there, and there's a lot to be done. No one is disputing that what we're doing is good for the Iraqi people (or most of them, anyway). What we're upset about is that it's "good" that we didn't need to do. We went into Iraq under the pretense that Saddam Hussein was harboring the now-infamous WMDs and that Al-Qaida gained a foothold in Iraq. We've found that neither is true. So yes, we're doing good things for the Iraqi people, but it's good that should have been done by their own government. If not, then it should've been taken on as a foreign aid campaign, and not as a war. Why destroy things before fixing them?

[Beth]

The war was for oil. When are we going to see some of that benefit?

[neil]

The bush supporters are either too embarrassed or too ignorant to admit that they made the wrong choice. This administration has taken this country from peace and prosperity (with budget surplusses as far as the eye could see) to an ill-conceived war, highest ever gas prices, and an economy teetering on the brink of collapse. I realize that must be hard for his supporters to accept but it is reality. Bush may be able to live in the land of make believe but the rest of us have to face facts. De Nile is a river in Egypt, people!!!!!

From AMERICABlog: (and McBush is NOT a drunk!!)

For the third time in two days, the Arizona Republican has pushed the definitively false statement that the terrorist group Al-Qaeda was getting assistance from Iran, even though he was publicly ridiculed for the same false assertion on Tuesday.

This time, in a statement from his campaign honoring the fifth year anniversary of the war, McCain wrote:

"Today in Iraq, America and our allies stand on the precipice of winning a major victory against radical Islamic extremism. The security gains over the past year have been dramatic and undeniable. Al Qaeda and Shia extremists -- with support from external powers such as Iran -- are on the run but not defeated."....

And speaking today, Sen. Barack Obama, used the misstatements as evidence that McCain's claims of foreign policy experience do not give him a superior understanding or judgment of the terrorist threat or Iraq policy.

"Just yesterday, we heard Sen. McCain confuse Sunni and Shiite, Iran and Al Qaeda," said Obama. "Maybe that is why he voted to go to war with a country that had no Al Qaeda ties. Maybe that is why he completely fails to understand that the war in Iraq has done more to embolden America's enemies than any strategic choice that we have made in decades."

at least, we DONT BELIEVE HE IS A DRUNK!!

IS HE????

[Nathan]

Dear Go Rays:
This "war" has nothing to do with terrorism. Iraq never attacked us. I guess it's just easier for folks like you to look at everyone and every country in the Middle East as our "enemy" so we can justify attacking any or all of them because they "might" attack us in the future.

Can you honestly not see the fallacy of this argument?

[neil]

the bush supporters are embarrassed to admit they were too ignorant to realize they were being duped by the administration and will stand by him as he flounders.... kind of like the band on the Titanic. lol.

thanks, 4.50...

if that is truly McBush's mental capacity, he may just be even more senile and puddin'-brained than that pathetic jackass, ronnie ray-gun!

do we WANT THAT for president??

[neil]

Wouldn't it be nice if we could spend 3 trillion dollars improving this country? Well, maybe after McBush keeps us in Iraq for "one hundred years" things will shape up over there. Is that what you want america?

[Dale]

Ok, Bush lied, false pretenses, no WMD's. Haven't seen a 9/11 was an inside job comment yet though. Nothing but the same talking points over and over and over from you wacked liberals. If we let you have your way, you will fix the economy by taxing the bejesus out of us and handing our money over to deadbeats and people that don't belong in the US in the first place. That'll be fun.

[D]

Dale,
There weren't any WMDs. No one ever found any. It's not about liberalism or conservativism or those labels. What do the labels accomplish? Nothing; all they do is segregate us. It's about truth. The truth is that there were never any found. If you know of any arms caches that they discovered that I missed in the papers, I beg you to enlighten me.

[Nathan]

Funny how folks like Dale have no problem spending $3,000,000,000,000 in Iraq but heaven forbid we spend ANYTHING to ensure healthcare isn't a privilege of the well-insured or that a full-time job will permit workers to live in something other than ghettos.

Yes, much better to squander $3,000,000,000,000 on Iraq than to have "socialized medicine" or "welfare handouts" here.

Unreal.

[Simon]

The troops are never coming home. Bush screwed us all, especially them. This country already has a habit of never leaving a war in which we fought. We still have tens of thousands of troops in Germany, Japan, Korea and the Phillipines. On top of that now we have Bush's daddy-please-love-me-war. He is an unqualified president who is a recovering alcoholic and therefore predisposed to self-absorded behavior making policy decisions geared toward those who got him his job. I wish this war was about oil.

"He is an unqualified president who is a recovering alcoholic...."

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

he is an unqualified DRUNK WHO SIMPLY STOPPED DRINKING!!

whatever demons that were driving him to alcohlic oblivion are STILL THERE, only suppressed -- not dealt with in any constructive way!!!!

bottled up!

ready to pop at a moments notice!!

forcing him to be TOTALLY OUT OF TOUCH with his surroundings and the 'real' world, if you havent noticed!

BAD LUCK for all of us!!

[Dale]

How do we know they did not exist? How do we know that they were not trucked into Syria? Many of your elected Dems seemed to believe it as well as they were all for going in there. Now, of course, they all don't want to have anything to do w/ the war that they supported at the beginning. Spineless.

And socialized medicine has worked so well in other countries. And lets give handouts to folks to the point that there is no incentive for them to go find work. I'm all for helping people when they are down, but you have to draw the line somewhere.

[Duane]

No Dale, I don't want to tax everyone to get us out of this mess, I just want the rich to pay their fair share. As for welfare, Bears Sterns got the biggest piece of welfare when they got bailed out by the feds. What about the welfare Halburton is getting as they collect $100 for each bag of clothes they wash. What about the millions in welfare the airlines got after 9/11. I guess you only believe in welfare for the rich. I'm tired of being a serf for these rich, pompous, ignorant self serving eltitists who have brain washed people like you into thinking trickle down economics is a good and noble system. It's nothing short of a feudal lord type of economic policy.

Oh come on, Dale. You complain about the "same talking point over and over and over" from the "wacked liberals," and then you throw around the same unenlightened garbage about taxes that the war supporters make when they're backed into a corner by logic.

[Ruth]

WE WILL BE THERE A 100 YEARS SO WHO REALLY CARES.THERE IS NO DRAFT ALL THAT WENT VOLUNTEERED.

GOD BLESS AMERICA LAND OF THE FREE HOME OF THE BRAVE!!!!!!!

[NADER]

LONG LIVE CORPORATE WELFARE

VOTE McCAIN OBAMA CLINTON FOR MORE OF THE SAME.....

[Tim]

Socialized Healthcare, are you kidding me? Ask the Canadians who keep coming down here for more than just the sand & sun...

No WMDs? Funny, ask the Iranians and the Kurds how millions of them were killed. I guess the countries that had deals with Iraq (i.e. France/Germany/Russia) that didn't want the world to know about said deals had nothing to do with that...

Osama bin Laden still alive? So, you WOULD like us to invade a country (Pakistan) so that we can get him? Which is it?

The rich have to pay their "fair share"? What is that? So they make a dollar, and are FORCED to give 50% or more back to the government, which then goes to healthcare to illegals and other projects? Oh, yes that's ok because we are jealous BECAUSE they are rich.

And like that $3B would go to anything worthwhile with EITHER a Dem or Repub in power. They are all crooks and have stepped way outside the bounds of what our government should be, with regards to the Constitution. But who can we blame? Ourselves..

[voxy]

whatever.

He purposely slithers in when people are AT WORK.

Just because the GOP can afford to pay people to protest and LIE ABOUT IT that doesn't mean that peaceful people will do the same.
The counter protesters are always OBVIOUSLY PAID.

[Dale]

I am not in favor of corporate "welfare" in cases such as the airlines, etc. If you can't be self-supportive in the free market, you should not depend on government (and our taxes) to keep you afloat. I am in favor of making it advantageous to do business in certain cases (tax breaks, etc) for large corporations as the return (jobs, economy) would be greater than the taxes that would be lost going to the gov't.

[Kevin]

I hear both sides talking about a "war" in Iraq. Am I wrong or did President bush proclaim "Mission Accomplished" over four years ago? This is not a war, people. We are NOT at war with Iraq anymore. We are in an extended OCCUPATION of Iraq. Period. They don't want us there, and we don't want us there. Let me repeat myself, this is an OCCUPATION. An illegal, immoral one at that. We have a puppet for a president. A puppet of Big Oil, Haliburton, and other friends O' Bush. And they have achieved their objectives. That's why Bush is seen dancing, singing, and acting like even more of a giddy schoolboy in recent news coverage. He did accomplish "his" mission, to his friends, and his daddy. These people don't think like us. We are "workers", a 2nd or even 3rd class citizenry who serve their every want or desire. And guess what, we got fooled again. And if McCain becomes the next president, you can be sure not a lot will change except the seating arrangements at the White House dining room table.

Take a ride through the Lower 9th Ward or Gulfport, Mississippi today and see how much "good" our troops are doing for American citizens, their families and their neighbors. You won't find any, they're all overseas, mostly in Iraq.

Call the Mayor of Atlanta and ask him why he had to recruit police from nearby areas to help with the recent tornado that hit downtown because their National Guard unit is serving in Mosul.

The military invasion/occupation of a non-threatening, soveriegn nation for the sole purpose of serving the personal interests of the Bush Family and related parties, is not "supporting our troops"

Oh, and tell Mike Kault and the Rays to go pound sand with their new stadium until they win a title.

[frank]

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND OUR TROOPS (and halliburton).

[Ric T.]

F___ Bush! Chaney is another McNamarra and they are killing our friends and relatives for absolutely nothing.
I support the troops but not the F___ politicians, who ALL lie!!! Bush family is making millions on the oil industry while the poor and middle class die for it! This country is no longer "for the people and by the people"!

[GOPFL]

I will proudly support Senator John McCain over the junior Senators of Illinois and New York. John McCain is the only candidate with the experience to serve as Commander in Chief on Day One! He's definitely the man I want answering the White House phone at 3am during a national security crisis.

[conservativemom]

I made the mistake of going into Dtown Bville while this protest was going on. I was sickened. I silently fumed that these people who claim to be for the troops actively attempt to demoralize them. These people are enjoying the RESULTS of war - freedom to speak their mind and protest. Yet, they feel Iraq should have been denied freedom and basic human rights. I wish they would switch places with the Cuban immigrants who would appreciate freedom - they would certainly fit in and be with their own kind in Cuba - the SOCIALISTS.

[Jean]

These comments are long on opinion and short on facts. Those who disagree with the opinionated are described as ignorant, dim, etc. This is certainly not a demonstration of superior intelligence. I do not believe the president lied. We know that Saddam Hussein had used WMD against the Kurds and probably others. Conditions for the Iraqi people under Saddam Hussein were horrendous. Many believe that there were no WMDs since none were found. If this is the criteria for judging the existence of something, that would mean that people who disappear and are never found never really existed in the first place. We don’t often hear of the good works being done in Iraq, and too many people believe they get the whole story from the news media. I, too, would like the war to be over and our troops to come home. However, bringing them home before the job is done would be a big mistake. We would do well to remember that we were at peace when the World Trade Center was attacked the first time, when the Khobar Towers was attacked and the embassies in Africa and the USS Cole and when the World Trade Center was destroyed. All but the last took place under Clinton’s watch. Should we be so naïve as to think that bringing our troops home would keep us safe from attack? That would merely embolden the terrorists we are fighting. It is better to fight Al Qaida in Iraq than in New York or Chicago or Tampa or any other city in the United States.
As for the looming recession, I remember that there was a recession at the end of Clinton’s second term. While it is true that there was a surplus (which just means that we were overtaxed as more taxes were collected than was needed), the public debt rose by more than one and one-half trillion dollars during Clinton’s eight years in office, and we weren’t even at war.
No matter what a person’s opinion regarding the war, no one has the right to vandalize public property. I would hope that all who do are caught and prosecuted. The Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly, not riots and destruction of government buildings. When protestors infringe on other people’s rights, they are breaking the law.
None of us is the ultimate authority on this or any other war, so one opinion is no more important than an opposing opinion.

[JB]

Oil yes, and maybe supported by radical Christians, and maybe too, more than anything diversions, in other words get the people's attention diverted in several directions and they won't see it coming (Americas fall) Are you paying attention? The country has been chopped and sold to the highest corporate crooks and thugs - the World Banks and mega corporations. All the right people put into place. Democratically elected leaders being removed from power, state attorneys, judges, etc. put into the necessary positions..I've heard two unforgettable statemets 1) from the movie "The Shooter" -Americans are stupid. Feed them a bunch of patriot BS, put an American flag in their hands and they will think and do anything you want;2) when they came for the teachers I looked away; when they came for the doctors I again looked away; when they came for the ministers....it was too late (the words of a Holocaust survivor and minister). We've left our backdoor open and the devils have arrived. We have abandoned the poor and the elderly. Don't tell me being a baby boomer will break this country. Our money has been misused and stolen and the profits for some just keep on rising. It's easy math.
Parent of a Marine
----and it didn't take the Marines
to make me proud

[Dave]

The war supporters have been wrong every step of the way about every single aspect of this war.

Why do they think they have any credibility? They were suckered and snookered by Bush & Cheney, and they are too stubborn to admit how foolish they were.

Now they just sound desperate and unable to recognize reality.

The war was a huge mistake, just like all smart people were saying all along.

Maybe you will listen to people with more intelligence than you next time, before you start beating the war drums and waving the flag.

[Aquaserpent]

Will you please, STOP CALLING IT A WAR! Congress never declared war in Iraq; they declared a military action, read the BILL. Congress did declare War on the Taliban, and service members in that conflict were and will be adequately compensated. The reason behind the distinction is that the Solder, Sailor, Airman, or Marine gets paid less, and have no guarantee of full benefits, unless they are 100% disabled, and believe me that is touch to qualify for. If Congress had declared war we would be paying these “troops” you claim to support a whole lot more per month, then we are now, and they would be eligible for full military benefits. You see right from the beginning this military conflict has been a lie, and the integrity of the Office of the President has been sourly tarnished, by Gorge W. Bush, but it seem a large portion of the population (about 50%) will follow authority no matter what the ethics of the situation. This President portrays himself as a moral person on the side of freedom and justice. Yet he is the most impeachable President in the history of our Country. The only reason he is not under impeachment proceedings right now is the chicken Democrats, didn’t think they could get the Vice-President too, and no one wants Dick in charge. I don’t know if it escaped your attention but during the Abramoff fiasco, Abramoff e-mailed someone on an e-mail account that was an official account and had to become part of the official record, and he was pissed. He thought he was contacting the White House through a private account so there would be no documenting his contact with the administration. Now today the Bush administration claims the loss of 50,000 e-mails from the White House, smells like a crooked organization cleaning up before they leave.

This war has been perpetrated on the world by Gorge Bush, for two reasons, first and foremost revenge, second for oil. On September 11, 2001, the Bush administration was looking for evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved. When they could not find anything they had it made up, Check the Downing Street Memos, if you have a doubt. The American People wanted to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice, and I don’t think you will find an American alive that would not go through hell to bring him to it. But new flash Osama Bin Laden is not in Iraq, he may have passed through once, but is not their now, and the Bush Administration has never sufficiently proved Saddam Hussein was complicit in 9/11, or guilty of any charges leveled against him.

So please stop calling it a war, and call it what it is a conflict.

[M Fox]

Ya know, I actually was foolish enough to think that the St. Pete Times might put together a "fair and balanced" video of the event at Brooksville. Members of the peace community have told me "don't waste your time", but no, I wanted to believe that maybe the peace community would be shown in as positive a light as the war cheerleaders. But what do we have from a two hour event where the pro peace forces outnumberd the pro war forces 3 to 1, when the majority of the pro war forces refused to shake my hand -- one American looking out for our troops to another, just not agreeing on how we reach that goal -- and the only physical violence engaged in during the protest was initiated by the Bush lover featured in the pic on the front page of the online Times version, what do we see? A woman who tragically lost her child supporting a policy that will make other mothers grieve their lost one, and ending with the chant "Remember 9-11", as if we could ever forget. Well how about these war cheerleaders remembering that even Bush and his own people admit IRAQ HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH 9-11. What say the Times tries to remember this as well?

No mention of Bette Jo Indelicato, who was courageous enough to work as a peace keeper and experienced the death and destruction of the invasion first hand as she huddled with innocent civilians fearing for their lives? Her story of volunteering in the overwhelmed hospitals that had neither the personel nor the resources to treat the countless civilian wounded, including more children than she'll ever be able to forget.

Or how about war veteran and 25 year police officer Don McKeating, who asks along with the rest of the peace community, "Honor the warrior, not the war"? Or how about the World War two veteran who doesn't see justification for this insanity?

Nope, we see no statement of purpose from the peace community, and statements of the pro war group have no purpose. The only live video you chose to air of the protestors was of a brief encounter with a vocal member whose aggressiveness was not indicative of the energy exuded by most of the protesting group. I personally spoke with the Police Chief, and he said there were "no incidents to be concerned about" and he invited us back.

Really, really misleading and disappointing, folks.

[Dave]

I wonder how many war supporters STILL believe the lie that Saddam had something to do with 9/11.

It's all they ever talk about, 9/11.

Yet Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11.

Talk about being easily fooled by your government!

[Aquaserpent]

And another thing can you name the last President to go to the funeral of a convicted Felon? Gorge W. Bush. Keep watching Luis Libby, Jack Abramoff , and Andrew Fastow will all get Presidential Pardons.

[goodridancetobadrubbish]

Poor Jeb...he,no matter what his political aspirations,has been shot dead in the water by his assinine,IDIOT,brother!!! I think Jeb could have made a really great pres.some day...but who would vote for a BUSH now?? George is the WORST Pres.EVER!!!!

[I Wish Upon a New Star]

I wish I could vote for Bush again. Too bad he is in the last year of office. For eight years, I've done nothing but stuff my big belly and pay all my bills (on time and every time). I'm voting for McCain so my gluttonous and unctuous lifestyle can continue.

[barkin barney]

these are all good points being made, both for and against. please visit my myspace page and listen to the song "three more gone". they have been making light of this thing for yrs. i had to write something about it. and 5 yrs later the song still hits home. god bless us all!! thank you, barkin barney.
http://www.myspace.com/barkinbarney

[SadClown]

This happens every Thursday in Inverness in Citrus Co.at the corner of Apopka Ave. and Main St. WHy not do a story on that?

Oh right....

[Pat]

For those of you who have supported this endless war in Iraq, I hope you never complain of paying taxes. This war is costing over 12 million a month...but somehow I bet most of you keep voting to lower taxes. You wanted it, you should have to pay for it. Not me.

[Rich]

This invasion was based on lies and some still dont see it, kinda like OJ supporters.

[Gator]

What stuck out to me, was that the counter protestors (pro-troop folks)nearly outweighed the protestors (who by the way, were sponsored by at least a dozen different groups if you reference their website).

All the protestors offered was more of the same rheotoric...Impeach..blah blah blah. The Dems have the majority, if there was any chance of impeachment, it would have happened by now. Plus, wouldnt the 77 Senators who voted for invasion be indicted as well....so then the liberals give us..

"Well Bush Lied"...even though there are countless pro invasion comments by Democrats and a military strike by Pres. Clinton long before GW Bush moved into the White House.

Lets be realistic, while they have every right to protest, what has the anti-war crowd established in five years....anything at all? You have the majority, yet funding continues...you have a lame duck president, still getting his way.

Liberals know the price of everything, yet the value of nothing.

Thank you to the Times, for showing pictures that accurately depicted this event, and the fact that they were an awful lot of Pro Troop folks out ther as well.

[Melissa]

Remember that a vote for McCain is a vote to reinstate the draft. There is no possible way that he can have endless war with troops that keep losing members due to death and injury and are some of whom are on their 4th and 5th tour. Be prepare for 18 year old boys AND girls to be drafted to fight in this pointless occupation of Iraq. Is this what you want?

[loser]

if we didn't go to war, Sept. 11 would have happned again by now. You want to be safe but don't want the consequences....DON'T HAPPEN....

[gator]

Hey Melissa

Thanks to our all volunteer military, a draft is as likely as.....I don't know.....an impeachment?

Quit your fear mongering...the last we had a draft was over three decades ago....a lot longer than the last time wewereattacked on our home soil by terrorists.

[Dem Dandy to the Rescue]

The war in Afhganistan bled Russia's economy.....The Occupation of Iraq is bleeding ours!

IRAQ...Killing lives and the economy too!

[Dem Dandy to the Rescue]

What logic is "If we don't fight them over there, we'll be fighting them over here"?

With what? Iraqi's army? Iraqi's navy? Iraqi's air force?

The terrorists are here!! They are named George W. Bush and Dick Cheney!