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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=410165914-13012006>This letter agrees with the sentiment of most of the
X-soldiers I know. How awful it is that our Government (not the American people)
can engage us in these fruitless wars through the use of deception? ......It is
more awful than we are willing to admit.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=410165914-13012006>One point that Tim Giago missed though is that there
are those who benefit form the war. The Paul Bremmers, The Bushes, Bakers and
Rumsfeld war makers and all of those nasty little chicken hawk, neocon toads
make out great no matter what the outcome is. America looses, Iraq looses and
the rest of the world suffers with the exception of those who set themselves up
with unaccountable, no bid, billion dollar contracts and of course the Carlisle
group (see the rub-a-dub group) who have sold weaponry to all parties
involved. The current phony "war" has also created a scapegoat for the raiding
of our treasury which is another great benefit that has fallen upon an
unscrupulous pork happy congress. Has anyone noticed that the numbers do not add
up? The cost of the Iraq mess and the Afghan action are estimated at 370
billion as of now; that is not even one years worth of deficit this
carpet-bagging administration has racked up on our
bill. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=410165914-13012006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=410165914-13012006>This current, phony, manufactured deal in Iraq as
well as the "War on Terror" that is so dear to our Commander-in-crook are
serving some people very well. We should note that the people it benefits are
the same as the ones who started and want to continue
it. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=410165914-13012006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=410165914-13012006>My condolences to the family of the young man in
this letter. I wish there was a way to stop the self-serving attitude that
our leaders display. Voting really doesn't work anymore because we only get
to vote for more of the same that is preselected for us by the very group
we need to get rid of. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=410165914-13012006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=410165914-13012006>What are we to do? </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>James Reynolds</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=410165914-13012006></SPAN><FONT face=Arial><FONT
color=#0000ff><FONT size=2>M<SPAN
class=410165914-13012006>oscow</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> vision2020-bounces@moscow.com
[mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Tom
Hansen<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, January 13, 2006 6:47 AM<BR><B>To:</B> Moscow
Vision 2020<BR><B>Subject:</B> [Vision2020] Honoring Soldiers While Questioning
the War <BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">From today’s (January 13, 2006)
Spokesman Review –<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Honoring soldiers while questioning
the war <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Tim Giago (Nanwica
Kciji)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Knight
Ridder<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">January 13,
2006<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">W hen I turned 17 years old there
was a war going on. Like many young men of that era, I didn't wait to be
drafted, I volunteered.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The year was 1951 and the war was
called a "police action," but more than 40,000 Americans gave up their lives
while serving as this country's policemen in <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Korea</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I never really thought about the
politics of the war. I was told that the communist <st1:country-region
w:st="on">North Korea</st1:country-region> had invaded the free country of
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">South
Korea</st1:place></st1:country-region> and it was our duty to stop them and
drive them back across the 38th Parallel. Not once did I doubt the integrity of
our nation's leaders or question their reasons for going to war. Was this a just
war? When can a war be called just?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I suppose <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Korea</st1:country-region></st1:place>
could be called a just war. After all, we were fighting to keep an invading army
from taking away the freedom of another nation. We were young, we were fearless,
and above all, we were patriotic. Without a shred of a doubt we trusted and
respected our government. Would President Harry Truman lie to us?
Never!<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">And we walked away from
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Korea</st1:place></st1:country-region> with our heads held high.
Despite the intervention of the communist <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>, we had
driven the enemy back to the 38th Parallel. Perhaps the war was a stalemate, but
a stalemate is better than a loss.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">But everything seemed to go awry in
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Vietnam</st1:place></st1:country-region>. When we returned from
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Korea</st1:place></st1:country-region> there were no protesters
calling us baby killers and worse. But during the Vietnam War it seemed that the
entire nation was against the war, and in their anger and hate for the war they
turned on the troops fighting the war.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">A war is personal when one is
actively involved, but it is also personal when a close friend or relative loses
his life. This week the war in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> took a personal turn for me and
for many Lakota people.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Cpl. Brett Lee Lundstrum, USMC, was
just 22 years old when he was killed by enemy fire at <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Fallujah</st1:City>, <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region></st1:place>. He was an enrolled member of
the Oglala Sioux Tribe. His mother, Doyla Carol (Underbaggage) Lundstrum was the
adopted daughter of Lynn Rapp, my ex-wife. During the years we were together
Doyla and her two sons, Brett and Eddy, spent many holidays and many happy hours
at our house. They even attended the Christmas parties we held for the staff of
my newspaper.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">At one Christmas party, my
step-daughter Susie, a very blond young lady, looked around the room at the
mixture of children attending the party and asked the band to play "The Brady
Bunch" theme song. It was her tribute to her Lakota brothers and sisters in the
room.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">We watched this awkward teenager
grow into a strapping young man. But all of a sudden, his life is over before it
has even begun. In his obituary it reads, "Brett was charismatic with a kind and
generous soul; always humorous, with a smile, he lit up any room or place he
entered." That's Brett. His laugh and smile were contagious. He loved the
Marines and he loved serving his country. And just as I when I was 17 years old,
he never questioned the reasons he was sent to <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>. He
considered it his duty as a United States Marine to follow the orders of his
commanding officer.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">When one serves in the military it
seems we do not question the reasons we are at war. We only do our duty and try
to serve as best we can. It is only when we are older and have witnessed the
devastation of war and have seen firsthand the political implications, then war
takes on a different light.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Far be it for me to ever question
the integrity and courage of those men and women serving today in
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
They are in the military and they obey orders. They also take great pride in the
job they are doing. But it seems that President Bush has intertwined honest
criticism of the war with disrespect for those serving in combat. From my heart
I can tell you that they are not the same.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">We are in a war that began with a
dark lie that has taken on different hues of dishonesty as the war has dragged
on. We are in a war that can end in only one of two ways: either the new Iraqi
government will stabilize as a theocracy or the nation of <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> will
dissolve into a civil war that will pit the Shiites and Kurds against the
once-controlling Sunni forces.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">In either case the end product will
not be what the chicken hawks who led us into this war intended. If
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region> becomes another
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region> with mullahs as leaders or
deteriorates into a civil war costing thousands of lives, who is the winner? It
will not be the people of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> and certainly not the brave,
young men and women that are dying every day in pursuit of a victorious ending.
And it will not be the politicians responsible for the
war.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I feel the loss of Brett as do all
of the people of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. He was one of us, and he gave his life
for a cause in which he truly believed. I honor and respect his courage, but
that does not preclude me from questioning the wisdom of those elected leaders
who sent him into this unjust war.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">May Brett rest in peace and may his
Journey to the Spirit World be filled with wonder.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Take care, <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Tom
Hansen<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><FONT face=Arial
size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Moscow</SPAN></FONT></st1:City><FONT
face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">, <st1:State
w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State></SPAN></FONT></st1:place><FONT face=Arial
size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of
emotion but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime." <BR><BR>--Adlai
E. Stevenson, Jr.</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>