Did You Know - Troops Are Quitting

President Bush calls for the American people to support the U.S. troops. I'm not sure how we're supposed to do that. I pay my taxes. I say nice things about the troops. But what else should I do? Put a yellow bumper sticker on my car that was made in China? If he asked, I'd tolerate a raise in taxes to help pay for the armor and equipment needed in the Iraq/Afghanistan war.

But the real support needs to come from the Government - provide enough troops to allow for regular tours of duty and rotations home - provide them with the tools they need to do the job - curb corruption so that rebuilding funds actually rebuild the economy in Iraq so that the Iraqis tolerate us being there.

But does GWB provide enough support? I think not. The following is from the Boston Globe - click here to read the entire article...

WASHINGTON -- Recent graduates of the US Military Academy at West Point are choosing to leave active duty at the highest rate in more than three decades, a sign to many military specialists that repeated tours in Iraq are prematurely driving out some of the Army's top young officers.

According to statistics compiled by West Point, of the 903 Army officers commissioned upon graduation in 2001, nearly 46 percent left the service last year -- 35 percent at the conclusion of their five years of required service, and another 11 percent over the next six months. And more than 54 percent of the 935 graduates in the class of 2000 had left active duty by this January, the statistics show.