President Bush’s plan to send more than 20,000 additional U.S. troops into Iraq has few fans at the Veterans of Foreign Wars in south Denver. The consensus at Wednesday’s “Spaghetti Night” was that we are fighting a no-win war.
“We don’t need more troops over there to die,” said Bob Clemmer, 74, a Korean War veteran from Littleton. “Maybe if we just sent people to teach the Iraqis how to run their own country.”
But patrons at the Cowboy Bar at the National Western Stock Show backed the president’s plan.
Doug King, 59, of Grand Junction said that pulling troops out of Iraq would do more harm than good.
“I think Bush has his hands full, but we should really give him an opportunity to make things right there,” King said. “We’re not going to like what we see if we pull out now.”
Many across Denver tuned in to Bush’s address Wednesday night as the president outlined his strategy to boost troops, despite sharp criticism from leaders in the new, Democratic- controlled Congress.
At the VFW, reports that Congress might deny funding for Bush’s increase worried John Shackley, 65. “I’ve heard stories of our troops over there already having to share body armor, and this is just getting ridiculous,” said Shackley, of Denver. “I don’t think sending in more troops would do any good.”
After watching the presidential address at the VFW, Steve Crown said he was more confidant in Bush’s strategy.
“Bush asked for us to have patience, but I’m not sure Americans have that kind of patience,” said Crown, 66, a Vietnam War veteran. “I think his speech was heart-felt but that he’s stubborn as a country elk. … Seems like this is his last stand and a last challenge to Iraq’s leaders to shape up.”
At the Cowboy Bar, J.G. Shoun, 59, of Broomfield said he believes voters might have wanted a change when they elected a Democratic-con trolled Congress, but he still supports Bush.
“I don’t think the war has gone as well as we want it to go,” Shoun said. “But the president has got all the intelligence from top military advisers, and if anyone knows which direction to jump, it’s him.”
Greg Lohrey, 56, of Aurora said more troops could do more to help quell the violence in Iraq, but ultimately it will be the U.S. commitment that will determine Iraq’s future.
“If we stay there long enough, I think things will eventually get better,” Lohrey said.
Back at the VFW, Colleen Kretschmar, 52, a supervisor at a Veterans Affairs hospital, said more troops would just equate to more American lives lost. “I see these kids coming back from Iraq to the VA hospital with broken bodies and mental-health issues, and it’s just real sad,” she said.
