Call at National Guard conference for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq greeted with standing ovation

My grandfather earned a purple heart medal the hard way and although medals are one way to honor our troops, the time has come for Gus to stop playing GI Joe with medal ceremonies. Our troops need real health care benefits. They need strong leaders who have the political courage to bring them home. If one of Bilirakis' sons was the last one asked to die for lies, war profits and oil, would Gus offer him up for the "surge"? I doubt it.

It is time for Gus to honor our troops by supporting health care for all. It is time for Gus to vote to end the immoral occupation of Iraq. It is time for Gus to really start talking to our troops. My military family members need real representation. Medals don't keep our troops safe or bring them home to their families. It appears that our troops agree with me:

Call at National Guard conference for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq greeted with standing ovation DAVID McFADDEN, Associated Press Writer

August 25, 2007 6:08 PM

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - A call by Puerto Rico's governor for a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq earned a standing ovation Saturday from a conference of more than 4,000 National Guardsmen.

Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila said the U.S. administration has ''no new strategy and no signs of success'' and that prolonging the war would needlessly put guardsmen in harm's way.

''The war in Iraq has fractured the political will of the United States and the world,'' he said at the opening of the 129th National Guard Association general conference. ''Clearly, a new war strategy is required and urgently.''

Acevedo said sending more troops to Iraq would be a costly blunder.

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