My son turned twenty-one years old on his way to Iraq a couple of weeks ago. There was no birthday celebration; no cake and ice cream. There was only the sound of bullets whizzing past his helicopter as his platoon landed in Ar Ramadi. He told me it is hard to grasp the fact that someone is being paid to kill me. At almost the same time my son was landing in Ramadi, Congress was taking a symbolic vote on whether we should pull out of Iraq immediately.

This vote has done more to add to my total disrespect for politicians than anything I can ever remember. Why should we have to take a vote? This same Congress voted to send the soldiers into battle to begin with. Now after we have lost more than 2000 brave young men and women, we need to decide whether we should pull out or stay. This was not, in my opinion, anything more than politicians playing games with my sons life.

Of course we should stay and finish the job. More importantly, we must never show the troops that there is anything other than solid support for them. Politicians on both sides of the aisle should be ashamed for trying to advance their party lines. To our leaders I say lets rally this country like never before, win this thing, and bring our troops home . To our enemies I say pay attention. These young men and women will fight like nothing you can imagine and you will surely lose. To all the families with loved ones on the front line I say stay strong . This is a pain like none I could have ever imagined, but the cause is noble and our sons and daughters are the true leaders of this country. They do not get up every day and take a vote on whether this mission is just. They get up, suck it up and take the battle to the enemy.

To the Iraqi people I say you are so lucky to have our troops in your country . So while your people are planting roadside bombs to kill our soldiers, they are trying desperately to make a better life for you and yours. Polls indicate that you see The United States as occupiers rather than liberators. How ungrateful can you possibly be? My son does not want to occupy your land. He merely wants to help you have the same opportunities we have in America. So if you view him as an occupier, then perhaps you should rally your fellow countrymen to turn in those who would seek to do harm. Because then, and only then will American troops be free to leave your country.

To my son and all the men and women serving everywhere I say YOU are my heroes. Thank you and know that my support will never waiver no matter what direction the political winds blow. I am proud to have you representing our country

While we all have our political views, this is not the time to express them. As I write this, I am not a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent or any other party affiliation. I am a Dad who loves his son and wants the whole country to stand behind him. God bless our troops and bring them all home safely. And God bless the USA.