One January 20 of this year my son, my only child, Captain Brian Freeman died after an insurgent raid in
Karbala Iraq.  What did he die for---an immoral war---a war that our government has waged with lies and
deceit---a war that has brought mega profits to a few large corporations. His death and the death of over 3200
others have only brought the loss of some of our nation’s finest.

Brian went to Iraq because he felt it was his duty. Do not get me wrong, he was against this war from the
beginning.  But, as a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point he assumed an obligation.
He was an honorable man who took the Cadet Code to heart. He had served his five years of active duty as a
tank commander, scout, and a bobsledder in the World Class Athlete Program. He was half way through his 3
year Individual Ready Reserve obligation when he received the call. He left a wife, a son who will be 3 next
week, and a daughter who is 16 months old. A wife who has lost her best friend and soul mate, a son who
asks his mother “what does dead mean” and “how long is forever”, a daughter who will never know her father.
3200 others have been taken from their families---Mr. Bush, how many more. I say none. It is time to bring our
troops home.

Our government is miss-using the training and talent of our soldiers. Many are being used as guards for
employees of private corporations. Employees who are earning vastly more money that our soldiers.
Employees, doing the jobs that our fine soldiers are trained for. Brian told Senator Chris Dodd “Senator, it’s
nuts over here. Soldiers are being asked to do work we’re not trained to do. I’m doing work that the State
Department people are far more prepared to do in fostering democracy, but they’re not allowed to come off the
bases because it’s too dangerous here. It doesn’t make any sense.” Our nation sent a man who spent his
army career as a tank commander, scout and bobsledder to war as a civil affairs officer. He received 3
months of training then was given the assignment of bringing the Provence of Karbala, Iraq to autonomy. Or
as Brian said, "As autonomous as you can be in an occupied country." A tank commander, scout and
bobsledder doing the job of a career State Department employee. He was frustrated that he did not have the
resources, let alone, a cohesive plan to help the citizens of Karbala. As he also said to Senator Dodd “I’m
sending 19 year olds in a humvee down on patrols where their only mission is to get shot at or blown up.
There’s no other mission I have for them. How can you sustain that much longer?” Mr. Bush stop abusing our
troops. Bring them home.


I received a letter from President Bush expressing his sorrow and condolences. He doesn’t understand. Mr.
Bush do not ever again say you understand and morn the loss of one more soldier. Do not say it until some
one you love serves in Iraq. Do not say it until you know the horror of hearing that your child has been
kidnapped. Do not say it until you go to bed at night and wake in the morning with the image of your child
kneeling in the dirt of Iraq with an executioner’s gun at their head. You do not understand the tragedy of dying
for an immoral and unethical war. A war we started without the resources or a plan to prevent Iraq from
spiraling into the abyss of civil war. A war that has fanned the flames of hatred and terrorism around the world.
A war that has caused the Iraqi’s untold death and misery, far worse than they previously experienced. It is
time for the United States to return to its tradition of honor and democratic principles. Bring our soldiers home.
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Kathleen Snyder speech- 3.17.07