A Message From a Mom to Laura Bush

Are You Kidding Me? 

Mother Rebukes Laura Bush on How War Feels

by Amy Branham

Laura Bush on The Today Show April 25, 2007:

ANN CURRY: Do you know the American people are suffering… watching [Iraq]?
LAURA BUSH: Oh, I know that very much, and, believe me, no suffers more
than their president and I do when we watch this. And certainly the commander-in-chief who has asked our military to go into harm's way.

ANN CURRY: What do you think the American people need to know…
LAURA BUSH: Well, I hope they do know the burden of worry that's on his shoulders every single day for our troops. And I think they do. I  think if they don't, they're not seeing what the real responsibilities of our president are…

ANN CURRY: It must be hard for you to watch him in this.

LAURA BUSH: LB: It's hard. Of course, it's absolutely hard.

Believe me, Laura, there are many others who suffer more than you and your husband when they watch on TV the horrors of Iraq.  I can name several people that I know personally, myself included, who have suffered much more than you because of this war.  You only have to watch it on TV when you chose to.  You can turn it off and on at will and walk away from it.  Thousands upon thousands of others, however, cannot.

Have you stayed up all night, walking the floors of your home, wondering about the last moments of your child’s life?  Have you had to sit back and watch as your daughters mourned their big brother, their only brother, who is now dead?  Have you held and comforted your husband whose heart has broken?  Just tell me, how have you and the President suffered in all of this, tucked away safe and sound in your Ivory Tower?

What about the military families who send their sons, daughters, husbands, wives, moms and dads into battle over and over again?  Have you suffered the way they have?  Have you lost your job, your family?  Have you or any member of your family come home maimed for life from the loss of limbs?  Has any member of your family suffered from PTSD or suicidal thoughts?  Have you sat up all night wondering if you will ever hear from your loved one again because you know they are in harm’s way?

Let’s talk about the soldiers who are not getting the supplies and equipment they need but are doing their best every single day to do their jobs in an impossible situation – because your husband sent them to an ill-begotten, immoral and unjust war against a country and a people who did not attack us.  They miss their homes, their families, their lives.  And their lives will never be the same if they do come home unharmed.  The men and women of our military have suffered much more than you and George.

Most of all, have you even given one ounce of thought to the people of Iraq?  What about their suffering?  How many tens of thousands of deaths have they suffered?  How many of their homes have been destroyed?  How many whole families have been killed? 

I promise you, Laura, there is absolutely no way you and George have suffered even close to the suffering of the military families, the soldiers, the people of Iraq have suffered.  You could not unless you sent one of your beloved children or other family members into the war.  You are so far removed from it that I don’t think you have the capacity for understanding what the true suffering of the war in Iraq is.  Don’t get me wrong, I believe that you, as a woman and a mother, probably do have some empathy for the suffering.  But you do not understand.  Not even close.

Please do not insult our intelligence and the sacrifice of the soldiers and their families or the people of Iraq with such comments again. 

Amy Branham
Gold Star Mom
Sgt. Jeremy R. Smith U.S. Army Reserves
Nov. 1981 – Feb. 2004
Houston, TX
[email protected]

Member of www.gsfso.org (Gold Star Families Speak Out) and www.gsfp.org (Gold Star Families for Peace).