I don't think this tour is bad. We need to celebrate the efforts of our troops to do a mission they were given to do. The lack of leadership at the White House, to maintain a National Support for what we are doing in Iraq DOES NOT FALL ON THE TROOPS! These men are supporting their brothers in harms way, because that IS LEADERSHIP. What my good friend in the White House is doing is a (*)(*)(*)(*) pour job informing the American People why their sons and daughters had to die. I get angry when I read statements that condemn the troops in the same breath as they point out an ineffectual effort to help all of us understand.
It is no secret that I am a conservative. I voted for G.W. in both national elections. But as of today, I am wondering if that trust was misplaced in some areas. And if it were not for Fox News, this forum, and other conservative news outlets that I have to go out of my way to listen to, I might even be out their protesting THE WAR myself. Not necessarily because I am without patriotism, but because I deplore war as much as the next vet. The case for the war, even when G.W. tries to make it, is weak. That angers me.
I am proud of these Americans getting on buses and telling the public, themselves, what they have accomplished. I want to hear that message. I want to look into their eyes and hear about the good will, the lives "saved", the friends made, the restored hope.
But if we go down that road, and we justify being over there purely on those grounds, then we should have been in several countries in Africa, long before we put our boots on the sands of Iraq. I fail to understand, in good conscience, why the blood of an Iraqi is worth more than the blood of a Somali or the blood of an Ethiopian. And IF I am wondering about that, I can only imagine the anger that boils in the blood of those who oppose G.W. on other grounds.
I, for one, applaude Toby for posting this. If I have a chance, I will go to hear what they have to say, and judge for myself, the worthiness of their message.
The story of this presidency is failed leadership on foreign policy, economic policy, and several key domestic policies. Do I like his judges? Sure. Do I think he could have pushed stronger on populating the federal benches that are still empty? Sure. Do I like his policy on eliminating the child porn industry in the US? Absolutely. Stem cells? Yes. I would give a lot up, to see these policy strengths come into play. But I am still unconvinced that there is good leadership on the war, and maybe this tour will help to restore hope, that some good has come from the loss of life we have suffered.

__________________
"I know no method to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their stringent execution." March 4, 1869, Grant's First Inaugural Address