ELY

I found this fitting tribute very moving.
**

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. - U.S. President Barack Obama saw first hand the human cost of the Afghanistan war Thursday as he saluted the flag-draped caskets of 18 soldiers and Drug Enforcement Administration agents killed in Afghanistan this week.

After a midnight flight in his Marine One presidential helicopter, Obama landed in Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, home of the largest U.S. military mortuary and main point of entry for service members killed abroad.

The previously unannounced visit came as Obama weighs whether to send more troops to Afghanistan to fight an insurgency that has reached its fiercest level in eight years.

Minutes before Obama’s arrival, an Air Force C-17 transport aircraft landed in the base, carrying the bodies of eight Army soldiers killed by a roadside bomb and seven soldiers and three DEA agents killed in a helicopter crash.

A military chaplain accompanied Obama and other officials onboard and said a prayer over each casket before it was transferred out of the aircraft, military officials said.

Most of the event was closed to media and journalists were only allowed to see the transfer of the last casket.

In cold and blustery weather, Obama marched briskly in step with four officers to the aircraft. Attorney General Eric Holder, DEA Acting Administrator Michele Leonhart and two other officials walked behind in a second rank.

Obama stood at attention and saluted as six soldiers carried the casket, bearing the body of Sgt. Dale Griffin of Indiana, off the plane and loaded it onto a waiting van.

The military calls the process a dignified transfer, not a ceremony, because there is nothing to celebrate. The cases are not labeled coffins, although they come off looking that way, enveloped in flags.

By 4:45 a.m., the president had touched back down on the South Lawn.

Mom0f3

I agree. Witnessing the raw grief of families who have just lost a loved one in time of war drives home the pain and sacrifice involved in war in a very personal way that briefings cannot. This is especially critical at a time when Obama is weighing the costs and benefits of expanding our efforts in Afghanistan. I'm not sure what the right thing to do is, but I do know that I want the person making the decision to understand its gravity in a way that is more than theoretical.

Kajon

MomOf3 - great post! I 100% agree.

bulletandpima

I applaud President Obama for doing this, and I believe to the families it will give them comfort that he was there for their last military flight. For Obama this is going to become an issue in the future since they have lifted the ban of photographing coffins arriving home. With the death toll rising it will be a daily reminder when the "avg" American keeps seeing bodies coming home. Americans on a whole do not have the stomach to see this, it can hurt him politically since he was the one that overturned the Bush decision back in Feb. I give him credit because he allowed the caveat of the family decision...in this case, that is probably why you only saw 1 casket, because the other families did not want the media to film it.

I also agree momof3, that I want them to understand the weight of the situation, however, as a military wife, and a mom of a ROTC cadet, with everyday that passes and no decision I wonder if we are putting the soldiers on that front line at more of a risk. I would like to see a decision, the military morale is dropping because many feel they have been left out to twist in he wind.

JustAMomOf4

It will not hurt him politically. Americans want to see compassion. This is the one thing that Bush never did and he was criticized for it on both sides. His out of sight, out of mind mentality did not go over well.

I heard on ABCnews on the radio yesterday morning that Pres. Obama also met with members of all 18 families. I reckon this was probably the hardest day he has had as Commander in Chief to date.

bulletandpima

Bush did that too, quite frequently. Let's not make this an issue of Obama V Bush. Instead let's make this about NOW.

I do agree that it was probably the hardest day he has endured because it is "real". He has a very heavy burden to carry, and I believe that it hit him to the core of his soul seeing caskets, now it is about what he will do, the military and the country needs an answer.

I am shocked by your answer since he will have a direct affect on your family, if I am correct you have 1 serving in the Navy and 1 as a cadet at WP. Compassion will only go so far politically, in the end this could harm him because not even the military or their families will support him if there is no clear plan. Right now, there is no plan regarding the mission or withdrawal from Afghanistan...nor is there a plan for what "success" means.

JustAMomOf4

Bush never made one visit to Dover. If you can find it show me where.

Shocked by what answer and your assumption about my family is incorrect and not a part of this discussion.

bulletandpima

Okay my apologies, I thought you were the mother of a DD at Norfolk and one at WP, my bad for confusing with another JustAMom. In my defense as a military wife and a Mom of a future AF officer, every action/decision that Obama makes/will make has a direct impact on my life and loves.

Bush did not go to Dover, but was a frequent visitor at Reed and my reference was to meeting/calling families of those that were injured or died. It does not mean either one carries the weight of being CIC any less than the other. I respect and believe that Obama, the person, the son, father, and husband takes his decisions involving the military very, very serious. I do not believe he is that callous to go about the issue with a flip of the coin.

I feel the same about Bush and Clinton. They carry the loss of every military member on their shoulders, and will always have a nagging feeling of WHAT IF I DID....

It is important to put politics aside and understand that each and every leader is human, the loss of any American based on their decisions is not something that they shrug off.

d'smom

Bush did his best to hide from the American people the deaths that have occurred. He tried to make sure that we could not see what was going on. I am not saying this to make a political argument, but the truth is the truth. That was one of his biggest problems. And, some leaders do by the way shrug off their decisions. Not all leaders are good leaders.

I applaud Obama for putting a human face to these sad deaths and this should have been done all along. The reality of war needs to be understood and known. The public should be part of this too. We truly need to understand the human sacrifice that is involved.

poetsheart

I believe a decision is coming soon. Obama is not stupid. He knows the public won't stand for him to remain undecided indefinitely. I just think this President understands the gravity of this decision and is determined to weigh fully and heavily the implications of every option. He's hearing some well thought-out and compelling arguments on both sides. It's tough because there might not actually be a "right decision" concerning the war in Afghanistan, only a relatively less damning one. That's one reason why I believe he made the trip to Dover, to more fully grasp the human implications of a decision to send or not send more troops. I only wonder what would have happened, had we not taken our eye off our very appropriate and logical objectives in invading Afghanistan, just when we seemed to be realizing success on that front, and focused so many of our resources on Iraq instead. Now, there remain protracted and costly wars on two fronts, even as our domestic concerns have greatly increased. Whether or not one agrees with Obama's domestic agenda, few can doubt that he is passionately committed to it. I'm sure he wishes to make a decision that will allow us to extricate ourselves from both fronts with what can arguably be called "success" sooner rather than later.

Schmoomcgoo

I do think more troops are headed to Afghanistan and that the delay is largely time to get a plan together, including that definition of success. As much as I hate to see our soldiers put in harm's way, whatever the reason, I do hope Obama sends the 40k (or more) troops that have been requested. I think his going to meet the returning dead and Hillary's bold assertion that Pakistan is not doing all they could to catch Al Queda are calculated steps in the process and that an announcement is imminent.

JustAMomOf4

I am not being political. Just pointing out the contrasting differences between two presidents. I never said Bush was uncaring and I don't believe it. I realize he visited Walter Reed and met injured soldiers as well as families who lost loved ones. He just never met them in Dover. He decided to hide Dover from the American people thinking that the sight of it would decrease support of the war. I think that backfired. d'mom is right Americans need to understand the toll and take ownership.

Pima, I am not sure you are understanding my position. I am - I absolutely applaud President Obama for going to Dover. I am sure his presence brought some hope and comfort to the families. I appreciate that it was largely closed to the media - save for the one photo.
Obama will announce his decision on strategy and troop strength after the Nov 7th run off election in Afghanistan. He has been active in his information gathering and deliberations.

cartera45

Of course, Liz (Dick Jr.) Cheney had to use this as another opportunity for a pot shot. She said she didn't understand why Obama felt the need to go to Dover with cameras and that Bush "did it" but without the cameras. Did what - he never went to Dover and neither did her all bluster/no action father who perfected the deferment route - 5 times. She's pathetic.

catahoula

^The ACORN'ette doesn't fall too far from the tree, does it, cartera?

bulletandpima

Cartera do you know for a fact 100% sure he never went, or are you basing your opinion, on just that...an opinion with no facts to support it.

I can tell you as a military wife these planes come in at all hours, they are not SWA or United where they land during "normal" hours.

Stop and think for a second, I believe it was 11 or 12 bodies that came home, only 1 family agreed to have it photographed, in other words, they want privacy. Under Bush the media was not permitted, thus, AGAIN, you cannot take the leap that he did not go since the media was not there!

Look...everyone on this site who has been here long enough knows I supported McCain. I respect Obama for doing this, I am sure the families felt some sense of pride that as their loved ones casket came off of the C-130, our President was there to give them one last salute.

Let's not make this political about R's against D's, let's just all agree that Obama did the right thing and in the worst hour of these military families he gave them some happiness in the belief that their loved one mattered to our country.

Give them that respect and time to grieve....as a military wife and now with a son who will be commissioned in 12, I would want that if I came here to escape, I would not want my son's death to be used as political ammunition for or against. Remember we don't know if any poster has endured the pain of losing a love one due to this conflict. This site might be their salvation and we could be hurting them.

Give Obama credit he did the right thing, don't bash Bush because the regs were different then,