Tony Trupiano: Well I'm praying that they don't have anything to say about it. That was disturbing news. We read this weekend that the general, I don't remember his name off the top of my head, in the UK, saying we're failing here, we need to get out. It's clear that there is growing momentum, and I don't feel any better, David, nor do I think you do, that we were right from day one. I don't take any pride in that, not at all. I'm sure you don't either. This isn't about being right. What we have done to humanity; what we have definitively done to humanity, I think is beyond heinous, and I don't know how this gets cleaned up. My biggest fear is, are they in a civil war? I believe they are. I do not know that they have sustainable democracy in Iraq, do you?
David Swanson: Clearly not. I think what's interesting about the casualty figures is that they're getting worse, that most of those deaths didn't happen in the initial Shock and Awe, but that it's getting worse, and if you are of the opinion that the occupation is driving much of the violence, and that getting out, horrible as it would be, would be better than continuing to make things worse, then you are for getting out the sooner the better.
Tony Trupiano: Well, yes, and I am for getting out the sooner the better. Recently, and I don't know if you have seen the movie the Ground Truth...
David Swanson: I've seen parts of it together with a number of the vets who are in it. It's a powerful film.
Tony Trupiano: I watch that. This was a couple weeks back. I watch that. It was a late on Sunday, and I'm dumbfounded. I'm watching the movie and I'm dumbfounded. All of the emotions; I'm saddened, I'm angered but at the same time I watching this and I'm thinking "Who's going to protect these people?" We have a Republican-controlled Congress that voted against giving vets healthcare.
David Swanson: That's right.
Tony Trupiano: Who's going to help these people, David? You know, there was inside of me this empathy and sympathy, but also this outrage.
David Swanson: Do people in your district understand the failure of the Republican Party when they talk about supporting the troops, but slash all sorts of benefits for veterans; are people clear that that's going on?
Tony Trupiano: The real answer is obviously, some do, some don't. That's just the real answer. I have not gone thousands upon thousands of doors, and when you have a dialogue about the war, you are getting a certain amount in the middle, but most people are certainly very emphatic with their opinion on one side or the other. Those that fully support the war and support the troops, think that's the only way you can do it. The problem they have with me is that I have a son who was a troop; fortunately, he is back home. He is done with his military service. He is serving in the reserves, but it's kind of hard to have a discussion with me about this, because I understand exactly what these families are going through. My family went through it too. At the same time, and I found this to be really interesting, David, senior citizens have become more and more vocal against the war, and I don't know if you're seeing that as well throughout the immense work that you do, but I have noticed a real movement, especially in the last 90 days, to seniors being very emphatic about how they feel, and many of them, of course vets, and many of them see the broken promises, and they are beginning to grow to be, I think, the loudest group of people against the war, and I find that absolutely fascinating.
David Swanson: Yeah, and they're powerful when grandmothers go to recruiting stations and say recruit us. They have no idea how to respond to that.
Tony Trupiano: Let me give you, and this just happened two weeks ago: I walked up to adore and other more all the ribbons that we see, support our troops, you know what I'm talking about....
David Swanson: Uh huh....
Tony Trupiano: ......now you would walk up to a door and you would go "Republican", right? That's what I did, I went okay, this person, who happened to be a lady, must be a Republican. I knocked on the door, she answers the door, and we're chatting a little bit. She said I have a grandson in the Marines and I pray for him constantly, that she says and you know, I can't stand this war, and it has nothing to do with my grandson being in the Marines, it's just the wrong thing to do. It was wrong from the beginning. We were lied to, but you know what, every night and every afternoon and every morning I pray for all of the troops and I love them and I send them gifts. You know, David, that's real. People can say anything they want, go ahead and obfuscate all of this if you want to. You want to tell Jenny in Westland, Michigan that she's not supporting the troops? I think she might make a good argument to the fact that she is.
David Swanson: Absolutely. You know, the question of you and I and many others having been right before the war is, I think in some ways, and interesting one, not just because the evidence was cooked, and that investigation hasn't been done yet, but also because we're seeing a similar pitch for a war on Iran, and among those fearing October surprises and speculating what may be coming, there is the expectation that there may be a conflict created with Iran. If something like that develops, how will that affect your campaign?
Tony Trupiano: Well I don't know that the American people would endorse or support a war or military action against Iran at this point.
David Swanson: Currently, I've seen 9% of Americans in a poll support attacking Iran.
David Swanson: Clearly not. I think what's interesting about the casualty figures is that they're getting worse, that most of those deaths didn't happen in the initial Shock and Awe, but that it's getting worse, and if you are of the opinion that the occupation is driving much of the violence, and that getting out, horrible as it would be, would be better than continuing to make things worse, then you are for getting out the sooner the better.
Tony Trupiano: Well, yes, and I am for getting out the sooner the better. Recently, and I don't know if you have seen the movie the Ground Truth...
David Swanson: I've seen parts of it together with a number of the vets who are in it. It's a powerful film.
David Swanson: That's right.
Tony Trupiano: Who's going to help these people, David? You know, there was inside of me this empathy and sympathy, but also this outrage.
David Swanson: Do people in your district understand the failure of the Republican Party when they talk about supporting the troops, but slash all sorts of benefits for veterans; are people clear that that's going on?
Tony Trupiano: The real answer is obviously, some do, some don't. That's just the real answer. I have not gone thousands upon thousands of doors, and when you have a dialogue about the war, you are getting a certain amount in the middle, but most people are certainly very emphatic with their opinion on one side or the other. Those that fully support the war and support the troops, think that's the only way you can do it. The problem they have with me is that I have a son who was a troop; fortunately, he is back home. He is done with his military service. He is serving in the reserves, but it's kind of hard to have a discussion with me about this, because I understand exactly what these families are going through. My family went through it too. At the same time, and I found this to be really interesting, David, senior citizens have become more and more vocal against the war, and I don't know if you're seeing that as well throughout the immense work that you do, but I have noticed a real movement, especially in the last 90 days, to seniors being very emphatic about how they feel, and many of them, of course vets, and many of them see the broken promises, and they are beginning to grow to be, I think, the loudest group of people against the war, and I find that absolutely fascinating.
David Swanson: Yeah, and they're powerful when grandmothers go to recruiting stations and say recruit us. They have no idea how to respond to that.
Tony Trupiano: Let me give you, and this just happened two weeks ago: I walked up to adore and other more all the ribbons that we see, support our troops, you know what I'm talking about....
David Swanson: Uh huh....
Tony Trupiano: ......now you would walk up to a door and you would go "Republican", right? That's what I did, I went okay, this person, who happened to be a lady, must be a Republican. I knocked on the door, she answers the door, and we're chatting a little bit. She said I have a grandson in the Marines and I pray for him constantly, that she says and you know, I can't stand this war, and it has nothing to do with my grandson being in the Marines, it's just the wrong thing to do. It was wrong from the beginning. We were lied to, but you know what, every night and every afternoon and every morning I pray for all of the troops and I love them and I send them gifts. You know, David, that's real. People can say anything they want, go ahead and obfuscate all of this if you want to. You want to tell Jenny in Westland, Michigan that she's not supporting the troops? I think she might make a good argument to the fact that she is.
David Swanson: Absolutely. You know, the question of you and I and many others having been right before the war is, I think in some ways, and interesting one, not just because the evidence was cooked, and that investigation hasn't been done yet, but also because we're seeing a similar pitch for a war on Iran, and among those fearing October surprises and speculating what may be coming, there is the expectation that there may be a conflict created with Iran. If something like that develops, how will that affect your campaign?
Tony Trupiano: Well I don't know that the American people would endorse or support a war or military action against Iran at this point.
David Swanson: Currently, I've seen 9% of Americans in a poll support attacking Iran.
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