Bush's ego and his reputation

"My belief is that his ego is getting people killed and mutilated for no reason -- just his ego and his reputation," says Iraq veteran Terry Rodgers in a Washington Post story today. "If we really wanted to, we could pull out of Iraq. Maybe not completely, but enough that we wouldn't be losing people -- at least not at this rate. So I think he himself is responsible for quite a few American deaths."

Unlike Cindy Sheehan, who demands an explanation from Bush for her son's death, Iraq combat veteran Terry Rodgers doesn't want anything to do with him ever again.

Terry Rodgers, 21, like many, joined the army out of boredom with his menial, low-wage job. And back then, like many, he didn't know or think about the politics of it all.

Terry recently came back with emotional and physical scars that no one will ever fully comprehend. A car bomb explosion broke his femur, jaw, cheekbone. His right calf was blown away. His can't hear with his right ear and or see with his right eye. His memory filled with people next to him loosing arms and legs and their lives.

As he was going through recovery in a hospital, he took on a political stance that he expressed in a quiet protest -- while he accepted visits from military generals and the Dave Matthew Band, he declined to meet President Bush, Dick Cheney or Condoleeza Rice. He had lost faith in his leaders and their assurances of victory.