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# Troops need a break
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/troops-need-a-break-editor/
- Published: 2007-08-04T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T02:30:26.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

Believe it or not, the Iraqi parliament has left for a month-long vacation. That’s right — they’ll be gone for all of August. But Iraq’s chaos, death and disunity are not taking a vacation. Our troops in Iraq will not be taking a much-needed vacation from being killed, dismembered, psychologically wounded and being separated from their families. And we will not enjoy a vacation from the threat of terrorism, which our intelligence agencies tell us is increasing due to our occupation of Iraq.

But George W. Bush will continue taking vacations on his Texas ranch. And he is continuing his vacation from listening to the American people, from our Constitution and from defending our country. When it comes to taking vacations versus taking care of their countries, we can see what comes first for Bush and the Iraqi government.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 4, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/080407.pdf?ref=smdp.com)