Does "support our troops" mean the same thing as "support the war in Iraq?"?

Question

Here's the actual question I am asking: Is it my patriotic and civic duty as an American to "support our troops" by not protesting against the war in Iraq which has killed thousands of Iraqi civilians since day one of Operation Shock and Awe?

PLEASE answer this question by saying Yes, No, and (most importantly) WHY. I do not care if you call yourself a liberal, conservative, democrat, republican, or communist chinaman.

Please--if you can't answer the question in the above manner without abusing me find another question to answer (there are plenty to be answered).

Most convincing point so far from below:

"If you support the troops you support their cause and validate their actions."

Most hypocritical statement thus far:

"No, they do not mean the same thing. However, I don't think you can march and demonstrate against the war, and at the same time be supportive of our troops."

Best lie so far:

"The terrorists see Americans demonstrating on the streets and they use it against us."

Keep going! Thank you for your answers.

Answer 1

I think, in all honesty, that you can support all the soldiers who are simply doing their jobs and still be actively against the war. In a nation where it seems no one wants to work for anything, and wants the immediate responses, it's heartening to see a group of men and women going above and beyond to do their jobs. I don't envy them or their families one bit in this whole situation. I'm all for bringing the troops home as soon as possible, but I still support the decision they made to become military personel. I do not support, however, the actions of their bosses. The government is the boss of the military, and I do not support the government in the slightest on this issue. The war was needless, is killing innocent people overseas, and is sending OUR country's budget into a state we may not recover from for many, many years.

Essentially, for me, it's like supporting the workers, but disagreeing with the people who run the company. It's entirely possible. If you hate Wal-Mart's unethical practices, do you take it out on the cashier at the register? If you do, you shouldn't, it's not their fault, they're just doing their job.

I think that as Americans we SHOULD protest if we're against this war. That's what these men and women are "supposedly" fighting for, right? We keep getting it shoved down our throats that our military is over there fighting for our freedom; well, part of that freedom is the freedom to speak out against that which we do not agree with. I don't personally believe that that is why our servicemen and women are over there, it doesn't have a diggity dog darn to do with our freedom, but that's the beauty of America. I can say, "good on them for doing their job, lots of people don't do their jobs!" and at the same time say, "But they shouldn't have to be there, it's a bad call on the part of the higher-ups."

Answer 2

You should ask yourself this-
Do I believe a war in Iraq was necessary for the safety and security of my way of life?
if no then
Do I believe that American troops should by whatever means are available come home safely?

You have to be careful at forming your answers-because supporting the actions of troops essentially is supporting war-they don't bake cookies now do they? Thats what they're for, fighting wars. However, an intelligent person realizes that most people in the military don't relish the position they are in. Also, they have very little control about how it has come to this point-and the military doesn't have to let you leave. They are in a cath 22 if they don't support the war. They are not allowed to say anything or do anything about it.

Since I was in that position, I know how they feel and I still don't think it was right. I knew that getting rid of Sadaam with force would bring about the infighting. Traditionally muslims are guided by there religion-which isn't that condusive to democracy in the way we practice it. My proof is the battling between not Shi'a and Sunni-but between the Shi'a clerics themselves. There was going to be a role reversal and the Sunni's would be the ones punished for Sadaam's reign. It appears that these people can't forgive and forget.

P.S.
I don't believe I should support someone I care about if they go to prison for serious crimes. I'm not talking about petty larceny-I'm talking rape, murder etc I would never condone. That person and I would have a biblical reckoning not a thats ok, I know you didn't mean it.

Answer 3

What does support mean?

2 a (1) : to promote the interests or cause of (2) : to uphold or defend as valid or right

If you support the troops you support their cause and validate their actions.

So my answer is Yes, supporting the troops means supporting the wars.

Why? Because during the year I spent in Iraq we all felt unwanted and even hated because of the things we saw on TV. It's only getting worse. Now you have to really dig on the internet to find a notice of who died in Iraq. It used to be on the news all the time, now its on the ticker on the bottom of the TV screen. If it's there at all.

All the soldiers know that they aren't really supported by the American public. It's obvious what they are dying for isn't appreciated by the people in this country. For me, I take pride in knowing I helped the Iraqi and Kurdish people.

And it's not the military that has killed "thousands of civilians." If we had a media that wasn't the enemy other people might know that.

Answer 4

its the same thing as asking if you support the president if you support the troops. NO - my husband is in the army - i support him and everyone he works with, but i don't support the war in iraq. I just don't think we're in there for the right reasons, and that's just how i feel. But i will always support my husband and all his unit members, they're like family, and if you don't have family, then you don't have anything. The "troops" aren't necessarily over there because they WANT to be, it's their job, they don't have a choice - its like going to a mandatory inservice on political correctness - don't have a choice, you're not there then there will be heavy consequences. These guys and girls dont broadcast - "HEY I WANT TO BE IN IRAQ BECAUSE I WANT TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF A WAR ZONE". They are there because that's what "the boss" says, whether he's right or wrong, he's the one who decides. Hope this answers your question? LOL

Answer 5

No their two different things. It can go either way, you can support the troops, and not be for the war. Or you can support the troops and be for the war.

However if you go protesting against the war and protest every time a solider dies, that in a way would not be supporting them. Theses men and woman our giving up their lives, fighting for something they believe in. Regardless of what the news and media say. In most cases we only hear about the bad things happening and not the good.

Answer 6

No it doesn't, it is possible to supports the troops and not support the war in Iraq.
You might not agree with why we went to war, but since we did you will support and respect the troops that we have sent there. This is a fairly simple issue and it always angers me when people say that if you don't support the war in Iraq then you don't support the troops. That is simply not true.

Answer 7

Support our troops and support the war are two different things. I'm the wife of a soldier, I will support my husband and any other soldier 100%. However I am totally against the current war we are fighting. Just because I am against it does not mean that I am against the soldiers, sailors, airmen, etc. who are fighting it. It is ignorant and pisses me off when people claim that those of us who are against the war are against the troops. The only protesting against the war I don't like is when people protest the war at the funerals of service members, that is the wrong place and time and is disrespectful.

Answer 8

No, it doesn't mean the same thing generally speaking.

However, some forms of protest are a slap in the face to the troops that are over there. So the question really comes down to how a person is protesting the war.

Answer 9

no

Here's the actual question I am asking: Is it my patriotic and civic duty as an American to "support our troops" by not protesting against the war in Iraq which has killed thousands of Iraqi civilians since day one of Operation Shock and Awe?

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Yes, its your duty to support your troops that keep you alive and away from terrorism

I, personally do not support the war, but will always support our troops as long as I live. If I didn't do this, then I would move away from the United States of America. I love my freedom,and my safety from terrorists who want to kill me, and I think that anyone who doesn't is stupid, and should commit suicide. I REALLY DO FEEL THAT STRONGLY about this topic.

I personally HATE bush for going into the war, and as a president in generally because i think that he is a stupid a_s_ s. This is not only because of the media and their influence on the public, but because I have done ALOT of research of him and his two terms of presidency.

I can see why people would like him, but I unfortunately dint like him one bit

Answer 10

No, they do not mean the same thing. However, I don't think you can march and demonstrate against the war, and at the same time be supportive of our troops. For sure as Americans we have the right to demonstrate and speak about our point of view, but I find it counterproductive at this point. The terrorists see Americans demonstrating on the streets and they use it against us.They show anti-war rallies on tv and in their newspapers, and it depletes the morale of our troops.

So for me, I share my political point of view with my friends and family members, but out of respect for our troops, I refuse to demonstrate in the street. Like it or not, Bush is the Commander and Chief of the US Armed Forces and to bad mouth him in public, and accuse him of being a terrorist is a slap in the face to our troops.