How are soldiers "defending our freedom" in Iraq?

Question

Everytime I see something on TV, or in the news, about soldiers being shipped off to go fight in Iraq, at least half of them always say something like "I'm so proud to be defending our freedom."

Can somebody please tell me, WHAT THE HELL IS OUR FREEDOM DOING IN IRAQ?! AND HOW DID IT GET HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD IN THE FIRSTPLACE??

I mean, this has got to be obvious propaganda, right? Or are there people out there who seriously, genuinely believe this garbage?

Okay, okay. Look. Let me spell it out for some of you. I did not ask if they were removing a tyrant from office (which could be true, maybe not). I just want to know what possible way could they be explicitly "defending our freedom" in a country that:
1. Has yet to show any connection to Al-Qaeda

2. Did NOT have any WMD's to speak of

3. Does NOT have a viable Army/navy/air force with which to attack us on our own soil

4. Seems to be more wrapped up in it's own civil war to really worry about any foreign nation at the moment.

Some of you are displaying almost-poetic stupidity when it comes to your answers.

Do not write, "because they could be fighting us here," because you sound like a complete moron.

Mika really needs to retake 1st-grade spelling.

Answer 1

It's a canned phrase. A buzzword. We're a democracy, so every war is a war to protect our freedom. We could invade Antarctica and we'd still be "defending our freedom".

And for those who talk about terrorism, you must remember that Iraq did not commit the attacks on 9-11, and Al Qaeda was based in Afghanistan, not Iraq.

Answer 2

9/11 was not the first terrorist attack by far. They hit the twin towers in '93 with a car bomb planted in the basement garage. Also, they have attacked embassies, navy ships, bases, and several other targets. Most the time our response was to launch a few missles and call it a day. When they hit the towers, it made us realize that they had gotten stronger and we had weaker. By actually going to where they are, we've disrupted the flow of terorism into the states, gathered new intelligence and confiscated weapons. Defending freedom isn't all about speech, but to be able to live without the fear. Remember shortly after the last attack how the economy was on the verge of collapse, people were afraid the fly, and overall Americans had a general anxiety about doing simple day to day things. terrorism isn't about death and destruction, but instead fear and disruption.

Answer 3

Hey cool guy you seem like you are a smart guy so please try to act like an adult. Yes you are right Saddam had no current WMD's and a weak military. Years and years of sanctions forced him to abandon these options but there was another reason he got rid of the WMD and ost of his military. Once the world saw that these two were no longer exsistent in Iraq they would lift the sanctions that destroyed Iraq. A report was done after the official war ended that said duocuments found through out Iraq showed that after the sanctions were lifted Saddam had every intention on rebuilding his military and his WMD program. Now like I said in the beginning you seem like a smart but this is the part I question that statement. Once this happened and Iraq had a nuclear bomb as a deterrent and a military that was somewhat capable of attacking another country who do you think he would have gone after? His first option would be Israel then Kuwaitt and Saudi Arabia. All three are key allies of ours in the middle east. Also we do have a limited amount of soldiers stationed in Kuwaitt and Saudi Arabia. Not only would we be defending our freedom being that we prevented any future attacks on countries that our soldiers are stationed in we would be protecting our allies in a region of the world where we need allies. Saddam was smart in the sense that he seperated himself from anything that could make the world look at him unfavorably but don't think that for a second after the sanctions were lifted America would not be in his cross hairs. Your ignorance is amazing. You know that comment I said about you seem like a smart person? After typing this answer I have realized you are a ****** asshole that likes to suck dick.

Answer 4

The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired,
tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society
as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy
a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much
for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's; but
he has never collected unemployment either.
He's a recent High School graduate;
he was probably an average student,
pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy,
and has a steady girlfriend
that either broke up with him when he left,
or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away.
He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm howizzitor.
He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now
than when he was at home
because he is working or fighting
from before dawn to well after dusk.
He has trouble spelling,
thus letter writing is a pain for him,
but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds
and reassemble it in less time in the dark.
He can recite to you the nomenclature
of a machine gun or grenade launcher
and use either one effectively if he must.
He digs foxholes and latrines
and can apply first aid like a professional.
He can march until he is told to stop
or stop until he is told to march.
He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation,
but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient.
He has two sets of fatigues:
he washes one and wears the other.
He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry.
he sometimes forgets to brush his teeth,
but never to clean his rifle.
He can cook his own meals,
mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts.
If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food.
He'll even split his ammunition with you
in the midst of battle when you run low.
He has learned to use his hands like weapons
and weapons like they were his hands.
He can save your life - or take it,
because that is his job.
He will often do twice the work of a civilian,
draw half the pay
and still find ironic humor in it all.
He has seen more suffering
and death then he should have
in his short lifetime.
He has wept in public and in private,
for friends who have fallen in combat
and is unashamed.
He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body
while at rigid attention,
while tempering the burning desire to
'square-away' those around him
who haven't bothered to stand,
remove their hat, or even stop talking.
In an odd twist, day in and day out,
far from home,
he defends their right to be disrespectful.
Just as did his Father, Grandfather,
and Great-grandfather,
he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy.
He is the American Fighting Man
that has kept this country free
for over 200 years.
He has asked nothing in return,
except our friendship and understanding.
Remember him, always,
for he has earned our respect
and admiration with his blood.
And now we even have women over there in danger,
doing their part in this tradition
of going to War
when our nation calls us to do so.
As you go to bed tonight,
remember this shot..
A short lull, a little shade
and a picture of loved ones in their helmets


You ask, "How are they defending your freedom?" Why do you need to question how? Just know that they are making sacrifices in their lives, and be grateful that you have a he** of a lot more freedoms than many countries give their citizens.

Answer 5

Hmmmm... I think you are not smart enough to understand Bush's point of view.. You don't seem to understand how important it was for him when God told him to go fight terrorists!!... Of course American soldiers not defending our freedom??!!!.. though it's really difficult to know how it got there...
Fighting terrorism?? huh... I think some soldiers at Prisons were crueler than any terrorist..

The reason of War?... some say Petrol, other talk about "the New middle-east".. makes sense to me..

I think there are some people who DO believe this "garbage", not evil people, just those weak-minded who believe what Bush tells them about fighting terrorists, then things get mixed up in their minds so they have this weird connection between 9/11 and Saddam Hussein..

Answer 6

I believe you fight for peoples freedom no matter where they are, what color they are or what religion they are. What we see on the TV and in the papers are a few people who want to wreck the whole process because they neither believe in individual freedoms or rights. I believe the majority of the people of Iraq are no different than us. They want to raise their families, work, have a decent home and decent life for their children. They want to be able to live freely and enjoy all the things every normal human being wants to have.

To me that is what we are fighting for, freedom, not just ours but theirs and hopefully one day the freedom of everyone everywhere. Freedom doesn't come free of charge, never has, never will.

Answer 7

Soldiers are only doing their job, and having been in the military I know their job is to go when ask. I personally don't think they're "defending our freedom". That's just a spin campaign put on by the Bush administration. They need to be brought home to defend our freedom. I never bought into the "I'd rather fight them over there than over here scenario". We could do a much better job fighting terrorism from our own shores.

Answer 8

One has nothing to do with the other. The loudest (but weakest) argument for remaining in Iraq is that "we're fighting terrorists over there, so we don't have to fight them over here."

First, there isn't a lot of proof (either way) that what we're doing has any significant impact on what terrorists outside Iraq are doing. Or for that matter, on what terrorists inside Iraq are doing.

It's sheer speculation (might be true, probably not) that the insurgents fighting against US forces in Iraq would suddenly start attacking US cities if the US left. More likely, they'd continue their own civil war without interference from us. And those terrorists who are planning on hitting the US or Europe probably aren't spending their days planting IEDs along Iraqi highways. They're much more likely already overseas planning their attacks.

So, it's highly debatable whether our presence in Iraq is having any effect toward stopping other terrorist attacks outside Iraq. And there is no evidence whatsoever to indicate that our continued presence is having any such effect.

All we know for sure is that the majority of people in Iraq (counting all sides in the civil war) don't want us there, and that remaining is costing tens of billions of dollars and thousands of American lives. Anything else is rampant speculation from a govt that has guessed wrong far more times that is has guessed right.

Answer 9

If we were not there keeping them under constant pressure of our searches, raids and recon they would only be training and recruiting more members to increase there numbers and power. That is a direct threat to us since people like you don't mind if they enter the U.S. thinking nothing will happen. Then they get thier pilots training and eventually use them as weapons agianst us. That is just one example and I am sure you know that is possible after thousands of americans were killed in just ONE day. Why take the chance by letting them roam free where we don't know where they are then keeping them under attack over there?????

Answer 10

Saddam allowed al-Qaeda to have training camps in Iraq. MaybeI Iraq hasn't directly attacked us, but I'm pretty sure that al-Qaeda did. Saddam also paid the families of all Palestininian suicide bombers very well.

If you engage the enemy in their territory, then they are far less likely to engage you in yours. Believe it or not, there are terrorists in Iraq and if we leave now, all of those terrorists won't just lay down their weapons and go home (some Iraqis will but not the others). They will continue to fight us wherever they can. The best defense is a good offense.