40,000 American troops have gone AWOL in the Iraq war according to the Pentagon.?

Question

With the buildup and preparations being made to go to war with Iran, do you think, esp. asking anyone affiliated with the military, that more military people will decide to go Awol in greater numbers than from the Iraq war? If you are against these wars as I am, do you not think that our own military personnel taking a stand against preemptive wars speaks louder than anyone?http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/082806J.shtml, and http://informationclearinghouse.info/article15212.htm

Seems I have touched a sore spot with some of you. I can understand why. I do know that the 40,000 is not all deserters against the war, there are other reasons. I am simply bringing to light that there are many of our military who have opted not to fight this war and wanted to know if another preemted war would spark more military to not engage because of their beliefs. I don't believe most young people who join our military believe they are going to give their life for a purpose that they may not understand. It is also amazing all the name calling and stereotypng you people do. I do not claim any political party by the way.

Answer 1

AFwife, did you even read the entire question before you started name calling? - grow up.
Anyway, Yes military personnel taking a stand, ought to speak for itself.

Answer 2

I just answered this question by you; but since you seem to think obvious repeated postings will somehow win you sympathy (and no, it doesn't--just the opposite, actually) I will post the EXACT same answer I took my time to write for the duplicate question. Find a constructive hobby and quit wasting other people's time.

---

That's a ridiculous statistic. For one, it doesn't count the little punks who crap their pants in Basic Training and try to run off, or people who come in a day or two late from leave, or any other number of factors; what's more, if they're classified as AWOL, but only as AWOL, that means that at some point they've come back FROM being AWOL. If they haven't come back, they're no longer AWOL, they're a deserter. There's a time limit of 30 days, at which point you go from being AWOL to having deserted. The regulations that define this are quite clear. Quite a few of those high-quality individuals who deliberately DO go AWOL often come back within a day or two (in some cases, hours) of hitting that "deserter" limit, to avoid the stiffer penalties it carries. What's more, you're implying that most US troops do not support the Iraq war, which is retarded. The Iraq war, militarily speaking, has been a bigger success than any other prolonged war in this nation's history; we haven't even lost 3000 people yet, and we've been there for more than three years now. Compare that to losses from any other major war we've been in and see the difference. So, no, our own military personnel are NOT taking a "preemptive stance" against this war. If anything the main reason any of us may have had issues with it is because American civilian idiots back home can't get it into their heads to keep both their noses, and their politics, out of this and out of our business. They know of this war only what they see on TV, and deem themselves experts. They get one or two dissident Iraq veterans, ignore the thousands of other soldiers who consider those one or two dissidents to be traitors and morons, and claim they've got irrefutable proof of "military support" for the anti-war cause. Give me a break. Try serving in the military for a few years and going on a few rotations in and out of theater and see how far this kind of malarky goes with real soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines. Not too far at all, really.

Answer 3

The military cannot decide if the country goes at war or not. That is a political decision in a democratic state. However, the people who serve at the military should have the right to decide if they want to go fight outside their country. Because it is different to defend your country if someone attacks you on your ground, than to have to go to someone else's country and fight them. Then again, this is what the US do. So basically it is not a good idea to join the army. In Greece, military service (in the country) is obligatory, and everyone does it - the pesident's son, etc. So politicians are much more careful involving the country into an event that may cause human lives!! In the US I think for the government war casualties are less salaries paid.

Answer 4

Actually, TS, the numbers are incorrect. The person you're telling to grow up is an AF wife that has direct links to the military. You can sit in your little civilian world and criticize her and accept this idiots "facts", that's your right. However, those of us closest to the military know that this is totally bogus. These "factual links" are nothing but propaganda. He doesn't have facts from the Pentagon directly. He doesn't have them categorized by who left and returned for personal reasons or which NG or Reservist failed to show for his weekend training but did the next time.

I suggest TS and those of you so willing to jump on these "numbers" get the real facts. Stupid bogus liberal propaganda like this is what's killing America. Wise up people!!

EDIT: I have done no name calling. I said that it (the articles) were stupid bogus liberal propaganda. And it clearly is that. Of course it's going to touch alot of people. It should. But I think facts should be used and it should be clear as to who and why. Face it, you did categorize all AWOL's the same and they're not.

Answer 5

Amazing. You don't have a link to a Pentagon site. One site won't open and the other is full of crap.

You expect a person to believe that an ENTIRE military division is currently AWOL.

Adjust your meds sparky...............

Answer 6

Why do you accept stuff found on lunatic extremist-leftist sites as true?

If you had any intellectual curiousity or honesty, you'd have tried to verify this obviously dubious number with a legitimate source of information and news.

That you have not done so only underscores your ovine qualities.

Answer 7

your an idiot, nobody is forced to join the military! the military fights wars, thats what they do, if your to much of a moron and weenie to realize that before you sign the dotted line, then don't join!!!!

Answer 8

What BS, is that all you have to do all day is spew out this crap. Can you provide a credible source? No you can't.

Answer 9

nice words brendon!!, but I think we all fell for his trap of trying to get a rise out of us.

Answer 10

That is an amazing number if it is true.