Should your opinion really count?

Question

First, everyone is entitled to an informed opinion.

If you have never been to Iraq and seen what it is like there can you really form an opinion on weather we should be there or not? Most people form their opinions on Iraq by what the see on the evening news and listening to politicians. But they don't stop and consider the fact that the main stream media is extremely bias in their reporting. The news is historically pro Democrat and is quick to push the Democratic agenda.

Why is it all the news reports is how many Americans were killed today? Is nothing good happening in Iraq that is news worthy? I can tell you the answer to that is yes! I was there in 2005 and the military does alot of good things that is news worthy but that would not make President Bush and the military look like a bunch of incompitant fools, so the news ignores it.

Until you are ready to pick up a weapon and go out on patrol with us just thank us for doing our part, so you don't have to.

Answer 1

I totally agree. Most of my opinions about Iraq come from talking to my nephew who was stationed there for 2 years.

Don't trust the media to tell you the whole truth - they are all biased! Just read the Washington Times and the Washington Post and see how their coverage of the same story is so radically different. Look at CNN and FOX. Very different. What is true? Neither version is totally true - both are biased.

By the way, thank you for your service! My family and I appreciate your bravery and your efforts to keep our great country safe.

Answer 2

The American people are paying the bill for the war, and civilian control of the military is certainly important, so it's for sure that they have a right to their opinions, as misinformed and self-righteous as they may be. It's a shame we make those calls from a basis of such ignorance.
The media do tend to be a bit biased to the left, but even more important is that few of the people in the media have a good knowledge of things military. (Science and medicine reporting is just as bad). The major media tend to hire "experts" for "head shots" and have no way to report in a way that would give us the information we need. I'd love to see war correspondents attend War Colleges either in the U.S. or Canada to get a good background in what they're going to report, but it isn't likely to happen. It seems they, and hence we, have little idea of what kind of war we're in.
Finally, though I'm too old to put the uniform back on again, I'm certainly not too old to thank you for your service.

Answer 3

The liberal media bias myth is just that, a myth. This is the same liberal media that followed Ken Starr around as he tried to reverse the 1996 elections.

The analogy I will give you is hurricane Katrina. How come nobody reported all of the good weather that happened that day?

I haven't been to Iraq, but there are facts about the war that do not have a political bent- they are just facts:

We've been in Iraq longer than we were in WWII.
We've lost as many Americans in Iraq as we did in 9/11.
There was no plan for the occupation for Iraq.
This war has cost us over $500 Billion dollars, off of the books, and may cost as much as a trillion.

I will never tell a devil dog that he isn't getting the job done. You guys kick ***, and always have. I just think that the guys calling the plays from the booth are screwed up and you guys are paying for it.

Answer 4

cpl_dvldog,
I'm not American nor physically able to serve. I lived in Saudia Arabia during the first Gulf War where the US military and coalition forces kicked butt and saved lives. I probably wouldn't be typing this if not for that because a pilot saved me from drowning.
I respect what you and your fellow soldiers do/did everyday when each person risked their lives. Even if a soldier personally disagreed, they generally followed their orders and built water sanitation systems, sewers, hospitals and schools with the few bad apples getting international media attention. The news is biased. CNN, FOX, al Jazeera. They all report for the ratings and the ad money. People satisfy their primal urges when they hear about the violence. Good luck and take care. I hope you made it home in one piece. Thanks for doing your share.

Answer 5

Personnally, I don't feel that peoples oppinions are worth a thing, and polls, even less. Thats what the JCS is for. There are countless good things that happen in the sandbox that wouldn't have happened if we were not there. And the media will only program what makes ratings, regardless of content, hardly a reliable source of information. I put more credance into HUMINT, than I do CNN.. Of course, actually being there, and seeing for myself what is going on makes me laugh at what people here think is going on. lol

Answer 6

Im not gona argue with you, the media is bias, but it is both ways. CNN is a little more toward the liberal view but you cant say that fox isnt on the oppisite end.

As far as whats reported well, Violence and chaos is much more entertaining than. People tring to help others.

Answer 7

Yes it's very important to report number of killed soldiers everyday. We should think that everyday the US forces is loosing much more than reported.
I feel sad for the soldiers in Iraq, but why should we thank them. They are fighting the wring battle making the US loose more soldiers and more millions again and again.
I believe that if the US forces didn't fight out there in Iraq, no danger would have been show up (more than the existing danger).

Answer 8

"One often contradicts an opinion when it is really only the tone in which it has been presented that is unsympathetic."

We should not let ourselves be burnt by our opinions: we are not that sure of them. But perhaps for this: that we may have and change our opinions.
—§333

Out of passions grow opinions; mental sloth lets these rigidify into convictions.
—§637

Nietzsche

Answer 9

I agree completely.

My opinion has been formed by talking to many people who have been there, but even that could be considered secondhand.

A big THANK YOU for serving!