If you think that those who support the Iraq war should serve in the military . . .?

Question

1) then would you refuse to vote for Hillary Clinton, who never served?

2) do you think that everyone who is strictly pro-choice should work for a year in an abortion clinic?

Why or why not?

And if not, why is someone's service relevant to their opinion on the war to start with?

Answer 1

Just because you support something doesn't mean that you have to be a part of it. When you support someone or something it means that it is your opinion. Everyone has one.

Answer 2

Although I agree with you, that in the US we are free to express our opinions without having to directly participate, you have weak examples.

1. If she never served when she was young, how does that affect her views now. Those people are saying that young Americans who support the war should also serve. Hillary could have been against war when she was younger.

2. This doesn't even make sense since there is no war being fought over abortion. It is just a debate, where there are many viewpoints. An appropriate example would be to say the anyone who is pro-choice should fight for that right if it was ever taken away.

Answer 3

"why is someone's service relevant to their opinion on the war to start with?"

It can be, it shows that they have firsthand experience of a war. If someone never had an opportunity to serve, that's one thing. If someone never chose to serve, that's another. If someone did, I believe that individual has more say over wartime decisions because they've been there.

1 - nothing against Hillary for not serving, if she can conduct a war, great, do it.

2 - Yes, they should see what happens firsthand.

Answer 4

I feel those who support the Iraq war have a personal choice like everyone else to serve or not . I don't support our presidents decision on Iraq but certainly I do the troops who are there following orders and doing there job as they have chosen to do.I don't discount the opinion of someone on the basis of whether they served or not , however I do give credit for them having some bit of personal knowledge about their own experiences regarding their service to the country . My feelings regarding Bush's decision are not based on his prior service record but on the decision to invade at all given they were really in no way a direct threat to our national security at the time. I base my decision on that . I don't feel this is a reflection on how I feel about the troops. I would not refuse to vote for Hillary based on her not having served .
On the pro choice issue I would hope they are informed as to how abortions are performed and the consequences but the experience of being their shouldn't be a prerequisite to having an opinion on the matter. With a morning after pill available it's difficult for me to understand why abortions continue , though as far as ethics are concerned the result may be the same but I differentiate the short term use of the morning after pill with those that have late term abortions. I think of it more on an individual case by case basis myself . Doing so I could come up with reasons both for an against it even with regard to my own idea's concerning that .
As far as someone’s prior service being relative to their opinion on the war I find that understandable , but again this country belongs to all of us and not just those who have prior service though I admire those that have , those that haven't are entitled to their own opinion as well. I have prior service but that doesn't make my opinion better than those who haven't served . I would go further but doing so would cloud the answer your looking for and it's difficult to provide anything other than a personal opinion . I'm not sure I'm going to sway other opinions to my own . But I do believe a combination of opinions can be a start in the right direction. Thank you for your question it's a good one.

Answer 5

I would like to say yes, but that's not really a fair approach. A person should not be required to be in combat in order to support it. One reason being that some people are disabled, and disabled people should be allowed to have opinions without serving. Service should not be a requirement for holding an opinion.

Say I hold the opinion that the center of the Earth is made of pudding. That doesn't mean I should have at least made an attempt to dig to the center of the Earth.

Answer 6

I see the point you are trying to make... and I agree that you are pointing to the double standard that those who say anyone who supports the war should serve in the military yet those who voted for the war on the left shouldn't have to.

I have a double standard to add to yours. The Democrats have been touting the concern that they have for the safety of our troops but now they are talking about not financially supporting the job that they are in Iraq to do. The funding is directly related to upgrading resources that are vital to the mission in Iraq. Is that concern for what is in the best interest of our men and women serving. It makes no sense that someone who insists that they support our troops would agree with the Democrats who are going to in a sense punish our troops by not giving them what they need to get the job done.


Anyone who would vote for Hillary Clinton cares nothing about integrity.

I believe that anyone that is *strictly* pro-choice should attend and assist in a partial birth abortion.

Answer 7

I wouldn't vote for Hilary Clinton if she served in the military or not..

And to comment on #2...that can be expanded to "for all those who are strictly pro-life, should they sign an agreement to personally support at least one child of an unwanted pregnancy to the age of 18--or until the kid graduates from college? Why or why not?


M

Answer 8

1. Refusing to vote for Hillary has nothing to do with her Military service. Bush's service record is questionable & Cheney "had better things to do."

2. I think anyone pro-life should work in an orphanage for 20 years.

Answer 9

I think EVERY American shoud serve......
I wouldnt vote for Hillary, if she was a 5 Star general
Pro Choice....no That is a very personal choice.
Due to those that have not served, they do not understand the full concept of life or freedom

Answer 10

1) I'm not necessarily a Hillary Clinton supporter, nor am I a citizen of New York. However, I would not refuse to vote for her purely on the basis of never having served. Although she did originally vote for a resolution authorizing the President to take military action there, she is not happy with the direction of the war. I think it's safe to say that she, as well as all the other people who voted for that resolution, were misled, lied to, and let down.

2) Sure, if you can promise that no pro-lifers will be stationed outside preparing to bomb or attack them while they work. After all, being pro-choice means you support a woman's right to make decisions over her body in a safe, legal environment, during the first trimester at least, if not later. This is different from opposing the war for two reasons:
(a) When people sign up for the military, they are aware of the fact that they will be going into combat, and they are trained for it. Abortion clinic volunteers are not.
(b) Bush is calling for an upsurge in troops in Iraq, and additional volunteers are needed a.s.a.p.. Abortion clinics would probably be happy just to get the violent pro-lifers off their lawn. In the meantime, if you do require pro-choice supporters to work in abortion clinics, you should also require pro-life supporters to work as foster parents and to adopt a child with severe birth defects.

As to why someone's service is relevant to their opinion on the war, consider the following:
There is a shortage of troops available to send to Iraq. The troops that are currently there have been overextended because of a lack of replacement troops. These people are patriots, so they'll stick it out if they have to, but they shouldn't have to continue sacrificing their lives, their time, and their sanity for a war many no longer believe in (if they ever did). Doesn't it strike you as hypocritical to plaster "Support the Troops" ribbons all over your Hummer and to support the continued war in Iraq in spite of the demonstrated failure of this administration to define and achieve its objectives there? This war has cost us a fortune, both financially and politically, and there is no evidence that it can be turned around at this point. It's too damn bad that Bush couldn't get his act together earlier and actually try to accomplish the mission he so glibly proclaimed to have won early on rather than trying to line the pockets of his cronies. Even if he has not been as corrupt as all that, he has been a most incompetent leader, and the result is this fiasco called the Iraq War.

I just don't see how his supporters could continue to praise the man for a job well-done and clamor for the war in Iraq to continue in hopes that we will be declared the victor when all evidence is to the contrary. And since I'm sick to death of these people suggesting that liberals should have to pay for all the tax money illegals steal (as if), I don't see any reason not to give them a taste of their own medicine and say that I think they should have to pay for this inept, corrupt, pointless war...with their lives as well as their pocket books. So if I have to foot the bill for education of illegal immigrants, then why don't they foot the bill for this ridiculous fiasco? And if they won't, then they can darn well shut up about the illegal immigration things as well as their so-called "Support the Troops" line until they do.

Edit: In other words, since these people are supporting Bush's call for ADDITIONAL TROOPS in Iraq, in spite of the military being spread too thin, then it's only fair that they put their money and lives where their mouth is and enlist. After all, it's not as if this war is really helping defend the American people. It's being continued for one reason only: to protect Bush's ego and to keep him from having to leave Iraq with his tail between his legs. (He'll leave that messy part of the problem up to the next President.) And if they don't want to enlist, perhaps they should consider removing all their "Support the Troops" ribbons from their bumper, or at least getting a smaller vehicle that doesn't guzzle so much gas.

Answer 11

I do not support the war, because i served and spent two years of my life there, and now am a disabled Vet. I would vote for Clinton simply because if you can see past the fact that she is a woman you can see that she is running on a better platform than anyone else as of now, and i am pro choice, because people need to keep themselves out of other peoples business.