Is protesting the war disrespectful to the troops fighting the war?

Question

If you are a soldier do you feel protesters are attacking you personally?

I have a friend in the military that thinks the majority of troops see protests as an attack on them not the policies and war. Thoughts?

Answer 1

No, protesting is a reasonable and accepted way for individuals to work toward change

However, the way some people protest is disrespectful to to those in harms way. Calling them murderers and saying they are fighting an "illegal war" are a couple of examples that comes to mind.

So if you want to protest the war, stay away from things that demean the troops and the country they serve. Protest the war and leave the slanderous rhetoric out.

Answer 2

It's not that it's a personal attack... it's more that we take pride in military service, and most protestors (wittingly or not) bash on the military without even knowing it. Examples of things which are attacks on the military that we hear alot from protestors:

1) The Iraqi death toll *because America is there* implies that our military is the cause of civilian deaths. No country in the world has a track record as clean as America's for avoiding civilian casualties if at all possible. And yet the media and protestors imply this one all the time without ever qualifying that it's the terrorists doing the killing.

2) the claim that we're in iraq for oil. America doesn't have any oil contracts with iraq and is yet to take a drop of oil from them. they still have their largest contracts with france and germany, just like before the war. I know I certainly don't like the implication that the military is serving as puppets in an oil game.

3) no WMDs ever found. Some of the IEDs have been made out of old Iraqi artillery shells filled with mustard gas. There have also been small stockpiles found, but they never made anywhere near the front pages and most people don't seem to take the time to research before protesting. It's like they don't care about the issues or the troops, only their own opinions.

4) The claim that the military are all unquestioning people "just following orders." It's a patent claim designed to dehumanize the military in order to cause pity. I don't like being told I'm just some drone, however, because I happen to think of myself as an intelligent human being.

5) By the same rote: calling it an "illegal war" implies that American Troops can't distinguish between legal and illegal orders. Basically not cool. Because some ONE person doesn't agree with the war, does NOT make it illegal.

Answer 3

It is all about how people protest. If you are protesting the politicians who got us into this mess, then you are fine, but if you talk about troops wanting out, going awol because of the war, and the military killing civilians without caring, that affects all military members. I think people can protest the war without being disrespectful to the military, but they don't or just won't.

Answer 4

That is your right. But it is sad that a vast majority of the protesters haven't a clue nor do they understand the troops role in the war on terror. Those who protest the policies are seen as exercising their right provided by those deployed. Its those who protest and just slander everything with stupid sayings and comments, Ala this forum day in and day out that make the service-member feel that they are not supported.

Answer 5

Those who cant tell the difference between an attack on the policies of the government and an attack on the troops are idiots. and that applies to the troops fighting in Iraq. As if people personally hate an individual soldier. Of course not, its the fact they are there which we protest. I dont give a **** if its Joe Bloggs or John Smith in Iraq. They shouldnt be there, full stop.

Answer 6

Then he needs my size 10 1/2 boot up his butt and maybe that will straighten him out. I haven't seen any protester yet attack the soldiers just the president and his less than brilliant policies that have so far gotten several of my friends killed and several more badly wounded. My friends and I are veterans or are still serving and we don't feel that protesters are attacking us just the creaton in chief Bush.

Answer 7

Protesting the "war" is not disrespectful if you are aiming your protest at the policies and decisions made by the leaders of this country. You can protest this conflict and still support the troops at the same time.

If you aim your protests at service men and women, then your protests are misdirected, and I would consider that disrespectful. If you are aiming them at the policy makers and leadership, then no, there is nothing wrong with that.

Answer 8

It's very disrespectful to us, because the lefties make no secret of their absolute hatred of the people who serve in our military. For example:

How many times have we seen the "agrarian reformers" of the left spewing violent hatred against the troops, who they call "babykillers" and "murderers"?

How many times have we seen the left disparage the educational level, intelligence and even the humanity of servicemembers?

And now they spew this drivel about how they "support the troops but HATE THE WAR AND BUSH AND CHENEY AND RICE AND ISRAEL AND THE USA AND ALL IT STANDS FOR!!!".

Give me a break. Those of us who serve are not nearly as stupid as you neo-commies think we are, and your "support" is something we can do without. We'd rather you were honest enough to simply admit that you hate us, rather than using us as tools of political expediancy in order to mislead the public into thinking you actually care about America.

And those of you in the .mil who are siding with the neo-coms, you need to say "POP".

Oh, yeah- I forgot to touch on the dreaded "WMD" issue that the lefties LOOOOVE to cry about, yet never seem to be able to do any real research on: Our Scout Platoon took part in an operation south of TQ that netted 18 canisters of Liquid Mustard(NOT very nice stuff) and 6 canisters of Sarin(Also not very nice). Never saw a peep about that in the media. For the uninformed leftists out there, that's enough WMD's to take out the better part of a small city with the right wind conditions.

Answer 9

Just make it clear that you are protesting the misuse of our troops.

Answer 10

The war protesters want us to lose.
So yes, they are against our troops.