Do anti-war demostrators really shorten the wars?

Question

i seen a lot of demonstrations during Viet Nam and now Iraq and was wondering if the demostrations are shortening the war?

Answer 1

As someone who *just* finished four years of active service (I've been home for a month now) and as an Iraq veteran, I can certain attest to the affect of the level of interference the American press has had in this conflict, as well as the ensuing protests. From our point of view, protests are a bunch of civilians who have no idea what's actually going on getting together, driven by a frenzy of political agenda and bad images on TV, cloggings streets and screaming about something they actually know very little about. Makes about as much sense as a bunch of villagers in Pakistan who have never left their village shaking their fists about "that devil America" when all they actually KNOW about the U.S. is what their clerics and leaders have TOLD them. The U.S. is no different in this respect, except that the "leader" that the American public has been developing its conclusions and opinions from is the TV, not from actual politicians, per se. Go to Iraq yourself (and NOT just to the Green Zone for a couple hours, like that so-called Iraq Study Group) and actually go see and do something if you want to be entitled to an opinion with some weight; because quite frankly, if you've never even driven to the next county, your opinions about what's going on in Iraq haven't got a lot of authority. I'm appalled at the reaction this war has had with civilians in the U.S.; it's become a media circus and the best possible political ammunition the Democratic Party has had in YEARS. Rather than come up with a concise plan, a realistic alternative--something I would consider a legitimate cause for them to denounce Bush's current wartime tactics--they instead have done nothing but resort to childish bickering during the entire duration of this thing.

Perhaps the worst slap in the face a soldier can get is the sort of behavior people like Cindy Sheehan, Sean Penn, and even Hanoi Jane have displayed. Jane Fonda went to the North Vietnamese and offered comfort to people who were actively killing her own countrymen. Sean Penn went to Baghdad and comforted Saddam Hussein before the invasion, a man responsible for the cold, cruel torture and deaths of thousands of his own people (I KNEW Iraqis who had lived in fear, lost family, or been directly crippled by that man). Cindy Sheehan is ignorantly dishonoring her own son by dishonoring his comrades in uniform, behaving childishly and unlike a rational adult, using any chance she can to get on TV and spew nonsensical rhetoric--she even met with Hugo Chavez. I can come up with plenty of other examples... but these are hardly people who have America's best interests at heart, and certainly not the best interests of our soldiers and citizens... their actions clearly speak louder than their worthless words.

It's one thing to do disagree; but if you disagree with a policy or an action, be an adult, be responsible, and come up with alternative solution and work on fixing it. Screaming and complaining and engaging in political subterfuge is childish, pointless, destructive, and only serves to give power to those who employ such questionable practices. Look at the big picture and see what's really going on the world, in our own country and in others... and never, ever, pass judgment based on conclusions you've made from watching TV. If you do, then you're little more than a fool.

Answer 2

Yes of course they can shorten the wars by applying a political pressure on the administration to seriously to find out a quick measure to end war as soon as possible. If there were no demonstration against Viet Nam war God only knows How long it would take without it.

Answer 3

No, hippie liberal protesters don't shorten wars. Vietnam lasted 10 years despite the protests. As much as I dislike war protesters, they play a vital role in raising the national consciousness. We as Americans are familiar with the expression freedom isn't free, but I think most people misinterpret that expression to mean we must fight; and that is partially true. The flip-side of the coin is that sometimes, to protect freedom you need to stand up to the powers that be, and tell them that they are wrong, even if they don;t seem to listening.

Answer 4

People like Jane Fonda got millions of innocent people tortured and slaughtered after we pulled out of Vietnam, so I guess she and her cohorts are trying for the same thing in Iraq. She even got our own POW's tortured when they confided in her and she told the enemy what they said. She's an evil person.

Did you see those inbreds marching in Washington? Several had barely a tooth in their head. What a bunch of losers. It's sad that ignorant fools like them get used this way. Of course Fonda was there with the other brain dead has-been actors like Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, and Tim Robbins. What a sad bunch they are. Look at their haggard faces and you'll see what blind hatred does to a person.

If they weren't so rich and privileged I'd feel sorry for them.

Answer 5

NO!!! All the protesters accomplish is clouding of the issue ! Anti-war protesters find every negative bit of info they can....and shout it from the streets. Unfortunately, this makes good press.... so it goes into the papers and onto the news instead of solid info about whats really going on. Its just sensationalist crap. This leads to demoralized people and troops who no longer understand what we are fighting for. It just bogs down the system and makes it impossible to proceed in a quick and efficient manner.

Answer 6

No, the ant-war protesters are just attempting to get their voices heard. Although public sentiment may have some very minor sway on those in power, a few thousand protesters have very limited ability to actually get anything accomplished.

Answer 7

Anti-War protesters simply reinforce the number of 'SUSPECTS' on federal lands and then provides a method of reference in order to brandish more funding towards maintenance and improvement for domestic spying funds.

Answer 8

Yes, of course. I have no problem with the ideals of anti-war protestors. They are helpful in offering alternative solutions to conflicts, in solving civil disputes and can help to encourage disarmament, ceasefires, democratic reform, human rights reforms and alternative military interventions to outright war.

Answer 9

Ha, this hillarious.

No, they just make fools out of themselves in an effort to grab 15 minutes of fame, ala Cindy Sheehan.

If the government does not even listen to itself, what makes you think they are going to listen to a bunch of pot smoking, kumbaya singin, "I wish it was Vietnam again and I as 20 not 50" rejects.

Answer 10

Hopefully. Politicians tend to pay attention to what the citizenry wants (with the exception of this administration).

Who knows how much longer the Vietnam War would have continued if there *hadn't* been protests?