What makes civilians think they are qualified to comment on the military and warfare?

Question

Especially these celebrities who protest wars (which they know NOTHING about). How would Sean Penn like it if some G.I.s appeared on the set of his next B movie and shouted at him for "doing it wrong"?

How would these lame-brain college profesors like it if the Marines showed up at their Women's Studies class and criticized the manner in which feminazi propaganda was disseminated?

Answer 1

Isn't five deferments Cheney a civilian.. Oops. How about Rush Limbaugh? Come to think of it, so are Hannity and Ann Coulter. Are you going to name these civilians as well or just the ones that disagree with your Roman Empire outlook on life?

Some neos just aren't that bright I'm afraid...

Did I forget to mention Dennis Miller?

Answer 2

I think it is the first amendment that gives us the impression that we may comment on the war. You know that pesky one about freedom of speech.

By the way have you noticed that any general that has disagreed with Bush has either retired or has been removed?

Perhaps the civilians are more concerned that rising through the top ranks of the military has more to do with *** kissing than honesty. How can we trust the brass to tell it like it is?

Frankly I have no idea what the average soldier in Iraq thinks about the current situation there; and I would really like to know!

I have several concerns.
1 The CIA was dismantled in the 90's so we had zero information on Iraq before the war. Before 911 the CIA had ONE active operative in the middle east who could speak Arabic. (Robert Baer)
2 The President was able to bully the CIA into repeating the Bush administration's statements that Saddam was behind 9/11 and he had weapons of mass destruction. They also convinced us that he was about to develope Nuclear weapons.
All of this turned out to be a false pretext for war.
3. There are two nations in the area that are sponsoring terrorism in the middle east, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Iran has been having an undeclared war with America since the 1979 revolution.
Saudi Arabia has funded Al Queda with a half a billion dollars. Fifteen of the nineteen hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. The only Al Queda targets in the Saudi Kingdom have been Americans.... so I guess the generous donation to the terrorists paid off!
Why didn't we fight the real terrorists?
4. It seems we have removed a secular dictatorship in Iraq only to have it replaced with a civil war and perhaps another fundamentalist theocracy like Iran.

I agree with you on one point. I too am sick of hearing semi-literate celebrities comment on the war. Presenting entertainers as political commentators is just plain wrong.

Answer 3

People do have the right to express their opinions. It's really is too bad that celebrities have the platform to speak from which most of us don't. People hear them and so many cling to their every word because they don't have a thought process of their own. Jane Fonda is at it again, like she didn't do enough damage the first time around. I still can't figure out why she wasn't jailed for consorting with the enemy after what she did. I even read a comment on here from some john- kerry -wanna- be about the military consisiting of "young punks" who need guidance from "more intelligent" experienced adults. Comments like that make me wish that some people DIDN'T have the right to run their mouths like they do. Just proves how many uninformed idiots there are and how some are so quick to just repeat all the garbage they have been fed. They don't have to worry because they DO have the military to take care of business. They would be the first ones wetting their pants and wringing their smooth, soft little hands and demanding protection from the military if the business starts happening in their own back yards again though.
These Hollywood types are the FIRST ones these terrorists would target. They represent everything that these terrorists hate.
As for going to a college and criticizing any professors or what they teach. GOOD LUCK even trying to get onto a college campus anymore if you are in uniform. They wouldn't welcome you anywhere near them, let alone inside to give an opininion. So much for the great bastions of knowledge.
It maddens me when people don't want to listen to any returning troops who have BEEN to these war zones and HEAR what they have to say Instead, they chose sit in the safety of their homes and spew out the propaganda they are fed everyday from "reliable" news sources. Actually, when do we even have a chance to HEAR what these returning troops have to say? Too bad THEY aren't given they same platform as these celebrities.

Answer 4

Civilians through freedom of speech rights must be afforded the ability to comment on military and war fare issues. However, the decision making behind warefare and military issues is a different question.

Would you get a lawyer to build your house? The logical answer is no. You would get a builder. But what we have in the US at the moment is a bunch load of civilians commenting and dictating the whys and wherefores of those military personnel in iraq.

I am a civilian. I work for a company that ensues i work in iraq. Before i came to iraq quite frankly i could not see what the reasoning behind the huge invasion of iraq was for. Nor, more importantly could i agree with it.

One year on and still working here in iraq i could not now agree more with the war. The US and the British are critical to the success of the stability of this country. Why do i think this? I live, eat, sleep, work and have many friends here whom are local iraqis.

So why do most people think the war is unjust - because they listen to the wrong type of information. Papers sell information to make money. TV broadcasts information to get ratings, and thus make money. Unfortunately we live in a world where mass media is observed and acted upon by the masses. The masses make up the civilians and therefore the civilians then believe they think they are qualified to comment and make decisions upon the military and warfare.

How can it be changed? It cant, and it wont. That is the game of politics, what bush stakes his career on along with many others.

Answer 5

Those lame-brain celebrity actor type civilians aren't qualified to comment on the military and warfare, they are required too. As much if not more so as every citizen of the United States is required to police their government. Civilians aren't muzzled by a Uniform Code of Military Justice, nor did they pledge to give up their rights as American citizens to defend the Constitution or the Republic for which it stands. Most military vets, the blogbaba included know this, and understand why we were required to protect such seemingly ungrateful people. If is unfortunate the Bush administration doesn't honor that concept.

They are not protesting or belittling the Military. They are horrified at the site of death and dismemberment and object to the circumstances that cause such horror. Most are moved by simple human compassion to protest the seemingly senseless death.

The feminazi propaganda you refer to is the chirping canary in the mind shaft of liberty. (thank Dennis Miller, not the blogbaba for that) and when dissent is silenced in the U.S. so will freedom.

Think before you spew such insanity.

Answer 6

You are probably a product of a typical regiment. Swallow everything. Sean Penn had been in Iraq & met the people there before the attack and understood how foolish the decision made by Bush & Co. And you, you know nothing but to follow & swallow every foolish orders from your superior.

Answer 7

Ok sarg. Maybe not where you are from, but where I am from we ´HAVE´ the right to have our own opinions. And I know I don´t ´have´ to clear this up, but that does not make me a liberal or a democrat. And yes, maybe most people with my ´style´ of thinking haven´t been to a war. And to me it´s better that way. But I agree there are some celebrities who don´t know what they are talking about. But don´t focus on Sean Penn, focus on an idiot like Jessica Simpson, as I focus on an idiot to make my point (our great friend Dubya). Ohh, and open up your mind a bit, I am NOT attacking you, I just think it is wrong, in MY opinion. If that makes me a terrorist, then that makes them viscious anti-human cyborgs. Good luck though and trust me, there are plenty that agree with you. Enjoy that and don´t put your ideas on the rest. Love and Respect. Peace (yes I said peace, because that is what the world needs). Roger. Oh, and please have some heart, man. A little word play on your name. Zeek huy.

Answer 8

The Founding Fathers thought it was important to suborden the military to civilian authority. We haven't exactly had any military coups in over 230 years have we? Guess they knew what they were doing.

But let's make proper analogies. Sean Penn isn't going out to the battlefield to tell the GIs they aren't conducting their work properly. He's castigating the civilian leadership for the decisions they are making and the uses the GIs are put to. That is entirely fair game.

Answer 9

Simply put, war should be left to the professionals, the military. They have the intelligence, means, and the training that John and Jane Celebrity will never have.

Answer 10

those who have not served in combat have no freaking idea about war, both clinton and bush avoidied the war in Viet Nam, I fought there USMC. My sons are fighting the war in Iraq, while theyd rather be fighting in Afghansatn, they follow orders like I did. Protestors have the right to do so only because of the sacrifices that our fighting men and women have made

Answer 11

well isnt the american military fighting for democracy and freedom of speech in iraq and wasnt the war and ur pay authorised by civies then they have a substantial right in making a comment about military operation if they want
but i will agree with ur views on celebrities who do it plainly for publicity