Should members of the military be able to speak out against the Iraq war?

Question

Does it seem right that the very people who are expected to die for our freedom, cannot express opposition to the war?

Listening to "Condi" Rice say that there were "Thousands of tactical errors" almost made me vomit. The boots on the ground are fighting with one hand tied behind their back.

They probably shouldn't even be in Iraq, Bin Laden was hiding in Afghanistan/Pakistan & the 9/11 attackers virtually all came from Saudi Arabia.

But anyway, should soldiers be able to criticize the prosecution of the war?

Answer 1

Once you join the military service, you no longer have the right to criticize governmental policy, or its civilian members, in public. It is and has been against military law for 200 plus years.

The military is an arm of the government and as a member of the military you can not speak out against your Country, it's leaders or its policies. Privately is one thing; Do so in public and most likely it will land you in jail.

As military members you have no political opinion. You go where you are told and follow the orders of your Government. Don't like that. Don't join.

Just because you defend democracy, does not mean you are IN one.

Answer 2

Criticize, no. Question, yes. I understand that there is a very fine line in between the two, but to criticize how the war is being handled doesn't leave much room for cooperative correction, where as questioning of the war will lead to answers that can be used to make the needed corrections. Must of the troops, like those on 60 minutes, are just asking questions about the war: What is the point?; What good can we do there?; Where is our armor? This is a good thing. There are those soldiers who believe the only way to change things is to go on the offensive and criticize every aspect of this war, but that does no good and only makes people not want to hear what they have to say.

Answer 3

NO!
DEFINATELY NO!
If yo9u wo9rk for a firm in the united states you cannot bad mouth that firm or you will get fired and that is the law.
By joining an all Volunteer Millitary you are then no longer governed under civil law but Admiralty Law.
At least then when a mamber of ourt military just waste someone or rapes someon they kjnow they will not be tried in the country of origin but under militarty law.
That they joined voluntarily a caste system of governance by signing a contract they agreed to keep their mouths shut and do as told.
Why do you think the government wanted an all volunteer military?
Hell its getting so bad that even a civilian must never criticize the miltiary and feel sorry for them for volunteering, or else worship the miltiary or face condemnation and be branded a girly boy, facist, anti semitic-traitor ,heathenistic
infidel, and unpatriotic or worse of all a homo.
They signed up to do a job and they got their own to whine to if they need comforting. They became wards to the State and the President is their boss.

Answer 4

The fact of the matter is that they are allowed to criticize the war. They are just not allowed to do so under conditions where they can be seen as speaking as a representative of the military. As long as they do so under conditions that ensure that it is obvious that they are expressing a personal opinion - they are fine.

Now the real reason you do not hear about many troops criticizing the mission is because the vast majority believe in what we are trying to achieve.

No - they are not brainwashed and yes, they are allowed to say whether or not they agree with the war. So stop trying to rationalize away the fact that so many of us disagree with you and accept the fact that we have seen what is going on in Iraq with our own eyes and as a result, have formed different conclusions than you.

Answer 5

Sure, they have as much a right as we do to speak out against the war. They are over there fighting the war, they see things over there that they don't like to talk about.

Answer 6

They are in the Armed Forces, not working in B&Q. Theyre job is to follow orders without hesitation or question. Imagine the worst case scenario. Theres a nuclear strike against the West, and while we wait for retaliation by our submerged silos, they are on board arguing about the rights and wrongs before retaliating..!
Pleaze..! You give up your right to those freedoms when you enlist, its that simple.

Answer 7

Our soldier's should be entitled to their First Amendment rights just like any other citizen. Unfortunately, criticizing the war or the government is a career killer for them.

Answer 8

Well, have you ever been in the military? I haven't either. But I have 4 family members that are all marines. They are in a different world. And part of that world is not questioning your orders. If you are given a mission, then you do your best to accomplish this mission and come back in one piece. Before soldiers enlist in the military, they are informed of this and they accept it. They sign up by choice, nobody is making them do anything.

Answer 9

I've got news for you. Most of the people who are in the military are there because they want to be. There is no draft any more so that ploy doen't work any more. They don't speak out bacause they don't want to speak out and the ones who do aren't kept from it. It takes a liberal mind to think otherwise.

Answer 10

they gave up that right when the willingly joined the military. by the way dont believe everything you hear on the news its all biased and changed to make you hear just what they want you to.. the fact is things are going well over there the rebuilding has begun also. my husband is there