Don't you get sick of the phrase "Support our troops"?

Question

I totally support our troops. I want every one of them to come home safe and sound. And when they return they should get the best treatment possible for whatever problems they have. I support pay increases for troops. I think we could do a far better job of equiping our troops (Body armour, etc), and I think that if we are going to fight a war we should send enough troops so they can support one and other.

But the constant use of the phrase 'support our troops' is just a political tool by politicians. They are constantly accusing people of not supporting troops, or using the 'support' of troops to try to justify military actions. They use this phrase to oppose various plans to try to change the strategy in the war or to end the war.

Are we not simply using the troops when we invoke this phrase constantly?

If the upper echelons of the US government really supports our troops then there would've been no scandal at Walter Reed.

Stop using the troops as politcial pawns?

I think that the American people, and politicians, should try to have factual, authentic, sincere, and dispassionate diologue about the war and quit using the troops for political gain. There fine men and woman have volunteered to be part of the greatest military force in history. Let them do thier job and don't make them into political tools.

Answer 1

yes

Answer 2

It is a meaningless slogan, yet it is crafty. If you stand against the war, you can be accused of not supporting our troops!!! Without asking any questions like well, what is our policy? What do we hope to achieve? Are these realistic or still do able?, because if you no longer think the goals can be Acevedo let us not leave one troop one day longer after we have resigned ourselves that the objectives cannot be met. To add wrong to wrong would leaving troops to suffer and die to save political face. That is an abhorrent abuse of power and betrayal to the troops. A democracy should be debating this continuously while the country is at war. Not trying to silence all with meaningless slogans "Support our Troops" indeed. President Bush has asked more times then I can remember cuts in funding to troops in all kinds of ways,combat pay, health care, housing...on and on.....but no never ask Haliburton, or K.B.R. to open the books and justify their costs.....Mary

Answer 3

I Support Our Troops. I am proud to be a citizen of a country with the fiercest fighting machine know to mankind and it's all volunteer.
I don't support our young men and women in uniform being placed in the middle of a civil war as police or referees.
Our military is highly trained and skilled at kicking *** and to hold them back from that and place rules of engagement on them and make them patrol streets in small groups under threat of sniper attack and mad bombers is insanity.
If we really want this thing to end as a win, I know I do and I bet the troops do too, Let's pull them back to the outskirts of the city, form a line and go door to door killing anything that resists, blowing up any building that holds a sniper, seizing every firearm and explosive, and herding the resisters out the far side of town into glorious martyrdom courtesy of a blaze of crossfire in an open killing field.

Give our troops two weeks off, fly in some booze and hookers, ministers, priests, rabbis, entertainers... whatever they want because they earned it, then go to the next city. I mean really... the only way to get people to stop fighting... to win a war is to WIN the friggin' war.

Our Generals know how to win the war... they just aren't being allowed to do it.
I support our troops no matter what and I despise them being sacrificed and misused.
Let them win or bring them home! Just stop making them ducks in a barrel.

Whatever we do over there, we sure as hell better take good care of our kids when they come back over here. Woe be unto any fool who I see spit on a serviceman or woman.

Answer 4

The Democrats in the Senate just passed a bill that will cut huge amounts of funding for the troops, they are doing this because its the only thing they can do
So they are willing to cut funding for the troops and that just simply isnt American.

Some of the money saved would go to peanut storage. Literally.
Im proud to say it.

I SUPPORT THE TROOPS

Answer 5

Yes, I am so sick of people throwing that erroneous term around.

The "If you don't support the war....then you don't support the troops" crap has got to go. Following that logic one could argue.........."If you agree with the war then you must want the troops to die"

Both statements are flatly untrue. I don't believe the few people in this country who still agree with this war (that would be 29% of you ) want our troops to die. Just as those who disagree with the war (that would be 70% of us) still "support the troops"

So everyone, let's agree to stop the inaccurate rhetoric right now. You can agree or disagree with the war.... but that doesn't translate into "not supporting the troops" OR wanting troops to die. We all want them home safe with no more bloodshed.

Answer 6

Thank you. I am glad you totally support our troops. I am a Vietnam Veteran. Where ever I traveled there were people who called me "baby killer" and spit on me, because I was in my Air Force uniform. My country did not support me...or the other troops. I don't believe we can over do "support our troops". I vowed I'd never stand by and allow any other generation of brave men and women suffer the disdain that my comrades and I were subjected to. As for the political side of it...that is the politicians' problem. As for me, I will proudly proclaim that I support our troops and honor our Veterans. It is the least we can do for those who put their lives on the line every minute of every day while they are serving their country...honorably. We must tell them. We must show them. To hell with politics. Troop support is non-partisan. We are not simply using the troops when we invoke that phrase constantly...when we feel it in our hearts, we mean it in our souls, and we intend to render true support.

We need to make certain that the government/politicians really support our troops...take care of them while serving, take care of them when wounded, take care of their families, and take care of them when they are honorably discharged and return home. That is OUR responsibility. So, please, let's DO support our troops and never get sick of telling them we do. Let's just make sure that the phrase actually has energy and power from the people. To hell with the politicians who would do otherwise. True troop support must come from each and every citizen. Thank you for caring enough to question the status quo. Thank you for asking this important question. I hope you will continue to support our troops. My son is in the military. He has served in Iraq and will be going back this summer. Am I frightened? Yes. Am I proud? Absolutely. Do I support him and our other troops?
Damn Right!

Answer 7

I use it because of what it means to my family. Supporting the troops means defending them from slander, ensuring fair pay, advancement and educational opportunities, honor their duty regardless of politics. It means bringing a plate of cookies without being asked to a military mom with kids during deployments. It means setting up webcams so parents can talk to their boys. The phrase won't go away because military men nowadays are family men, and families support themselves even when thier country struggles. Politicians aside, don't be afraid to use it.

Answer 8

Agree 100%. They put their lives on the line.The most horrendous attitude I've seen yet is from some in the far right wing who try to cover up OUR NATIONS failing the troops by screeching "They VOLUNTEERED" - as if that is an excuse for mistreatment/lack of training or supplies.

Answer 9

ya its pretended that if you dont support the war somehow that will break all the troops moral and cause them grave damage. I think them knowing if they lose a leg they arent going to get medical care is more demoralizing. They are there and they know they are referees for a civil war and I think its demeaning to them to give them the impression that we support a war on terror thats actually a civil war. Also the fact that there are NO endpoints from Bush Co. its open ended they could be there indefinitely. If thats not demoralizing I dont know what is!!

Answer 10

I'm one of the troops. I appreciate the sentiment

Supertamsf - Actually if you don't support the war, you don't support the troops. Forget body armor and bombs, what our troops want most is to know their sacrifice is appreciated and that what they are doing is noble. But all you amateurs second guessing our commanders is just demoralizing.

Answer 11

I do because it was their chose to enlist. It is their chosen profession though it is a dangerous one. Teaching is dangerous anymore too but you don't have many people support us. Walter Reed is bad but so are many of our schools.