How is it that soldiers dying in Iraq equates to defending my freedom?

Question

I am sick and tired of hearing this.

After 9/11, we have actually lost freedoms. The patriot act allows the government to keep taps on anybody and everybody unchecked. There are tons of videos showing riot police attacking peaceful demonstrators. I have never read that an Iraqi soldier coming to US soil and demand an American to give up his/her freedom.

So.

Hence my question.

Answer 1

It is not physical Iraqi soldiers invading the US, it is the principle of freedom that we are defending. Clearly you are not in the military, nor do we want you. Turn on the news once in awhile.

Answer 2

Let us know specifically just what freedoms you have lost under the patriot act. Just where exactly in the United States have you seen riot police attacking peaceful demonstrators?Those men and women over in Iraq and Afganistan are there protecting the very right you are exercising. It's not the soldiers dying that defends your freedom, it's the fact that they are willing to die that defends your freedom. There are people in this world who would really take your freedom from you. Imagine what it would be like if the extreme Islamists were able to set up their law in the U.S. You would then see riot police attacking peaceful demonstrators, a woman's life would be worth 1/2 of am man's life and would be treated as such, and griping about the leaders of the government would be dealt with rather harshly. American soldiers are not over in Iraq to demand Iraqi's give up there freedom, the are over there to give Iraqis their freedom

Answer 3

Soldiers, by virtue of their occupation, are defenders of the American people and American interests. They have dedicated themselves to defend America; however, they are not the policy makers. Their commitment to this country is what should be applauded. Disagreeing with the war doesn't negate the fact that these men and women have signed on to defend America. As an American that currently lives in Europe, I can say that the news that you guys get in the states and what we get here is decidedly different. Sadly in the US, the media portrays a situation where the US is unwanted and is "failing." News reports from other parts of the world certainly don't show that view. If you truly believe that we can simply go home and the problem will go away, you are very mistaken. Cells throughout Europe have been infiltrated, only to discover that some of these "sleepers" have been in place for years and years, decades in some cases. This isn't something that any particular president created or that a particular act has triggered. There are fundamentalists who believe that their mission is to spread their particular brand of extremism and destroy EVERYONE who is unwilling to conform. The attacks aren't simply against Americans or Christians; they are against EVERY other religion (including other Muslims who are not extremists), ethnic group, and country on the planet. AND they have been going on for years and years. You see sound bites...30 second clips, chosen by the media to represent the day to day activities of an entire country at war. To assume that you have an accurate insight as to what is happening there, what is being accomplished, how the people feel, what the motivations are, what the leaders and the people want and need is completely ridiculous. Just as if I took a 30 second sound bite of your life, chosen by me to portray my agenda, and stated on television that that was what who you were and what you should be judged on. Would that be fair or accurate? Of course not. Left to their own devises these countries, many who see the US as the ultimate evil (freedom of speech, freedom of religion, sexual equality, etc etc etc) will rise up, will purchase nuclear weapons and will blow us off the face of the planet. Are the soldiers in Iraq heroes?....Damn right they are. Are they defending Americans and freedom loving countries around the globe?....You had better believe it!

Answer 4

While I agree that the patriot act was a bad idea, and I'm glad some of it was allowed to sunset, it hasn't that much to do with the concept of a soldier dying for his country. Ultimately, that's what soldiers do, they put thier lives on the line for thier country. The purpose of our country is supposed to be to protect our freedoms - and, in spite of the foolishness of the patriot act (some of which has thankfully been allowed to sunset), that's still what it's there for. Ergo, if you're fighting for your country, your fighting to defend the freedoms of your fellow citizens.

Not /quite/ as many freedoms as before the patriot act (and a lot of other freedom-erroding legislation over the last 70 years or so), but still, that's the ideal.

Answer 5

Are you in Iraq fighting for our freedom??? Then you are truly getting a free ride. The old cleche' dont look a gift horse in the mouth fits here. If you have not joined the military... then you can not question those who did willingly to support our people. Instead of just reading up on all of the bad stuff... take a look at what our soldiers are doing for us. By the way, I lost family in 9/11 and live 30 min from where the towers stood... I may not support the war itself, but I support our troops and what they are doing for our nation.

Answer 6

It's up to all Americans to defend freedom. Our military guards our freedom and security from outside forces, but all citizens need to keep an eye on their politicians to be sure we don't take freedom away from ourselves.

It's easy to decide that some of people's rights aren't worth the lives of people, but that's the path to not having freedom. Americans need to understand that sometimes more than just soldiers will have to die--and that preventing tragedies like 9-11 isn't something worth losing our freedom over.

Answer 7

Because there are people in Iraq that would like to end our country as we know it IE: 9/11 or have you forgotten what it was like to have people in our own country killed and they weren't combatants, so we send our troops that are trained and willing to protect all of our freedoms for us... You should be grateful someone is willing to keep you Free, Freedom isn't free and they are willing to pay the highest price so you can be.... And as for the few freedoms we have lost I would say it's worth it as long as we don't have another 9/11 GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS AND THEIR FAMILIES.....

Answer 8

The Military sware an oath in which the the commander happens to be the President of the USA, so if the president requires military actions then he and his administration abdicate that your freedom is in danger, and hence the military actions toward the considered enemy. As for restrictions on freedoms such as the patriot act, Congress passed laws that restricted those freedoms as perceiving threats from the enemy from those sources of exposed evidenced in facts. Civics 101 my man, enjoy...

Answer 9

About the same as one that died in pearl harbor in WW2. Fighting for our freedom is not confined to withing the shores of our country. We cannot be a isolationist country and hope everybody leaves us alone. The fight against our enemies are better fought off shore then within our boundaries.

Answer 10

You are the same type of person who back in 1776 would ask a similar question, "How is it the King of England is affecting me on my little farm in upstate New York?" You don't see the larger picture. Get some education Tory.