Why aren't more people voicing opposition to the was in Iraq? Britain has lost 151 soldiers?

Question

the us has lost over 3,500 soldiers (if I have current figures correct). Doesn't anyone care? Would there be more protesting if the draft were reinstated?

the us has lost 3500 by my last count.
Would more people protest if the draft were reinstated?
Yes, I know when you join the military you commit, but mst of us expect the people making these decisions have some respect for human life.

I haven't forgotten the Iraqi people (between 65,000 and 71,000) nor the contractors.

Answer 1

I doubt my opinion will be popular but here goes...

I am not a political expert nor am I an expert about war. My heart does go out to those killed and their families...

But....

Surely, if you join the army you should be prepared to go to war and potentially die. That's what the army is. It's tragic and horrible, but that's what soldiers do.

Answer 2

Shocking as this might seem, 151 people is a really small number to loose in a war. 258 British soldiers were killed in the Falklands War and that only lasted about a month and a half.

Anyway, what is to be gained by voicing opposition to the war when it finished years ago, when Saddam was defeated. What we are now doing is a very long clean up job after having made such a complete mess. There shouldn't be opposition to this because it would be disgraceful to fight a war and then leave the people in the mess we left behind. Common decency should force us to stay until we either fix things, are asked to leave, or decide that we can no longer help. None of these three things have happened yet.

Answer 3

A lot of people are protesting the war in Iraq. Unfortunately, our government is not listening. They didn't listen back in the 70s when we went to Vietnam either, and those were some huge protests. The United States government has become largely unresponsive to the people because it has no incentive to listen.

We have two major political parties, the only ones that have any chance of getting the Presidency. While it may seem that that gives us at least some choice, it doesn't. Both the Democrats and Republicans work for the same people in the end: huge corporations. Oil companies, pharmaceutical giants, media conglomerates, etc. basically run the country. When the average American citizen goes to vote, he or she usually doesn't really know anything about the candidates. Most votes are cast for "that nice looking young man from TV" or "the only guy who's name I recognized." Advancing up the political ladder has very little to do with votes, and a great deal to do with who you know, and how much money you can get your hands on. Getting money means catering to big business lobbyists and special interest groups. Making friends means not rocking the boat with other people who cater to these interests. If you do not support big business, your political career is dead before it starts.

Look at former President Jimmy Carter. He was an honest, kind, people's champion sort of guy. He tried very hard to fix a lot of the things that were wrong with America. He ended up having one of the most inneffective administrations in our nation's history, because he did not play the old-rich-white-boys-club game.

Anyhow, I'm getting way off subject. Our protests are doing nothing because, at the end of the day, we are either putting Puppet-A or Puppet-B in office, and they both represent the same interests. The American people have absolutely no power over our government. We are the furthest thing from "free".

Answer 4

There is a lot of opposition.
There is also a permanent govt PR campaign to hoodwink people into acceptance or even promotion of this outrage, and that is enabled pervasively by aspects of the media and subtle means.

All people need to know is that it is a self-serving business agenda, for which the beneficiaries will say anything, even if their arguement shifts (spin) and their lackeys, are just that, they have their eyes on their career and the path that will further that in immediate terms. None of these people are remotely concerned over and above their personal ambitions, with deaths of soldiers, nor civilians of any nationality or age .
They may be concerned with establishing puppet govts again to protect their personal interests, but their agenda warps their ability to realistically assess these possibilities at every turn.
Their fantasies for their own gain is what enables MPs to make deluded speeches whereby unfortunately some of the listening public simply would rather not believe that the protagonists are in front of them wolves in sheeps clothing. It is easier to believe in a foreign enemy especially if you can colour-code it as recent world politics has tried to do and achieved in parts of the western world.

Answer 5

Well why is the Uk still going ahead on taxing airplanes for (green reasons) even though so many oppose to it? oh yes thats its the goverment do what they like regardless what we think.

Anyway i have mixed opinions i feel sorry for the families but they chose to join the army it's not compulsory and also you can't always turn your back on things/ wars just beacuse people are getting killed its horrible it really is but you have to go for whats right...weather you think the Iraq war is a correct decsion or not is another thing i think we should stay out of it and let them fix their problems

Answer 6

I think the fact is we the public do not know fully the reasons behind the war, or the long term strategy of the west. Soldiers who choose freely to join the forces to protect our country are conscientious and brave. They protect our future generations from destruction. Thousands get killed on out roads each year in senseless driving accidents, children and adults alike.
I remember the horror of the last war and we have learnt from this that we must stop this happening again at all costs.
Thank you to all those brave men who are keeping our families safe. We live in a dangerous world with many unstable dictatorships. Long may we continue to keep them at bay.

Answer 7

You say that as if no Iraqi's have died.

A conservative count ranges between 60 000 - 70 000 civillian killed during the coalition invasion and occupation.

However we have no way of knowing how large this figure may be, as the figures above only include reported deaths.

Answer 8

WW2 lasted some 5 years 9 months we have been in Iraq about 6 years now with no end in sight .
We went in under the lies about Weapons of mass destruction and the US war on terror.
some would say "Better an end to terror than a terror without end" but for that region both seam to be prevalent..
The war is a disgrace to the western world and humanity in general.

Answer 9

There still is opposition, but it tends not to be reported much in the media. Regular demonstrations are made in London and other cities.

Check out www.stopwar.org.uk for what is going on in Britain.

Answer 10

You forget over 900 civilian contractors have died also