I served in Iraq and was called unpatriotic for not supporting war?

Question

This man I was debating with called me unpatriotic for supporting a withdrawal of troop from Iraq, yet I served over there myself and just got back, I know first hand that yes us troops are very proud to serve our country but as time went on everyone came to know we were there for no reason. A friend of mine had to kill a little boy who was strapped with bombs in the first week I arrived, then kids would learn that we were good so they would rush up to us for toys, candy etc. Times have changed though

Have you ever had a friend be killed by a road side bomb. For no reason, we are there for NO GOOD REASON we need to leave. And I can bet a lot of you thinking we need to stay are basically telling me that you want my friends still serving dead. We have done what we needed and I wish all my friends could come home, it seems like another dies every few months now, and I cannot believe someone calling me unpatriotic because I served my country. Open your eyes we need to get them home

Answer 1

Riiiiight, I bet you have property in Florida you'd like to sell too.

Answer 2

For some reason I doubt you were in 'the sandbox.' First was the "...HAD TO KILL A LITTLE BOY..." Second was the "...it seems like another dies every few months now..." The first one...yeah, right. The second one...you might want to get your facts right. There are more than 'another...' dying '...every few months.' FYI poseur, there is one of our troops dying more than one every few months.
You said you were called unpatriotic for "supporting withdrawal of troop(s)". In your next to last sentence you said the person called you "unpatriotic because..." you "...served your country." If you're going to tell tales, keep your story straight.
Now, be a good little girl and go play with your Barbie and Ken dolls.
(USN, retired/in-country Viet Nam vet)

Answer 3

First of all, thank you for your service to our country. I would never call you unpatriotic, but I will call you ignorant (not stupid) on the big picture.

You may not understand the reasons for us being there, but that does not mean they do not exist.

Being in Iraq, you have seen, first hand, the acts of extremists. What do you think those extremists would do on a larger scale. Instead of having the funds to create a suicide bomb, imagine them having the wealth from the oil in Iraq. Do you think they would be less extreme than they are now?

A stable government in Iraq is an absolute necessity for the safety of most of the world.

Answer 4

First off Aim a former Marine served my time in Iraq. I know where your coming from with your views. I lost very good friends in Iraq also. I Love America not Iraq. I will fight to protect America not Iraq. I say lets get out of there and let the towel heads kill each other. There freedom is not worth the lives of America.

Answer 5

As a 25-year Navy veteran, I can assure you that you are not unpatriotic. The warrior is the one who hates war. He wants to get it over as soon as possible. His concern is the two men who are ten meters or less away on his right and left side. He wants to come out safely and bring those two guys with him.
I don't wish any of your friends dead. But, I also don't want to see their efforts go for nothing. That is precisely what happened after our disengagement from Indochina over 30 years ago.
The next time you run into one of these guys from the "Petey Patriot Brigade" ask him where his concern was for our troops and nation on September 10, 2001. I'll bet it was non-existent!

Answer 6

I served over there during the Gulf war and know how hard it is to be there and to see your friends killed or injured. I have lost many friends and I'm 33 yrs old. One thing you said that people need to know and that is that little kids would have bombs strapped to them. No one understands unless you;ve been there in the middle of it. I would love to see our troops home again and safe but I just don't think we can pack up and leave it like it is. I thank you for your service to our country and for fighting to keep our country safe and free. Good luck to you.

Answer 7

Just be happy knowing that the moron that called you unpatriotic isn't not very bright and probably won't amount to much. You've already won.

BTW, you're ten times more patriotic then that guy, Ruth, RLP, Wingshooter, Sway and the other chickens that talk big on the war but are too damn weak to ever lift a finger to help anyone, unless of course it's talking tough on a computer.

Answer 8

First of all, thank you for serving in the armed forces. I'm sure you don't hear that enough.

You have earned the right to feel the way you do, and to say it out loud. You have fought over there, and have seen what is going on first hand. But protecting our freedom (I don't think for one second that the war in Iraq is going on to protect our freedom) is a double-edged sword. By doing so, you are also protecting that guy's, as well as everyone else's, right to be a jackass.

Answer 9

Lynn, I thank you for serving. As a combat veteran you have earned as well as having been born to the right to express your opinions.

I too have served and I too have lost brothers in arms in Iraq. No, I do not wish your colleagues dead, nor do I wish mine to die. I have taken the same risks they did and that you relate that you did. I do support our mission there but perhaps I have understood the "why's" of it better. Your command has failed you in that it was unable to give you the why of our mission.

It is always sad when a child is used as a pawn in warfare as you have described. And it is rewarding when the children smile after the candy and pencils have been given them.

Yes, we have rid Iraq of Saddam. But now we are fighting Al-Qaeda there. If we don't help the new government to gain control of their nation, it will return to a tyrant like Saddam or worse into a religious caliphate under Al-Qaeda. (Read their intent in the article I post below.) It is all those little things we do for those kids. It is the schools and hospitals we build and protect. It is teaching the new soldiers in there Army and the new policemen to respect human and civil rights. It is protecting the polling stations. It is all of these things. It is necessary.

Here's what the #2 in Al-Qaeda has said in his most recent video as written by the Washington Post and posted on Yahoo News:
"In a wide-ranging video in which he primarily attacked the rulers of Saudi Arabia, Zawahiri also defended the Islamic State of Iraq, the umbrella group that he said was formed by al-Qaeda in Iraq, against critics who say it has been weakened and "lacks the necessary qualifications." He alleged that the group is getting closer to the goal of establishing an Islamic caliphate in the Middle East and urged Muslim youth to hurry to Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and the Palestinian territories to fight for their religion.

The speech is perhaps most significant for its admission that Sunni militants have grown divided over the usefulness of the alternative regime that the Islamic State of Iraq claims to offer."

It demonstrates our enemy's presence and intent in Iraq. It demonstrates the loss of allies in the Sunni's. It demonstrates that we are having the desired effect through our good-will and through the enemy's dastardly deeds.

I can understand why you would feel the way you do because it hurts when we lose our brothers in arms and because your command has failed to provide you the "why" that we do need in those times. I hope you can consider that there is a good reason and I hope you wish me well on my next trip to help with the "how."

Answer 10

That is from a short-sighted person.
We can not continue to stay in Iraq and lose soldiers to horrible wounds and death. We are destroying our military and yet we want our youth to serve. Our military will never be what it was before this war and the last (afganistan). We are stretched beyond believe in men, women and equipment.
Everything the Military owns is breaking down. We are running out of supplies and items need to continue. But who cares right?
Our men and women who serve are doing it ill-equiped just like when they went with humvees without armour. Who cares say some?

Well I care. My son is an Army officer who got back from Iraq in December. He is probably going back this December and I care. I do not like him giving the order to have children with bombs on their backs shot but he must. They have to think of the safety of their unit and press on. No one will ever know what it is like there until they serve and go to Iraq. The stories will amaze you.
And most Iraqis want us to go home. We are occupying their country just like we did with many others. We always come in and never leave.
We are losing too many fine men and women, and for what?
This civil war and war on terror will go one for years. It may never be resolved.
We need our troops home to protect our borders from terrorists.
Thanks for Serving. Your American and you should be a proud soldier. Your job is done. Now lets all get the troops home.

Answer 11

I feel what you're saying. We as troops don't have a choice but I have nothing good to say towards the war & the stubborn administration. I publicly just keep my pie hole closed. So I don’t slap the sh*t out of morons like that.

We're very patriotic f*ck what any of these azzholes say. When they get their sorry azz in uniform. Put up w/ these sorry azz politically correct rules of engagement & see friends die right in your arms. Maybe they would feel our pain. I would punch that SOB str8 in the f*cking mouth.