Why do we go on and on about supporting the troops?

Question

We have a professional army which is well paid not only in salary but in kind. The life benefits accorded to the military are not found in any other sector. Our professional soldiers join the army for many,many reasons and not all of them altruistic.Poor foreign nationals fight in our armies to get citizenship. All of them know that they they have to go where they are sent. This is not heroism. This is doing the job they are paid for. If we really cared for the lives of these troops,we would be scrupulous about putting them in
harm´s way. They are dying in Iraq to further some scheme dreamed up by Bush and the Neocons;they are not dying to protect us or our freedoms. Those who REALLY care about the troops have opposed this war from the start. It is wanton and criminal and has caused many needless deaths. Our freedoms and rights are being taken away from us right here at home by legislation like the Patriot Act. And no one is protecting us from this theft. Support the troops! END THE WAR

Mr. T.Wolf:Thank you for your comments. I understand from them that you too are not immune to putting pat labels on people. No,I am not a leftist. I do not believe in Big Government intervention. I am an old fashioned non-interventionist,a Conservative without any handles to the term. Believe me,I deplore the Democratic party almost as much as I do the Republican. It is not leftist to say that our foreign policy stinks. We have almost never gotten it right. Our CIA armed Castro and smuggled him into Cuba! In the 50´s we royally screwed the French in Vietnam and armed and supported HoChi Minh!! We armed and supported the Taliban in Afghanistan ,put Noriega into power and ditto for Sadam Hussein. We create these horrible embroglios and then send our troops to go and die to clean up the mess!! We forced our European allies to give up their colonies in the 50's to outright rogues and monsters and have all been suffering from the consequences since. We should not be the World Police!

Answer 1

I support the troops every time I get paid. When my paycheck comes this little thing called Federal Tax is collected. Families that have soldiers overseas are upset because of what? The army in the United States is an all volunteer army. The soldiers are doing their job, nothing more nothing less.

As for the National Guard, I know several "weekend warriors" who simply put in their time for years, drawing a paycheck by going to the armory once a month for two days and playing 'war' in the woods for two weeks during the summer. The guard members I know were not doing this to serve or for other high moral reasons, it was easy money and they were looking forward to the nice extra retirement benefits that my 'troop support' (taxes) would provide for them. They are now bitter because they are having to earn the money they have collected for so many years. As for supporting the war, well I kind of agree with the asker. It is time to End the war.

I find it interesting that the person who says you need to go to Iraq before you get to complain about it worked for an oil company.....the very reason this war is being waged. I say that as a registered voter and citizen of the United States of America, it is not only my right to complain about things my government does that I disagree with but my obligation.
END THE WAR, RECLAIM OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES, AND REBUILD OUR CRUMBLING INFRASTRUCTURE. LET IRAQ FIGHT IT'S OWN CIVIL WAR, WE ALREADY FOUGHT OURS.

Answer 2

I think when people refer to supporting the troops, they mean just what it sounds like, support them. Them, being the soldiers themselves. Yeah, they get paid for being in the military and yes, they get good benefits too. But, the psychological things that they go through is something that none of us who are not in the military will ever understand. Yes, they chose this career, but that doesn't mean that it is still not hard for them to be so far away from their loved ones and be scared and in fear for their lives everyday. My cousin just recently returned from Iraq and he is a totally different person than before he went there. He said it is scary and lonely and he said that a lot of the soldiers were very depressed, mostly because they just missed their families so much and never knew if they would get home to see them again. He said that he saw the toughest of soldiers start crying like a baby to get something as simple as a photograph of a loved one, or some new socks, or some homemade goodies in a care package. I think that is what people mean by support the troops. Send them cards, letters, care packages, anything that lets them know that we truely care about them as human beings whether you support the war or not. They are in an awful place that none of us would care to be in and sometimes it just helps them deal emotionally if they know that people at home care about them. I am not 100% for this war either, but that doesn't mean that I don't feel terrible for those poor soldiers that are stuck in that horrible place. They joined the military probably for the reasons that you stated, to protect our freedoms and they can't help it where and why they are deployed somewhere. Whether they agree or not they have to go when called to duty. I think the majority of people do care about the troops, but there was not much we could do about them getting sent over there. Keep the troops in your thoughts and prayers!

Answer 3

Let me start off by saying that I do respect your right to oppose the war, even if I do not agree with it.

As for answering the question/statement above, we should support the troops because they signed up to be willing to give their lives, should it need to be, for the freedom and protection of our country. Having been around the military as a dependent, and now working for it for 22 years, I understand how the army works and what sort of people are in it. Yes, they do get paid and good benefits. These are trade-offs for them putting their lives in danger. What kind of price would you be willing to put on your life (or freedom, for that matter)? It's not very fun to be put in harm's way, but these guys do it willingly to keep other's who don't feel called to or can't do it out of it.

As for this being a scheme of Bush, the facts behind the whole situation disagree with that statement. The people that our troops are now fighting have actually attacked us, and what we are doing now is keeping that from happening again. This group has made it well-known that they think all Americans are evil and deserve to die. They also believe that they are rewarded for killing us, especially if they themselves die in the process. If we just let them keep attacking us like they have through terrorist attacks stateside and on U.S. groups around the world, then we would basically be handing them everything the U.S. has on a platter. We can't do that.

There are also other people in Iraq and Afghanistan that actually LIKE the presense of our troops there and are greatful for the support and new freedoms they are gaining with the institutions of the new government there.

Also, supporting the troops takes on a very personal level for many people. Very often, you are showing support for one individual working very hard on a difficult and dangerous task. This person needs to know that you are behind him and believe in him for him to be able to complete what he's been given to do. You said that the soldiers knew that they had to go wherever they were sent. This is true, they did know that, though there are legal ways of getting out of a specific duty if you do not agree with it morally. It's the fact that they are WILLING to go anywhere to fight and protect people like you and me is the thing that earns them our respect and support.

Answer 4

While you enjoy the freedom of speech you complain about the attempt to give it to another country. Tell me how many years, months, weeks, days, hours, or minutes did you spend in Iraq when Saddam ruled the country? I spent four years there working for British Petrol and I saw things I wish I could forget. Frankly you have no clue what you are talking about when you talk about Iraq. If you care to make statements about it get off your keyboard and hop over there for a month. You then will have the right to cry.

Answer 5

You cheapen your question and your views when you expose that your a leftist. So your question is just something you are doing to have a leftist rant and has nothing to do with the troops who incidentally are not well paid and many are National Guard and Reservists who are not full time soldiers but who chose to serve. Your question is more about ranting about "neocons" a cute little word created by "neocoms" I guess. This country is a moderate country with your group and the neocons X-ing each other out at the polls. The Patriot Act? Passed by a Democratic Congress. Are Dems neocons? No probably not but they are not leftists either. The War in Iraq? Started during a Dem majority Congress, voted for by most of the Dem candidates for President, except Obama who admits to wanting to invade Pakistan. You are politically naive, wanting to cling to labels and images created for you by people you wish to imitate. Most people support the troops because the moderate, middle of the nation are the troops. They come from our families, not yours and not the rich people on the right. You would not no more serve your country then would the Bush twins. Whining is your forte not service. We do support the troops and as they protect us from the people who constantly state they will kill us, we try to protect them from people like you and the neocons you fear.

Answer 6

Hey thats how the Nazis got the Germans to support their War party!!!!! That easy!!! Mindless slogans. Keep repeating after me!!!: "SUPPORT THE TROOPS!!! SUPPORT THE TROOPS!!! SUPPORT THE TROOPS!!!...SIEG HEIL!!!
See how they flow perfectly?

Answer 7

Amen and Amen!

Answer 8

life is so simple when one doesn't think before babbling.

Answer 9

want to sign up??

Answer 10

Thanks, Tom W., for speaking what many of us believe! Couldn't have said it better!