Just a different way of looking at it....

[Liesje]

I have this friend who was in Iraq for almost a year. Right before Christmas, he was hit with shrapnel and spent some time in a hospital in Germany before coming home. When he got back, he had some wounds on his head and one of his arms he could barely bend. But this guy is amazing and truly the most devoted and patriotic American I've ever met. He gave a speech on his thoughts about the war before he was even aware he would be sent over. He has always trusted in the US gov.'t and in Bush 100% and as a soldier, accepted that it is his duty to defend our country to his own end. When he came back for Christmas, he said he might be given a choice of whether or not to return since he only had a month or so left to serve. He would go back in a second, despite his friends and family missing him. He'd serve more time than he was required.

Now what am I getting at...well, most people in my community strongly oppose this war and are very loud in saying so. I have this fear that it's going to turn into a Vietnam all over again b/c Jim will come back and everyone's personal oppositions of the war will completely undermine the sacrifices that Jim has made and is still willing to make for our country. I feel like the attitude that it's so sad and such a shame that men and women are dying in Iraq is in a way disrespectful b/c like Jim, those people are trained soldiers who've devoted their lives to the military. We blame Bush and say it's all his fault, but Jim said to me he has complete trust and faith in the decisions of the President because the President's job is to make these decisions and Jim's job is to carry them out. I feel like I'm making no sense, but really I just wanted to say that even though a lot of us are against this war, we should still show respect to those who are giving their lives for our country.

Any thoughts?

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

I've heard a lot of variations on the "if you oppose the war then you're being disrespectful to the troops in Iraq" theme. Personally I think the best way of supporting troops who have been sent to Iraq is to say they should not have been sent there to begin with and should be brought home.

To oppose a war which was both illegal* and immoral is not to be disrespectful to those soldiers who were sent to fight in it. I don't believe that the majority of people who opposed the war believe it was the fault of the soldiers who fought in Iraq. The war was the fault of Bush, Blair and the small group of feeble politicians who gave their approval, not the fault of those soldiers who simply followed the misguided orders of their self-interested leaders.

*STING, don't go there. We disagree, we're never going to agree and I can't be bothered to have the "verifiably disarm" fight for the nineteenth time this year.

 

[verte76]

I respect the heck out of our men and women in uniform. They are doing very difficult and dangerous work for their country. They shouldn't feel like those of us who question the wisdom of some decisions made by our policy big shots is any reflection on their worth or what they do. It's not. It's simply a matter of thinking Big Shot X screwed up, or Big Shots X and A as the case may be.

 

[Tabby]

I believe most people do support and respect the troops. Me, I am amazed in this day and age a person can follow a leader that blindly, but I guess it's an honorable thing. I do respect your friend and I wish him well. But I do NOT believe the people in Iraq are dying "for our country." It is doing our country no good to be there, in fact it is hurting our image in the world. What happens or does not happen there is not affecting our "freedom" here. Saddam wasn't even the one who did 9/11. The best way to support them is to bring them home and get them out of the way of attacks over there. I don't want to see one more life wasted, yes, wasted, on this

 

[Angela Harlem]

I agree with Fizz. I doubt much of the negativity is for the troops themselves. The blame can be argued back and forth between the politicians who made this happen and the dictator who's actions necessitated change.

 

[Dreadsox]

It is too bad the war was not illegal. If it were, there would have been sanctions rather than repeaded acknowledgment of the US actions since the war in various UNANIMOUS resolutions.

It was not immoral for many reasons.....but I really do not feel like typing them for the billionth time.

 

[Dreadsox]

I have this friend who was in Iraq for almost a year. Right before Christmas, he was hit with shrapnel and spent some time in a hospital in Germany before coming home. When he got back, he had some wounds on his head and one of his arms he could barely bend. But this guy is amazing and truly the most devoted and patriotic American I've ever met. He gave a speech on his thoughts about the war before he was even aware he would be sent over. He has always trusted in the US gov.'t and in Bush 100% and as a soldier, accepted that it is his duty to defend our country to his own end. When he came back for Christmas, he said he might be given a choice of whether or not to return since he only had a month or so left to serve. He would go back in a second, despite his friends and family missing him. He'd serve more time than he was required.

Now what am I getting at...well, most people in my community strongly oppose this war and are very loud in saying so. I have this fear that it's going to turn into a Vietnam all over again b/c Jim will come back and everyone's personal oppositions of the war will completely undermine the sacrifices that Jim has made and is still willing to make for our country. I feel like the attitude that it's so sad and such a shame that men and women are dying in Iraq is in a way disrespectful b/c like Jim, those people are trained soldiers who've devoted their lives to the military. We blame Bush and say it's all his fault, but Jim said to me he has complete trust and faith in the decisions of the President because the President's job is to make these decisions and Jim's job is to carry them out. I feel like I'm making no sense, but really I just wanted to say that even though a lot of us are against this war, we should still show respect to those who are giving their lives for our country.

Any thoughts?

As a former soldier, I believe Jim is showing the honor and integrity I associated with serving. If you waiver and begin to believe that the Commander in Chief, and those surrounding the president making the decisions, you are likely to become more and more discouraged.

I have had friends return home from various places in Iraq, and they stopped watching the news within days. The two friends are not serving together, but they displayed the same reactions. they both felt that the media was NOT portraying the job they are doing accuratley. Both of my friends are democracts, and would like to see Bush voted out of office, but they believe that they are doing the right thing, and that they are making Iraq a better place.

I am not sure if I am making sense, but I served under President Bush (Daddy) and under President Clinton. When the first Gulf War happened, I was very proud to have been a part of it. Under President Clinton I again came close to participating in the actions in Hati. I did not respect this, for various reasons. that said, I had my bags packed, I said goodbye to my bride of less than a year, and went to an army base to await my orders. It was not my job to question lawful orders, it was my job to carry them out.

Peace