What Does the Phrase "Support Our Troops" Mean To You? Tell Us.

Support our troops is to stand by them at all time.  To thank them for their imense sacrifice.  To honor them and not forgetting about them.  Our troops deserve respect, they are changing and saving lives.  To support our troops is to salute them when we see them, to let them know how much we appreciate all their work. 

To support our troops is to help them get the benefits they were promised.  To support our troops is not to abandom then when a law is passing help them.  Our troops "ROCK".  That's how I support my troops.  They are my heros no matter what people say about them.  They are sacrifing their lives, families and their time.  Thank you! 

Supporting our troops... What it is NOT. It is not, sending them to war based on lies and political agenda . It is not, keeping them there now that the truth has been revealed. It is not, abandoning our duties here at home to stop this war and bring them home. It is not, telling yourself that our government has the american peoples best interest at heart - they DO NOT! It is not, giving these brave soldiers little if no care for their physical and mental wounds when/if they make it home. It is not, being able to sleep well at night knowing our children, siblings, friends and neighbors are in a foreign land dying for ??????? (who really knows). It most definately is NOT, putting a magnetic ribbon on your gas guzzler that reads "Support our Troops". It is not living in fear of being called "unpatriotic" for speaking out against the misdeed's of this government. It is not, lip service. It is not, treating them like criminals when they return home...remember they were doing their job and following orders. It is not, allowing the government to keep them there one min. longer.

BRING THEM HOME !! It IS time to start the healing process, for the troops and this nation. Down with the administration and their self serving policies. The real "war on terror" is defending our constitution from power hungry tyrants here at home.

In '67 it was levitation; this time it's serious, "Waste Floats. SINK the Pentagon"!

Keeping the faith with them.

Not using them to enrich yourself or others. Not forcing them to spread "democracy" at gunpoint. Exhausting every single other option first. Making sure they have the most modern equipment and protection - in sufficient quantities. Making sure their families don't suffer during their deployment(s). Paying them a good salary. Making sure they are treated with justice if they find they cannot bear to serve in combat. If they come home injured, see to it that they have the best medical care available. If they come home disabled, assure that they can live their lives with the dignity their valiant service deserves.

Kate
Scrawling graffiti on whited sepulchres everywhere!

What Does the Phrase "Support Our Troops" Mean To You?
I was shocked at some of the responses. Frustration,and anger with our government has turned into ugliness. Blaming the victims, is not going to solve the problem. Iraqis are being killed every day, and so are our troops. We need to support both of them, and bring this illegal war to an end.
The best way to support our troops, is to bring them all home. After they have returned, we must do all we can for them. For those of you who pray, say a couple extra prayers for our troops. They deserve it.
Peace
J. Coghlan

For progressives, "Support Our Troops" means we won't fall into the trap of the Viet Nam era when the right-wing hawks portrayed us as anti-soldier when we were only anti-Administration or anti-war. The Viet Nam war ripped our country apart spiritually, and we can't/won't let that happen again.

This time we can and will be known as patriots. And we do support our troops. They are brave, and they enlisted for us. We owe it to them to force our government to bring them home; we owe it to them to keep them out of elective wars; and we owe it to them to hold renegade politicians accountable. And once our troops come home, we must ensure there is a true safety net for them, as there must be for all Americans of modest resources -- good health care, good economic policies and jobs, and security for their old age. We owe them for the long term.

Today Vice President Cheney's right-hand man, I. Lewis Libby, was convicted of lying and obstruction of justice. As Bush appointee and US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has pointed out, Mr. Libby's conviction matters deeply because his lies interfered with the goal of justice and accountability for those who leaked the identity of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame, whose expertise was WMDs.

Those leaks came from the highest levels of the White House and the Vice President's office. The Bush Administration was desperate to conceal their lies about intelligence reports and lies about the need for this war. And they stood by those lies long enough to achieve reelection in 2004.

Now, we MUST make them accountable -- by EVERY means that remains. Congress must issue subpoenas. Heads must roll. And the "buck," as Truman famously said, stops with the President.

That's how we support our troops -- both present and future. With the truth and accountability, we respect and support our troops. Nancy Pelosi, are you reading this? No option should be off the table.

“Supporting the troops” has meant to me -- for a long, long time --, GETTING THEM OUT OF HARM’S WAY AND BRINGING THEM HOME. Why the Democrats have failed to change what "Support the Troops" has come to mean is way beyond my understanding. The Republican's "Support the Troops" means, "leave them in a civil war that can’t be won, to be maimed and killed, to be poorly protected with armor and then bring them home to be mistreated, under-diagnosed with such illnesses as PTSD and required to pay for their own meals at Walter Reed Hospital. It means, to the Republicans, "Let’s outsource their care to for profit organizations so our friends will make even more money" and they've made the allowable standard to get VA care so unreasonable that many can't get ongoing care at the VA. At least at the VA, if they can get in, they'll get first class care although the Republicans have been doing their best to diminish that institution as quickly as possible (as they already destroyed FEMA). The care at the VA and the work of FEMA blossomed into fine institutions under Clinton but, of course, that good work has been diminished by Bush.
BRING THE TROOPS HOME = SAVE THEIR LIVES FROM GETTING KILLED IN A CIVIL WAR WE FOSTERED AND SAVE THEIR BODIES AND MINDS FROM HORRIBLE MAIMING AND DEATH BY GETTING THEM OUT OF HARM’S WAY AND BRINGING THEM HOME.
Get with it, Democrats. No one is anti-patriotic for wanting to save our troops from doing something they cannot do, giving them inadequate armor so they are not protected and allowing big corporations to make millions while we don't even protect our troops after putting them into a horrible situation and place that was no direct threat at all to us.
Jim

To support something means to back it up. To protect it. To keep it from destruction. To preserve it.

Repiglicans use "support" word in their most typical way. To them it means: to destroy it, to wreck it, to kill it. Just like, since the bush anointment for the emperor of the United States, truth is synonymous with a lie. Black is the same as white. Hot exchanges liberally with cold, ice means fire, wet is optionally dry. They made "liberal" into a filthy word. Also wise is stupid, in case nobody noticed.

To an average repig clone "supporting our troops" means sending our children to places where they can be killed, crippled both physically and emotionally and/or maimed. The more support they show, the more of our children die in some unjust aggression on a sovereign country.

If this is "support", then I demand that they quit supporting our troops immediately. Cease and desist your "support", or there will be more bloodshed and death.

Best go and "support" yourselves, dumb repigs. "Support" yourselves and your families just like you "support" our children. After the last one of you goes away for the overabundance of "support", we will have our country back.

...there is simply no American institution too sacred, no principle of truth and justice, life or death, too holy NOT to be exploited for the cheap political advantage of those who start wars but almost always have "other priorities" when it comes to fighting them. It's a little like watching a mugger hold a knife to the throat of an old woman when he's cornered by the police.

As a gay atheist it means absolutely nothing to me.
Let the troops--the murderes, the liars, killers for Bush Co-
stay over there and rot..i dont want them back in America.. we dont need them..let them suffer at the hands of their
"enemies"..there was no dancing in the streets and flowers to them either as the liar,killer,moron,Nazi/D\Fascist Bush
thought there would be.
None of the Bush clan ever went..and not even Rummy nor Kinda Sleazy Rice.RICE NEEDS TO GO INTO BUSH'S OFFICE
AND GIVE HIM HIS BLOW JOB SO WE CAN IMPEACH THE BASTARD!!
IT'S what they wanted to do(and spend millions of dollars
trying to impeach Clinton). so what does supporting the
troops mean to me?..like i said ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
They don't support/represent me and i dont support them.i dont want
them coming back to rape our medical system..i dont want them
coming back as mental amputees, psychological problems..let their masters Bush solve their problems.Course we all know
Bush is a christian and doesnt care.If they were mislead into
joining they did it at their own behest.i dont envy them
nor care to associate with them at all--even if it was a relative.i would just love to spit in their face.let them rot in Iraq for the rest of their lives.I hope they never come home. they have been and will continue to be "pawns" in the hands of evil administrations--whether it be Democratic or Rethuglican.all for money, greed and oil.anyone who "supports" them has been listening to Limbaugh or Hannity or Brit Hume.if they died over there they got wehat they deserved.
And dont forget that stupid bitch Cindy Sheehan..she is using her son's death to her own political advantage. i am glad she is not my mother!i dont feel her pain or sorrow at all.Dont tell me many recruiters tricked these boys into joining..i know all about that.I bet the recruiters would never be sent to Iraq.They are cowards like Bush and his Nazi cohorts."Support our troops" is just a buzzword these days to ellicit a kind of emotional response..like soneone said--"either you're for us or against us. welli am not for any of these s.o.b.s.i reamin gay and atheist and damn proud.
Bush said he "prayed to his god"(PRAYER IS A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME) and his god told him to go into Iraq..i thought his bible said not to kill.Bush and the soldiers are sick.IMPEACH THE BASTARDS NOW FOR THEIR CRIMES!! STOP SUPPORTING THEM AND WHAT THEY ARE TOLD TO DO!!! I refuse to be told by anyone what to do (within the stated law).

It's amazing how our Government has the uncanny ability to make the average citizen feel like shit in regard to not falling in line when the obsolescent "Support the Troops" chain is jerked.. Support our Troops? Save the freakin whales while yer at it... If you stand back and take a long look, the reason most young adults enlist in the Armed Forces of this once proud and great nation is due primarily to the lack of another viable alternative. They are promised the world...for a limb or two. This Government has raped, pillaged, sacrificed every bit of what our fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers fought and died for. In this country and abroad. From outsourcing our job's overseas to cheap labor, to so called "free trade" and the INVASION of illegals driving down the wages... These poor kids have no choice but to saddle up! What in the hell else are these poor kid's gonna do...fight over who's turn it is to clean the shitter at "Micky D's"???? I support them in that respect only. We are all responsible, each and every one of us for letting this scurvy manifest itself and sour our children and our Republic. It all boil's down to a wacked out fucking belief they have.....that they, not the people, know what is best for us. The gig is almost up...they know it...you know it... There's a storm a coming...are you ready?

S...T...A...N...D with our troops.
-------------------------------

S.....swear never to put them in harms way unless it is absolutely necessary for the defence of our country, and certainly never just to feed the greed of oil compamies and others who profit from war e.g. Halliburton

T.....take time to find the truth about the so-called reasons for war instead of buying the lies and scripted propaganda drummed out daily on FAUX News

A.....arm the troops with the best equipment possible instead of the inferior crap put out there to purposely fail so contracted corporations can sell more stuff to the government

N.....never abandon those who return from service wounded physically or emotionally

D.....determine which political party really cares about our troops and which one is using them for selfish purposes, then be sure to vote that party into power

angie

Bring them home. Take care of our wounded. And the vets who served honorably. Supply them with the proper equipment. Train them well. Give them a mission they can accomplish.

Judi

.....our troops back home with their loved ones & STAT. Yes, the politicians run from it, but who needs them anyway? It's up to us. .

A soldier home on leave between tours in Iraq must feel a surge of pride seeing a made-in-China yellow magnet proclaiming "Support our Troops" on the back of a Chevy Suburban driven by a prosperous woman whose children are unlikely to ever experience military service.

That yellow ribbon surely makes up for the body armor that the army never provided, the contaminated water provided to the troops by Haliburton and the veterans benefits that are unlikely to ever come. The proclamations of pundits that we must support our troops surely makes it all seem worthwhile.

"What Does Support the Troops Mean to You?"

I can't come up with a comprehensive answer but I at least can say that I tried.

JP
http://welcome-to-pottersville.blogspot.com/

I have had trouble with the notion of supporting the troops for a long time. Not just this war, but a few others.

Of course being a patriotic American can also leave one vulnerable to all sorts of cracker jack psycho babble. If we don't support the troops, the enemies gonna win. Huh?

I've decided that "support the troops" is garbage. What the hell does that mean anyway? The phrase almost conjours up action taking place in the homeland. A physical lending of support to poor souls trapped in a war machine.

I think that bellacose moronic attitudes by our leaders and their sheep are a more noticable result.

No I don't support the troops or their mission. Whatever that may be.

I do pity them. I'm outraged at families ripped apart by seperation, injury and death.
I'm sorry that so many fellow Americans have had so few choices, or have believed the propaganda, and stepped up to do the bidding of criminals. The suffering on all sides is unacceptable

No I don't support the troops. But I pray for safe returns and a healing from this horrible war all the time.

I know what it does not mean

It does not mean using them uselessly. Using them to try to achieve the impossible. Sun Tsu once said something to the effect of: "the victorious general wins the battle and then goes to war, the defeated one goes to war and then hopes to win". This war, aside from being immoral, unjustified, etc, was plainly unwinnable, with objectives which were nebulous at best, dubious at worst. What is the main objective of this war, I ask you? Displace Saddam? Replace him with a democracy? Come on, any democracy in Iraq would be immediately hostile towards the US because they are the ones that invaded. And then, the troops were underresourced, undermanned, and the invasion was announced on TV, which meant that the enemy had advanced warning... And worse, the administration had relied not on intelligence that was accurate, but on intelligence that was convenient, intelligence which, no matter how flawed, justified what they were doing.

This is not just stupidity, not just negligence, but callous wanton sabotage. The only way to support the troops is to get them out in such a way that minimises the harm, to the troops, and to Iraq in general.

The US is stuck in Iraq, like it or not. I do not see any outcome being positive. I didnt when this war started, which, along with a multitude of moral objections, is the main reason why I was against it in the first place. I could see quite plainly that such a war would only make things worse.

The troops are little more than kids. Many have joined up because they had no choice. They had to make a living, or they needed an education, or wanted to gain citizenship. Supporting them would mean giving them ACTUAL support after they come home, after they have done whatever duty they have had to do. That means everything they need. Healthcare, education, housing, counselling, jobs.It means being careful about military decisions. And it means taking great care about how they are used. There are times when war is necessary, as a last resort. But only as a last resort.

This is my idea of what support should mean...

Support Our Troops

I think it says enough to get the point across...

-X
Blasted Reality
and
A Post Apocalyptic

It is a spin doctors idea of making us all feel involved, which we are. Our government is using our natural resourses to cripple, maim and kill in the name of Democracy; they are breaking the bank without any thought of our childrens tomorrows; they have bent, twisted and raped our Constitution; created great political divides which may never recover; taken every exception to the normal rule of law; slandered and attacked dedicated patriots who only want the truth and our country back; come up with every excuse and inflated intelligence to continue down their path to world domination; given the wealthy more and depriving the less fortunate of basic human services.........
That's what they want you to Support. And we are...

I do not support the troops.

I do not support the troops because they do not support me.

These "troops", theses individuals incapable of discerning between right and wrong, individuals incapable of saying "No, I will not do that.", are not acting in my best interests. They are undermining me, my country, and the planet. Why they are oblivious to the fact of America's casual willingness to shed blood for business is unknown and unforgiveable. Why they believe joining forces with such evil purpose will do nothing to their soul is beyond me. No matter the temptation of "benefits", no matter the patriotism of America lovers, if you can't see that the U.S. military isn't more akin to a mafia goon squad than patriotic defenders of the homeland, then you are incapable of acting in my best interests. You do not support me.

I do not support you.

You are indiscriminately polluting the earth, which could easily be considered a crime against humanity.

You bring bring death, violence and fear to any foreign nations making the multinational corporations uncomfortable.

You require resources and finances which are criminal.

Your effects are ugly and long-lasting. Your point of existence is death for profit. You make America ugly and life around the world a living hell.

Anyone who signs up for that is criminally stupid.

So, what I say is, "Whatever". Another war. Ho hum. Let the slaughter continue. Let America continue towards oblivion. She deserves nothing more. Let the troops go and let them die or get injured. Let it all unfold. Let all of the warriors out of the pen and let them have their way. Let them die and let us pay. Let everything be just the way it is. Let us destroy ourselves until we are no longer a danger to others. Let us follow the path of empire to its utter bitter doom, and learn the lessons of "old" Europe - that death and gore really isn't all that glorious after all.

And I am unanimous in that.

Where's the Money?

Costofwar.com, an internet counter for expenditures in Iraq, shows
that so far we have spent 405 billion plus with thousands more
spent every second.

I met a National Guard officer just returned from Iraq who described
how many vehicles in her unit had to be towed onto transports to be
shipped to Iraq. At the end of their tour these hulks were shipped
back to sit rusting at their unit in the US. If we have spent 405
billion, why are our troops so poorly equipped, and why is it so hard
to get decent medical care for them?

One common way to look at this problem is that our government is
"mismanaging" the money. Perhaps the problem is not mismanagement
but that the priorities for these funds are not providing support and
services to our troops but providing support for private contractors
and corporations like Halliburton and General Electric. Their employees are working for 100,000 dollars a year right along side a GI making 20,000. Even with the recruiting bonuses the soldiers make much less (when they are not cheated out of them). And we have all heard about no-bid contracts and overcharging for everything from ammo to fuel to toilet paper.

Now these same folks who supposedly are "supporting the troops" are asking for 100 billion more. When Marine Veteran John Murtha wants to make sure they are actually spending it to properly train and equip our soldiers before they are sent to Iraq,
he is accused of not "supporting the troops". Huh? I'm confused! But a real discussion of where all this money is going to go seems to be taboo. we are just supposed to not think about it or talk about it and "support the troops".

Right now I am picturing this cartoon of an American taxpayer with hands held high during a stick up. His eyes are covered with a yellow blindfold that says (you guessed it!) "support the Troops". The bandits - who look a lot like some of our elected officials are holding guns to the taxpayers head with little flags popping out of their barrels that say "war on terror" as they relieve the victim (thats us folks!) of his wallet and cash and any other valuables they can steal. In the back ground there are corporate types hauling away the loot walking right by wounded soldier on crutches. That about says it all!

Maybe our yellow ribbons should really read: "Support the Corporations"

Mary Bahr
Vietnam vet who has seen all this *%#@ before.

What an interesting question, BF, and I'm delighted you have asked us to sound off on this. I come from the perspective of being an Army veteran and a senior NCO in the Army Reserve.

Supporting our troops means:

1. Using them properly -- in other words, in the true defense of our country -- if, and when we are attacked. Using them in conjunction with "legal" justifications or agreements with other entities -- such as the UN or NATO.

2. It means making sure they have the equipment they need to stay safe in any combat zone.

3. It means making sure they have the training they require.

4. It means the civilians in charge of the Executive Branch don't do lip service to listening to the military leaders, but really DO listen to the recommendations of the military leaders.

5. It means they have a clear and concise mission based on true and verifiable intelligence.

6. It means we take care of them if they come home injured or permanently disabled.

7. It means when they are deployed during a "legally declared" time of war the rest of the country also makes the necessary sacrifices.

8. It means they are removed from the field of battle as soon as the mission is accomplished.

9. It means that Congress upholds its legal responsibilities to the troops to make sure the troops are not being used for ideological reasons.

10. It means we do whatever is needed to take care of these troops once they are home and out of the military.

Buzzflash, thank you for this opportunity to sound off on what supporting the troops really is about.

Thank you.

The global corporations use the U.S. Army as their enforcers. This does not benefit Americans. Support our troops means out of Iraq, out of Afghanistan, out of the 700+ bases around the world. Defend America not the global corporations. Redeploy to the Mexican boarder or cash them out.

I would suggest Rudyard Kipling's poem Tommy. It says it all. No one wants to support the troops. That's why they expiate their guilt by constantly telling people they support the troops. If they supported the troops, they would not get involved in delusional and catastrophic military campaigns like Iraq and Viet Nam. All that Viet Nam taught Americans is to hide their indifference, and they learned the lesson well. They support the troops by abusing disabled veterans.

As a Viet Nam era veteran, I would urge Americans to realize that there is nothing romantic or morally right about war. It is an admission of failure. It is never too late to oppose a war - do it now.

Bein' uh Vietnam Era Veteran, I KNOW bout troops n support n troop support n support of troops n stuff!!
Ya wanna know how tuh support our troops!!!? Well Do YA!!!!?

Git yoreself wun uv them thar round "Support Our Troops" stickers n uh 'Mercun flag deecal n duct tape em both to yore pickup!!! N don't you go askin uh bunch uv damn questions, none, neither. Jest do whut yore damn well told!

WHOOOOOEEEEE!!! My hart's done swellin wif Patriotic fever! C'mon let's all go tuh WalMart...Gott DAMN!!!....I GOTTA GO BUY SOMETHIN!!!

With this administration "support our troops" actually means "support every decision the government makes". In my opinion supporting the troops means only sending them to war when absolutely necessary, with adequate numbers, adequate equipment, and taking care of the wounded with the highest standards of care.

During World War II everyone on the home front was asked to support the troops in many ways such as having a civilian defense corps, only being able to purchase limited amounts of goods such as meat, coffee and gas so there were adequate amounts to send to the troops overseas and changing materials used to make women's hosiery so there was enough material to make parachutes.

No one has been asked to make sacrifices now other than the troops sent overseas and their families and the citizens of the countries being invaded. If everyone was asked, the government would then have to explain why we are actually in the war and where all the huge amounts of money being spent is going.

No country should not be in a constant state of war.

I'd rather support the troops by making them unnecessary. I'd rather them to be pursuing a life that doesn't require them to kill other people. I'd rather they have a way to education that doesn't require they join a killing machine first. I'd rather that instead of them being deployed in 130 countries to "protect our interests" that they be deployed in America protecting our interests. I'd rather that our system of government would lead by example instead of brute force. I'd rather we go back to what the founding fathers dictated, that having a standing army is a direct threat to any democratic republic.

I'd rather we take the money we spend on the tools of death and destruction and build schools and hospitals. For if we did this there would be no need for war.

But I might as well wish for peace. Foolish me.

Depending on the time frame, this means two different things, one being that BEFORE our incursion into Iraq, a responsible Congress would turn down bush's request for the phony Iraq "war", pending a thorough inquiry into the lies, obfuscations, and omissions used to coerce a decision to go to war. The other is, once that cat has been let out of the bag, an immediate withdrawal of all military personnel from the Iraq meatgrinder, followed by investigation, prosecution, and imprisonment of every last one of the evil bastards responsible fot the illegal and tragic debacle which continues to unfold before our horrified eyes each and every day. The actions of the bush "administration" are so obviously criminal, and the need to punish these cretins so great that nothing less than a public trial should even be considered. "Forgive and forget" don't apply here-not if we're to pick up the pieces of our shattered democracy, rebuild the trust of our citizens and the rest of the world, and provide a moral and ethical example for our descendants to look back at with favor. Then, there's 9/11. Who out there seriously believes the 9/11 Commission Report? Who's for a REAL investigation? This is really part and parcel of the big picture of supporting the troops, isn't it?

it means get and keep them the F#$k out of harms way

At this time we shoould probably use the slogan "Save our Troops."

What does it mean to me:

Only sent them into harms way as a last option.
Insure they are properly trained and equipped.
Make sure they have a clear mission.
Make sure their dependanst are taken care of in their absense.
Insure they have the best medical care and support when they are injured.
Make sure they have competant adult leadership.
Defend and uphold the Constitution on the homefront as they defend them overseas.
Insure that truth prevails.

This story was on the front page of the Boston Globe this morning.
"Analysts question need for boost in combat troops"
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/03/05/analysts_question_need_for_boost_in_combat_troops/
"Despite broad political support for President Bushe's plan to expand US ground forces by 92,000, a growing number of military strategists and defense sspecialists are questioning the need for so many more conventional combat forces."

Once I realized that the troop expansion was NOT the "surge" I was dismayed about the accuracy of the description of "broad political support." The NYTimes, among others, editorialized in favor.
This is a good example of mindless "Support Our Troops."
The politicians aren't willing, as are some military experts etc., to say that expanding the military is a big waste and beside the point. Even a lot of anti-war (Iraq) and anti-surge Democrats and Republicans don't dare have an independent and thoughtful opinion about whether expanding the number of troops overall makes any sense.

Fewer slogans and more thinking.
Colleen Clark
Cambridge, MA

them against incompetent or dishonest civilian leadership.

The United States Action/Response to Terrorism

by Conspiracy Hunter

Tonight I watched and listened to hours of CNN coverage about the whole attack, the emergency response effort, the investigation efforts, and what the leaders and citizens had to say.

I saw something very good tonight - the coming together of all major religions to voice their concerns, show their common beliefs, and to denounce these acts. There has been much hatred and racism since the attack. The media was irresponsible in their initial handling of the news, and may be partially responsible for the attacks by civilians on civilians the world over.

I try to view all sides of an argument, ask Cynical, she'll verify this. I think at times she thinks I support the terrorists because I voice what I believe was in their minds, their motives, their justifications for what they have done. I try to see the US involvement - their role in all of the events leading up to these horrible acts. There are serious issues on both sides, but nothing that I can see which could possibly justify what the terrorists done.

I am not a soldier, I can not see things from a soldier's point of view. I believe I can come close in my assessments of the necessity of specific actions for a given scenario. It is easy for a man to judge the right or the wrong from the comforts of an easy chair in his living room. How he views things in the center of the action is a whole other matter.

I've known soldiers who've expressed regrets concerning what they had to do. The main goal of a soldier is not war, but peace. There are times he must face some extreme situations and act upon them with split second decisions. It means life or death for himself and for all his comrades. I do not envy the soldier in these situations. They are undoubtedly the occasions the media has stressed during past wars, ignoring the heroic moments.

Remember, these are not grown men we send into war, but our children, some of them are in high school, many just beginning college. We send our precious babies, whom we've fought all their lives to maintain their innocence, off to do an inhumane and impossible task.

A war with rules? There seems to be a contradiction inherent in that concept. We are already violating many rules when we go to war.

We've already looked upon the fact we send those which we have protected all their lives into the most dangerous of extreme situations. We have worried about them crossing the road, driving across town, and taught them to avoid strangers. Then we send them into hell - into battle.

We have taught these children morals. Fighting is against these morals. "You can always work things out." Now we send them off to fight, because our words have failed.

We have taught them not to kill, because life is such a precious thing. We have shown them the miracle of birth and the beauty of a child. Now we send them off to hunt the children of others.

How can we fight a war with rules? It already violates every rule we have been taught. This thing called war must be serious to have us set aside our rules. Let us not be hasty to send away our children.

But if we must do this thing called war, we should do what we must, no more, no less. Too little the problem may persist. Too much and we ourselves become the problem - the monster which we fight against.

We must support our soldier in every way we can. That we must plan with much precision is a given. We must provide the very best equipment. We must keep the politicians out of things, for when we've gone to war, it is because it's they who've failed. Their job is done, now it's a soldier's job. We must do all that we can do for our soldiers.

And most importantly of all, when these soldiers are returned to us, we must great them with respect and love. They are, after all, our children, whom we've sent off to do an inhumane and impossible task.

9/16/2001

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ConspiracyTheoryChat/

"Support Our Troops" is a slogan used by rightwing neocons to continue the slanted you're-either-with-us-or-against-us mentality.

"Support Our Troops" is also a slogan adopted by well-meaning, though ignorant, misinformed, or misguided Americans who confuse patriotism with political/corporate allegiance.

"Support Our Troops" means the following to me:

1. Acknowledge the vile corporate agenda of the Cheney/Bush administration for what it is, and bring the troops home immediately.

2. Working to stop "military leaders" from continually lowering the standards for enlistment just to swell the ranks, and bring the troops home immediately.

3. Apologize to each and every soldier or military personnel you meet. Apologize for permitting the criminal American government to abuse their military service in the name of politics, corporate greed, oil lust, and insane Bush revenge against Saddam.

4. Send letters of encouragement, and care packages to individual soldiers often. Let these men and women know that they aren't forgotten and that they are dearly loved and supported by their fellow Americans back home.

5. Continue applying pressure on our government to bring the troops home, and to take responsibility for the morally corrupt actions which forced our troops into this despicable mess. Then continue the pressure until our government once again works to benefit Americans, restores America's once great reputation, and continues to be vigilant against the terrorism and cronyism demonstrated by the current Cheney/Bush administration and the GOP empire.

The lack of support for both troopa and veterans is as old a story as the usurpation of government by this administration.
At http://tvnewslies.org
we published a pdf download MORE THAN THREE YEARS AGO that showed the legislation passed by the GOP Congress and signed by George W. Bush - that deprived our troops and our veterans and their families of needed services.

Read it here and wonder why no one really cared other than the alternative media on the Internet?
CLICK HERE

It means that they are well trained, well equipped, and are told the truth about their mission. It means their employers honor their committment and keep their jobs when they return. If they are injured or need counseling they get the vital medical and psychological support they need. The lessons from Viet Nam should not be lost. We should be supportive of the sacrifices they have made even if I do not agree with the war they are fighting. If they are fighting for our freedom - then they are fighting for my freedom to say I don't like the direction this administration is taking our country or that they picked the wrong country to fight their "war on terror". And it means that if you lose control of Congress, you must respect the will of the majority of Americans and bring our troops home. The National Guard should be kept home to respond to domestic problems and go wherever they are needed around the world. And our tax dollars should be spent on problems here at home, NOT on pre emptive military misadventures that decimates another country and it's people for no good reason than a lust for oil and power.

I have been asking this question to people around the country for the past five years. Many were wearing the yellow ribbon or had one on the back of their vehicle. I would say, "What does the yellow ribbon mean to you?" The typical response was, "We support our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq." I then asked, "In what way?" The number of blank stares was astounding. Only a few of the people I spoke with responded with an idea or action taken to support the troops such as pre-paid phone cards, package mailings.

The very best of support at this point in time is to disengage in the ill conceived Iraqi disaster currently underway. Our courageous armed forces members were sent into their situation without the proper levels of equipment resources and training. The civilian leaders who did this dastardly deed need to be publicly redressed and removed from office.

Lou Raskin

to not "use" them in wars for profit, to not lie to them about why they are being sent into hostile territories. To give them all the "gear" they need to protect them as much as possible from enemy fire. All the best and most modern combat gear possible. And to take care of them when (if) they come home, with whatever their needs might be..medical, mental, housing, jobs and our gratitude. I also believe that the troops owe us, those who recieve all of the benefits from taxpayers with out question, should also stand up and say "enough is enough" we swore to defend our country and our Constitution, against all foriegn and DOMESTIC terrorists,...in return for our (citizen taxpayers) total support

support the troops:

Pay soldiers with families enough that they don't have to get food stamps or other public assistance.

Do not use munitions like depleted uranium that do as much damage to our troops as any enemy.

Provide medical care after war that civilians would envy and choose if they could, not something that looks like a prison hospital in the Soviet Union.

Most importantly, only use them to protect the United States, not to seize countries to make the rich richer.

I always like twisting their slogans and borrowing them. That way, when someone sees the original, they will eventually think of the twisted one too.

This much I know for sure:

We can't support the troops if they are dead.

- Doug Long