Support Our Troops
While browsing blogs, I came across a post on one of the blogs I frequent. On it were several pictures of bumper stickers, buttons, and the like, all against President Bush and the war in Iraq. I'm aware that there are many people who don't support the President, but one of the stickers really stood out to me. It said "Germans Supported Their Troops Too" and had a picture of the traditional yellow support our troops sticker with the red circle and line crossing it out. This really bothered me, so I commented...
Erika said...
Just for the record, I think that even of you don't agree with why the troops are overseas, you should still support them!! They're making a HUGE sacrifice for US over there!!
Tue Jul 12, 06:54:55 PM
*One Commenter* said...
Actually erika there kids just like us who chose a line of work with a shitty boss. They have an extremly difficult task but as an american im not going to allow an administration the ability to send my family and friends to a place they have no business in. I dont think any of this particular post says "American soldiers should be spit on when they return!" What i think it expresses is that we should respect what the soldiers signed up for. The protection of rights and civil liberties, democracy, thus perpetuating a just nation. That is not what there doing in Iraq. I have several family members and friends there and from what they say, there basic duty is to protect the profits of the oil business and good ol haliburton engineers. Sorry bout the rant but I cant stand it when people equate negative bush aspects to dissin' tha soldiers. Carry on...
Tue Jul 12, 09:50:12 PM
*The Blogger who posted* said...
Erika,
That's just another part of the tragedy. This war was started on false pretenses. Bush claimed there was evidence linking Saddam Hussein and Al Qaida, that Iraq had WMD, and that we had to stop them from passing support and weapons to terrorists.
Well, read the news. It's complete baloney. Information was fabricated. The Bush administration are a bunch of liars. About something deathly serious.
I'm not disputing that Hussein was a diabolical tyrant.
But starting a war really ought to be the last resort. It ought to chill one's soul to come to that conclusion. Not only ought it be the last resort, but the international community ought to be united in the decision. If the rest of the world is telling you that you're wrong, and you're doing something as serious as invading another country, blowing things up, killing people, taking out their government-- well, that's just asking for chaos. Reports state that Iraq, in its disorganized condition, has become a more conducive breeding ground for terrorism that before, when Saddam held control. I'm no advocate for tyranny, but look, really really shitty things can happen when a repressive regime that has been holding together a bunch of different ethnic and religious groups, is no longer there to keep everyone in check (hello, Yugoslavia?).
I'm no expert, but many Iraqis also think that it is THEIR responsibility to address the problems in their own governments.
I stand by my choice to display the bumper sticker about the Germans. I completely agree that it is an inflammatory quip. I also completely agree that there is enormous danger in blindly supporting a president's decision to send people to war, which is what all of the "Support Our Troops" bumper stickers amount to.
"Troops" cannot act like thinking people. People in the military are trained to RESPOND to orders, and to NOT THINK. This is a necessity for the kind of situations they face.
Those of us enjoying safety and security and luxury at home owe it to the troops, and to the families in Iraq, to THINK CRITICALLY, to INFORM OURSELVES, and stand up for the truth. What is this war about? It's not about WMD. It's not about Saddam supporting terrorists. What are people dying for?
I thought I'd throw this out to all my readers and see what YOU all think, and how I should reply to it. Obviously I majorly disagree with the two who replied to me...what's YOUR opinion?
posted by Erika @ 11:50 AM
11 Comments:
I think I shall black mail you. I also think that the negative waves toward bush are "dissing" the soldiers. It is because Bush is the head of this army of ours. Did the roman soldiers say "We aren't fighting for nero"?
No, you foolish coconut... They did not!!!
don't blackmail ME!! I agree with you evie!! and i like the foolish coconut thing, too:-)
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
i've tried to argue with democrats on the war. They're too mad at Bush and his "lies" that they don't take a look at the real situation. We're fighting these people off of American soil so we don't have to fight 'em here, but they're too busy thinking about "WMD" and all that crap. They don't take a view of the big picture. They're stuborn asses, and you can't budge 'em, so I just gave up trying.
John w.s. is all to correct...trust me they will always come up with an answer to give back.
Some people like to be bitter. Even using the most liberal argument, using THEIR arguments, they'll disagree, because they want to.
Sure, we're fighting terrorists on their soil, however, there is no question we'll continue fighting them on our soil as well. Are our borders protected? Do muslims have to denounce their faith to become citizens? No and no. Until all are converted to Christianity, people will attempt to resolve their disputes with violence. I disagree with the impetus for this war (not just WMD, but "Operation Freedom"). I disagree that the fighting will "end" using the current tactics. I even disagree with the reason for the earlier gulf war. Did Kuwait agree to become a territory of the U.S.; to accept U.S. rule in exchange for protection from Iraq? No! What a long-term waste and unlawful use of the taxpayers' money! If we are going to act like an empire, we should at least take over these countries and tax them as we're taxed. This process of colonialization and return to self rule seems to only create political chaos.
Thanks for stopping by my blog! You're welcome back anytime!
While I don't agree with the way that Bush has handled this war, I still support our country, and to do that, my opinion is that I still have to support our President. Will I vote to re-elect him? Uh, no. But in the mean time, I must hold my tongue and support our leader.
sdk
presidents in the US can only serve 2 terms
Thanks you guys, for all your comments. Now if we could just get that 1 blogger to think clearly...oh well.
JWS...wow, thats the strongest language I think I've ever heard from you!!
No problem SDK...I liked it!! thats WAY better of an attitude to have than some I've seen!!
LOL Betsie...I was thinking that but I wasn't going to point it out.
This whole thing is ridiculous. Support our president?? Come on, do you mean to tell me that you blindly support everyone in a position of leadership?? I will never understand you people. You're probably the same one's that called for Clinton to be impeached...because he slept with an intern. My question to you is, at what point to you stop supporting your president? I choose to stop supporting a "leader" when he has lost my respect and confidence in his capabilities. Bush did that when he launched a campaign into Iraq that he said was based on WMD's and a link to Al Queda, both of which were bogus, and the world knew it.
In addition, he lost my confidence when he weakened education nationally by underfunding NCLB, when he weakened the Clean Air act, eroded Clean Water Act, rolled back forest and Natural areas acts, began playing with social security, and has allowed corporations to bail on retirement and pension programs for American workers.
These things are worthy of a no confidence vote on Bush, as well as a refusal to ever support his presidency.
I would argue that you people felt the same with regards to Clinton and his sex life.
As far as troops are concerned...the sticker, "Germans supported their troops too" requires some intelligence with regard to world and more importantly German history. Germans were in the same place in WW2 that Americans are now. Either your with us or against us. Germans had to support their country or they would face the Nazi regime, and those that stood with the regime. Just because the Germans supported their troops didn't make them right. They led a fight with covert religious motives, that God Blessed them. They believed that the Jews should be destroyed. They were wrong, and this mindset that we have a "called by God" duty to create democracy, and convert Muslims is equally as wrong. How can we, a "REPUBLIC", where people are still opressed within our borders, give freedom and democracy and equality to others?
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