Troops Petitition against Iraq War - Please Show Support

An Appeal for Redress from the War in Iraq

As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq . Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home.

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[edit on 26-10-2006 by UK Wizard]

I would never sign such a petition, nor does it really matter as I am not an American.
The US decided to invade Iraq while Blix repeatedly informed that no evidence of Weapons of Mass Destruction was available, and now they should take responsibility for their ignorant move.

It would be a shame to invade a country and then suddenly leave when things are getting bloody.

Besides, this war was intended to protect us and decrease the threat of more terrorist attacks. Leaving would have the opposite effect.

Unfortunately, there's no way out, then again it is the Bush administration & co which is responsible.


[edit on 25-10-2006 by Mdv2]

Regardless of why the coalition attacked in the first place, withdrawing now would be downright stupid.

Although I agree with the decision to invade Iraq, it is not for the same reason that I think we should stay now.

The initial job is done, now the clean-up job must be finished.

Support the troops.

Originally posted by Mdv2
The US decided to invade Iraq while Blix repeatedly informed that no evidence of Weapons of Mass Destruction was available, and now they should take responsibility for their ignorant move.

Unfortunately, there's no way out, then again it is the Bush administration & co which is responsible.

[edit on 25-10-2006 by Mdv2]

But what about the poor bastards on the ground actually having to fight this war? Many of them joined up before Bush et al took over and made US foriegn policy the joke it is now. Should they be made to suffer? To kill and be killed?

Originally posted by doctorfungi
Support the troops.

Yes, support the troops by signing the petition. Support the troops by increasing pressure on the Republicans to force them to stop sacraficing other people's children to shore up their disastorous policies.

Originally posted by rizla
But what about the poor bastards on the ground actually having to fight this war? Many of them joined up before Bush et al took over and made US foriegn policy the joke it is now. Should they be made to suffer? To kill and be killed?

I sincerely feel for them and I know it is contradictory. However, with war comes pain, tragedy, and injustice, and it cannot be changed. ''We've'' begun this war with no way back, sad but true.

[edit on 25-10-2006 by Mdv2]

These people joined the military, not the boy scouts. Many of those that complain are the ones that thought it would be an easy way to go to college or get out of their home town. These soldiers were not drafted, so why the petition?

Also, this is not a republican issue, I mean, the most likely democratic candidate for presidency in 2008 supports the war.

If you think it is so imperritive for the US soldiers to stay in iraq.

Why don't you go there yourself?

arm chair generals.

Just don't come back winging to me when all your men are dead or wounded.

[edit on 25-10-2006 by Syrian Sister]

It is imperative to stay in Iraqi to attempt to stabilize the region, which is the opposite of the country you seem to support. Are you actively arming yourself and crossing the border into Iraq, or declaring yourself an armchair general?

Whether or not the US continues to occupy Iraq, the violence will continue to increase daily. While during the earlier stage of the war it may have seemed economically beneficial for the US that is no longer the case. There are more cost-effective ways for the US to obtain energy resources than by spending $200 million a day to occupy Iraq. The US can not afford to be mediators in this civil war for the next decade. There will come a time when even Bush's most prized parrots will be forced to concede the need to remove the training wheels for the New Iraqi Army.

[edit on 25-10-2006 by Dubious_Skunk]

Originally posted by doctorfungi
Regardless of why the coalition attacked in the first place, withdrawing now would be downright stupid.

Although I agree with the decision to invade Iraq, it is not for the same reason that I think we should stay now.

The initial job is done, now the clean-up job must be finished.

Support the troops.

"The initial job is done, now the clean-up job must be finished. "
Ya,because America did such a great job doing that in Vietnam.

arm chair generals.

Hey look, it's Syrian Sister popping out of the woodwork. Haven't seen you since your convoy attack thread, where you conclusively proved you know nothing about combat operations and the laws of armed conflict. Oh, and good to see you still use the "we will kill you all" phraseology as if you are some scary insurgent hero. I've got some great targeting pod footage of insurgents getting shwacked with 500 lbs bombs you might like seeing as you seem to enjoy people dying so much.

Now, to the original post, when you join the military you take the good with the bad. I know when I joined up it was made expressedly clear that I could be sent into combat, whether I liked it or not. Iraq is a mess because planners failed to secure the peace when they had the opportunity. Military people have a job to do, and should do it without this sort of whining "we shouldn't have to be their" crap. Didn't see too much whining when the military paid for our university education, training courses, fun deployments, free medical and dental etc...

Yes, it's imerative to go to war as long as it's not me. Bah. A lot of people joined up before Bush started his jolly. Why should they have act out his fantasies of empire? They signed up to defend their country. They are currently making it, and the world, less safe.

Originally posted by Syrian Sister
If you think it is so imperritive for the US soldiers to stay in iraq.

Why don't you go there yourself?

arm chair generals.

Just don't come back winging to me when all your men are dead or wounded.

[edit on 25-10-2006 by Syrian Sister]

It's not often that I've seen you change your mind on an issue. Make that never. I didn't know that you actually supported the Coalition occupation in Iraq. It sure surprised me. What made you change your mind on this issue to support continued engagements in Iraq? Do you revel in the killing of people on both sides of this issue? Both Muslim and Western?

The presence of US troops is only a stabilizing factor in the eyes of those who have blind faith in the use of US force. Despite our presence, things continue to spiral out of control. We broke Iraq, and we plainly can't fix it. The country is disintegrating.

Those who think we should stay mainly do so because they can't to admit to themselves that we made a mistake by invading in the first place. How many American soldiers and Iraqi civilians need to die before they will swallow their pride and recognize an obvious failure?

Originally posted by rizla
Yes, it's imerative to go to war as long as it's not me. Bah. A lot of people joined up before Bush started his jolly.

Regardless of when you "join up" you are told in no uncertain terms that you are becoming a member of a fighting organization and may be called upon to serve in that capacity.

Enlistment Agreement

I'd say less than 1% of any servicemen or women who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan would actual sign the petition being circulated.

This is because most who volunteer to serve understand and adhere to the concepts of duty and honor.

Originally posted by esdad71
These people joined the military, not the boy scouts. Many of those that complain are the ones that thought it would be an easy way to go to college or get out of their home town. These soldiers were not drafted, so why the petition?

Also, this is not a republican issue, I mean, the most likely democratic candidate for presidency in 2008 supports the war.

Well said.

This sounds like mutiny to me, dissent within the ranks. A good general would put an end to it..

As esdad said, there job is to fight a war, what ever war it is and for what ever reason. I know a few men over there, and every last one of them did in fact join for free education, which they never got, and all opposed the war before joining, decided boot camp sucked, but got shiped out after being told they would most likely not (they joined the reserves) .. they have not complained to much about it, I have another close friend who just joined the airborn, he gets shipped out in January for about a year. You join the military, you go where your leaders tell you to go and there should not be an remarks about the mission. That would be in a well trained well diciplined army anyways... I don't agree with the war, I don't think we should be over there, and I am all for a withdraw because the Iraqi's cant seem to act civil about anything, I don't support dissenters though, not within the army.

I'm undecided on this issue due to this thought I had. Say we take the troops out of Iraq, and things get worse for Iraqis due to severe sectarian violence. Are we to sit back and do nothing about it? What will everyone say when we leave and we watch a country kill itself? I see the US leaving Iraq as a catalyst to more violence in this equation rather than a variable, though I could argue the US as a variable as well. But, my point I see the US being criticized just as much for leaving a mess in Iraq, than staying and taking the same criticism for the job being done already. In my opinion its damned if you do, damned if you dont.

But, my point I see the US being criticized just as much for leaving a mess in Iraq, than staying and taking the same criticism for the job being done already. In my opinion its damned if you do, damned if you dont.

And if that's the choice we're faced with, then the sensible option is to leave and be damned for it, without sacrificing a few thousand more soldiers.

For those condemning the soldiers signing the petition, note that these soldeirs are not saying "I won't go" or "I'll desert" but simply "I don't think this is working"... which should be obvious to anyone with an iota of common sense at this point anyway.

[edit on 10/26/06 by xmotex]

I see attacks on Syrian Sister due to her comments, but the gist of what she said is true.

Before you come on the boards proclaiming how tidy and awesome and necessary the war is, try serving in it. Seriously. There is not witty come-back for that, if you haven't been there you don't know # about it, period. I don't wanna hear about "well I've seen it on the internet and the news blah blah" because if I were a Bush fan, I could use the same "sources" and they would get dismissed, yes?

Further, to support "your side" of the war isn't bloodthirsty, or revelling in death. I agree that those who make light of death are damned fools, for lack of better words that would get me banned. But for the most part it is one side against the other; considering the immorality of this war from the very beginning, we have to ask, which "side" is really in the wrong here?

As to the petition, it's pointless, it will never change a thing, and really only gives people like esdad an excuse to tout their own political agenda. News flash, es: I scored a 93 on the ASVAB, and I chose infantry. I didn't do it for "college money" or what have you; further, I enlisted in '99 under Clinton. And I voted for Bush. So before trying to profile people for how they feel, try taking a walk through their version of Hell.