Now that I think about it, this is humorous topic. Most everyone who said "Support our troops" also supported the war. The thing is, none of them knew what the hell they were saying when they said "support our troops." I suggested they meant cheering on our soldiers as they kill Iraqis, but I was firebombed like never before and a riot nearly broke out.

So, all you hawks, conservatives, etc, what did you mean when you said "support our troops?" I just want to make sure you weren't just throwing it out to hold your case.

I am no conservative, but I must stick up for the troops. Whatever you see or find out, regardless of who pulls the trigger-- you can't blame the troops. I sure as hell couldn't... Ever.

Remember, the troops only take the orders. I mean, you can even hate the generals-- but always love the soldiers, cuz they do it for me, you, your mother and your kids.

(Sorry if i got a lil personal there... )

support the troops ok fine sure kick ass idea you want to know how to support them heres how don't support the war don't send them over to a hostile country were they could get ki9lled and once they're there you can still support the troops but not the war that they and most of the american people got tricked into going after.

Personally, I think the idea comes from Vietnam vets who don't want to see the same thing happen to the troops now.

That would be my take on it. I would just say that it means not to take out frustration or agression on the troops that should be aimed at the cause, which is the administration.

Ummm...seekerof...I believe they support the people over there and them coming home safely. They support them getting their job done and being safe. Even if they don't agree with the War, they would not like to see any of them brought home in a body bag. It is that type of propaganda that is unjustifiable and dangerous. Yes we all spit venom here, but it is one thing to attack someone for supporting troops and attacking the war. If what you posted was just some humor...then sorry for taking it the wrong way...

If the message hurts or is bothersome or is propaganda...the message that it delivers is still valid, despite claims to the contrary.



seekerof

But that's just it...the message is not valid...

You see, the problem with that is implying that the left could give two #s about the troops over there. When, to the contrary, that is not so. We do care about our troops and the sooner they get done, the sooner they can come home and be, relatively, safe. We do not support the war. We do not support those who promote the war. We do, however, support the people who are being shipped off to die in some other country because they are victims of, what many people believe to be, an unjust war. Your message is wrong and you know it.

When I think of 'supporting the troops' I think of wishing them home safely. I don't believe that anyone who would seriously wish them dead is worth knowing. That's just bad. The soldiers are humans, and they deserve support from home.

Come on, everyone new we would go back to Iraq.
Im suprised they didnt do it to try out all their new stuff ie.. planes, bombs, and the like. Anywho always support the troops; if youre anything like me than your thankful there's people with either enough courage, or stupidity that will do the things most Americans couldnt stomach. Dont agree with the war, thats your right as an American but don't ever think that those soldiers were psyched to go and maybe die.

A friend of mine just returned from the war. When he returned, he told me that he didn't give a # about who supported him, liberals or conservatives. He was just trying to deal with the fact that he, as a coordinate programmer, had typed in the coordinates that sent many people to their death. So all you conservatives and all you liberals who support the troops, they need more support back here at home, dealing with the fact that they have taken human life.

My brother is over there still getting shot at almost daily.

While I am highly suspicious of the reasons they were sent there, I do support the troops vehemntly. As said before, the troops are human too and a great deal of them are just 18-25 year old kids.

There is a paradox of sorts here. I wonder how the troops feel about all of the soldiers who gave their lives before them so we can all HAVE the right to go out onto the street and protest?

In America, we really do not have dissent anymore. When we protest, we are exercising our rights. Tiananmen square was a true example of dissent. Those people paid for their expression of protest with their lives.

I wonder how many people in this country would still go out and protest if the threat of being run over by a tank or being shot dead was a real risk?


[Edited on 23-3-2004 by Facefirst]

Originally posted by KrazyJethro
Personally, I think the idea comes from Vietnam vets who don't want to see the same thing happen to the troops now.

That would be my take on it. I would just say that it means not to take out frustration or agression on the troops that should be aimed at the cause, which is the administration.

I was gonna answer this but you just did for me.

How about not spitting on them and calling them baby-killers for a start.

How about reliasing that THEY are kids. that they are scared and would rather be home.

How about not believing every punk that spouts off about our attrocities that we are commiting over there and understand that in a war people die in horrible ways. Sometimes innocent people.

How about understanding that these are your brothers, sons, husbands, fathers, etc. Not a bunch of crazed murderers.

How about understanding some of the worst scars are the ones you dont see.


Well I guess I answered anyway

My step-dad came home from nam and some hippies threw rotten eggs and hit him and screamed in his face "BABY KILLER!" It really screwed him up, coming home to that. He only talks about it after a few too many Budweiser's. He said when they were on the plane coming home everyone was smiling and drinking beers and talking about what they would do when they got off the plane; having a really good time after being a grunt in southern nam, playing hid and seek with Viet Cong.
The juxtaposition of the elation at surviving and coming home and the terrible treatment the guys from that plane got, bothered him a lot too. He talked about that. It made him withdraw from the world, angry, bitter, hurt.

Problem with the "anti-war" movement is you can't separate the people who prosecute the war with the "war." You can try, but after a few years of being bitter people (anti-war protestors) turn mean. You don't like the war? Vote the president out. Otherwise we should back the troops 100%, give them all the equipment they need and be there for them when they get back. That's all we who don't go can do. We cannot f*ck with peoples minds like we did with nam vets.. That crap should never happen again.

Variable

The whole term “support our troops” is war propaganda. Those in the media (and government) try to make it taboo for anyone to speak out against a war. Speaking out against this war does not mean that I do not support our troops. However, they are not fighting for our freedom over there. Hussein was not a threat to the American people; our freedom was not in danger. I don’t plan on calling our troops baby killers, but the fact remains that at this very hour 10,625 innocent civilian women and children are dead from American bombs and bullets. Who would you blame? Let’s see, we call people terrorists for killing roughly 3,000 of our civilians in the pursuit of war. What would you call us for killing 10,625 civilians in the pursuit of war?
(There are many publications where you can check the number dead in Iraq)

seekerof,

What do you think "supporting the troops" means?

Originally posted by Cappa
I am no conservative, but I must stick up for the troops. Whatever you see or find out, regardless of who pulls the trigger-- you can't blame the troops. I sure as hell couldn't... Ever.

Remember, the troops only take the orders. I mean, you can even hate the generals-- but always love the soldiers, cuz they do it for me, you, your mother and your kids.

(Sorry if i got a lil personal there... )

Hey, I agree with ya.

Here's a thought...
Who is at fault for the war we are in today, eh?!?
Is it the ploitician's?
Or, is it the people who put those politician's in office?!
Is it not the American people that make the government?
In such, over 70+% agreed to goto war. If you or anyone else has a "beef" with this war, take it out on the politicians and then the ones who placed them in office, maybe?!

Given that this is a conspiracy site I feel obligated to bring up the fact that there are many of us here believe that the people in power are not necessarily chosen only by the people. They are put in a place where they could a number of organizations who would benefit from them being there.

The public too has the bad habit of believing most everything it reads as well. So in a way, I do agree with you that they are to blame, but I also believe they are the victims of their own stupidity sometimes. So they are almost set up to believe what the country wants them to believe because of patriotism. To me this country has lost all real sense of patriotism. It is an empty word and an even emptier gesture. Who gives a # if you're flying an American flag. I love America too, but I don't feel the need to show others how big of a partiot I am merely by putting a flag on my car window.

People use patriotism to escape the responsibility of actually going out there and taking a real interest in what is going on in the government and actually taking the time to know, in detail, the candidates they are voting for. So are the american people to blame for the current state of the government? Yes, the damn well are, but that still doesn't mean that the government they elect and the policies they enforce are good ones.

I agree with your basic tenet that it was we the people who put the politicians in office that sent our boys off to war. However, I think your cartoon is a little over the line in thinking the boys who do fight are accepting of the policy that sent them over there.

I am a veteran and yes, I do support our troops. I want them to get their job done, and get the hell out of there. However, I will be voting in November, and I virtually predicted from the beginning all that has gone on over there.

If a middle manager sitting at his desk in Nashville, Tn knows what is going to happen to our troops in a foreign land why the hell didn't the politicians know? Why would they think we would walk in, dispose of a despot and be greeted buy ALL the people as great liberators? That is complete and utter nonsense.

Syria, Iran, and many others were on the agenda over there. Now, we are bogged down in Iraq because some politicians who knew nothing of what real war was, or it's consequences on the psyche of a people who many see as occupiers now and not liberators.