How can you be anti war but still support the troops?

I don't normally support war, but understand the need for population control. Perhaps in the past war was the best way at stopping a Malthusian crisis, but we've got better methods these days.

I don't support the troops on the whole, but do understand many of them are just brainwashed, and a lot have serious financial burdens and no where else to turn. There are, however, psychopaths who join the military and actually enjoy the position they're in.

Overall, I don't. When I was at the airport last year, there were troops who had just came home. Everyone in my view except for one other person besides myself was cheering them on. I didn't give them any nasty looks or anything. I just remained passive towards the whole thing. It's just a sad state of affairs; war.

reply to post by rushunt

“The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity.”
Ben Franklin.

No, Franklin wasn't a marine. Thank God.

I do not support the troops. They are not fighting for our freedom, they are fighting for our government, that keeps infringing on our freedoms.

It's easy

The soldier doesn't decide where to do his or her job.
The soldier doesn't decide who to bomb.
The soldier doesn't decide where they are going to be all they can be.
all the soldier does is his job.

The soldier doesn't decide where to do war they do it where they are told by the power hungry politicians protecting the banks interests.

And it's next to impossible, career ending impossible, life damning impossible to say no to their orders.

If a foreign nation stepped on their soil in threat they would eliminate that enemy with great prejudice and extreme swiftness.

Got it?

Originally posted by mayabong
I'm an american and I have lots of friends (well maybe 2 or 3) and some family members in Iraq and Afghanistan. On facebook I'm constantly seeing posts of people asking for donations so they can send care packages to the troops over there. The main thing they always push is, "you can be anti-war, but you can still support the troops!"

To me this seems sort of illogical, for if there were no troops over there, there would be no war yeah? I realize that most signed up with good intentions and are products of good brainwashing from the MSM. Even so, the thought of making their lives easier over there as they kill innocent people makes me cringe.

Thoughts?

Well, I suppose a conflict of interest if you are broadly 'anti-war' (a.k.a conscientious objector, passive-ist, etc..) is inevitable. However, even in those circumstances one can respect the choice that soldiers as individuals may make. Any individual soldier is simply part of the machine, and must follow orders. But I don't think that is what you are talking about.

Many are there for ideological reasons that are honorable, but are put through the meat grinder, and are forced to participate in military actions they may not agree with. Bullying women and children to perpetuate corporate interests is not what most people sign up for, but once you're in they OWN you, and many individual soldiers--

A. Have limited information when it comes to actually figuring out what is going on.

B. Are constantly being brainwashed into thinking that isn't what is going on.

C. May not be psychologically able to come to terms with that knowledge anyway... So they buy the lie. A coping mechanism.

D. Some figure it out and REALLY don't want to be there, but don't want to face jail time, or having their life ruined by Uncle Sam by raising a ruckus to get out. Chances are, it's easier to follow orders, and you can get out more quickly.

The whole experience can come as quite a b**** slap to many a young idealist.

There is also the chance that there may someday come--ya know-- an actual threat to our way of life, and so in case of that, I'm glad they are there.

I support our soldiers as individuals in a crappy situation. I do not support any military endeavor we are involved in officially right now. I do not see a conflict.

I find a stance such as yours absolutist, self-righteous, and prone to contradiction actually.

reply to post by Stewie


So much for one shot one kill? Lol shows your not a marine. 10 out of 12 kills were in the head, other 2 were torso, all of which were of course one shot one kill. 50 cal....turn them into sloppy joe. Thanks for proving to yourself that you obviously have no clue

I was posted to Northern Ireland in 96 and I never once heard the people saying
"support the troops". I served in the Army for 12 years and left when I woke up. In my last two years I volunteered for every type of training available from weapons training to bodyguarding (Close Protection in the UK) to vehicle mechanics and a whole lot more. I knew I was getting out and wanted to learn stuff that would be valuable to me one day.
To me this "support the troops" is nothing more than propaganda.

good luck to them but I shed no tears.

I feel for innocent people who are claimed as casualties of war. The children mainly.

There are 130,000 Americans that were Disabled Retired from our military.

They don't get paid a retirement.

Where is the "Support our Troops" people about that?

In the 1950's President Harry Truman passed Executive Order 10122. It took our Military Disability Retirement program from Veterans Affairs and put it under DOD. After that date no longer do our military members who are Disabled Retired....get a Retirement Check.

They can get their little VA Disability check and thats it. Congress passed "Concurrent Receipt" and lets people who made it to 20 years...get their military retirement check AND Va Disability.

But those who dove into ditches to avoid mortars and broke their backs for this country get squat. They have to figure out how to house, clothe, and feed their wives and children on measly few hundred bucks from their VA Disability check.

When Bush was President they CRIED because Veterans Affairs had a 1 year backlog for processing disability claims. Barrack is President now and Veterans Affairs now has a TWO year backlog for processing disability claims. Why? The countries broke. Plus Barracks biggest concerns is funneling money to unions and Disabled Veterans ain't no union.

"Support the Troops" is a feel good statement but in all reality, our troops always get hosed and their country doesn't help them when they get broken serving in our military. They just ain't important enough. The money goes to people like Unions because they send kickbacks to politicians and political parties. Gotta "Redistribute the Wealth" ya know??

reply to post by Pervius


I wonder who will be saying were not important enough once war comes on our homeland. I tell you this, im not fighting for you, none of these scum bags. Im fighting for my brothers, the ones who support us ALWAYS, not just when they benefit from it like most of the people here, and im fighting for me. Ill let them take ur home and life, although most here will prob be in canada

reply to post by Pervius


I wonder who will be saying were not important enough once war comes on our homeland. I tell you this, im not fighting for you, none of these scum bags. Im fighting for my brothers, the ones who support us ALWAYS, not just when they benefit from it like most of the people here, and im fighting for me. Ill let them take ur home and life, although most here will prob be in canada

I support our troops but do not condone war.

the ends justify the means

reply to post by Cosmic.Artifact


VERY well said. If you don't support the war that's completely understandable, but people, stop bashing us for fighting it. Does it take having to be invaded by another country before you support us?

reply to post by MarineSniper12Kills


And no disrespect to you cosmic

reply to post by mayabong


Do you want your friends to die?or the other guy?

well since you are anti war i would assume no,

So send them food ,both sides of any fight should not wish death by starving because you are aginst the war,

You should be for life!

Life needs food!

send food that is neutral as neutral gets,

We all have the wright to food,it may be hard to get out in the middle of no where.

reply to post by Onegovernment


I spent four years in the desert laying down not moving for 36 hours on end for fear of being picked off. Four years of being like the eyes for 1 to to 130 men so they don't get struck down. Four years of knowing if i don't take the guy out in that building, then the 15 under me will get picked off. You know not one thing about patriotism. You disgust me. You did show me one thing though, all of the people who have supported and even disagreed with me on this threat....you are a joke....at least each and every one of them contribute something to our country whether through war or peace.

I meant for that to be the one government person is a joke, not anyone else here.

The Iraqis aren't a threat to the USA, but American soldiers have bankrupted America. I do not support the ongoing bankrupting of America by the US military.

We could've had high speed passenger trains and a first world lifestyle, but now our crumbling infrastructure isn't much better than third world countries like Vietnam and we're so many trillions of dollars in debt, there's ongoing debate as to how many trillions we actually owe. The lower estimates seem to be around $12 trillion while the high estimates are anywhere from $120 trillion to $200 trillion. Debt slavery is not freedom and this TSA stuff is ridiculous.

Originally posted by MarineSniper12KillsI spent four years in the desert laying down not moving for 36 hours on end for fear of being picked off.

Meanwhile, a man in China spent four years manufacturing goods for hours on end and the Chinese have bullet trains to show for it. All we have is bullets, no bullet trains. The Chinese and other Asians are going from rags to riches because they produce. We're going from riches to rags because the US Treasury spends a fortune to pay Americans in the prime of their lives to spend four years to lay around for 36 hours at a time on the ground in some desert somewhere producing nothing.

reply to post by mayabong


I do not support the war, however I feel I can support the men and women who are looking to defend our country in whatever way our leaders think is necessary. I disagree with the decisions to be there by our leaders, but I can't fault the people following orders.