Why not support the troops?

Question

I'm a soldier, and I've been to Iraq, and I've obviously been in the US, but one thing I hated about coming back, was, how people acted.

Why do people insist on telling the soldiers we should be upset about going over there, and we should be angry at our government, and when people find out that I was there, they automatically break into their life story and why we shouldn't be there.

Does anyone realize or care what that does to us as soldiers emotionally? By talking down on Iraq and assuming you know whats going on over there, because some old bitty on CNN said so, you are, in my eyes putting every death in Iraq to vain.

We are there. We will be there until the President pulls us out. Have your opinions, that's the freedom we are defending, but, why just be obnoxious about it?

Why not take a minute and ask a soldier, "In your experience, what are your thoughts on on the war? what is really going on?"

and instead of wasting your time writing to the president telling him he is wrong for having us there, why not write a soldier instead and say, "Good Luck, We're praying for you, we hope you return safely."

Even before I was military, that has always upset me.

Maybe someone can enlighten me on it?

Answer 1

I'm glad you all are fighting so I won't have to. My patience is not good enough for any parts of the military.   It is unfortunate they so many lives were sacrificed in Iraq. I think some of the discontentment with Bush is spilling over to you all. It's sad. The whole thing about Iraq not causing 9/11 is disturbing people. The war cost so much and then Iraq had billions in surplus.  And to top it off, Osama bin Laden is chilling. At least if he was found, I think some people would have been appeased.  It's getting close to election time, I'm sure Bin Laden video is coming to a tv station near you really soon.  Of the people I knew nobody felt like going over there, but they went.  You all are doing a good job and getting paid, I don't blame ya for that!  

Answer 2

I hope you'll come to realize that any thinking person appreciates your service and your sacrifice. We may disagree with the line of thinking that prompted your superiors to send you there, but that doesn't mean we don't want what's best for you.

Answer 3

I support the troops, just not the elected officials, that send them in harms way.

Answer 4

You say you are fighting for freedom. And yet you fight a dishonourable war like mindless drones who are enslaved to something call patriotism, when in actual fact it is nothing more than American hubris.

Answer 5

Well, I thank you, and I'm glad to be able to send a message to a hero  like you, I dont think we should be there but, the one thing I hat anything is when a soldior goes to Iraq or any enemy country for war, comes home and than the gov. sends him back again. War is bad enough but when you send your son to war its bad enough that he is there for four years and thank god he comes home. than Uncle Sam  wants him to go back again. than sometimes he doesnt come back the second time.  I give a lot credit to you for serving our country and I can tell that you love it. Yes, we do have alot to be thankful for, and it's men like you that gives us  the country we have. Thankyou very much.  April

Answer 6

I agree with sweetb; we support the troops but not the war, which is bogus. Once we withdraw from Iraq, I give them one week to revert back to where they were before we came over there, so it is all for nothing, all those lives wasted and all those hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars down the drain.

Answer 7

I value you, and respect you for fighting in Iraq.

Whether for ANY political reason we are fighting, we just are. And men and women like you are sacrificing their lives for our nation.

I care, I really do. You are following your orders, that's all.

Mainstream media are a just a bunch of slutttyyy hags who do not know the first thing about war.

Answer 8

Sweetheart, fanaticism is the worst kind of blinders that anyone might wear, it's as simple as that. What those "peace loving" people are actually saying is that what Saddam Hussein was doing to his own people was OK just because the Iraqis were not our problem, and then, they go to church on Sunday and pat themselves as the greatest.  Even animals do better when they care enough to raise the babies of other species......

Thanks for you service to this nation, sorry that many don't deserve your sacrifice.

Answer 9

I disagree with you somewhat. I am a soldier but I believe in supporting the troops but not the war. Its not our choice to be there, we're just following orders.

Answer 10

Iraq was not behind 9/11.

WMD's have not been found in Iraq.

The Bush family had a grudge with Saddam Hussein, what is the troops fighting about

Answer 11

Every death in Iraq so far WAS in vain.

Answer 12

People support the troops.

People don't support the war.

There is a difference.

Answer 13

I'm sure that most of us are aware that it is very hard on you soldiers emotionally. I don't think of myself as an obnoxious person, and I hope to God that I am not. You may be shocked when I tell you that I do care. I pray for you guys all of the time, and I do think about what all you must be going through. My husband is a Viet Nam vet, and as hard as it is for you, try to remember or read up on how those vets were and are still treated. I know the pain in his eyes when he talks about the guys he fought side by side with who never made it out. I try to understand the pain he has from losing his best buddy that he signed up with. I tried forever to understand how he came home an alcoholic because he needed something to numb the pain. I try to understand, but there is no way I can ever know his every emotion. You are coming down pretty hard on us. I am sure that you have encountered people who in your view have been disrespectful to you as you mentioned in your post. But hey, I am not one of those people and don't care to be grouped in their category. I never assume that we are getting the correct information on the Iraq war from any of our news sources. I think the information we are given is what our president wants us to know. I support our troops and I hate it that so many of you have had to go over there and I know that those of you who make it home; well I know your lives are changed forever. I don't even want to think about what all you have seen or been through! You seem to need someone you can talk to and sort out some of your issues. You seem so angry. I am not meaning that in a bad way!!! I just feel like when you guys do get to come home you need some help in readjusting to life here, and sorting everything out. I don't mind telling you that I do not think our troops should have ever gone to Iraq in the first place. I feel that you guys were sent there for all of the wrong reasons, none of which were under your control. I will say that because I feel that way  I don't feel that I am somehow putting every death in Iraq in vain. That would be like saying that it serves you right for going there. That is not on me. I am not mad at you for going there, and why should I be, and I know I am not alone, so please don't be so angry at some of us for maybe not saying all of the right things that you want and need to hear. Some people, most of us I guess, don't really know what to say. We've not been there, we don't know how it really feels, so how are we to know exactly what you want to hear? You have got to remember that we are just human and being human means that we make mistakes. All of us. I am sorry that you are feeling the way you are now. I wish the best for you, and I truly mean that. I don't know how I would feel if I were in your shoes. My best friend's son is in Iraq and I am faithful to keep tabs on him. I don't lecture him on the fact that I feel we should not be there. Why should I tell him that? He is merely doing what he signed up to do; defending his country. I have alot of respect for him and even though his mom and I feel the way we do about the war, it DOES NOT mean that we could care less about any of our troops. God bless you.

Edit: I would be ashamed to be grouped in the category of people who do not care about our troops and their emotional healing.