Do you Support the Troops?

Absolutely not.

I support the troops.
But, the war..I don't anymore.

I mean, we needed to go in there and get Saddam out.
The world fiddle fucked with him long enough.
Were there WMD over there?? I dunno.
If there is..I wouldn't be surprised if they are buried over there..or maybe in the process of trying to aquire them. Saddam was very aggressive towards his neighbors and yes, he HAD to be dealt with. People thought w went there for the oil. Ya right..like it's help us huh? look at the gas prices.
But for the overall peace in the region..we had too. If Isreal or S.A, Turkey or other countries get overran by Saddam..then eventually..we have another Hitler. The world doesn't need another one of those.
Iraq had a history of being aggressive towards his neighbors..
But hell, the Iraqi's seem to not care of we rebuild and try to make their lives easier. Plus any country in this world should have the right to choose who governs them. I don't understand why after 4 years why the Iragi military isn't up to speed on how to defend themselves.
We have kids coming out of boot camp and ready and also have the knowledge how to fight.
Ya figure after 4 years over there..their military would have a clue.
But they are so far behind. Plus, with isurgency and all kinds of BS going on over there.
I feel, it's a lost cause now.
If the Iraqi's want to live like a third world country.
Fuck them then.
I'd say, get the troops outta there.

But, you should always support your troops.
No matter what country you live in.
US, Germany, England, France..or wherever.

What in the hell kinda question is that. Most people in here on GFY either have friends or family in the war or that contribute to it in one way or another wether it be volunteering or supporting. Here in Ontario we have a thing were its called red fridays or something like that were if you want to support the troops your suppose to wear red.

But the question is "how do you support the troops"?

that's hard question for me all the time because I don't advocate war. I think its retarded.
at the same time, if we are being attacked -someone has to defend us...

Its a very legit question, So many people throw that around, yet don't do a fucking thing to actually "support" them... I'm cetain the guys getting shot at everyday in Iraq could give a flying fuck what color shirt you wore on Friday, so my question remains How exactly do you support the troops?

I give them moral support.
We also have a flag hanging outside our house, in support.

Friends of ours, her husband was in Afgasntistan and Iraq for over 3 years and every month, we all chipped in and put together a package for him and him and his buddies. Weither it was goodies from home, movies to watch on their laptops or whatever they wanted.
Just to give them a taste of back home.

good stuff...

Good point, well for me I do support the wear red on Fridays

the war should have never happened, troops who die their blood is on bush

I don't support any of it. I just wish our troops weren't over there getting killed for what appears to be a bunch of people that are intent on destroying themselves anyway.

Makes no sense to me.
Blum

support the troops 100%
the war nope.. but the troops yes

How? Just saying it, isn't really "support"...

The soldiers know the risk when they sign up (unless economy or other factors forced them into it), and they are just doing what they are told to do. So I support them -except those doing crimes- praying they come home in one peace and hope they never be used as failed political tool again.

Well, I pay my taxes, that is used to fund the operation so I guess that counts as financial support.

As far as Moral support, I am always pulling for our guys mentaly and in spirit and never wish them ill will or harm, ( from our own government or from a foriegn enemy)
I Bitch and complain to people about how they are held to a double standard when they get prosecuted for shooting people in Iraq, but are asked to go and shoot people in Iraq . I complain about the medical treatement and the way they are treated by our own government when they return home injured.

Is that support?

Now if the question is to become by support do we/I agree with the mission or the situation they are forced to be in, Then that answer becomes a definate NO FUCKING WAY .

Not really.

Not !!!

When you sign up for any of the United States armed forces, the very first thing you do is take an oath to the President of the United States. It doesn't matter who the President is or if you believe in him (or her) or their polices, but instead you take an oath to the Oval Office and whomever is currently sitting behind that big desk.

My father died a US Marine, and I knew the risks when I signed up. I was lucky that I was in during a period where there was no war. I got out shortly before the Gulf War, and I was considered "Inactive reserve" - subject to be called up at a moment's notice. And yes, I was in fact very concerned.

The problem is the general population no longer belives in the greater good. Take Iraq out of the question and replace it with Africa. Africa has been torn by war for decades, people are starving, and the entire country is being destroyed by AIDS. And we are doing nothing about it. We were in Africa and pulled out after the "Blackhawk Down" incident because "Americans were being killed". Well, I have no other way to put it, but this is what happens when we go to battle. It's called a sacrafice for the greater good.

This is why we went to war in Europe during WWII, and why we went to into Korea. In Europe we assisted Russia in preventing Hilter and the Nazis from their rule (which was brutal), and in Korea we saved everyone in South Korea from the communist rule of North Korea. (Did you know in North Korea they are not allowed to have radios and are fed by the state - meaning they are starving?)

We look at Iraq and all we see are Americans dieing. I hate to put this in such blunt terms while my fellow Americans are dieing, but the numbers are very small and we are making a world of difference in Iraq. Read about the fighting in the South Pacific during WWII and how how tens of thousands of Americans died in a single battle, or Vietnam where hundreds died every day.

You can't tell me we aren't doing good in Iraq. We don't hear how about the new power plants, water treatment plants, and schools that are opened every day. We don't hear about this because these things dosn't sell newspapers - While Americans dieing does sell headlines.

We also need to look at this in a much larger picture. I wonder how many of you drive SUVs that swallow gas as if it was water. We need a stable Middle East to ensure our flow of oil that powers our damn cars. We need a full time military base right in the middle of the region. And that's what we currently have.

It seems like the Iraqis don't want us there. This is because there is a small band of terrorists that use sucide bombers to randomly kill people. You think if the US pulls out that's going to change?

Do I support our troops? Yes. I donate to the USO every month, send out care packages to our troops, and I have friends there - all US Marines - who send me wish lists via email and I do my best to provide them with what they need.

how do you support the troops wizzo? My family and I made care packages this weekend.

i pay mass taxes that help fund those airplanes and bombs they are sending over there

how do you support them, exactly?

i used to be one, i feel for all the political bullshit they have to endure during their tenure

I support the troops on an individual basis..there's some assholes i've met in the forces....I just hope the good troops aren't stationed with them. Anyway you can send people who want to kill people somewhere to kill other people who wanna kill people it means fewer assholes in the bars wanting to kill/fight someone.

No. I don't.

sure, I support our troops in any ways I know I can

I have a bumper sticker on my car that says Support Your Troops

and I know it sounds silly, but Atlanta airport is a hub for military on their way to Iraq....so, any time we are flying (which is quite a bit) they are marching through the airport on the way to Iraq and we always stand up and clap and yell as loud as we can....it may be something tedious, but I feel like it makes a difference, cause they always turn red and smile.....but who knows, they may die 2 weeks later and that one last experience with Americans and those random people cheering and clapping for them might make them smile one last time

if you support them, push your politicians to get them out, as long as this US administration is in power nobody trusts them
all those Iraqis and "coalition" troops have died for the wrong reasons

Bush and co pulled out the linchpin (Saddam) from the grenate that is Iraq, maybe next time vote more for the guy who has seen some parts of the world

wonder what all those neo-cons have to say now, after everything that was predicted would happen by those 'unpatriotic' traitors... now has become reality

I bought and shipped body armor to some friends in Iraq. If that's not support I don't know what is. =)

God bless the troops.
God curse Bush

Ive sent about 8 care packages over there to soliders I know that are serving there. I make sure to go out of my way to shake the hand of any solider I run across and say "Thank you for your service" whether active duty or veteran.

Other than a decent donation a few years back to the USO, I really haven't done anything else... but I certainly don't go around saying I support them with no action behind those words or just something dumb like putting a sticker on my car.

Really my only point to this thread, is there's a real difference between what you and your family did this weekend and many who "support" by just talking out of their ass...

Just read Rochard's post and wanted to comment that it is one of the most well written pro-troop posts I've ever read, and poses some things I hadn't thought of, especially the point that it doesn't matter who is in charge, the oath is to serve them.

Just one thing, what is the USO? You say you donate to them, but I'm a Brit and don't know what it is

Cheers,
Blum

The USO is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide morale, welfare and recreation-type services to our men and women in uniform. The original intent of Congress ? and enduring style of USO delivery ? is to represent the American people by extending a touch of home to the military. The USO currently operates more than 130 centers worldwide, including ten mobile canteens located in the continental United States and overseas. Overseas centers are located in Germany, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Qatar, Korea, Afghanistan, Guam, and Kuwait. Service members and their families visit USO centers more than 4.7 million times each year. http://uso.org

Great post.

good of you, at least some people are stepping up

I've said it before (homeless vets) and I'll say it again, the USA is probably the most ungrateful Western country when it comes to their soldiers !!!talking government policy here NOT people!!!

remember 200.000 homeless vets reside in the USA today