What Does It Mean To Support Our Troops?

[Afghan_Vet]

Everywhere I look I see faded yellow ribbons imprinted with, “Support Our Troops” on cars, trucks, vans, etc. I hear television and radio pundits spouting how they and their organizations “Support Our Troops”. I hear commercials and see window signs and marquees advertising how businesses “Support Our Troops”. What does all this mean? Is it any more than a personal attempt to satisfy one’s conscience or to win patronage? What do these people do besides display the words? Are the words ever backed up with action? If so, what kind of action?

There is much effort on the part of the administration and the media to align the mantra of “Support Our Troops” with being patriotic AND supporting the war. There has also been a concerted effort to suggest that to dissent against the president or the war is to condemn the troops. As a patriot and a veteran of the war in Afghanistan , I have difficulty accepting those notions.

What is the significance of magnetic ribbons, window signs, and marquees? Do they give our troops the training and equipment necessary to accomplish a mission? What is the benefit to troops of supporting a war? It strikes me as a misguided directive:

“Stay and fight! We don’t care about wrong or right, just get out there and kill! We’re behind you, nestled safely in our comfortable, extravagant, excessive lives—strong is our will!! If you’re killed, don’t worry, it’s not a disgrace--someone else will take your place! Just motor through and do what you must—never mind the consequences, our cause is just!!”

There was once a time when we cherished our military, using it only as a last resort, with extreme reservation and due diligence to ensure absolute necessity of mobilization. The moment we entertained and accepted preemptive war, we deviated from that principle and turned away from supporting our troops to supporting our President. By regulation, our troops must do what they’re told. It is our obligation to question any administration who seeks to employ our troops in combat operations. Such is our duty to our troops—that is how to really support them!

Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official. . .
~Theodore Roosevelt

The dangerous patriot...drifts into chauvinism and exhibits blind enthusiasm for military actions.
~Colonel James A. Donovan, Marine Corps

It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood...War is hell.
~General William Tecumseh Sherman

Some men...in order to prevent the supposed intentions of their adversaries have committed the most enormous cruelties. . .
~Clearchus, in Xenophon

No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.
~James Madison

I hate those men who would send into war youth to fight and die for them; the pride and cowardice of those old men, making their wars that boys must die.
~Mary Roberts Rinehart

It has been said, though I know not by whom, that no person has greater interest in peace than the soldier, for it is he who goes to work, risking life and limb, when peace fails. To show anyone support to me means to demonstrate concern, a vested interest, in their welfare, in their success and survival. In the sense of the soldier, to support him means to ensure that he can live his life without seeing war. When we send our troops to war, we have already failed them. To keep soldiers in war indefinitely, for the sake of abstract and ambiguous objectives, is to add insult to injury.

To turn away from diplomacy, from open and honest communication that promotes understanding between us and our enemies, is to condemn our troops. War is hell, as all those who have experienced it knows. That hell brings out the worst in most, the best in some, but injures all forever. For this reason, promoting peace, the return of the troops, and their rehabilitation and successful re-integration into society is to show them the greatest support of all.

The worst crimes were dared by a few, willed by more and tolerated by all.
~Tacitus

I hope....that mankind will at length, as they call themselves responsible creatures, have the reason and sense enough to settle their differences without cutting throats. . .
~Benjamin Franklin

What is morally wrong can never be advantageous, even when it enables you to make some gain that you believe to be to your advantage.
~Marcus Tullius Cicero

[muntrv]

1. Sending body armor, funding VA, not putting troops in an untenable position

like Iraq.

[dogday]

2. Means doing all that we can to explore all avenues and options

to end this war...

[Breeze54]

3. Welcome home and to DU, Afghan_Vet!

Well said!

:kick: & Recommended.

"It is our obligation to question any administration who seeks to employ our troops in
combat operations. Such is our duty to our troops—that is how to really support them!'

That includes both parties!!!!

[valerief]

4. Prez Boosh told us to go shopping, so I guess that's how we're

supposed to support the troops. That and support tax breaks for the wealthy.

[hobbit709]

5. According to our "Fearless Leader"

It means to blindly follow him and support him in his idiocy. If you do not blindly obey his every wish you are NOT supporting him and by inference-the troops that his misguided policies have sent into harm's way. And if you do not support the Annointed One 100% then you are a traitor. That's what it really means to "Support our troops"

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. I wonder how many people truly realize the sacrifice

a combat veteran makes for his/her country. I'm not talking only about the time spent away from home, but the psychological toll that combat puts on a person. I remember when my brother returned from Viet Nam, and how many years it was before he lost that "faraway" look. I look in the eyes of my neighbor,who is only now getting help for his PTSD from his time as a medic, only now coming to grips with memories that were so long suppressed. I think of the families who have lost someone in combat, and how their lives are changed forever.

We should never ever use war as a first resort. Support the troops. Bring them home. Give them the help they and their families need.

[patrice]

7. Sending body armor, funding the VA etc. as long as my life

is not affected by it.

Never say anything that might make troops question anything; they're too weak to decide what is right and wrong independently and need others to re-assure them about it.

Not!

................................

Supporting the Troops means to be as honest as possible about being an American, without making destruction your primary value, and accepting your individual responsibility for what this country is.

[Morgana LaFey]

8. Welcome to DU

And welcome Home (I hope you're home and to stay). We're really glad to have you here.