Their logic escapes me...

[Snake Plissken]

I have a question for those of you who do not believe this war is justified (for whatever reason) but who say you support the troops.

The mission of the US Armed Forces, among other things, is to obey the orders of those appointed over them. It states this clearly in the oath you swear upon entering. This means that regardless of your personal opinion, you have to obey the President and your commanding officers.

On an operational and tactical level, this means that you must carry out the mission that's been assigned to you. One of the most frightful things to a military person (besides, obviously, being killed or maimed) is to fail to successfully accomplish your mission. If you do fail, it can have a life-long devastating effect on not only you, but on everyone involved (not to mention the people affected by the mission). This is the mentality of the military mind, in general.

In order to do well, you must successfully accomplish the mission whatever it is (as long as it's a legal order).

Some protesters claim they support the troops and that they wish them well, but do not believe the mission they've been assigned is moral or justified.

My question is this:

How can you support them if the only way they can "do well" is to accomplish their mission, which you believe is wrong? You are in effect saying that you hope they accomplish their immoral/unjustified task successfully.

I find this logic disturbing, but am willing to hear other points of view.

 

[TheShrimp]

The seeds of the argument are entirely contained within your post.

You wrote The mission of the US Armed Forces, among other things, is to obey the orders of those appointed over them. It states this clearly in the oath you swear upon entering. This means that regardless of your personal opinion, you have to obey the President and your commanding officers.

Well, same here. I don't support military action in Iraq. That doesn't mean I want them to lose. That doesn't mean I want a soldier to sit on his hands if he is engaged.

In a nutshell: Since he's there and has a mission, I hope he does his job and returns home safely. That's support. I hope he's safe, eats well, doesn't get caught or killed or gassed or sick, and is brave and honorable. I hope he returns home as soon as possible.

It doesn't mean I agree with the job he's been assigned.

That is precisely what you said in what I quoted above.

 

[djv]

I can see where folks dont agree with the policy. Believe the Armed Forces could be used in a differant way. So they believe there Boss is not useing them correctly. There is the possiability that not all Bosses are correct. If my Boss whoud have said to me. For the good of the company I want you to jump off that bridge. It will save everyone else ther job, and you could be a hero. I looked over at the bridge and saw it was about 100 feet high and I would sureley die. Well I would tell him where he could go to be a hero. I know not close to what your thinking. But a good case where a boss is wrong. What i think there saying is power is being abused.

 

[StevieD]

I agree with Shrimp. Hell, I am sure even some of the guys over there do not "agree" with the mission but they will do it because of the oath they took.
I on the other hand will do not agree with the war. I do not think it should have come to this. But for whatever reasons, which can be argued from now untill doomsday, we do find ourselves in a war I hope our side wins. I hope our guys come home safe.

 

[marine]

Snake,
I can't agree more with your question. I too have been asking myself that all along.

part of the oath of commission/enlistment:
"..agree to support and defend the constitution of the United States of America and the orders of those appointed over me."

When people say "i support the troops but hate the war blah blah blah" it doesnt make sense.

The troops are the tools used to execute the government's plan. To not support the government action, you don't support it. You dont support the start, middle or end, or the means it gets done. Their biggest gripe is that the US gov should not be sending troops into Iraq..... but they support the troops.
wtf?

It's all good tho, this is just the latest in many passing trends the country has. Homelessness, the deteriorating ozone layer, starving kids in ethiopia, gay/lesbo/queer rights, affirmative action, political correctness, anti-governemnt.
It lasts for a few months and then passes on to a new topic.
I don't even bother debating it with anyone because of the lack of coherent thought with most of these people (MOST, NOT ALL ) I just do my job, take my paycheck and follow orders.
I watch South Park, I watch the Man Show, I don't watch Fox news, I dont watch CNN, I dont watch the war coverage on the news.
I listen to those appointed over me and do my job.

When the war is over they will let me know.

 

[gecko]

Living in the United States we are afforded freedoms to disagree and dissent. In Iraq we are hearing of men being forced into fighting coalition troops fearing reprisals to their families (women and children). That is coercion of the worst kind. They are taught not to think, only to obey and do as is said.

God willing, we will never experience what it would be like to be living in a communist or socialist state or a dictatorship. I, for one, support this war and our soldiers.

But let us Americans value our freedoms and be able to support our troops even though we may not agree with the war. The answer to this apparent duality is obvious. TheShrimp said it all. Average Americans are NOT in the military. We do NOT follow orders regardless of what our conscience may say to us. "Tool" is an accurate word (as Marine said) to describe those on the frontlines. But tools we non-military folks are not. We can think for ourselves and are able to separate reality from ideals, what is and what could or should be. It's part of our human nature and is a hallmark of living in an open democracy.

 

[djv]

I just hope and pray it's over sooner then later. And I agree with Marine when in the service do as told and dont ask questions. Even if you dont like the orders. You can ask questions about a mission, but you do not question the why of the mission. As for those who get confused on no war but good for the toops. It's there way of saying the boss is wrong. Troops dont question the Boss.