Support your troops?

[Gonzo]

If your country is going to war to fight a cause you don’t agree with do you support the troops anyway? Do you support the troops because you love your country or because you believe in the cause? Do you support them blindly? I don’t want our soldiers to get killed in a cause that I don’t believe in.
For example, I don’t support my friends if they make bad decisions, but I do when they make good ones. Canada made a decision I don’t agree with. Are you anti Canadian if you don’t support every military initiative the country makes? It's okay not to support the military. It's a free country. This war is not for Canada’s freedom.
If the Soviet Union couldn't win in Afghanistan over 10 years how is Canada going to win?

 

[tamarin]

It's not going to win. But we can still support the troops. Most are young, gungho, wet behind the ears lovable guys and girls. Committed to fight a war in a region inhospitable to westerners and foreign intervention. It's all folly but we can still support the young folk doing their job. And when opportunity strikes and you're with a parliamentarian tear a strip off his back for stupidity. And kick him if a cop ain't around.

 

[feronia]

Your politics don't have to agree but those guys and girls have no chose but to do their jobs. They signed up for so many years and it’s a contract that can’t be broke easily.

 

[CDNBear]

I'm not 100% on this action Afganistan, but our Troops deserve nothing less then our full support. No matter the offensive or theater, they are still willing to die for you. Even if the present opperation isn't going to directly affect your way of life. The next one might. They gets all my Love.

 

[Gonzo]

They are willing to die for me? I've never heard any soldier say that they are willing to die for us. I'm sure that when they go over there they think that it won’t happen. Actually, I've heard soldiers say that in interviews. That’s the mentality they have, it won’t happen to them. In supporting the troops, you’re supporting putting Canadians at risk of getting killed. I think we need to be very skeptical of any conflict Canada gets in and if we're not at all %100 sure of the cause we don't send our troops.

 

[Researcher87]

Now I am a medic in the Canadian armed forces and I am iffy on the Afghan mission I don't support it that much. However, if I get the call to go overthere I will go to medically help civilians, unit mates, fellow Canadian soldiers, and even the Taliban.

Now I wish I would never have to use a weapon, even though I wouldn't say that a few years ago, however, I am willing to die to protect civilians, and to protect my fellow soldiers and die for my country. Even if the mission is wrong.

 

[Researcher87]

At least I hope I write my article first.

 

[Colpy]

If your country is going to war to fight a cause you don’t agree with do you support the troops anyway? Do you support the troops because you love your country or because you believe in the cause? Do you support them blindly? I don’t want our soldiers to get killed in a cause that I don’t believe in.
For example, I don’t support my friends if they make bad decisions, but I do when they make good ones. Canada made a decision I don’t agree with. Are you anti Canadian if you don’t support every military initiative the country makes? It's okay not to support the military. It's a free country. This war is not for Canada’s freedom.
If the Soviet Union couldn't win in Afghanistan over 10 years how is Canada going to win?

Of COURSE it is all right NOT to support the troops. This is still a free country, I thought anyway.

If you disagree with the mission, though, the proper target of your ire is the Federal government, not the military. The military is simply a tool, one that happens to be made up of some people who make great sacrifices in service to their country.

The USSR in Afghanistan was a lot different. For one thing, the Soviets wanted to depopulate the country, which they accomplished quite handily. They were brutal beyond belief, there was NO attempt to "win hearts and minds".

Secondly, when the Soviets invaded, Afghanistan had NOT just survived years of rule by lunatic Islamists.........

Thirdly, when the USSR supported a puppet gov't in Afghanistan, that gov't had absolutely NO claim to legitimacy.

In addition, Soviet aims were to totally force Afghanistan into submission as a puppet state, ours are to stabilize the country (good luck) and keep the Taliban from re-gaining power.

I support the mission, although the first aim will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, and the second aim will require a practically endless commitment.

 

[Minority Observer84]

Supporting the troops

This is the same nonsense conservative in the us used to silence opposition to the Iraq war , the truth is that in a democracy not all things will go anyone's way that being said we should not allow this "Support our troops " Mantra to be used as a platform for those who support the mission to silence those of us who don't . Some will say that the troops do not have a choice , that they have been sent there by the Federal government regardless of how erroneous that statement is the truth is that there is no distinction between the two , supporting the troops is supporting the mission . And for the record I do respect our servicemen but I refuse to support them in this mission , I’m sadden that so many have come home in black body bags I want the rest of them to come home on their feet NOW.

 

[CDNBear]

They are willing to die for me? I've never heard any soldier say that they are willing to die for us. I'm sure that when they go over there they think that it won’t happen. Actually, I've heard soldiers say that in interviews. That’s the mentality they have, it won’t happen to them. In supporting the troops, you’re supporting putting Canadians at risk of getting killed. I think we need to be very skeptical of any conflict Canada gets in and if we're not at all %100 sure of the cause we don't send our troops.

The very act of enlisting in the Armed Forces is the acceptance that you may be called to action. Sure, they may say it won't happen to them, but deep down inside, they are well aware of the fact that they may not come home alive. Hence death letters, carried by friends, chaplins, etc.

So we should not let Canadians get into situations where they may get killed? Ok, lets tell Firefighters to stay out of the burning buildings, until it has completely burned out and then go and collect the remains of the people that may have been trapped inside. Let's not forget the police. If you ever find yourself in a holdup gone wrong and end up as a hostage. Please by all means, yell to the police outside that you don't want them to put themselves in danger of loosing their lives. Heavens forbid.

Armies are Armies, war is what they do. Every Soldier is aware of that. Your assertion is just an example of the over pussification of the Nation.

And BTW, yes they are willing to die for YOU. They enlisted with the intentions of defending our freedom and way of life. All the while spreading freedom globally. In so doing, if need be, to lay down their lives for the cause. If you doubt this, Let me know. I can introduce you to many, active and retired that will confirm it resoundingly.

 

[Minority Observer84]

The very act of enlisting in the Armed Forces is the acceptance that you may be called to action. Sure, they may say it won't happen to them, but deep down inside, they are well aware of the fact that they may not come home alive. Hence death letters, carried by friends, chaplins, etc.

So we should not let Canadians get into situations where they may get killed? Ok, lets tell Firefighters to stay out of the burning buildings, until it has completely burned out and then go and collect the remains of the people that may have been trapped inside. Let's not forget the police. If you ever find yourself in a holdup gone wrong and end up as a hostage. Please by all means, yell to the police outside that you don't want them to put themselves in danger of loosing their lives. Heavens forbid.

Armies are Armies, war is what they do. Every Soldier is aware of that. Your assertion is just an example of the over pussification of the Nation.

And BTW, yes they are willing to die for YOU. They enlisted with the intentions of defending our freedom and way of life. All the while spreading freedom globally. In so doing, if need be, to lay down their lives for the cause. If you doubt this, Let me know. I can introduce you to many, active and retired that will confirm it resoundingly.

I do Agree that the people in the military know they are at risk , it's a job like everything else some jobs are more dangerous than others but as far as i know there's been no draft all these people joined the army because they wanted to no one forced them to and even though some say they are willing to die for us i don;t see them doing that , i don't see what they are dying for in afghanistan at all it's a mission whose sole responsilbe party is the us we shouldn't be the ones comeing back in body bags over this we did not start the war on afghnistan and we were not the ones attacked by Bin Laden BRING EM HOME ALREADY .

 

[CDNBear]

It's funny how a lot of Canadians make a distinction between us and the States. We are esentially the same people. Brothers of the same mother. If you slap my lil brother, I can assure you, you will feel the weight of my immediete response.

Sure, some of them are brutish, their foriegn policy is atiquated and smacks of the supposed long dead "Manifest Destiny", but they are our friends and neighbours. They deserve our support as much as we would deserve their defence system if need be.

As much as I am sure the US entered Afganistan for oil. Our Troops are there to weed out the Taliban and its supporters. All the while giving aid and comfort to the civilian peoples of Afganistan.

9/11 wasn't an attack on the US alone. It was an attack against the western lifestyle. The "WORLD" Trade center is not a solely "AMERICAN" target and was the financial hub of the globe.

Don't forget, Canadians died in the WTC on 9/11 to. I'm not all for just remembering them sweetly once a year. I'm all for getting some pay back. Not just for them either. For the rest of the men, women and children that perrished on that day.

The Taliban allowed their country to foster evil and enflicted evil upon its own citizens under the guise of religion. Removing the global terrorist threat, as well as, freeing the peoples of Afganistan from tyranny, is exactly what our military was ment for. I believe it is the exact action Lester B. Pearson would have wanted the Canada/UN to change for the better. Not sit back and watch idly on the tube as more planes fell from the sky or dove in to CIVILIAN targets.

 

[Doryman]

If the Soviet Union couldn't win in Afghanistan over 10 years how is Canada going to win?

Exactly. The Poles, French and Czechs never stopped the Wehrmarcht, why should we bother? It'd be too dangerous, and it's not really our war anyway....

 

[tracy]

Thanks for saying that CDNBear. I thought one of the main principles of NATO was an attack on one member amounted to an attack on all. So, we were attacked by OBL and we do have a responsibility to respond. Those in the armed forces chose their profession, I'm sure they know the possibility of being harmed exists. It's really no different from any other job.

 

[Colpy]

The very act of enlisting in the Armed Forces is the acceptance that you may be called to action. Sure, they may say it won't happen to them, but deep down inside, they are well aware of the fact that they may not come home alive. Hence death letters, carried by friends, chaplins, etc.

So we should not let Canadians get into situations where they may get killed? Ok, lets tell Firefighters to stay out of the burning buildings, until it has completely burned out and then go and collect the remains of the people that may have been trapped inside. Let's not forget the police. If you ever find yourself in a holdup gone wrong and end up as a hostage. Please by all means, yell to the police outside that you don't want them to put themselves in danger of loosing their lives. Heavens forbid.

Armies are Armies, war is what they do. Every Soldier is aware of that. Your assertion is just an example of the over pussification of the Nation.

And BTW, yes they are willing to die for YOU. They enlisted with the intentions of defending our freedom and way of life. All the while spreading freedom globally. In so doing, if need be, to lay down their lives for the cause. If you doubt this, Let me know. I can introduce you to many, active and retired that will confirm it resoundingly.

Well said.......

George Orwell said it best, however, "We sleep secure in our beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on our behalf".

 

[maepaulino]

I'm not Canadian but in my country, there have been several policies that I don't agree with... I don't support those policies but I do FOLLOW them... in regards to the war and supporting the troops, if they're already there, I don't see any reason why I couldn't support them and pray that they could win the war so they could come home, alive and in one piece to their loved ones.

 

[hermanntrude]

I believe violence should be avoided at all costs on both a personal and international level. So for me personally I would never assist anyone who has committed to a violent cause. I would never join the army or any force under any guise.

as for the international level, we're all lied to at so many levels by so many people, none of us has any way of deciphering whether there's any cause for any wars at all, so I havent a clue what to do... give all the politicians a good slap, maybe

 

[maepaulino]

give all the politicians a good slap, maybe

I don't think that will ever be enough though...

 

[Curiosity]

Support Our Troops

Whether one does or does not depends upon a personal opinions and these are one of the things our service men and women fight for us to keep. Our dissenting honest opinions.

In our family we do not talk about the possibility of death. It is there like a dagger in our heart every day - the dark cloud following us during the long absence of the loved one.

I have found comfort and consolation and the ability to handle the very real nightmares which occur....
in knowing we defy/escape injury and death every day in our own "peaceful" world using automobiles, or
being challenged by a terminal illness, or a housefire, or an act of violence in our personal life.

We know it is out there, but we do not hide in our closets each day expecting the worst.

Respect for those who choose to belong to a group in either an aggression or protection mode for our own people at home or people in a far off land - is the least we can offer. That and our gratitude when they return.

Disagree with the mission, even the commitment of the military, but do not dishonor their work.

 

[iARTthere4iam]

Not supporting the Canadian troops is alot like not supporting police officers or firefighters. I don't support the War on Drugs but support police who put their lives on the line to do their job. Policies must be changed at political level, so supporting (or not) armed forces or police will get you nowhere.