?Support Me? you must support my mission

T

Tank

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I, along with the VAST majority of Soldiers Sailors Airmen and Marines carrying out the continuing battles of the War On Terror in the middle east are soo sick and tiered of the cop-out that exists in the overly repleated phrase, "I support the troops, but no the war". To us this is just plain wrong. It is nothing more then a wishy-washy way of admitting that these people are unabashedly against what we are doing over here, and thusly are against us, without saying it outright. I find this phase and all the others like it to be simply put a slap in the face.
How can you say that you support the troops when you see a Soldier in DCU in a restuarant and loadly call him a babby killer? YES, this happened to me whlile home on leave from Iraq. Before you say that this is one issolated incident by one very stupid individual, let me say that I have talked to at least a couple hundered service members that say they have had similar expieriences and that the folks they talk to are seeing it too.
Bottom line here is that we all want to not have to hear these idiots tell us that they support us while in the same breath tell us that we are fighting for nothing. That we are are burrying some of our best friends, and covering the sand with our very own blood, fighting a war that never should have happened.
Please, all of you that can feel the anger and frustration in this posting, Help all of us over here to be able to come home walking tall in the honor that we diserve. There is no reason for any one of us to hold his head low and to feel ashamed of having been here, but that is exactly te way we wind up feeling when we tune into the news read the paper(even Stars n Stripes) or return home. We are made out to be some ignorant peon tat does not know any better. Or that we are just blindly following orders without questioning whether they are right.
To al those that continue to help degrade the morale and welfare of U.S. troops, that would be me and all of my comrades over here, I say why don't you come over here and personally tell Shaheed, a man who was personally beaten imprisoned and tortured to the point of permenent bodily damage for the crime of asking why Sadaam's police had not arrested a man who stole from him, that we are wrong for "occupying" his country. Or come here and tell the hundereds of thousands of people that are showing up to vote that they do not diserve the oportunity that our liberating army has given to them.
And stop telling me that the four brothers that I have had to bury died for fighting for nothing!
Freedom is a blessing, but freedom has a price, we cannot forget those we have paid it with their lives.
 
Tank, know that the majority of the pople that post on this forum support you....and yes, quite a few also support the war.

For those that don't, Tank is right - walk a mile in his shoes before you open your mouths. Yes, you've got freedom of speach, but we are there and will be for a while....deal with it. I don't agree with everything that's gone on, however, I've never served, I DON'T know what it's like to be where he is, so I keep my mouth shut and do whatever I can to support our guys that are over there.

I'm glad I wasn't in the restaurant when that asshat called you a baby killer, Tank - I would have lost my gun license because that dip would have been on the floor out cold.

Stay safe and be well, dear soldier.
 
Tank said:
To al those that continue to help degrade the morale and welfare of U.S. troops, that would be me and all of my comrades over here, I say why don't you come over here and personally tell Shaheed, a man who was personally beaten imprisoned and tortured to the point of permenent bodily damage for the crime of asking why Sadaam's police had not arrested a man who stole from him, that we are wrong for "occupying" his country. Or come here and tell the hundereds of thousands of people that are showing up to vote that they do not diserve the oportunity that our liberating army has given to them.
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Tank,

That's what I've been telling everyone who cries that we shouldn't be over there. It's too easy for them to pass judgement when their opinions are formed from watching the Communist News Network. You guys are doing the right thing, it had to be done, and we are the ones who needed to do it. Stay safe brother, and Semper Fidelis.
 
I've never served. But I can tell you when I'm out and hear that someone was over there...I walk up to them and shake their hand and tell them thank you.

If we're in a bar, I'll buy them a beer.


I, and like lynne said, most of the people here support you and what you are doing. I have said what you say many times. You can't say that you support the men and women over there, but not support what they are doing. It is one in the same. To support them, you must support what and why they are over there.
 
Well Tank, let me give you another perspective on "support the troops and not the war" issue.

I actually did two stints in the U.S. military: 1968-72, and 1982-1998. Now it is unfortunate that someone called you a baby killer, it is reprehensible, but on the other hand the overall support and respect of the U.S. military by the American people is much different than it was in the Viet Nam War era. There is simply no comparison to the hostility that service members faced then and some of the things that were done to me and my friends (the giveaway in those days was our short haircuts). I wouldn't wish those hostile and negative experiences on anyone.

The U.S. military is in Iraq as a projection of national policy promulgated by the civilian leaders of this country. It follows the orders of its commander-in-chief, a civilian who is elected. The U.S. military does not pick and choose where it will go and fight. Just as I do not belive in the validity of every law that a police officer is sworn and even compelled to enforce, I do not support every action taken by the civilian and duly elected leadership of this nation. That does not mean that I do not support the police and break the laws I don't agree with, and it does not mean that I do not support the government. I support both, but I do not agree with every action or policy.

When I was on active duty, I executed lawful orders given to me by my superiors even if I did not agree with them, because that is what professional military people do. (I can't ever remember being issued an unlawful order, but over the years I was issued a lot of orders that I considered stupid, or ones that I disagreed with, but I still followed them) I am sure that I gave a few stupid orders, myself, in retrospect, but those under me always obeyed me because they were professionals, and that is what being a military professional is all about: not always doing something that one personally agrees with, but doing it to the best of one's ability. To me, that epitomizes one of the very best qualities a professional soldier, marine, airman, sailor or coast guardsman can posess.

I appreciate your dedication to your current mission, regardless of how I feel about that mission. I respect your service and your willingness to go in harm's way to support the nation and its leaders. You are also a precious, finite resource and I don't want you squandered.

I wish you all of the best, and hope that you stay safe. Thank you for serving our country. Even though we disagree on the war in Iraq, you are protecting my first amendment freedoms and for that I am very grateful.

Respectfully,

Mark
 
Mark;

While we can agree to disagree on the issue of the war in Iraq, I do not take offense in your stand on that issue. By reading your post it becomes very obvious to me that you have thought through all of the issues at stake and have decided that for yourself. I can and DO respect that. I also very much appreciate and respect the way you have laid out those thoughts and views in the way you wrote your post.

My main issue is not that people out there disagree with the war in Iraq, and the policies that subsequently lead to us being here. Rather my issue is those that throw it in our faces that we are "just stupid unwitting pawns" being used by a selfish administration for personal reasons. It is this type of blasphemy that I and so many other service members take offense to. Every day in the chow hall we get a few min to listen to the news so we can see what the people back home are hearing about us over here, and we are sick of hearing the media, which consequently is where the vast majority of Americans get their dose of news about us, call us such things as baby killers, unjust occupiers, and the ilk.

While you and I could undoubtedly argue at long length about the ligitamacy of the initial invasion based on the reasons that the American public was told. However, there can be NO arguement as to whether or nt we should be here. To say that we should notbe here is to say that America should exist. Because on the that principle that we should not have gotten involved then that means that France should not have helped the US win the war against England, a war that argueably we WOULD have lost without the support of the French.

I now that everyone back home hears the questions about where the WMDs are.... and therefore the questions that stem from it that if there are not WMDs then therefore we "invaded" Iraq under false pretenses. Let me tell you that there are far more things going on over here that the Militray will NO allow to be exposed surrounding this whole issue.

I digress....my point is to say that I respect you for using the rights that I am over here defending, and appaud you for doing so in a respectful manor. I pray that the way you are going about it and searching out tyhe facts and then making an informed decision for yourself, will rub off on all those that for some reason still think that whatever CNN and the rest tell them is written in stone and therefore is gospel.
 
Tank said:
Every day in the chow hall we get a few min to listen to the news so we can see what the people back home are hearing about us over here, and we are sick of hearing the media, which consequently is where the vast majority of Americans get their dose of news about us, call us such things as baby killers, unjust occupiers, and the ilk.
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There's a big difference between this war and the Viet Nam war, hun, with regards to how people view the news. The vast majority of people here know that the media have their own agenda and will craft their reports to help support that agenda, even if it means to hell with journalism. We know the difference between "freedom fighters" as some call the terrorists, and down right murderers. We understand the difference when they call you an unjust occupier, and how the majority of Iraqi's look at you as saviours. It would be nice for a change, however, to see and hear some of the things that are really happening over there, how things are really going and how many of the bad guys you're snuffing out.

I'm sure you've seen the plastic ribbons that people have on their cars that say "Support Our Troops", yes? I see a lot of cars with those ribbons on them. That was not the case during VN. I understand you and your comrades irritation at the news casts, but please pass on to them that most of us back home aren't THAT gullible. The ones who would call you "baby killer" are the mentally challenged that don't have one iota's worth of gumption to become educated. It's their loss, for they will never know the likes of folks like you, (who we are VERY proud of) nor will they ever come close to the level of committment, determination and responsibility that you have voluntarily chosen. They are unable to fathom that. Yup - their loss.
 
Brett, if that newscast is CNN, (which, in my opinion is Communist News Network), see if you can convince them to look into Fox News. They're also biased, but, slightly to the right, instead of to the FAR left, like CNN is.

If enough of you bitch upwards about it, claiming that CNN is killing morale, when it gets far enough, they'll likely fix it.
 
Tank, Please realise not everyone feels this way. Glenn and I go out of our way to make sure that anyone wearing a uniform does not feel like what you described. I joined in the early 80's and trust me it was not cool to be in the military. Then Beirut happened and the tides turned somewhat. Because of the way our military was treated from the VietNam war is why so many of us go out of our way to make sure it does not happen to you. Granted where we live there are far to many liberals,but I'll be damned if Ilet them make one soldier feel bad. I also let them know they should thank a service member for giving them their freedoms that they so enjoy. I personally do not listen to the main stream media, they have their agenda,and God forbid anything good that might be going on over there ever gets reported. Which is why I will read the blogs,and also have pointed many people to read them instead of listening to what ever CNN,ABC, or CBS may be spewing at the moment. Just stay safe and watch your six, and come home. We all here support you 100%.
 
MrsWildweasel said:
Tank, Please realise not everyone feels this way. Glenn and I go out of our way to make sure that anyone wearing a uniform does not feel like what you described. I joined in the early 80's and trust me it was not cool to be in the military. Then Beirut happened and the tides turned somewhat. Because of the way our military was treated from the VietNam war is why so many of us go out of our way to make sure it does not happen to you. Granted where we live there are far to many liberals,but I'll be damned if Ilet them make one soldier feel bad. I also let them know they should thank a service member for giving them their freedoms that they so enjoy. I personally do not listen to the main stream media, they have their agenda,and God forbid anything good that might be going on over there ever gets reported. Which is why I will read the blogs,and also have pointed many people to read them instead of listening to what ever CNN,ABC, or CBS may be spewing at the moment. Just stay safe and watch your six, and come home. We all here support you 100%.
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Like Mrs WW, I joined in the early 80's as well...and this was done after I had graduated one of the highest ranked college prep highschools in the country. I gotta tell you, support was hard to find, except from my family, who had more members either serving or retired than any other family I knew.
Tank, people need the option of taking a complete high road. See, if they support you in words (and deed) then they are good Americans. However, if they disagree with violence, regardless of necessitation (r even if they deny its necessity) they are good humanitarians.
Truth is, I really don't think anybody "likes" or "favors" war over peace. Well, except those followers of binladen (name in lower case puposefully). <shrug>
I dunno if that helps you at all. I hope it does.
Personally? If it were up to me, I'd send all our men and women home and lay waste to that entire area of the world...but I am not a very forgiving type of woman.
Stay safe and treat those meddac corps people well. :D
 
Playmore you and I think alike. I said that at the begining for the whole Middle East.. [twisted]
Unfortunaly when Alan and his unit where getting ready to deploy they went to the VFW near their amory to do paperwork. They also had to deal with the protesters. I apologized to Alan for having to go through that,and also let him know not everyone feels that way.
Playmore, Alan really likes the medic in their squad.
 
after spending much time thinking on this issue I once again come back to the feeling that it is merely a slap in the face for someone to say "support the troops but not the war"

Let me give some examples:

1) a mother worried about her sons lack of involvement in school activites tells him to get involved, the next week he comes home with a permission slip for her to sign so he can play football. But refuses ti sign it becasue she hates the game or fears he will get hurt.

2) "I support Hitler, but not the "Final Solution"."

3) A man tells his daughter the whole time she is growing up that she can do anything in the world as long as it makes her happy, but then refuses to give his blessing to the man he asks the fathers permission to marry her.

I think these examples show what it is I am talking about. You can not tell me you support me and in the same breathtell me that everything I am doing is wrong. By doing so you are contradicting youself. And insulting me at the same time

Just thought I would add these thoughts to those I have posted before
 
Tank, I think at least here we all have your 6. Then again most of us are ex-mil,so for us to not support you guys 100% wouldn't be us. For we all know it could have been anyone of us at anytime called to do what you are so bravely doing.
If you ask my son,he'd say he's just doing his job and what he's been asked to do.
I have always supported Glenn's and Alan's decisions 100%. May not like it but I understand them and their positions. If Glenn decided tomorrow to back in the military,I would accept it,support him and do everything in my power to give him no reason to worry about me back here. Granted I know I am not like most women. Playmore said it best,but I also don't by the lib's attitude or their beliefs that way.
Just don't let them get to you,and know that alot of us truly do care and go out of our way to make sure you are treated with the respect you deserve.
 
I should add don't pay attention to the main stream media. If nothing else the'd be very demoralizing. Most of us have a brain and know that there is so much good happening,and will continue to happen.
 
To me this is my job, I am here by choice yes, I volenteered.
But this is what I do nothing more. I am no hero, no desire to be one. A hero is someone like SGT Jamie Gray how died doing his job fighting for the freedom of an oppressed people. I am just another joe doing his job.

Thank you all for your support, it means a lot.

PS I do not watch the Communist News Network
 
See my sig line. All of you that put on a uniform are truly my Heros. Granted most of us volunteered for it,so we all feel like it is nothing more than our job,but it is a job not everyone can do, and it takes a very special person to want to do it.
Glad to here you don't watch the Communist New Network.
Watch your 6,don't get down, and stay safe and come to that lovely bride of yours. She's a very special lady.
 
Tank said:
To me this is my job, I am here by choice yes, I volenteered.
But this is what I do nothing more. I am no hero, no desire to be one. A hero is someone like SGT Jamie Gray how died doing his job fighting for the freedom of an oppressed people. I am just another joe doing his job.

Thank you all for your support, it means a lot.

PS I do not watch the Communist News Network
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I'm sorry to disagree with you Tank, but you ARE a hero to me. :D There are some folks over here that supported the war in the beginning, however they changed their mind. Those folks are the ones that want something accomplished yesterday and they dont' have clue one that it's going to take time.

Something occured to me yesterday (I know, I'm a bit slow at times) that I kinda knew, but yesterday it REALLY hit me.

1) The people here that are bitching about the war.... The majority of what we see and hear only focuses on the deaths of our boys and IED's, etc., unless we're lucky enough to get email from the front that tells what's really going on. So, those people here start yelling to bring our boys home.

2) Our boys over there... They volunteered (like you did) to enlist, most full well knowing they'd wind up over there, yet they volunteered anyway. The majority of soldiers over there are GLAD they're there (not overly happy about being so far from home, but...) because they SEE and KNOW what's going on. You guys are on the front lines of seeing what we can't and hearing what we don't. I heard a survey of troops about a week ago - an OVERWHELMING number believed what they were doing was right AND that y'all are making a difference over there. They're pissed because what's really happening is NOT being reported here.

Tank hun - you do your job and F all the idiots back here that are making a spectacle of themselves. THEY don't have clue one. THEY hate Bush and that's the major driving force behind their bitching. Worry not hun, just focus on what you need to do and stay safe. Ya hear? <hugs>
 
BTW - I forgot to add that there's a new book out (I can't remember the title off the top of my head right now, but...) which PROVES that WMD's and a poopload of said components WERE found.

So where the hell's the media in reporting that?? [roll]
 
Lynne, you must understand the mindset of soldiers. We do not consider ourselves heroes. We're just doing our jobs.

Jamie was a friend and coworker, and Brett nailed it, a HERO.

And about WMD's, well, anyone that doesn't believe Iraq ever had any, has their head in the sand. Saddam had Chemical and Biological weapons. That's been documented many times. Did he have any in 2001 or 2003? Who knows for sure?

But he has had "Yellow Rain" (from the Soviet Union) and "Anthrax" (from the US) in the past. That's common knowledge, if you dig for it. He used Chemicals on the Kurds and Iranian Army in the past. What do you think his trial is about? Gassing the Kurds is part of it.

I doubt he ever made a working Nuke, though, but he tried. If he had one, he would have certainly used it on Israel when the US invaded. He figures the other Arabic countries will support him. He's dead wrong.
 
Nickle said:
Lynne, you must understand the mindset of soldiers. We do not consider ourselves heroes. We're just doing our jobs.
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No sweetheart, I didn't misunderstand. *I* can't go fight. First they didn't want me, and second, I'm a female. I have the highest respect and gratitude for anyone who volunteers, (or didn't, dpending on their age), and part of the reason why you guys are SO damn special to me is that you DON'T think you should get a pat on the back or be called a hero.

Got it know, sugar? :D
 
Hey Tank,

I got just the thing for ya!! When you start hearing the whiners complain about the war and why you guys are over there, just put these on...

BSP.jpg

Bill Moyer, 73, wears a flap over his ear while Senator Ted Kennedy addresses the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Mr. Moyer has the right idea, especially with Fat Teddy. [lol]
 
Lynne said:
BTW - I forgot to add that there's a new book out (I can't remember the title off the top of my head right now, but...) which PROVES that WMD's and a poopload of said components WERE found.

So where the hell's the media in reporting that?? [roll]
Click to expand...

I found the book - it's "Disinformation" by Richard Miniter. FYI.
 
Not sure but to be safe I think this might be deserving of a Kleenex warning for some.......


At this point I think I need to talk a bit. See I think I have been a little too one sided on the issues that I have mainly been posting on. Mostly here in this thread.

Nickle knows me very well, so he knows that in this thread I have been sticking pretty tightly to the issue I started it with and being such a one sided issue for me it may seem a bit "gloom and doom".

I do not want any of you out there to get the impression that I am a wornout, sheelshocked, deppressed soldier. There are times that I feel a bit that way..... But no really, I could not be in better spirits. I am here performing my duties on a second tour for which I volenteered to come right back over for. And were my outlook as bad as I may have made it sound then there is no way I would be FIGHTING my chain of comand trying to get them to allow me to stay for a third straight deployment.

Of course there are a lot of reasons for me to be trying to stay here for a 3rd straight rodeo, cheif among them is that I am soo damned proud of what we are doing here and that I have been given the honor of being part of it. I also feel very strongly that since I do not have children yet that if my going back into the thick of it keeps just one father home with a sick child or gives even ONE Iraqi child a chance for a better future, then any sacrifice I can make is a price I will gladly pay.
 
Tank, I never thought it of you as a gloom and doom,but I also know from Alan and how angry he was that they had to deal with protesters before they left, and the feelings he had. Also we live in a very LIBERAL area,which doesn't help. I just didn't want you to think people don't care,because we do.
I also read about the good that is going on over there and truly believe we are making a difference.
You have the same out look that I think most of us that have served have. Trust me if Glenn and I could get back in, we would. We looked at it as we have raised our son,and if it was possible for us to go back so another father/mother wouldn't have to we would do it in a heartbeat. Then again when we were in we were also the ones working double shifts on holidays so the ones with families could spend it with them. We always celebrated which ever the holiday afterwards. So yes I do understand.
You also have a very understanding wife who I'm sure would love to have you home at some point too. Don't sacrifice too much,but I do understand where you are coming from. I would do the same thing you are doing,if I could.
Stay safe,watch your six, and come home safe and sound to your lovely wife.
Remember we do care.
 
I never tooke your posts as doom and gloom, Tank. Far from it. If it was doom and gloom, you wouldn't be wanting to stay for another stint.

Ditto what Sue said - we do care, and we are proud of you. :D

(and thanks for the tissue warning [lol] )
 
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