by Justice911

Created on: May 07, 2008

Support the Troops, not the Mission?

"I support the troops, just not the mission" is probably the most used phrase by those who disagree with the war in Iraq. On the surface, this phrase seems innocuous, kind, maybe even caring and compassionate. Those saying this phrase say so with a tone of endearment for the military man and woman they are speaking about. They appear to have a genuine concern for the men and women sacrificing for the freedoms of their fellow man.

However, this phrase is not as kind, caring nor compassionate about the troops as one might initially think. When someone says, "I support the troops," the sentence should end there. The men and women of the military are volunteers to support and defend freedom. They are not the political pawns of the "vast right wing conspiracy." To truly support the troops, you need to support them in all they do. There shouldn't be a "but" or a "just not" anywhere in the sentence. When someone adds the second half to the sentence, they are negating everything they said in the first part.

A person cannot support the troops, if they do not support the mission. The troops ARE the mission! You can no more separate the military member from their mission than you can separate a mother from their infant. Use this illustration to see how someone cannot possibly support the troops if they do not support the mission.

You go home and tell your spouse, "I love you and support you in everything you do." Then you continue onto say, "I just don't support the way you clean the house, cook dinner, raise the children or make love." Those who use the line in the opening are saying exactly this to the troops. They are telling them they do not support them because they do not support them in what they are doing or how they are doing it.

Then there are the other comments made by those not supporting the war in Iraq. "The war in Iraq is a failure. Bush lied to about WMD. This mission is about oil for the wealthy." These several other rants and chants made by liberals in opposition are demonstrating a more obvious dislike, disapproval and lack of support for the troops.

If someone says the war in Iraq is a failure, they are telling the troops that they are failing. They are telling the troops they are not capable of completing the task at hand. They are telling the troops that a bunch of unshaved men wearing dresses, hiding behind their mosques are greater at warfare than the United States military.

When you chant, "Bush lied, people died."

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