What do you all think of the 'Support Our Troops' slogan the US government has been promoting since the beginning of the Iraqi invasion.

If you happen to be displaying a sign with this slogan in or around your house, explain why you choose to and what the slogan means to you.

I'm looking for a better answer than, "It means I support our troops."

Do you think it is just propaganda trying to get people distracted from the real issue, "Do you support our policy?"

Explain, Rant, Whatever...

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"How contemptible a thing was human grandeur"
-Johnathan Swift

I dont see the point of political bumper stickers. I dont even own a flag. A sticker is not going to change anyone's point of view. At best it is either whining or gloating, depending on which side you're on.

The signs are far too common and trendy to distract anyone. Two separate individuals nowadays who have a sign that has that paticular slogan can both have a completely different take on the war whether it’s for it or against the War in Iraq. When I see a sign with that slogan I think, “That’s nice.” The signs don’t really tell you much about the persons personal views and they’re just telling you what everyone else is already thinking.

very well...Showing my age again, I guess.

When the troops came back home, they were greeted with hundreds upon hundreds of yellow ribbons...that came from the Tony Orlando and Dawn song: "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree."

The people who started it were determined that our armed forces would never again be greeted with jeers, contempt, and their fellow Americans spitting on them like they were when they returned from the Vietnam War. I think that people who have those stickers now are expressing a desire to show people who served that their service is respected and supported.

Does it work? No idea. But it sure beats the response from America in 1972.

Catz

IMHO, if you support the troops, you must support the mission (or keep your mouth shut). Wherever they are, they have a job to do. Hearing crap about the mission being illegitimate is harmful. Anything that can hurt their morale or help the morale of the enemy is just wrong.

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The way we get into these scrapes and get out of them, it's almost as though someone was dreaming up these situations; guiding our destiny. ~The Boy Wonder, alter ego of Dick Grayson, young ward of millionaire Bruce Wayne.

There are quite a number of soldiers who understand the opposition to the mission and their morale is just fine. And some of them DO believe the mission is illegitimate but they continue to do their duties as soldiers.

So we support them by providing them with vests and all the other neccessities that they don't have. If a National Guardsman is going out on night patrol and does not have the "flak vest" to protect him, I guess his parents have no choice but to send him one. I call that supporting the TROOPS.

So, please do not tell us who think this POLICY is misguided to "shut up".

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"Only a fool tests the depth of the water with both feet."

I don't tell people to "shut up" very often, Munko. And, I don't like being told what to do.

I very clearly stated my opinion on the topic. You may disagree. BUT, I would suggest that you give some thought to my words before a knee-jerk reaction. I would also suggest that you , in fact, do support their mission while having misgivings about the specifics. While others on this board would take great satisfaction in the failure of our military, I do not believe you are one of them. One member of our forum posted a link to a site which had the sole purpose of degrading and accusing our guys of the most heinous acts. I asked him if he had looked at the site and deemed it legitimate - he said yes. HE does not support our troops, IMO - though he may believe that he does.

I will say again, anything that gives our enemies comfort or encouragement is not supporting the troops. That is my opinion.

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The way we get into these scrapes and get out of them, it's almost as though someone was dreaming up these situations; guiding our destiny. ~The Boy Wonder, alter ego of Dick Grayson, young ward of millionaire Bruce Wayne.

I support the mission as far as hoping it goes well and respecting the troops who have put their lives on hold (while risking their lives) to do what they believe to be right.

I don't support the decision to invade and withholding that opinion would only result in our "fearless" leaders believing that they have carte blanche to repeat the disasterous mistakes they have made in Iraq.

I will always support our troops and respect them. My support, unlike the support from millions of pro-war Americans, for finishing the job in Iraq will not cease. I will not join the chants of those who want us to cut our losses and run (even though I was a vocal opponent to the invasion).

It is perfectly reasonable to oppose the war and support the troops.

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"George W. Bush surrounds himself with smart people the way a hole surrounds itself with a donut." —Dennis Miller

Well, neither do we. According to you, I have two choices: (1) force myself to drink the Kool-Aid and join President Bush in the fantasy that the war was necessary and legal, or (2) voluntarily give up my first amendment right to express my views.

What a choice.

If the president wants reasonable people to support his military decisions, he has to make reasonable decisions.

Again, I disagree. It isn't the people who acknowledge reality who don't support the troops. The real non-supportive people are those who put our soldiers in harm's way (or supported those who did) prematurely. The worst of that group are those who supported putting the soldiers in harm's way, but who now want to cut and run because things are messier than they expected.

Actually, the worst of the people who don't support the troops are those who sent the troops into harm's way prematurely, and who didn't give them the appropriate equipment and then lied about not being able to get them the appropriate equipments. Obviously, I am referring to Rummy who lied about not being able to get the armor plating for the Hum Vees and who failed to provide flak Jackets for our troops. A country that spends over $400 BILLION on the military shouldn't force the family's of the troops to hold cake sales to buy military equipment that could save their loved-one's lives.

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"George W. Bush surrounds himself with smart people the way a hole surrounds itself with a donut." —Dennis Miller

First, PJ, I did not tell anyone to "shut up." Second, read both posts again, then tell me where I said anything remotely like the words you put in my mouth. You said you support the mission, then said you had only two choices. Did the middle of my post not get through? There's a little more to it than the first and last sentences that you chose to quote. Take a lesson from Lieberman here, "partisanship ends at the nation's shores."

PJ, you can expect to get into trouble when you start a reply to me with the words "according to you." You see, I try very hard to write exactly what I mean. No one needs you to translate my sentences. If I ever viciously assault someone, it will be because they put words in my mouth (or stole my chocolate).

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The way we get into these scrapes and get out of them, it's almost as though someone was dreaming up these situations; guiding our destiny. ~The Boy Wonder, alter ego of Dick Grayson, young ward of millionaire Bruce Wayne.