GIs Petition Congress To End Iraq War

[aps]

GIs Petition Congress To End Iraq War, More Than 1,000 Military Personnel Sign Petition Urging Withdrawal - CBS News

I am really proud of these service people. What I don't understand is those who condemn these service people for speaking from their conscience. Why? Are all service people supposed to agree with the policy, even if their conscience doesn't? Should all service people blindly support a policy?

60 Minutes did a special on these dissenters last night. It was very interesting. One of the people in the military stated the following:

"Just because we volunteered for the military doesn't mean we volunteered to put our lives in unnecessary harm and to carry out missions that are illogical and immoral."

I totally agree with that statement.

None of these dissenters seem to be deterred by those who criticized them for speaking out. Good for them. This is America, and we are entitled to speak our own minds.

 

[Goobieman]

So... How do the people in your story carry more authority than the servicemen that believe they are fighting for the right reasons and that that they need to stay until the job is finished?

 

[aps]

So... How do the people in your story carry more authority than the servicemen that believe they are fighting for the right reasons and that that they need to stay until the job is finished?

They don't carry more authority. But they shouldn't be criticized just because they don't agree that we should stay in Iraq.

 

[Stinger]

They don't carry more authority. But they shouldn't be criticized just because they don't agree that we should stay in Iraq.

But OK to criticize GI's who support the war effort?

 

[rathi]

These troops took the correct path to protest. They are still following orders and serving in the military. They are simply choosing to state their opinion on the war. They simply want to let the president and public know how they feel.

 

[MSgt]

"Just because we volunteered for the military doesn't mean we volunteered to put our lives in unnecessary harm and to carry out missions that are illogical and immoral."

Well, there lies the big ole' debate doesn't it? Who decides what is illogical, immoral, and unnecessary? The Commander in Chief and Congress or soldiers? "Soldiers" are not civilians and whether they like it or not, they surrendered a number of their rights on a dotted line. They are not entitled to the freedoms of the ones they protect. This march was largely senseless. With two major phases behind us (Syrian border settled down and largely under Iraqi control and southern control from British hands to Iraqi hands) and the next being implemented in Baghdad and other major cities, the beginning of the end is here. The goal phase is to completely pull out of the cities and into the desert away from Iraqi vision before we simply leave.

These "soldiers" have lost sight of what they are supposed to be. This statement sums it up just fine....

"Yeah. In January, we were doing routine presence patrol through the city of Hawija, and one of our trucks was hit by a roadside bomb, an IED, and it killed four of the soldiers out of the five that were in the truck. And during the recovery of the fallen soldiers all the debris outside of the truck. And we just had the truck was loaded with school supplies and soccer balls and crayons and notebooks and coloring books. We just wanna help. And it was just a really eye-opening and frustrating experience. Because we're still getting killed out there," he says.

He had a decision to make. Either he focused on the people that was supposed to be given these supplies or he gave in to the monsters that disrupted its delivery. If our missions were ever easy, Europeans would do them.

There is nothing heroic about abandoning the people he "wanna help," because it is too hard. Their dissention should be directed towards the incompetent master minds of what occurred after Baghdad fell instead of a mindless focus on being there versus not being there.

But I am curious as to the make up of the march. How many were reservists?

 

[WI Crippler]

GySgt, I have not been out of the Marines that long (almost 3 years). Does the chain of command, or respect for it not exist in the military anymore??

 

[MSgt]

GySgt, I have not been out of the Marines that long (almost 3 years). Does the chain of command, or respect for it not exist in the military anymore??

From what I have seen, this march consisted largely of non-Marine players and was mostly a reservist movement. I don't know how many Marines were present, but those handful that were and are on Active duty will probably answer for it.

The only acceptable form of dissent for the Marine Corps is through Chain of Command and EAS. Anything else displays unproffesionalism and encourages unrest within the unit.

More power to them, but some are going to pay. And no civilian that applauds their dissent will be there to pick up the pieces for him.

 

[WI Crippler]

From what I have seen, this march consisted largely of non-Marine players and was mostly a reservist movement. I don't know how many Marines were present, but those handful that were and are on Active duty will probably answer for it.
The only acceptable form of dissent for the Marine Corps is through Chain of Command and EAS. Anything else displays unproffesionalism and encourages unrest within the unit.

I hope so.