Most of you reading this blog regularly know I’m a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. Among my deployments were two tours of duty in the Persian Gulf. I’ve listened to the politicians and talking heads discuss our current involvement in Iraq and what I hear most often is opposition to the war, but everyone supports our troops in their efforts.
I want to ask you a question. It’s a simple question, one that requires only a “yes” or “no” answer.
Let’s suppose for a moment the U.S. government was completely broke and had no access to funds. If our government initiated a drive by asking every American to give $100.00 to fund the war in Iraq, would you donate?
For me, the answer would be yes.
I’d like nothing better than to see an immediate resolution in Iraq and the return of our troops. However, there are politicians and other pundits who strongly oppose funding for the war, but claim to support our military.
You can’t have it both ways. I don’t have a problem with anyone who opposes war. I don’t have a problem with anyone who opposes the failed policy of the Bush administration. I don’t have a problem with anyone that opposes the outright lies we were told by this administration for invading Iraq.
What I do have a problem with are those who vote against funding the war because in doing so, they’re taking away the needed resources for our military to meet their objectives.
In short, you can’t oppose the war and claim to support our troops by withholding necessary funding. Cutting off funding of our efforts in Iraq is tantamount to abandoning those that have volunteered to serve in our military. Our service members have taken an oath to protect and defend this nation, the constitution and our interests abroad.
The realities of our involvement in Iraq are open to debate among civilians. For those of you that have never served in the military, the act of questioning civilian leadership is something that’s become normal, especially since the assassination of John F. Kennedy. However, for those currently serving on active duty, they aren’t allowed to question or even comment on civilian policy.
Recalling my days in the military, I don’t know of one person that ever mentioned the political or social ramifications created by civilian policy as it pertained to the military. All we ever wanted was the necessary resources to meet the requirements of our mission and do it as expeditiously as possible.
What you have to understand is absolute conformity and the ability to follow orders is the foundation of our military – anybody’s military for that matter. It doesn’t matter who the President of the United States is at any given time. The President is the Commander-in-Chief, and when he gives the military an order, you obey it.
It doesn’t matter if you approve or disapprove of our presence in Iraq. It doesn’t matter if you believe this action in Iraq is unlawful. It doesn’t matter if you believe our commanders executing the order to invade obeyed an unlawful order. What you think, quite frankly, is irrelevant.
If you really want to show your support for our troops, you’ll ensure your representatives and senators vote in favor of funding our war effort. Anyone voting against funding of this war is voting against our troops.
In my book, leaving our troops vulnerable because of insufficient funding is an act of a traitor. If a death or injury results from a service member not having the needed resources to fulfill their duty, then those voting against funding are just as guilty of this fiasco in Iraq as the Bush administration is.
You can voice your opposition to this war and I’ll support you. But don’t let me hear anyone claim to support our troops while voting against funding because if I do, you’re going to have a really big problem – me.
Moon Dog
My opposition isn’t to the funding or none funding of this war. My inherent dislike is the rhetoric being used on both sides of the aisle whilst countless men and women are losing their lives for what’s said to be for the greater good when so far there’s been nothing tangible to show for the actions of the administration.
There’s a quagmire within our midst and neither one of the Presidential candidates has a solution to the problem. They’re both bankrupt of ideas and at the same time the economic landscape of the country is now becoming like an arrid wasteland . So much so that they’re now borrowing money to fund this effort without a way of ever really being in a position of paying back their creditors.
tophatal ………..