Why We Are At War

[Guest JohnnyStorm]

Re: Why We Are At War

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So to whom ever wants to speak out agianst the WAR read this and then wonder how you can explain your views to the HONORED DEAD OR INJURED.They gave, while you complained.

[/ QUOTE ]

I haven't read all of this thread so please forgive me if I have the wrong end of the stick.......

I have nothing but respect for members of the armed forces who selflessly follow orders in all manner of awful enviroments. I came close to joining the forces myself but instead became a Teacher. However, just because I respect *them* for their sacrifice I reserve the right to disagree with the reasons for their deployment.

Here in the UK many feel short changed over the Iraq war. Not because we believe saddam to be innocent but because the specific reasons behind the invasion have shown to have been, at best, pessimistic.

[Guest geaux]

Re: Why We Are At War

Johnny,

Let me begin by saying that I respect all men. Reguardless of race, religion or country. A man should be based on what's inside, not by where he's from or how much money he makes a year.

Saying that I would like to try and explain to you why we Americans or most times believed to be arrogant bullies who don't listen to anyone.

Since the inception of our country over 200 years ago (and I know thats not long compared to the old world) we have had to rely on someone else only one time. I'm sure you're familiar with that instance and I think we should still thank the French for the help.

But when you take into consideration how successful our little exercise in Democracy has been, our ability to fight for and win our freedom, our ability to fight a bloody Civil War, to push Mexico out of the southwest and expand our borders from sea to shining sea, to help save the world from tyranny not one time but twice and then become the champion against Communism and finally with help from our allies put that stain on the earth out of business, to see our economy grow and flourish like no other in the history of mankind, to lead the world in technology, put a man on the moon and at the same time offer money, food and support to all who ask, to be a beacon of hope for those looking for a new life, to watch as those of us born into poverty pulled themselves up by their boot straps to become succesful, wealthy heroes and now to observe our fighting men and women as they grant freedom and democracy to a people who never had a chance to experience the greatest priviledge this world has to offer....well, yes we are born into this history.

As an American it is our destiny to walk a little taller, to push our chest out a little further and to know in our hearts that without this country the world would be a place of great pandimonium.

We are taught from day one that when storm clouds gather, anywhere in the world and the wolf comes calling that you, as an American will be expected to help. There will be no debate, there will be no second guessing. When people cry out, we will help. For over 200 years all they have had to do was ask.

Do we have problems? Sure, we do but I'm often reminded of what the great Japanese Commander said after bombing Pearl Harbour. "I'm afraid we have awakened a sleeping Giant."

When the time is tough and the hour short, I hope the world will know that Americans will pull together and get it done. Our destiny is to police and aid the world and I would say to this point we've done one **** of a job. We may not all wear the uniform but we all are cogs in the wheel. And thankfully the majority of our country still lives by the following...God,Country and Family.

John Brown Jr.

[Guest JohnnyStorm]

Re: Why We Are At War

I have no complaints with any of what you have just said, except of course remembering the everso slight delay before the USA joined in the fight against the Nazis. My complaint is against those who lead these great people and the justification they use in deploying them. In the UK both parliament and the public were assured by a series of reports and dossiers (by Tony Blair and the incumbent Government) that saddam hussein had WMDs capable of being deployed in 45 minutes. The report then is found to have been formed from a series of University essays found on the internet and famously described in the Press as having been "sexed up". So far nothing has been found in Iraq to back up these claims and they have now been all but denied as ever being true. As a Briton I feel cheated, and angry at the loss of our troops put into action based on a lie. I look to Iran, desperate to develop nuclear weapons and ask "why not them first?", I look to North korea, clearly more advanced with WMDs and ask "Why not them?". I look to our former Empire with Zimbabwe, a country formerly known as "the bread basket of africa" that has been brought down on it's knees bu Mugabe. Now I'm not naive enough to think that you/we can deal with all these places at once, I just think that Iraq wasn't the one to have at the top of the list.

[Guest geaux]

Re: Why We Are At War

Johnny,

You may very well be right. I believe that time will be the ultimate test as to what the future will bring in Iraq.

I count myself as a stounch Republican but even I have been a little disappointed in our President lately. But one fact that you simply can't deny is that as Americans we are almost programed to trust and obey our leadership.

I think of what the outcome may have been if Union troops would have walked away from the battle field during those final, terrible days of our Civil War. When even the northern press called Grant a "Butcher" for throwing so many young me into the fire day after day. Or what your own countries outcome may have been if the "Greatest Generation" had rather of burned flags and moved to Canada instead of answering the call.

As a Christian I often feel that our President knows that the final conflict will occur in the middle east. I believe what the Bible says as well and reguardless of the reason for being there enough of us here still think we need to prop up a stable democracy in that area of the world.

I also really believe that the President thought he was doing the right thing. His numbers were very high at the time and after 9/11 all he would have done was tell the American public that we have a need to have a stable operating platform in that region. That's all he would have had to say. The rest of the world may not have come on board but I promise you the American people would have given him the green light. My point is, we were going one way or another.

My hope is that Iraq will become a great Democracy in an area void of justice. But as we know, Democracy takes time.......

[Guest Mcmullin]

Re: Why We Are At War

good post

[kyhunter]

Re: Why We Are At War

I very much respect your post,i just wish that it was that easy to look out a window and understand a War. We are a Great Country and Our Soldiers that fight for Us is our family.We all have our opinions on Why We get in the middle of other business.The only thing that is easy to picture looking out our windows is that Our Troops will go where they are asked to go because they are outside looking back in and knowing that Our Familys and neighbors are here Free because they fight so hard for Us, no matter what the task.

Goverments have there own reasons for Starting Wars and We are here just trying to Understand it.

Kyhunter

[Guest huntinsanobsession]

Re: Why We Are At War

wow great post it got me kinda chocked up had to stop reading for a sec. and think about it great post

[MikeB]

Re: Why We Are At War

I just read this post. I almost started to cry because when the original was written, I was serving in Afghanistan with the IN National Guard. I remember on 9/11 having to explain to my then 5 yr old daughter what war was and why Daddy was going to have to go away soon. Believe it or not, killing is secondary in those places. Helping the countries help themselves is more important (and more fullfilling!).

[Texan_Til_I_Die]

Re: Why We Are At War

Excerpt from a recent column in National Review Online.

Who are these men and women? Who, exactly, are the 130,000 Americans fighting today in Iraq, the more than 20,000 standing tall on the front lines in Afghanistan, and the hundreds of thousands of other soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen who have served courageously in both theaters of war since the autumn of 2001? What motivates these warriors to travel thousands of miles to foreign theaters of war? What sustains them in the heat of the desert and in the heat of battle?

Answers to these questions can be found in history, especially as illuminated by the classical scholar and NRO contributor Victor Davis Hanson in his book The Soul of Battle. This volume, published in 1999, two years before September 11, is a tour de force that merits close reading by students of the past and the present alike. Essentially a study of democracies at war, it highlights one of their enduring, but often overlooked, martial qualities. The “great military strength of such open and free societies,” Hanson reminds us, is “the dramatic manner in which we can mobilize people in a tremendous retaliatory” campaign, often “led by men whom we otherwise do not appreciate — an asset greater even than the excellence of our technology or the sheer superabundance of our military equipment.” On short notice democracies “can produce the most murderous of armies from the most unlikely of men, and do so in the pursuit of something spiritual rather than the mere material.”

What fires these fights? It is, according to Hanson, “the soul of battle.” This is a “rare thing indeed that arises only when free men march unabashedly toward the heartland of the enemy in hopes of saving the doomed, when their vast armies are aimed at salvation and liberation, not conquest and enslavement. Only then does battle take on a spiritual dimension, one that defines a culture, teaches it what civic militarism is and how it is properly used.”

Today, the echoes of history resound in Afghanistan and in Iraq, where democratic armies, led by the United States, have once again marched into the heartlands of their enemies.

Things are not perfect in Afghanistan or Iraq. Much hard work remains. But a great deal has been accomplished. Measured against any historical or contemporary standard, the progress has been impressive. It has been achieved by selfless soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen. One must ask: Who are these men and women? They are the soul of battle, the soul of a great democracy, the soul of America.

[Guest aitchie666]

Re: Why We Are At War

Not all neighbours turn a blind eye. Dont forget GREAT BRITAIN

[Brianxt]

Re: Why We Are At War

This is a great post I support my troops and president I am not in the military but if they would have me I would go in a heart beat no mater what.Sadam killed thousands off people with chemicals his on people what more reasone should we need to go in and kill that guy it should have been done along time ago before ever thing had got so bad.Let me be president for one month The fighting would stop in those countries or I would wipe there sorry butts off the face of the eart .Only thing left to be done then is go over there after all has setteled down and push ever thing off in ocean .

[Guest bruteshooter]

Re: Why We Are At War

Great post. Hope you don't mind I copied and pasted to a email for my entire address book. Semper Fi Marines!!!

[stevebeilgard]

there are 31 countries involved in the war with us.... it's only the liberal media that wants you to believe we are all alone. don't believe what you see on cnn, nbc, abc, cbs. they are proven wrong time after time with misleading info and striaght out lies and made up stories.

[Stinger-Hunter]

I served for 3 years in the Army, voted for W twice - he needs to grab is gonads and start killing people unmercifully instead of playing patty-cake with murderers and rapists.

[Guest ohbowhntr]

I think too many people in this country have already forgotten 9-11-01, and some of those whack-jobs even believe it was a staged thing. All of those LYING democrats who want to claim there were NO WMD, should listen to their own sound-bytes....

http://www.bercasio.com/movies/dems-wmd-before-iraq.wmv

I'm Veteran proud, and kept my name on the inactive reserve list, until just this past month, when I was sent my final paperwork notifying me that my name was officially removed as I'd put my time in. If called, I'll gladly go to protect this country from TERRORISTS. TERRORISM is why we are in IRAQ, and why we SHOULD be staying there for a while. GOD BLESS the TROOPS, and those of you guys are still in, THANKS for being this country's "bodyguard."

[Will_in_cky25]

coming from someone who fought, sweat, and bled beside my brothers and sisters in arms I say WHOOA. It pains me though that I can't fight anymore but just like anyone else else in here who sreved, I would stand up (slowly, can't help it though) and fight again

[Guest Turtle]

Why are we at war? Because it needed to be done.

After 911 America would have accepted nothing less

Something had to be done

Toby Keith even wrote a song about it

When we could see clearly

Through our big black eye

We lit up your world

Like the 4th of July

And America Applauded

When Bush gave his statement and Declared to bring the ones responsible to justice, he said we will not waiver and we will not falter.

This brought back bad memories for me. I served under his father during Desert Storm/Shield with 24th Inf Div.

After that one we wavered, we faltered. When the UN made the decision that our mission was over , we left.

No one talks about how all the ones that sided with us were slaughtered once we left. No one speaks a word about all Kurds we left behind unprotected were mowed down.

I for one am glad George W. has stuck to his word.

It took a lot to get these people to trust us again and if Hillary were elected and stands by her word to start immediate withdrawal I don't think America will ever be able to hold it's head quite as high again.

[Guest lucysmusicbox]

America been America .The United States is know for getting involved in other counties problems and thinking that USA can solve them with war

[crazylegz70]

I have a real problem with the war being that we went there to "find the attackers behind 911" and when we couldnt get that done the wonderful bush administration changed it to "iraq and WMD". Now that we tore apart what government Iraq did have, the Republicans want to stay there until it is fixed.....Cut your losses and call it finished....we have wasted money and good people have died for NO REASON AT ALL. Offend who it may, but it is the truth....

I really hope that families who have members serving right now remember this when it comes time to vote. I really hope they dont want 4 more years of this....

[wtnhunt]

I have a real problem with the war being that we went there to "find the attackers behind 911" and when we couldnt get that done the wonderful bush administration changed it to "iraq and WMD". Now that we tore apart what government Iraq did have, the Republicans want to stay there until it is fixed.....Cut your losses and call it finished....we have wasted money and good people have died for NO REASON AT ALL. Offend who it may, but it is the truth....

I really hope that families who have members serving right now remember this when it comes time to vote. I really hope they dont want 4 more years of this....

Truth is Lance that "cutting our losses" and leaving would be a mistake, your guy Obama even agrees on this. You may also want to go back and read some of this thread as well as doing some fact checking. The war was voted for by our nations leaders, they did at that time think that Iraq had wmd's and they did believe that Saddam Hussein was a threat to the world, Bush alone did not just make the decision that we were going to engage in a war that was not needed and McCain has actually criticized the Bush administration on the handling of the war. Guess some are quick to forget that Hussein was caught, also some are failing to acknowledge that top al qaeda operatives have been caught and some killed, and that we have not had another attack on our soil.

Your reply is your opinion, nothing wrong with posting opinions here.

[crazylegz70]

Guess some are quick to forget that Hussein was caught, also some are failing to acknowledge that top al qaeda operatives have been caught and some killed, and that we have not had another attack on our soil.

quote]

I agree with you for the most part except for this statement. I personally believe that these people (Iraq) might have needed to be ruled with an "Iron Fist". The people that Saddam ruled over were not and still are not rational people there is nothing we can do to change that. I can say whole heartedly that he was not a good person and was in no way a good leader, but look what he was dealing with. I agree that we have not had an attack on our soil YET, however I find it hard to believe that republicans can defend their choices by saying that they are nipping terrorism. Terrorism will NEVER be stopped and all we are doing is aggrevating and elevating an already bad situation. I was trying to point out that the original reason we went to war has now been aborted and we are on to some other objective after we havent even stopped Al Qaida. This particular terrorist group is active in 60 countries? How are we slowing that down in Iraq? So in other words....Bin Laden is still alive, Iraq is still a nation of ruthless people and terrorism is better off sitting back knowing that we are going broke trying to win a war that is unwinnable....CUT YOUR LOSSES AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR OWN COUNTRY!!!

[Leo]

Why are we at war? Because it needed to be done.

After 911 America would have accepted nothing less

Something had to be done

Toby Keith even wrote a song about it

When we could see clearly

Through our big black eye

We lit up your world

Like the 4th of July

And America Applauded

When Bush gave his statement and Declared to bring the ones responsible to justice, he said we will not waiver and we will not falter.

This brought back bad memories for me. I served under his father during Desert Storm/Shield with 24th Inf Div.

After that one we wavered, we faltered. When the UN made the decision that our mission was over , we left.

No one talks about how all the ones that sided with us were slaughtered once we left. No one speaks a word about all Kurds we left behind unprotected were mowed down.

I for one am glad George W. has stuck to his word.

It took a lot to get these people to trust us again and if Hillary were elected and stands by her word to start immediate withdrawal I don't think America will ever be able to hold it's head quite as high again.

You were there. You saw. You got it right. It's absolutely incredible to me that some folks don't put more value on the opinions of those that WERE ACTUALLY THERE!

I'm surrounded by folks who were there. Then there again and again. I've heard what you are saying over and over.

Even suggesting abandoning those now who would be helpless in the face of even more unspeakable tyranny is the most selfish and inhumane thing I have ever heard. Turtle is absolutely right. The Kurds were slaughtered after Desert Storm and in large part that is blood on American hands. In the eyes of the world we started this thing and need to finish it.

[crazylegz70]

Its funny cause I know more people that were included in the war than most on here and I can guarantee that 90% of them say it is a joke and they couldnt wait to get out of the mess they were in.

[stevebeilgard]

i'll politely disagree once again. we have an all voluntary army, and almost 100% of them agree with what they are doing. not 100%, as there are always some who disagree with anything. but, close to 100% agreement there.

[DocMort]

I have there, I have seen it, I have done it matter of fact I just returned a month ago. 98% of the people in Iraq welcome the Americans with open arms. The soldiers, airmen, marines, and sailors that are over there right now, will not faulter, and will not fail as our commander in chief has said before. We gave to much notice for anyone to find WMD's in the beginning and now look, the amount of violence has went down since the surge began. As for anyone who says we need to pull out right way just remember what Sept. 11 looked like and multiply that by 10 and you can get a good look at what will happen next time. Just think about the troops that you disgrace when you pull everyone out. You don't support the US then move out.