Why do many people continue to blame the Bush Administration for the war?

tjmarsh1015

Wow settle down man you went off on a little rant there. Well whom else should we blame for the war in Iraq? Now I'm for the war and for finishing it i do feel like i was lied to to start the war but we are there now and we need to finish. I don't think we needed to go in when we did that could have waited until we had a better understanding of the whole situation over there maybe we could have learned more about the people and risks and rewards for action.

coragryph

Yes, the people in the military do not choose which orders to follow. They are required to follow all lawful orders. Which is why it is foolish to blame the troops for doing their job.

That has nothing to do with whether you think the orders they are being given are wise or prudent or practical...

And actually, no, the oath is to support and defend the constitution, and to carry out all lawful orders. The oath is not to support and agree with any one individual.

Which is why the debate over whether Bush is making politically wise decisions has NOTHING to do with whether people support the soldiers in uniform who are doing their job to the best of their ability.

jason

i think the worst of them is the people disrupting military funerals, thats just down right evil.

JP74

Wow, so according to you, we must support any war that the government wants us to go into, for whatever reason, whether we agree with it or not?

Mordent

Bush took us to war under false pretences. Bush came up with the strategy of invading Iraq as a scapegoat for 9/11. Bush FREELY ADMITTED lying, by saying that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 whatsoever, despite saying exactly the opposite as one of his justifications for invasion. Bush justifies being in Iraq for some pretty tenuous reasons ("we've got to bring them freedom!" - please define this freedom Mr Bush. Does it mean the freedom for you to throw trillions of dollars into a massive hole in the ground?)

I think I've got a pretty good reason to blame Bush for the war.

As for "if you don't support the war you don't support the troops" - how very typical of 'either/or' conservative thinking. Either you're with us or you're against us, either you're a republican or you're a communist, either you support the war or you're a terrorist. Either you're a supporter of new imperialism based on corporate nepotism, blatant corruption, the furtherance of the interests of unelected corporate 'focus groups' and quangos and lying brazenly to the world about your motives; or you're a dispicable freedom hating terrorist who wants women to be stoned to death for showing their faces in public.

Now as for the troops; personally I think the troops would probably prefer not being shot at. I mean, if I had the choice as to whether I wanted to be in a scorching, dusty hell hole dodging RPGs whilst watching my friends being blown up, or being stationed in a military base in Hawaii I know what I'd choose. But true, they do the job they're told to do, as soldiers always have to. Fair enough. What my point is this job has been rotten from the start. Iraq and the troops stationed there are a pawn in the new great game - the US has swung from supporting to hating Iraq several times, and look how it's come back to bite you. The troops SHOULD NOT BE THERE. Bush lied to them. I'm not saying they're doing a bad job - they're doing the best they can in a war which is either unwinnable or isn't meant to be won.

After 9/11 the world was behind America. The whole world wanted to see those responsible brought to account. The hearts of almost every person on earth were with you on that day. Messages of condolance and support came from accross the world. From France (that country which were never fans of Bush, especially not 7 years ago) came "Nous sommes tous AmÃ©ricains", flowers were left outside the US embassy in Moscow, messages of support were left on the Kolkata gate in India. Now America is the most detested country on earth. You must ask yourselves - what could possibly have gone so wrong?

caliber

How can you generalize (simplify) the Army's, the Navy's, the Marines', the Air Force's and their families' opinion on this war as being the same as one single person? Though you must be very fond of this beloved President it still does not give you the right to put our men and women in uniform under one single opinion. Just because one's in the uniform does not mean they don't own individual opinions. I don't hate anybody. I certainly don't hate 'all people in uniform'. Did 'all people in uniform' come forward after Al-Qeida's (at the time in Afghanistan) attack on 9/11 and said 'Attack IRAQ because of its weapons of mass destruction'? Hmm... I think I missed that part of their speech.

mechnginear

I don't understand the jump from blaming the current administration for the war to not supporting the troops. I guess it is the same sort of rationale that Bush and Cheney used to get us into Iraq. I'm a Marine vet and am very conscious of the dedication and sacrifices of the military. They have their orders and have carried them out to the best of their abilities. My problem is with the misguided Commander in Chief who sent them in harm's way for no good reason and is unwilling to reevaluate whether we should be occupying Iraq.

Marilyn E

Your argument that we cannot support the troops but not the war sounds pretty false to me. I realize that the people in the armed services took an oath to obey their Commander-in Chief ( who is the President) I applaud all those service people who are fighting the war in Iraq --they are doing what they promised to do.

HOWEVER -- I do not have to support the war that they are fighting! I feel that Bush has put our service people at unnecessary risk in a war that cannot be won.

The war was started under false pretenses --no weapons of mass destruction were found; Al-Quaida was not strong there until we toppled the government and gave them a way to thrive;and the Iraqi people were not the ones who flew into the towers ( most of them were from Egypt)

In this country, we are free to disagree with the government without being labeled as "un-american."

You do not speak for me --and I am pretty sure you are not a mind reader -- so do not tell me what I "really mean"

I was in high school when our young men were sent to Viet Nam to a similar war, which was also unpopular. Many people who were opposed to that war took out their anger and frustration on returning service men and women. These poor,tired military people were yelled at and spat at by people who called them "baby-killers"

The people today who say that they support our service people, but not the Iraq war are making a distinction between an unpopular war and the people sent to fight in it.

We do not hate the soldiers, marines and guardsmen --- we hate the war that is taking them so far away from their families for a cause that we feel is wrong.

Dennis H

He fraudulently started an internationally unpopular war and called the UN's attitude "irrelavent" when they saw no WMD evidence to support US claims. Good reasons for anyone to dislike him.
Why should the military take the heat when it is blatantly clear the only bad officer is the Commander in Chief.
They are just doing their jobs, they don't make policy, Just carry it out.

Follow the money

There are many Military persons and their families that do not support bush jr.

angelikabertrand64

1.) Cause Bush started the war.
2.) Bush is looking out for his own bank account.
3.) Bush is slaving for his daddy's past against Sadam Hussein.
4.) Bushy is a wacky... I hate this administration cause they do not anything for Social Services.
5.) Give millions billions of tax dollars to war fighting? Why is that necessary at all?

Should I mention any more?

Robin L

I am one of those people that support the troops but not the war. It is easy, I stand behind the men and women that are serving their country. I do not support the war, All the war has done was opened up a whole new can of worms. Your statement is very one sided. I respect the military and the people who serve in it. I did not vote for Bush in either election. Just because I do not agree with the President does not mean I disrespect the troops nor does it mean I am not patriotic!

I think you are taking the "volunteer" thing too far, Yes they "volunteered" because they were not DRAFTED, But tell me of one soldier that could say, " oh by the way Mr. President I decided I don't want to be part of the war so i think I will pack up and go home now" They did volunteer their service to this country but that does not mean they agree with every order given!

autumn

HMMM....maybe because the Bush administration started the war!

Jimmy Ng

They're not saying support the troops to go and fight the war. They are against the war, but they are trying not to sound unpatriotic because they all know no matter how wrong the Bush administration is, everytime they say "Support our troops" everyone all of a sudden forgets and agrees with them.

The war is totally wrong, but Bush has us on thinking what he wants us to think, like how if your not for it, you're unpatriotic. But how is it unpatriotic for a family to want their son back because they don't want him to die overseas fighting for oil and making Bush and oil companies even more rich than they already are? Sure you can argue that they're a threat, but how dangerous are if it only took 2 weeks for us to take over the country? Just because you're against the government, that doesn't make you unpatriotic. Our country started out with the colonies against they're government.

"why dont all you war protesters and bush haters who try to pass as patriotic americans, just say that you hate all people in uniform."

But then you neocons would just get to call them unpatriotic.

Ron Paul 2008

Michael H

People seem to forget, we swore to support and defend the constitution of the UNITED STATES, not iraq.

satcomgrunt

hey stupid I am a soldier I have been to Iraq and I am against this war.

That said as a soldier you do not pick and choose the war you fight you obey your orders. I gave my word and when I took the oath of enlistment and as a result when it is my turn to go for the third time I will do so.

tired mom

That is just wrong. We can support the troops for trying to do the right thing by taking care of our country and doing what their president tells them to do. But that doesn't mean that the president has the best interest of his troops or people at heart. Many people believe that he is just looking out for his own interests in the oil industry while many of our men and women are putting their lifes on the line.

tomjohn

take a break, jason, before you have a hemorrhage, or strain something.

i am against the war for the following reasons.

i can't get around the fact that we were lied to about the wmd's. we were pushed into it by those claims. congress acted upon the president's assurances that we needed to go into iraq for those reasons. many of us believed the president, because he held that office, period. bush's election was tainted as it was, but people respected the office. as we found out in retrospect they knew in advance, but presented it another way.

the planning was pathetic. i remember rumsfeld's comment about going to war with the army that we have, and not the army we want, blah, blah, blah. the lack of armor and many other items of protective gear was inexcusable. how many deaths were attributable to that?

there was no planning for post-hussien. you don't destroy a country's infrastructure without replacing it in some way. if you don't chaos ensues. what a surprise, eh jb?

you talk about the armed forces as taking an oath. well, they
took an oath all right, but with the understanding that they would be properly equipped, staffed, and used. they might be better equipped now, they are understaffed, as proved by the many tours. as far as utilization, the leadership is laughable, pathetic.

yes, i support the troops. and i want to see them used in the best way possible. that is not happening. you cannot tell that they are.

and lastly, i have a hard time getting behind a president, who could not serve his country himself. his stories about why not, just don't cut it with me. all the money that was spent on his training, and he bugs out. never mind cheney, he is another joke.

i served 8 years in the army, dropped out of college, to go to viet nam. i have a combat medic's badge. look it up. so i don't take kindly to your mindless rant. i watch very closely how our military is used. you have to watch closely with as much secrecy as this administration cloaks itself in in the name of patriotism. leaders have to earn respect. bush and his clan haven't earned mine. and i don't think that i am alone.

berkshire1043

Lame. Get off your soapbox.

As a person in a supposedly democratic nation, I can choose to either support elected officials decisions or not. It has nothing to do with the military, as they are only acting in the interest of the current administration.

And I am not even a democrat- I am nonpartisan. I support "them" because they are mostly 18-20 year olds who volunteered, but didn't know entirely what they were getting into.

Believe it- It does not make them bad people at all. I chose to become a cop at 23, and I didn't know what I was getting into. Entering into the armed forces, most people do not know what they are truly signing up for. And even if they did, they still believed they were supporting America, much as I thought when I was 19.They are still pawns in the larger game of world politics, though.

FutureLMT

well your ? was too long so I didnt read it. But Bush is not popular with alot of people including me. I have nothing against the military, they are folowing orders from an incompetent government. Its not there fault they are over their getting killed for no particular reason. IMPEACH BUSH!!!!

CALAVA

So, when Hillary or Obama are president and pull the troops out of Iraq, you're going to support that decision too, because you think we should all support the president, right? Or we should only support republican presidents? Then you're not interested in a democracy are you?

firedup

The fact is enlisted soldiers have pledged to support the president, which is why they are where they are. That does not mean that they all believe in the president and his war. To many, being a soldier is a job, a job with many opportunities, and drawbacks. A lot of people dont like their jobs but do it because it is the best they can get, for what they expect in return. So, in reality, if you were to ask at no risk or consequence to the soldier, a majority of them do not support the very war that they are fighting.

natetodamax

Because they don't care if people die over in Iraq. Simply put. The Bush Administration has lost their minds.

Bush didnÂ´t need to go into Iraq at any time. The excuses made for starting the war where vague and in some cases untrue. Bush is the only terrorist of the world, and the terrorist actions that we have seen was most probable designed by the Bush administration. Look at how your country changes into a control nation. That also means that products eventually will marked "safe" which means that scared people will only buy that product, which will be owned by the few people that designed the whole thing.

ItÂ´s all about money. Not safety, peace or terrorism - but money.

Athena Y

Because many people do not believe that Bush had any rght to send troops to Iraq. And because many people do not like Bush for many other things that he has done in the past, including his father.

GA Peach

What does the B stand for Jason? Bitter?

Whatever

Smartest thing I heard all day! :D

ATTL

uh, duh!

the bush administration declared war on iraq.

thats why.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: