Support the War vs. Support the Troops

[Wilson Balmores]

My friend and I were having this discussion a while back, and I wanted to know what everyone else thinks. Between my friend and me, we were very one-sided that war shouldn't be supported, but the individual troops should be because they either fight for the security of the homeland or they were just forced to. We also came to the acceptance that although we are against war, it's a part of the world that can't be easily changed and will probably happen for one reason or another.

So Nerdfighters, what's your take on war and the troops?

[Kenny]

I don't support the war in Iraq, but i strongly support the troops, and i'm considering enlisting in a couple of months. I'm also a supporter of giving the troops good body armor.

[Hannah]

Don't do it.

[stupid shiny volvo owner]

no ... dont do it

[Alan]

Why not? I don't think Kenny will just blindly follow your advise.

Stay safe is all I have to say.

[Kirsten]

Well, how great can it be working for an employer that can't afford to take decent care of its retirees but is willing to spend $2.2 billion on planes it doesn't need?

How great is a job where your employer can toss you out on your butt at any time for whatever reason, but where you cannot leave until your employer permits you to?

[Conz]

Actually those $2.2B are hell of lot better than sending troops at the problem.

Bombing beats Rushing... 98% of the time.

[Kirsten]

And how great is an employer that will outright lie to get potential new employees to take jobs?

[Bodem]

go ahead... were all pulling out in 2011 anyway.. you wont even be done touring...

[Ma-Heg-An]

Please don't... I'm already so worried about my friends brother who's going into the marines.

[Kenny]

Jeez nerdfighter's are so nice :D Don't worry, i won't enlist unless I'm 100% sure its what i want to do, and i've read the contract a few hundred times.

[Dave]

As a former member of the US Military myself I'll say this. If you decide to go in make the decision carefully and do so without pressure from other people for or against it. If at all possible find people that are in the military that have been to Iraq or Afghanistan and talk to them before you make your decision; preferably not recruiters. Most recruiters don't lie but they don't tell you the whole truth either.

I can't speak for the other branches but my time in the Army was some of the best years of my life however it wasn't all happy time - had some really, really bad days. Well that's all I'm going to say here if you want to talk to me more about it feel free.

[Chip Cook]

I absolutely agree with you about time in the Army. The best job I ever had, and I waited years before finally joining. Wish I had joined sooner. Wish I had stayed in.

If a person is thinking about joining, even if he never speaks to a veteran of those current actions, always know that the recruiting films, etc. are glossy crap. Most everything in the service is more dirty, sweaty, and potentially more painful and deadly than the films say, and if it is not, it's probably really boring.

Also know that a lot of people who don't like the military have lived safely and comfortably in Western nations their entire lives and have no idea how truly bad large-scale, organized evil can get. I would bet they have not even had any experience with individual-sized evil on the other side of their own towns.