http://www.discussanything.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101358

We are called cowards spineless fools......feel free to smacks these idiot liberals around.....

While I don't agree with these service members that decided to take this route, they have every right to speak out and speak thier mind, even if its before Congress.

Myself, we need to finish what WE started in Iraq. If that means more troops, more money then so be it. Lets just get it done and bring them back home.

Remember that "defend the Constitution" oath? Free speech is a part of it. Also, there is a place for the other opinion – it forces us to consider our actions during war.

The Gunny is correct – we must finish what we started and arguing about how we got there is a waste of time and effort.

To be honest I don't see how anything this guy says ia so idiotic, he is opposed to the war and he expressed it from a position of experience (as a soldier) in a non-insulting fashion. Besides do you know what the deciding difference in the planning of the bay of pigs and the planning of how to handle the missle crisis? During the bay of pigs, acting like yes-men was encouraged, during the missle crisis people were told to play devils advocate to fight the psychological phenomena of "groupthink" where people go along with the crowd. If we do not have all sorts of opinions we are blind.

Support the War, Not the Troops!

Nope, see, sounds stupid backwards as well.

Not sure where the 'bay of pigs' reference fits in with today's war on terror, folks make all kinds of connections to help get thier mind wrapped around the direction everything has taken. Looking backward does help to a certain degreee, but only so that past mistakes don't get repeated.

This war on terror has no comparison to previous conflicts or wars. There is great danger in the constant references or comparisons to Vietnam or even Somalia. Different times, different rules, different societies.

Many want to make this a religious type of war in thier comparisons. The war on terror is not based on that at all, although many still feel that it is. Mostly those that we are tracking down, but sadly many in our own country as well in our countries leadership. Our Congress needs to get its collective ass together and speak as one voice of the people rather than as just a majority pressing the party line. This is not a political battle, nor is it an election event. Treating it as such only gives our enemies more will and encouragement to continue the fight.

Our media needs to report the facts, no doubt about it, however, more often than not, the media's own editorializing of situations and events leads to adding fuel to the fires for terrorists, adds confirmation and encouragement that they are winning the war on terror by the very fact we haven't been able to stop each and every attack.

Wars have never been won by public opinion......

In the first this jerk Hutton is not a Combat Veteran he joined the Navy after the Conflict started at the time he joined he was already a Anti-War Activist he went on a Ship as a photographer he has no combat experience.Oh yes he might have saw a Flight Operation or might have went to GQ once or twice maybe he should have went out with those young Marines on a sweep once or twice and after they dug him out from under a rock and sent him home he would have the right to Bitch.I agree with Gunny if we don't finish the job there we will finish the job when they come here.I don't see any resemblance to the Bay of Pigs which was an attempt to move Comminust Power to our shores.

1. They won't come here, the iraqis never planned to invade our country that is complete nonsense
2. I resemblance is that people were encourgaged to think with the most popular opinion, whereas with the missle crisis people were told to critisize the most popular opinion. Anti-war marches and speech are completely nessacary to make us see if we have done something wrong, and make us consider each move carefully. The United States, while a great country, has made mistakes.

I do not agree with the notion that this soldier's experience in Iraq somehow justifies his opposition to the conflict or his decision to testify before Congress for purposes of stating his personal views. The U.S. had several compelling reasons to proceed militarily against Iraq. First and foremost was Saddam's repeated violation of an agreement he signed in 1991 which placed the burden of proof on his government (NOT the U.S.) to show that various weapons (including the associated infrastructure) were duly accounted for and destroyed. Bush ordered the use of military force only after 17 unanimous security council resolutions were passed (even France and Germany voted for these resolutions)which found Saddam to be in violation of that agreement and after Saddam had kicked out the inspectors in 1998. Our use of military force was a no-brainer. Once our military justifiably intervened, the U.S. became required to stay the course. This soldier has NO basis by virtue of his "experience" to challenge our government's initial decision to use force against Iraq or the necessity of our remaining in that country until our work is accomplished. At best, this soldier's experience only qualifies him to criticize the tactics by which the war is conducted. In that regard, the landscape is littered with the bodies of those who take delight in criticizing how a war, battle or skirmish is prosecuted. There has not been a war since the beginning of recorded history that did not have critics who disagree with how the generals do the war. But that is not the kind of criticism that this soldier is making. He is not responsible for assessing the options that a president has before him when confronted by a tyrant who repeatedly disobeys a signed agreement -- especially after 911. Nor is this soldier competent to criticize the means and methods by which the war is prosecuted other than to say whether sufficient manpower and material was available and properly used. Again, that is not what this soldier said as the basis for his criticism. I agree with the Gunny. We (i.e., the United States) are in this war for the right reasons and we are obligated to stay the course. This soldier should shut up, carry out his orders and speak on this subject only within the purvue of those things that affect his ability to carry out those orders. Period.

Ah so you're saying when the president says something we shouldn't question it at all. No there is plenty of virtue in that, in fact our country is based on the questioning of authority, it is that questioning of authority that makes our country what it is, so don't tell me to just sit down and shutup when the government says something, also why'd you mention 9/11 in relation to saddam when he had nothing at all to do with it?

quote:

Ah so you're saying when the president says something we shouldn't question it at all.

No, you reactionary know-it-all, he said--

quote:

This soldier has NO basis by virtue of his "experience" to challenge our government's initial decision to use force against Iraq or the necessity of our remaining in that country until our work is accomplished. At best, this soldier's experience only qualifies him to criticize the tactics by which the war is conducted.

THAT's what he said.

1. I am neither a reactionary, or a know-it-all.
2. Ok maybe I phrased this wrong believe that anyone with a fair understanding of the situation has a right to challenge the descision to go into iraq, not just that soildier.

quote:

anyone with a fair understanding of the situation has a right to challenge the descision to go into iraq

You are beating a dead horse. You are beating a dead horse. You are beating a dead horse...

I dunno, around here dead horses sure do appear to get up and run some more!

(pulls out a sledgehammer and smacks the horse one last time) ok I'm done (walks away)

Finally! A sense of humor appears! Let me know when yer ready for a few cold brews!

Heck gunny might have to draw a deadhorse are you buying. I am broke.

Sorry, gunny, I don't drink but thanks for the offer. Also let's just get this dead horse out of he way (pulls out walky talkie) All right, Delta Squadron, excecute alpha baker foxtrot, (F-16 send a white phospherous attack on the horse) All right, there we go (wipes hands and walks away)

hmmmm, one of those huh? yer not gonna be much fun on liberty!

Define "one of those"