Military fears critics will hurt morale (today's bit of war machine...

[jefferson_dem]

propaganda).

Why do they hate 'merca? The moonie times does the bidding->

Military fears critics will hurt morale
By Rowan Scarborough
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
November 21, 2005

Pentagon officials say they are increasingly worried that Washington's political fight over the Iraq war will dampen what has been high morale among troops fighting a tenacious and deadly enemy.

Commanders are telling Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld that ground troops do not understand the generally negative press that their missions receive, despite what they consider significant achievements in rebuilding Iraq and instilling democracy.

The commanders also worry about the public's declining support for the mission and what may be a growing movement inside the Democratic Party to advocate troop withdrawal from Iraq.

"They say morale is very high," said a senior Pentagon official of reports filed by commanders with Washington. "But they relate comments from troops asking, 'What the heck is going on back here' and why America isn't seeing the progress they are making or appreciating the mission the way those on the ground there do. My take is that they are wondering if America is still behind them."

<SNIP>

"We also have to understand that our words have effects," he (Scumsfeld) said on "Fox News Sunday." "Put yourself in the shoes of a soldier who thinks that we're going to pull out precipitously or immediately, as some people have proposed. Obviously, they have to wonder whether what they're doing makes sense if that's the idea, if that's the debate."

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20051121-122534-5301r.htm

[sonofliberty]

1. Morale would sky rocket if they could come home n/t

[marmar]

8. Hallelujah...

Their PR ploys are getting more and more desperate.

[JesterCS]

2. I'll tell you

the " lets stay and liberate the good Iraqi people for their on benefit " soldiers are a minority. I said it in another thread, but I have a friend who is in Intel in the Baghdad Greenzone.

All he talks about is how him and his battallion cant wait to get out of the hell hole and wonder why they are still there.

Republicans and Media are cherrypicking their stories/comments. Imagine that ><

[Clark2008]

3. High morale?

Oh, dear Lord, what rock do they think we're living under?

Morale may be "high" in pockets, but, overall, the strains of several deployments have not pointed to "high" morale, militarywide.

:eyes:

[kurth]

4. "Rebuilding Iraq and instilling democracy"

How about "Rebuilding America and instilling democracy"?

[Disturbed]

6. Troops don't want to come home?

Yeah, right.

[rfranklin]

5. Who are these faceless "spokemen" and "commanders?"

I think they are figments of Rumsfeld's imagination and his PR flaks.

[Hubert Flottz]

7. Who tells Rumbo the news from Iraq, Baghdad Bob?

Send Bubp over there to kick some series ass and win the freedom and liberty like we don't have anymore here in America! The Terraists are fighting because they are afraid that if they get "DEMOCRACY" they'll also get the "patriot act!"

[Freedom_from_Chains]

9. You just knew it was only a matter of time before the RW's

were going to claim that Murtha's comments were emboldening the insurgents and moral. But, sometime the truth has a way of doing that when it starts destroying delusions.

[liberal N proud]

10. What hurts the moral of the troops is to be fighting for a regime

that is bent on squashing the very freedom they are telling you that you are fighting for.

I can't imagine, dodging bullets, and IED's knowing that when I am finished for the day, that I can't speak freely about my point of view.
That on top of the fact that you know there is no end in sight of the battle you are involved in.

[Vinca]

11. Can anyone 'splain to me how wanting the troops home

is a BAD thing????????????? Why wanting them back alive and in one piece is unpatriotic??????? I think I know what the majority of soldiers might say if allowed to talk without fear of recrimination.

[tsuki]

12. 1968 recycled news article. We heard the same stuff from the

Conservative press in the late 60s and 70s. It wasn't until the Vietnam Vets came back and joined the peace movement that we gained traction.

There is one difference between the Conservative press then and now. Most of the Conservative press had served in WWII and/or Korea.

[ET Awful]

13. Is that why we've seen footage of soldiers saying Rumsfeld should

resign?