We need a better version of "support the troops"

[HEIL PRESIDENT GOD]

We need a rejoinder to people who say we don't support the troops if we oppose the war. We also need something of our own to say, something that isn't a 1991-era Republican meme borrowed from Hitler but nevertheless expresses our solidarity with the soldiers.

We need something that says it is wrong that they are there, but we support them individually, with the exception of the actual war criminals among them. We need a short little catchphrase, like "support our troops", that sums up our position: that we do not hate all US military personnel, but that we absolutely want Iraq free of their presence.

I'm out of ideas, what do you think? Or do you think it's good for antiwar people to say we "support the troops"?

(Those of you who support the war, if there are any out there, please ignore this and go on saying you support the troops.)

[txindy]

1. Bring them home.

[John Q. Citizen]

2. How about "Save our Troops" N/T

[Cadence]

8. I like that.

Narrowing things down to sound bites (I never thought I'd be saying that) seems to be the way we HAVE to go.

Save our Troops! That's good.

[ZombieNixon]

15. SOS-Save Our Soldiers

n/t

[John Q. Citizen]

20. Good one! Even Better

[Pig_Latin_Lover]

3. "Make Bush Support Our Troops"

?

[Hosnon]

4. Respect The Troops - We can then explain that

Respect can be in relation to many things.

Respect the troops by only using them when necessary.
Respect the troops by making sure they don't join the ranks of the homeless upon returning.
Respect the troops by arming them.
Respect the troops by participating in the ideals they fight for.

etc...

Would using 'our' instead of 'the' sound better?

[AP]

5. Read page 3 of this study:

http://www.mediatenor.com/index1.html

The two major sources of bad news for President Bush during the first six months of 2004 were Richard Clarke’s book and testimony on the administration’s anti-terror policies and the prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq. Although the media reported on Bush in the context of the situation in Iraq to some extent, the U.S. military was the chief target of media criticism. Responsibility for the problems was thus delegated away from the president. With the prisoner abuse scandal demands for Donald Rumsfeld’s resignation became much more frequent. In the media, the Pentagon and the military in general were covered in an even more negative tone than President Bush. While Bush’s Iraq policy was facing extensive criticism in the media, he was not held solely responsible for the situation.

Bush won the election partly because the media BLAMED the military for Bush's failures.

[mike_c]

6. support the troops, not their mission (?)

???

Frankly, I'm not comfortable with any statement that suggests unconditional support. In this particular instance the mission itself is a criminal war of aggression, so it's difficult to express any support for the aggressors. "Support America's defense, not the war in Iraq" (?)

[RamboLiberal]

7. I'm going to get this bumper sticker

http://www.cafepress.com/rmcg_artware/107041

[OneBlueSky]

9. try this . . .

http://www.troopsribbon.com/index.html

[coreystone]

10. "Support The Troops" on one side; "Not the Policy" on the other!...n/t

[goodhue]

11. Bring Them Home Now

http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/

[pantouflard]

12. That's perfect! Going to order a dozen. Thanks!

[RevolutionStartsNow]

13. We have one

Bring Them Home

That's all you have to say. And who's going to argue with that?

[blondeatlast]

14. Support Our SOLDIERS/SOS

The last thing shrub wants is any HUMANITY connected with Iraq.

Edit: This has a subtle suggestion that things don't end when they come home; they still need living wages, mediacl care, etc.

[alcuno]

16. RESPECT OUR MILITARY!

Respect means that they are deployed for America's defense.
Respect means that we recognize the value of their service.
Respect means that we will care for them and their families.

The word "OUR" means that they are ours and not theirs.

[A Brand New World]

17. I Support theTroops - Not the Idiot Who Sent Them There

[Atman]

18. "I Support Our Troops...

...It's BUSH I can't stand!"

I've been selling these since the very first days of the war (shirts, bumper stickers). They've consistently been popular items since day 1.

On edit...HEY RAMBO LIBERAL! Thanks for the props! I didn't see your post before I posted this! Cool.

[sendero]

19. Respect the Sacrifice

[NAO]

21. Support the Troops...by Paying your Income Taxes

because yellow ribbons don't buy bullets, or tanks, bombs, or ongoing Veterans benefits.

So I think all those anti-tax fanatics are unpatriotic. They don't support the troops. Those people who hire fancy accountants to get them out of paying their fair share...they are short changing the troops.

All those people who vote for "tax relief" are really voting for cutting the troops support. "It's our money, dammit, we should be able to keep it right". I can't believe no Democrat has used this tactic to accuse tax-cutting fanatics of lack of patriotism.