It Is Actually The Left That Truly Supports Our Troops!!!

[Radicalman]

One of the characteristics of fascism is supremacy of the military. Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized. It is with the latter concept I want to deal with. Most of the stuff in the mass media about our soldiers in Iraq is pure bull. "They are fighting for our freedom," we are told. To do what? Attack another country that poses no threat to the U.S.? Maintain the American standard of living which fat boy Chickenhawk Cheney says is "non-negotiable? (The American standard of living means that we haven't seen such disparities of wealth since 1929, and the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.) To pollute the planet? What exactly are the troops fighting for? Oil reserves to keep away from China? Corporate America? A neo-con Empire?

There isn't anything glamorous and about military service. The purpose of the military is to train people to kill other human beings. What in hell is glamorous about that? It is a dirty, inhumane job that must be done in the defense of our country and its best values when we are threatened. It does require courage and other virtues. And to salute people for their courage in the promotion of a just cause is understandable. But Iraq? Most of the grubs in Iraq are there because structural inequalities in the American economic system. They come from rural areas and suburban/urban areas where job opportunities are meager. In many of their minds they have not choice but to join the military in order to help their families, go to college, etc.

We must be sorry for them that they have been victimized by an expansionist, neo-fascist state who sends them to war without proper armor and screws them over, in terms of benefits, and medical treatment if they are wounded. And despair and fell their pain when when they are mangled and they loose limbs And be supportive of them when they are incapacitated because of DU and their children are born with genetic defects. And we must give them the GI Bill of Rights that vets got after WW II. Absolutely. But "support our troops." What does that mean?

The Bush coup hasn't supported them, in terms of benefits, proper treatment for the wounded and maimed, and even proper body and vehicle armor. "Support Our Troops." If you don't you're unpatriotic and you're not "for us," says the Bush coup. It's all bull. It's politics by bumper sticker slogan. A slogan used by evil bastards who have no regard for human life or they wouldn't have practiced genocide in Fallujah and sent U.S. troops into war without the proper equipment. Glorifying our "troops" and saying we must "support them," when Bush and Co. don't, and when they are sent to do the empire's dirty work, and are not supported by the Bush junta, is not just hypocrisy. It is the stance of vile bottom feeders who respect neither the lives of our troops or innocent Iraqi civilians.

It is ironic that we on the left, who want adequate expenditures for armament, better medical benefits for the troops, oppose DU, want a GI Bill of Rights and better treatment for our troops' families, are the ones who truly support the troops. It sticks in the craw to hear these Rumsfelds, Cheneys, and these moral monsters talk about supporting the troops in Iraq. They only use them to further the profits of their cronies in Halliburton and Bechtel, and the military-industrial-complex. They use our troops as a means to achieving their own ends of multinational corporation control of the world's economy. Our troops are only "things" to achieve the ends of their self-styled "betters." They use our troops to further their fascist agenda by glamorizing them and saying that criticism of them is criticism of their statist coup. To hell with them. Yes, I support our troops - and the best way to do that is to bring them home instantly.

[Uncle Joe]

1. I believe it goes like this,

the right talks the talk and the left walks the walk, when it comes to actually giving a damn about the troops.

[Up2Late]

2. Yes! Next Question.

If you spend much time here, you will notice a LOT more Vets here than at any RW site.

And with that, I'd again like to say THANK YOU! to all the Vets that might read this, and welcome home Brothers and Sisters. :patriot:

Welcome to DU "Radicalman" :toast:

[w8liftinglady]

3. My latest letter to the editor(my 48th) sent today

A recently released report contracted by the Pentagon confirms that the Army is becoming stretched to the "breaking point". http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060124/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/a... Recently,Democratic congressman John Murtha was crucified by Republican politicians,and even readers of this fine paper,for stating the same thing.People have to understand that you can NOT send soldiers into combat two,three,four times without serious psychological and physical effects.I try not to bring my personal experience into this,but when your son-a mechanic-tells you he's been on patrol,and"don't worry,mom-I aim low with the women and children"-it breaks your heart.My friends who are Viet Nam vets relate the same surreal mind games you have to play on yourself to make it OK.Five soldiers in my son's unit have been medically discharged with PTSD.At the same time,the Veterans Administration,buckling under the sheer volume of wounded,disabled soldiers,is reviewing 72,000 cases of PTSD-related disability for possible non-payment.Your yellow ribbon says you support the troops-why do you support an administration that has such low regard for their welfare?