Dissension in the Military?

[Archangelwolf]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/22/60minutes/main2505412.shtml

This war is falling apart like a house of cards. Even though I believe that this war is a mistake; I still find it disheartening that some of our troops are now questioning this war.

America is a mess. I only hope that we can find a leader who can take us out of it.

Arch.

 

[USMC the Almighty]

Don't let this be a misrepresentation. If the troops were really against the war then re-enlistment levels wouldn't be nearly as high as they are.

We still believe that we are fighting for a noble cause.

 

[InterestedParty]

I'd be interested to know when this interview was conducted. Based on a few things they said and references to time periods I would say it was probably before the change in strategy occurred. I have to wonder if they feel any differently with the troop surge or the fact that we are starting to see some successes now.

I can't fault the men and women in the article for feeling the waythey do and voicing their opinion.

Then again, here is the flip-side.

http://www.appealforcourage.org/

Hope you don't mind, I just thought these patriots deserved equal time.

 

[Archangelwolf]

Here it is:

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/022507Z.shtml

Arch.

 

[InterestedParty]

Interesting article Arch, thank you.

I have to ask, would you fully trust Congress to be briefed on the "clandestine" activities underway and that there would be no leaks of the information to our enemies that could be used against us?

Is there ever a time that the Administration should refrain from fully disclosing tactics in the best interest of being successful in the mission?

Do you believe we should trust either political party not to use sensitive information in a political manner?

 

[Archangelwolf]

I have to ask, would you fully trust Congress to be briefed on the "clandestine" activities underway and that there would be no leaks of the information to our enemies that could be used against us?

Yes. I believe it is unacceptable any other way. We are a Republic; and while I will concede that I do not need to know, I do believe that Congress needs to know. As far as leaking, that is going on anyways. We do not need Congress to know to have a leak.

Is there ever a time that the Administration should refrain from fully disclosing tactics in the best interest of being successful in the mission?

Perhaps if it is a SHORT time. I understand deferrments of information. I do not understand stalling and lying.

Do you believe we should trust either political party not to use sensitive information in a political manner?

That goes without asking. Politics is politics. Unfortunately, some will use it in a way that is detrimental to our mission; but that is a price we pay to be a Republic. Besides, being as technologically advanced as we are, and being that our military intelligence is far superior, I still do not feel that the terrorists are getting NEAR the intelligence about us as we are getting about them. That is not the problem. The problem is that both sides, Sunnis and Shiites, hate Americans; and want us out of there religious civil war.

It is interesting how we are now aligned with the Sunnis in Saudi Arabia, who are also aligned with al-Qaeda. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend?" Looks to me we are just going to set up our grandchildren with another extremist terrorist state in the future.

We never learn, do we?

Arch.

 

[endtyranny]

Hey, everyone, I'm new to the site, I gotta say, it's just like trustserve. Anyways, dissent from those fighting the war is not uncommon. I think we have to start looking at why they are against the war. Like the strain it puts on our soldier's families and the lives wraught with violence and pain. I firmly believe this is a risk we are responsible to take only when it is absolutely and irrefutably necessary. This war, imo, was never necessary and we shouldn't have to continue exacerbating the tremendous strain we've put on our soldiers and the Iraqi people.

 

[vyo476]

Hey, everyone, I'm new to the site, I gotta say, it's just like trustserve. Anyways, dissent from those fighting the war is not uncommon. I think we have to start looking at why they are against the war. Like the strain it puts on our soldier's families and the lives wraught with violence and pain. I firmly believe this is a risk we are responsible to take only when it is absolutely and irrefutably necessary. This war, imo, was never necessary and we shouldn't have to continue exacerbating the tremendous strain we've put on our soldiers and the Iraqi people.

Yeah, 'cause there wouldn't be any strain on the Iraqi people if we up and left now, would there?

 

[Everylyric]

Hey, everyone, I'm new to the site, I gotta say, it's just like trustserve. Anyways, dissent from those fighting the war is not uncommon. I think we have to start looking at why they are against the war. Like the strain it puts on our soldier's families and the lives wraught with violence and pain. I firmly believe this is a risk we are responsible to take only when it is absolutely and irrefutably necessary. This war, imo, was never necessary and we shouldn't have to continue exacerbating the tremendous strain we've put on our soldiers and the Iraqi people.

Welcome to House of Politics!

 

[Dave]

I have to ask, would you fully trust Congress to be briefed on the "clandestine" activities underway and that there would be no leaks of the information to our enemies that could be used against us?

Yes. I believe it is unacceptable any other way. We are a Republic; and while I will concede that I do not need to know, I do believe that Congress needs to know. As far as leaking, that is going on anyways. We do not need Congress to know to have a leak.

Is there ever a time that the Administration should refrain from fully disclosing tactics in the best interest of being successful in the mission?

Perhaps if it is a SHORT time. I understand deferrments of information. I do not understand stalling and lying.

Do you believe we should trust either political party not to use sensitive information in a political manner?

That goes without asking. Politics is politics. Unfortunately, some will use it in a way that is detrimental to our mission; but that is a price we pay to be a Republic. Besides, being as technologically advanced as we are, and being that our military intelligence is far superior, I still do not feel that the terrorists are getting NEAR the intelligence about us as we are getting about them. That is not the problem. The problem is that both sides, Sunnis and Shiites, hate Americans; and want us out of there religious civil war.

It is interesting how we are now aligned with the Sunnis in Saudi Arabia, who are also aligned with al-Qaeda. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend?" Looks to me we are just going to set up our grandchildren with another extremist terrorist state in the future.

We never learn, do we?

Arch.

How do you equate being Sunni with being aligned with al Qaeda? Saudi Arabia is in no way aligned with al Qaeda. In fact, it is part of al Qaeda's stated mission to kill the Saudi royal family and replace the Saudi government with an Islamic government similar to what we see in Iran. The world is much more complex than black and white, and the Muslim religion is much more complex than Sunni and Shiite.

 

[kobzikov]

Yeah, 'cause there wouldn't be any strain on the Iraqi people if we up and left now, would there?

I don't think anyone is suggesting leaving without some kind of plan. Any kind of military maneuver has to be organized.

But if US cared about strain on Iraqi people then Bush Sr. would have helped Shia uprising by providing military support after Desert Storm or US wouldn't have suggested sanctions to punish Iraqi people or wouldn't have conducted a shock and awe campaign.

At this point strain on Iraqi people is unavoidable and unless US is planning to occupy Iraq permanently, which would cause the kind of daily strain Iraqi people experience right now if not worse in the future, Americans will have to withdraw at some point.

Iraq can't be democratic and secure under occupation. One of these will have to be sacrificed.

 

[Rokerijdude11]

we arent going anywhere.

we arent pulling out