Majority of Americans: The War Was Not Worth It

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 3:53pm

According to a USA Today poll:

57% say going to Iraq was not worth it

56% say the war is going "badly" or "very badly"

1,585 U.S. troops who have died in the Iraq war

More than 100 Iraqis, most of them security forces and civilians, have died in insurgent attacks since last Thursday, when Iraq's transitional National Assembly approved a partial Cabinet list.

Today, a suicide bomber killed at least 60 people and wounded 150 more when he blew himself up at the office of a Kurdish party in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil on Wednesday, a health official said.
Poll: Most in U.S. say Iraq war not worthwhile

[KelRel]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 3:59pm

PLEASE lets not start this one...
I am an army wife, well ex army wife because my husband got out. My brother in law is still in, we have wonderful friends who are still in and I have other family and friends who are in the marines and the navy. These men and women know what they are getting into when they sign that contract. I feel horrible for the civilian casualities, but for the soliders this is their job. The families of these soliders go through alot too, but again we knew what we were getting into. You don't just marry a solider and expect him to always be home and to never be in danger. You hate it, you dread it, but you accept it. Our men and women in the armed forces make us all very proud and whether or not they agree with the war they are fighting it is still their job. We as Americans back home should be supportive of them. They are there doing there job and by us complaining and protesting it, it only makes it harder on them. Terrorists hear that we are against the war so they fight harder because we are then joining their side by supporting getting our troops out of "their" lands. We need to support the men and women who risk their lives in the name of our country.
Ok sorry I had to do that...*steps off soap box*

[Plum]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 4:03pm

Don't you think the men and women of the military would have been better served if President Bush had stuck to just one war instead of overextending our troops into two? Now what we have are vehicles without armor, reservists being forced into far greater commitments than they signed up for, and druggies, criminals, and the mentally ill being recruited into the Army. How is that supporting our troops?

[robbiej]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 4:05pm

I disagree...not with the basic premise, mind you, because I can't even begin to understand how someone could actually not support the men and women who fight for us. BUT, how can you not ask the questions of the government that put the lives of our men and women at risk? How can we not debate how this war is being handled? How can we not pay attention to the lack of exit strategy and the far too low numbers of troops and demand that the government address these issues.

Personally, I think it's FAR too early to tell if the war is 'worth it' or not.

I respect your choices and your ideas. But I just want to offer that your husband, brother-in-law and everyone else over there fighting is there so that Iraqis can actually have this same kind of debate. For us not to speak our voices would be a slap in the face of everyone who is fighting.

[Plum]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 4:07pm

Let me add that I sincerely hope this all works out anyway. If it wins Republicans another 40 years in power, so be it; I think that's not too much of a price to pay for the democratization of the Middle East.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 4:10pm

I honor their service, KelRel, as do I'm sure those 57% of Americans.

But this is a poll of the American people's support for the president's policy. It is possible to support the soldiers while criticizing the president's misguided policy.

We were lied to on the weapons of mass destruction, as we were on so many other important issues.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 4:12pm

I never trust any of these polls. They are always reported incorrectly.

For example, each of the networks has taken a poll about Social Security. The question was asked by all of them "Do you agree with Bush's handling of the Social Security matter".

All the networks then had the nerve to report that Americans were not in favor of Bush's plans for Social Security. The MISTAKE here is that you can agree with Bush's plans, but not like the way he was handling the whole matter.

These polls are twisted to create news, not give reliable opinions.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 4:15pm

No one likes the polls when they contradict your beliefs.

But the tide is turning. Americans are waking up to the fact that George Bush lied ... and tens of thousands died.

Posted: 5/4/05 at 4:16pm

Kel, hearty thanks to your relatives who fought for our country.

The Republicans have done a brilliant job of saying that you can not criticise any policy of the President without it somehow being "Against the troops." Starting this war was a great campaign tactic for President Bush.

Of course nothing could be further from the truth. It will be interesting to see how Tony Blair fares tomorrow. The war is the primary issue there.

The war was not worth it. George Bush was looking for a reason to take out Hussein his first week in office. On September 12th, when all evidence pointed to Al Queda & Afghanistan, GW gave the order: Find a way to use this to justify war against Iraq. He used the UN as a justification despite the UN's stated preference there be no war. I do feel bad for the men & women fighting in this war and I support them 100%- -that's why I want them home!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 4:17pm

:::They are there doing there job and by us complaining and protesting it, it only makes it harder on them. Terrorists hear that we are against the war so they fight harder because we are then joining their side by supporting getting our troops out of "their" lands.:::

I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous. I say this as the spousal equivalent of somebody who recently retired from a wing of the armed services (don't ask, I won't tell) and he would strongly, to the point of yelling, disagree with this sentiment.

And this BS about "terrorists will hear that we are against the war so they will fight harder" is practically second grade reasoning. If they "hear" that Americans are mindless robots who just parrot back the party line like you have done, what will happen then? The terrorists will take a day off, maybe a nice long vacation, and that's all the US will need to win?

Come on, use some of your critical thinking skills. And barring that, let's come up with a list of ways the US government is not "supporting our troops" (like all those China-made vinyl bumper ribbons remind us to do). My favorite recent decision is cutting mental health benefits for soldiers returning from Iraq. Like that's not a group rife with post-traumatic stress! Oh, I could go on. And on and on and on.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 4:25pm

I went and saw the "Faces of the Fallen" memorial at Arlington National Cemetery over the weekend. Viewing the artists renderings of soldiers who were killed in Iraq put a huge lump in my throat and made me realize what a waste of human lives this mess of a war is. And I'm pretty certain that Mr. Bush, who has not attended a funeral for any of these brave men and women who fought his war, won't even bear witness on this particular memorial as well.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 4:26pm

I assume the "majority of Americans" would have preferred Bush act like Clinton: lob a few missiles into the Iraq desert killing a few camels before going off to obstruct justice and lie to the Senate.

[Plum]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 4:27pm

Goth is right that polls are often misreported. It's always worth it to look at the actual poll questions, methodology, sample size, etc. to make sure nothing's awry.

[KelRel]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 4:33pm

I respect your choices and your ideas. But I just want to offer that your husband, brother-in-law and everyone else over there fighting is there so that Iraqis can actually have this same kind of debate. For us not to speak our voices would be a slap in the face of everyone who is fighting.

Robbiej, in that respect I totally agree with the debate, but these topics usually, at least in my experience on other boards, turn in to mud slinging arguments over michael moore type crap.I Just wanted to point out that people should not feel sorry for the soliders because they are there. (the kind of armour and supplies they have...or don't have is another issue) They knew what they were getting into. Also I think that we should all support the troops. And FindingNamo I am not saying that the terrorists are going to take a day off because of how we as a nation feel about the war, but if we keep rallying to pull the troops out because there are so many deaths and that the longer we wait the more people will die, why wouldn't they see that as an incentive to kill more people? If your main objective was to get someone out of your country. Wouldn't you do whatever you thought would work to get them out? Either way, I respect you and your partner's sacrifices that I am sure had to be made while they were in the armed forces. As I am sure you know, it can be very hard. I am bowing out of this thread, but I just wanted to get that out there. I respect all of your opinions on this one.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 5:12pm

Wait, Kel, you're confusing issues again. You think the terrorists main goal is to get the US out of their country? What country are you talking about? Iraq? Because the 9/11 terrorists were from Saudi Arabia.

And Goth, sorry, you're just going to have to give up on responding to criticism with "Bu-bu-bu-but CLINTON..."

It's all W all the time now.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 8:20pm

it's not a matter of supporting our troops.........I do, I do not support the madman in the White House.
I AM a vet......this was is wrong, PERIOD.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 10:58pm

I honor your service, Elphaba, and your bravery in speaking out as a vet.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 11:15pm

Tonight - can we also honor my father who is 77. At age 17 he volunteered to serve in WW II. He had to get his mother to sign. His father died in 1927. He is now blind and in blind school at a Vertern's Hopital. (He is also a father of 10 and grandfather of 26)

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 11:39pm

Absolutely. Let's honor his service and also his fortitude.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 5/4/05 at 11:41pm

PJ- have you been to Little Jim's on Halstead?

Because I have a funny story about my blind father and Little Jimm.


Updated On: 5/5/05 at 11:41 PM

[KelRel]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 12:07am

I know I said I was out of this thread...but I just want to say thanks to all the veterans and their families that are on this board

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 2:18am

Contrary to conservative lies--Michael Moore supports the troops. I imagine only a slim pocket of bastards blame the troops.

Goth--I can only laugh at your idiotic counter arguments.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 11:04am

When the President Talks to God (Quicktime)