Wow...name calling. We finally have another entry for the old Dumbest Question contest. As I stated a long time ago on this site, I respect anyone who's willing to fight for what they believe in even if I don't agree with or understand those beliefs. Sadly, the US does not have a good recent track record on the matter of supporting the troops, denying any responsibility for and even the existence of illnesses experienced by Gulf War vets.

Alias Irrelevante

I not only support the troops, I thank God we have a "regime" that has the courage to do what needs to be done. If not for them, Saddam would still be playing "I spy" with the U.N. and committing who knows what atrocities, and 150 Iraqi kids would still be in that prison.

Judy, 62
Easton, KS USA

I do support the United States troops, although I do, in fact, believe in peace. They are following orders and they have my utmost respect and support. I wish them all a safe return.

Tam

Because I'm not an American.

Aly, 17
Cardiff UK

Well thats one of the most offensive questions ive ever seen asked. How CAN you support the US troops? Are you a warmonger? Give me a frigging break. I do not support killing people for the sake of oil. I also do not buy into what the government-controlled media is telling us about the Iraqis. People need to take the media with a grain of salt; heaven knows the government
would not let anything that might potentially seem anti-american slip

Talia, 25
Tallahassee, FL USA

Supporting the troops and believing that the war in Iraq is not just are not mutually exclusive.

Laura, 38
Lowell, MA USA

I must be in a bad mood. I read this question and my first reaction was "How can you make such a stupid assumption? Are you trying to pick a fight?" Yes, I support the troops. Yes, I am a peace-nik. No, there is no contradiction. So there!

Cathie, 53
Novi, MI USA

I support young men and women who have chosen a career I couldn't even begin to fathom tackling. But more than that I hope we all want a world in which peace outweighs war. Do I think that military action is always just and honorable? I do not and I find the current US involvement in Iraq hard to reconcile with the concept of justice. Even more than that, I am frightened that so many Americans equate speaking out against our actions and the president akin to treason. That is not what a democracy and free speech are all about.

Felicia, 37
Lowell, MA USA

i think its quite possible to support our troops without supporting the war.

Cara, 18
Valparasio, IN USA

I do support the troops. I support America. I support freedom and peace and any means that will assure us of both. I support people who have respect for and follow the orders of their Commanding Officer and their Commander-in-Chief. As an American, I also support freedom to
speak, but not in the form of hypocritical rantings that are often offensive or obstructive. In a perfect world, I would consider myself a peace-nik. But in reality, all the peace signs in the world won't stop aggression and terrorism. What some folks don't stop to think about is that terrorists are NOT like us ("us" being clear headed and civilized people - not just Americans) They don't live
like us and don't THINK like we do. They can't. They are cut from a different cloth. They only recognize what they dish out. Terrorism IS like a disease and it needs to be nipped in the bud or... well, I shudder to imagine the consequences.

Fisch, 47
Preston, CT USA

What loaded questions! I do support the US troops and wish them all survival and success. They are not, however, responsible for their being there. I do not think we gave the United Nations sufficient time to complete its efforts for peace, and I am very regretful that we were so determined to have a war that we made ourselves the aggressors instead of waiting for international agreement. This is not in keeping with the history of our country and is not a good omen for the prospects of world peace.

Jane, 63
West Linn, OR USA

Um, this seems like a question aimed at a specific person rather than the list, but. . .I think, frankly, that Sherman Alexie summarized my opinion in a recent interview: http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=15194 I am sick of people yelling "unpatriotic!
unpatriotic!" about everything. To a lesser extent, I'm sick of people yelling "War is not the answer!" Everyone seems brainwashed, and a lot of the people who attack the people on the other side of the issue just seem like they wouldn't know reason and logic if they got slapped in the face with them. I'm not sure half the people are even at all informed on what's going on--I know I'm not very informed--yet everybody seems to have a firm opinion. I will make no bones about the fact that I do not like George Bush (the first one OR the second one). I do not like the Bush "family values" or environmental policies, and I do not think that either Bush really gives world impact enough consideration when making decisions. So, given that, and given that the military mentality has never been something I took to, I would have to say that I lean more toward the "peace-nik" side of things. All that aside, I find today's questions to be argumentative and invasive. I'm not sure I appreciate having someone I've never met try to pick a fight with me, and I really don't want to argue with anyone about United States political/military policies.

Karen, 23
Ames, IA USA

Yeap, that's pretty much it (I am a Canadian after all).

Keri-Jade, 23
Brampton, Ontario CANADA

I never thought I'd be in public agreement with Al Sharpton, but war, like politics, makes strange bedfellows. I feel that the preemptive action of the Iraq war is illegal--and a very dangerous precedent. For example--why shouldn't the Turks march into Northern Iraq with some preemptive
action of their own? At the same time, I recognize that our military personnel--from Thompson on
down to the wet-behind-the-ears recruits--are following the orders of their Commander in Chief which they are constitutionally obliged to do. I do not hold the military responsible for setting the policy I disagree with. I respect each member of the armed forces as a human being in a
complicated situation.

Jill, 61
Saylorsburg, PA USA

I support whole-heartedly our troops!

Janet, 45
E. Brunswick, NJ USA

I support the US troops in Iraq. I believe that they are doing all they can to help the Iraqi citizens become safe from the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein and his children.

Melodi, 19
Gahanna, OH USA

I don't want any of them dead, but I don't feel like this war does me any good.

A-Dog, 20
Eugene, OR USA

I support the troops. I have a friend that's 51 and over in Kuwait. There are boys or should I say men that are my sons age over there. My flag is still flying.

KarenNJ, 25
Milltown, NJ USA

I think people are forgetting 9-11

Stephanie, 27
TX USA

Yesterday / Tomorrow