Is anyone else getting tired of neoCons incessantly using our troops as an excuse for anything? We've seen it in the US for years: "You're either with us, or 'agin' us". If you object to an event, or the way a mission is run, you suddenly become "against our troops". A person speaking in favor of the troop's safety somehow is construed as against them. What a conservative crock of shit.
Good liberals, we've put up with this long enough. I support our troops, you support our troops. Every Canadian out there supports our troops. We only differ in how we support them. Not even the most hawkish of hawks will pick up a gun and go over and REALLY "support" our troops, yet many average Canadians from all walks of life are giving theirs' so Afghanis can have better lives.
As a Liberal democracy we have good reason to support UN-sanctioned global stability. We have reason - no - the DUTY to defend citizens of the world against outlaws. The Taliban are outlaws. Yes, their characterization by the Americans is extremely flawed. Yes, the American intentions are all wrong. But, we need to realize this action is UN-sanctioned (to some extent), and different than the action taken against Iraq (the illegal invasion of Iraq). This blogger has hated the Taliban since they blew the heads off 500-yr-old Buddha statues (everyone needs a reason). You guessed it - I do support a PEACEKEEPING and national rebuilding effort in Afghanistan (I have some problems with the American withdrawal - as they are mostly responsible for the mess, and should remain to fix it - but, that's a blog for another day). Having said that, I will not hurl politically loaded phrases like "I support our troops". I support them, like all Canadians - without having to say it every 5min on national TV.
We Liberals have to challenge neoCons EVERY TIME they use the troops for their shameless political uses. When a conservative uses the "I support our troops" phrase, we need to immediately reply, "WE ALL support our troops. Stop using them for your partisan political ends. STOP USING THE TROOPS FOR YOUR OWN POLITICAL ENDS!" Respect for our troops starts with respecting their situation, and not simple lip service. Maybe if the sleeping national media hears this phrase enough they'll start thinking about it a little. If we don't get this point across, PM Shrub will succeed in turning us into "Ameri-da", and ensure that the "if you're not with us, you're 'agin us" mentality takes hold.
2 comments:
my thoughts almost exactly.
The What Do I KNow Grit
I support our troops the same way I support our Coast Guard, Park Rangers, Firefighters and police. What I do not support are the things they are sometimes made to do. THey have no choice when they aer sent somewhere so yes, you have to feel for them and feel remorse for them and their families when they die in the line of duty, but they aren't protecting our nation at the present, they are mopping up for the US, which is wrong.
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