Support the Troops, end the wars

CPT Zachary Brooks — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 19:20:57 -0500

I came across this article during my standard daily rolling of Libertarian based websites and found it to be an interesting perspective.

How do you feel about properly honoring the dead by ensuring we have less of them?

http://rare.us/story/soldiers-veterans-say-support-us-by-ending-the-wars/

Soldiers & veterans say: Support us by ending the wars

The best way to support the troops and honor the fallen is to end the wars.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Jan 29 at 2015 9:18 AM

Capt Richard I P. — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 09:18:07 -0500

CPT Zachary Brooks As you probably expected, I was one of those Ron Paul supporters. I've also mentioned elsewhere on RP my support for a Non-Intervensionist foreign policy as envisioned by the founders. A condition of endless war is highly destructive of liberty.

Then, on the personal side, remembering brothers in arms who have spilled their blood for a piece of dirt now owned my the enemy is....frustrating.
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/who-do-you-remember-fallen-and-deceased

Who do you remember? Fallen and Deceased | RallyPoint

It is really hard to imagine your friends passing but as you reconnect with your fellow military members you find out things that are heartbreaking. Right now, I am dealing with an imminent loss and an unexpected death of one of my friends while in Germany. Last year it was SMSgt Floyd Parton (Lou Gehrigs Disease -ALS). What a decent man!!! The other day I found out that TSgt Kimberly Reeb has also passed away to Cancer and she was probably in...

Response by CSM David Heidke made Jan 29 at 2015 9:29 AM

CSM David Heidke — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 09:29:20 -0500

I like this...

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 29 at 2015 10:43 AM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 10:43:31 -0500

I agree. The RINO commentators used to complain about the libertarian support for ending the wars, saying American citizens are no longer in harms way due to the actions taken by congress and Bush. The last I checked, even though service members volunteer, they are also American citizens and they are in harms way. The best approach to all wars should be, get in, complete the mission and get out.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jan 29 at 2015 11:05 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 11:05:27 -0500

I'm a libertarian. I am. And what I am about to say is going to SOUND contrary to that.

America maintains a large Military Force so others don't.

It's counter-intuitive.

It sounds stupid.

But if you have every country in the world maintaining a fair size military, the chances of a global conflict happening are more likely than if you have one country maintaining a huge military and the rest maintaining just enough force to guard their borders.

I don't want us to be "world police." The idea disgusts me. I don't think we can be trusted with it. I don't think anyone can be trusted with it.

But, the less standing armies there are, the less chances for war there are.

Us maintaining this huge global presence promotes Global Stability. Global Stability is good for EVERYONE. The fact that it has to be done with a monopoly of force is frankly sad. I wish it could be done another way. Someday I hope it could be done another way.

But... if we weren't present in the middle east, how long before Iran rolled into Saudi? If we weren't present in Japan & SK, how long before NK, decided the DMZ didn't apply to them.

Us drawing down our military doesn't help the world. It makes us feel good, because somewhere along the way game changed from War to Defense to Stability, but nobody bothered to update the Dept's name again... so we're thinking of it in outdated terms.

Response by SFC Jeff L. made Jan 29 at 2015 11:44 AM

SFC Jeff L. — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 11:44:34 -0500

Fighting a war, conflict, whatever you choose to call it, without the political will to win is pointless, demoralizing, and unethical. At the risk of sounding like a warmonger I think that in order to fight we must fight to win. Win in reality, not in sound-bites and photo-ops. That means destruction and death on both sides. We have the military capability, the willingness of volunteers, and sheer American determination to win any war. Without the government behind us there is no reason for our troops to try stabilizing a country that has no sense of itself.

Bring our guys back, or at the least pull back to forward bases like Germany, Kuwait, Italy. Oh, and stop selling our stuff to Iraq. The terrorists just steal what the Iraqis don't give them outright.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jan 29 at 2015 11:54 AM

LTC Paul Labrador — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 11:54:47 -0500

Use of force and war should always be the last resort if all other options fail....but we also cannot be afraid to use force if that is what it takes to resolve the situation. And that is the issue: have we become so appeasement minded and afraid to fight? Because the reality is, unlike Tango, it doesn't take 2 willing participants for conflict to happen. If your opponent is willing and able to use force to exert his will, and you are not, guess who is going to win.