Does support the troops really mean support the war?
I don’t see why. I’m not a fan of the Iraq war, but I have a cousin in the marines and I hope that he fulfills his duties as a marine pilot. Perhaps an argument could be made that hoping the troops succeed means hoping that they succeed in their military duties. And perhaps the latter necessarily entails an endorsement of the war. I don’t think such an argument would succeed. If I didn’t want the war to begin, or currently do not support the war, I am still forced to deal with the fact that the war is currently being waged. It is within that moral context that I make a decision to support or neglect the troops. And perhaps I can say that I support them to the extent that I hope they survive and that we can untangle ourselves from Iraq in a manner that minimizes the number of casualties and maximizes the honor and dignity they retain as public servants.
It can. I am a Canadian and support our troops in Afghanistan, but do not support the war. This answer is rather contradictory, but that’s how I feel! I don’t support what’s going on over there because it’s about a lot more than just terrorism. At the same time however, I respect the individuals who see a cause worth fighting for and are willing to lay down their lives for it. “If you don’t stand behind our troops, perhaps you would like to stand in front of them.
