The Myths Behind "Support the Troops"

Corrected URL: http://tvnewslies.org/blog/?p=599

Snip:

Let’s stop this “support the troops” rhetoric. If you want to say you “appreciate the troops” be my guest. That would be more accurate. I think we all pretty much appreciate the troops. But let’s face it, there are very few people in America who actually support the troops and many of those people are not the ones wearing ribbons.

The most ridiculous bit of misdirection ever.
This RW crap is treasonous and insulting to our troops.

is "How much money have you contributed to your local Guard unit so they can purchase body armor that the government won't provide?" Shuts them up immediately.

"Support Our Troops - Get them out of Iraq IMMEDIATELY!"

Simple. And the best thing the USA could do for their beloved troops, IMHO.

-85% Jimmy

"Oh, you didn't know your neighbors have to go to Iraq without proper body armor and equipment? Don't you think it might be wise, then, if they weren't sent there at all and that their brothers in arms can come home too?"

who are sending the care packages to the FOBs, who are squawking to Congress to get them out of there and home. Volunteering at the VA hospitals or at Walter Reed or Bethesda, that's supporting the troops. Even serving as an Arlington Lady, or doing the funerals as part of the honor guard through a retiree organization or affiliated service group because the services are way too short handed to cover them all, that's supporting the troops--in a sad and painful way, but it provides some small comfort for the families.

Putting a fucking Chinese magnet on your car, though, isn't doing it. It's just stupid.

and right on!!!!!!

No more hugs and "thank you for ____________" and then going about our lives perpetuating the conditions under which we WILL invade more sovereign nations again, no matter the cost to "our" military in a defense budget that already takes 41% of every tax dollar.

Or maybe support means, we approve of the U.S. Military being the loss leaders as the "defense" of this country is privatized through the likes of Haliburton and Blackwater.

Allow me to remarked on the Orwellian morphing of this phrase in our political conversation.

As I recall, this term received its recent coinage in our political dialog by Trent Lott in the Clinton years when the repukes where practicing full tilt ABC foreign policy (Anything But Clinton).

And more specifically, the US Bosnian-Serbian intervention. The repukes needed a way to oppose Clinton's intervention yet immunize themselves against charges of treason (the meta background of course is the political rhetoric of the war in Viet Nam).

So, the concept of "support the troops" was invented as a sleight of hand to express objection to what those troops were actually doing. It worked then like magic. Say it as few times and see for yourself: "I support the Gestapo" or "I am proud of the Confederate Army and want to pass this one to my kids."

Comes now 9/11 and the repukes realize that it makes no sense to say "I support the Gestapo" and the shield of old now is suddenly the sword to slay the treasonous opposition who do not support the troops in their mission.

Really this rhetorical shift was immediate after 9/11 and no one seems to notice. If someone used this rhetoric I would say immediately without skipping an beat that "I do not support the mission the troops are on".

Support the troops,oh my that felt so good.Bring back the draft and we'll all support the troops.