Another Vietnam?

[Master_Ginn]

So i've been listning to the radio lately, and have heard stories(possibly not true) about how some US soldiers are being harrassed and treated in a way that veitnam veterens were being treated back when they returned from vietnam. I've searched the internet for such stories with no luck, so my question is, do you think that US soldiers returning from Iraq will be treated the way Vietnam Vets. were treated once they returned from duty? Unfortunately i believe some will. There is such a division about this war, it's bound to happen. There are always those fanatics against the war that will go out and even be against the soldiers, though some did not enlist just to fight. My father felt a little bit of heat after the vietnam war was over,and he never even was in the vietnam war. He joined the Coast Guard just as it was ending. And I'm not sure that the situation will be too different. So there it is, what do you think? And please lets not turn this into another debate whether you think the war was just or not, it's just about how will US soldiers be recieved once they come back.

[Tyrion]

So i've been listning to the radio lately, and have heard stories(possibly not true) about how some US soldiers are being harrassed and treated in a way that veitnam veterens were being treated back when they returned from vietnam. I've searched the internet for such stories with no luck, so my question is, do you think that US soldiers returning from Iraq will be treated the way Vietnam Vets. were treated once they returned from duty? Unfortunately i believe some will. There is such a division about this war, it's bound to happen. There are always those fanatics against the war that will go out and even be against the soldiers, though some did not enlist just to fight. My father felt a little bit of heat after the vietnam war was over,and he never even was in the vietnam war. He joined the Coast Guard just as it was ending. And I'm not sure that the situation will be too different. So there it is, what do you think? And please lets not turn this into another debate whether you think the war was just or not, it's just about how will US soldiers be recieved once they come back.

 

There was this one guy on Fox News a while back that said the troops were morons because they went out to war for low salaries. The newspeople that were interviewing him were furious at him; I mean some of the things he were saying were just completely bull****.

 

"But these soldiers are fighting for your freedom to speak your mind." "Yes, but that's not my point. Like I said earlier, they don't pay taxes and get crappy paychecks. It's good that these morons are being removed from the genepool."

[Dagobahn Eagle]

The newspeople that were interviewing him were furious at him

N'ah? The objective employees of the un-biased Fox News took a side openly? Surely you must be making this up.

 

http://www.forsakethetroops.com

Humans are morons. Enough said.

 

But no, I don't think Iraq veterans will be treated as badly as Viet Nam veterans. Although a recent poll showed that 60% of Americans were displeased with the war's progress, I think public opinion is better in general. My two cents.

[Tyrion]

N'ah? The objective employees of the un-biased Fox News took a side openly? Surely you must be making this up.

 

No, they didn't take a side openly. They clearly defended the troops- and really, the person interviewed was making horrible claims against them.

 

But no, I don't think Iraq veterans will be treated as badly as Viet Nam veterans. Although a recent poll showed that 60% of Americans were displeased with the war's progress, I think public opinion is better in general. My two cents.

 

Yeah, with Vietnam I imagined that the young U.S. citizens at the time felt backstabbed, what with the government forcefully ending the lovin' 60's with a bang. Right now, with being attacked everyone seemed to have let go entirely on being cautious about war..

[rccar328]

I don't think our troops will be treated as badly as they were after Vietnam, but I do think there will be some anti-war wackos there giving them Vietnam-esque treatment. There are too many stories out there about outright hatred by the anti-war crowd to think they won't do anything at all.

[SkinWalker]

Its a common fallacy of the warhawk, pro-bush crowd that those that oppose the invasion of Iraq and continued occupation there automatically think poorly of our troops. I've yet to encounter a single anti-war proponet that did not have the utmost respect for the soldiers/marines doing their duty there.

 

In fact, for many of us opposed to the war in Iraq, it is the mistreatment and total disregard of these troops that fuels our anti-war sentiment. As one who has served our nation and spilled the blood of others to do it, I think I'm qualified to make that statement. I've been in touch with many of my friends who are still in the military and nearly each is either now or was in Iraq. All but one is opposed to the Bush doctrine, and even that one has some reservations about why they are there in the first place.

 

The fact is, this adminstration cuts vetern's benefits and the benefits of active duty soldiers and continues to expect them to go forth and die for this unknown "noble cause." President Bush and his bosses (Rumsfeld and Cheney) have completely dishonored the American military culture and institution. They completely lied about why we had to go there and now cite as a reason for staying is so we can "honor" those who've already been killed or permanently wounded.

 

The sheeple that standup and accept the Bush admin BS on the subject and denounce those that are opposed to the action are to be pitied. I have pity for those that are unable to see past the lies and deception. Or perhaps they're simply too stubborn to admit they were deceived, after all, no one likes to admit they've been had. But its the ones that will slander and belittle those that actually care about humanity and the living a righteous life; those that are willing to speak out for what they believe in; those are the ones we should despise and be embarrased to call our own. Those are the unAmericans! Those are the ones that attempt to stiffle the dissenting voice -an American tradition! A patriotic tradition.

 

I agree that the left can be snide and sarcastic. But the right is violent and dangerous. You don't see those of the left attacking pro-Bush supporters. You don't see the left firing their guns in the air. You don't see the left mowing down crosses of fallen American soldiers. You don't see the left calling for assasinations of elected official of other countries (which is contrary to our anti-terrorist position; our own religious leaders issuing "fatwas").

 

Instead, we see a bunch of warhawks talking tough but few of them actually signing up and serving their nation. I look at the footage of the pro-Bush supporters in Crawford with their "anti-Cindy" signs and I see a lot of age-appropriate, potential soldiers there.

 

The blood of war is easy to justify when you aren't the one that has to do the bleeding.

[riceplant]

Amen to that! (Amen? since when am I religious?) It would be interesting to see how many remain pro-war if conscription was effected and these people were being drafted.

[SkinWalker]

I think your latter statement is a reason why this conflict cannot be compared to vietnam.

 

Beyond some obvious parallels (unjust war; lies to involve us; etc.), there are, I think, many more differences to the Iraq war and the Vietnam war. One of the primary is the nature of the anti-war movement. Then, it was mostly comprised of potential draftees and their loved ones. In this war, it's comprised of those who disagree with the lies and misleading premises that got us into the war; the reasons for remaining; and the distraction that the war created in defeating terrorism (evidenced by the continued freedom and life of Bin Laden).

 

I would add to that the impotence that this war has placed upon our military, making us weak should we need to face another threat somewhere else (i.e. N. Korea) or should we need to take some humanitarian action (i.e. in the Darfur province of Sudan).

 

Should this adminstration decide to begin the draft in order to sustain the military, a whole new culture will emerge among the anti-war activists and activism will increase. Even still, I think we've learned some lessons from Vietnam and our treatment of servicemen then that would be enough to prevent the same sort of counter-attrocities. We would, however, see an increased use of agent provocateurs among the anti-war protesters in order to tarnish their images. This sort of thing probably already goes on with both sides of the activist conflict. Indeed, there is much talk of "astro-turf" groups being used by the right: pseudo-grassroots organizations created from nothing and used to legitimize their efforts.

[Loopster]

I doubt the backlash will be anywhere near as bad as what what people returning from Vietnam experienced. I think many are now aware of just how poorly some of those people were treated for being conscripted to fight in a war their government expected them to fight.

 

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050828/D8C8JGIG0.html

 

Still, things like that make me gawk at the lows people are capable of.

[Mike Windu]

You spelled my country wrong!

 

Vietnam >>

 

I think the troops should be treated fairly because as the saying goes: "war is old men talking, and young men dying." Troops just take orders.

[Master_Ginn]

^how the crap did i do that?!?!!? I hate spelling^

[El Sitherino]

Fixed the thread title. Being dylexic I read it in the correct spelling. XD

[Joetheeskimo]

It's good that these morons are being removed from the genepool."

 

My brother is in the Army, and I feel a sudden urge to wring that reporter's stupid neck.

 

*Cough*. Anyways...

[Kain]

Man, I really hope not. I may not support the war but you can't blame the soldiers; they are just doing their jobs.

[toms]

Indeed. Vietnam was an end of innocence for the US on a whole number of levels... which is probably what triggered such animosity at all involved.

 

These days people (on the whole) have an idea what is going on, though they may take different views on it. I can't see many anti-war people blaming the troops themselves, just the politicians.

 

There are too many stories out there about outright hatred by the anti-war crowd to think they won't do anything at all.

Maybe a few odd nutters looking for any reason to fight... but considering some of the psycotic stuff that pro-war nutters have been up to (attacking peace protestors, boycotting anti-war actors, trashing symbolic gravestones put up by grieving mothers, the "back it or get out" thugs, etc..) its not likely to be as bad.

 

On a side note, most US army recruits aren't their for some hugely loft ideal, they are there because they need money. Most US army recruits come from the poorest and most deprived neighbourhoods, with the worst education and the highest unemployment. A career in the army is a good way to escape such a situation... unfortunately it doesn't necisarilly mean that the poor kids who end up stuck out there doing the fighting (and dying) are the best equiped to handle peacekeeping duties or to understand the complexities of why they are out there.

[riceplant]

Something else I could mention is that there are (to my knowledge) no draftees in Iraq, meaning that everyone there chose to be a soldier, unlike Vietnam, where the soldiers didn't even want to be soldiers.

[Master_Ginn]

Something else I could mention is that there are (to my knowledge) no draftees in Iraq, meaning that everyone there chose to be a soldier, unlike Vietnam, where the soldiers didn't even want to be soldiers.

That is true, but do you think that this could cause people to be harshe towards soldiers? Seeing that they went into the military, and some went in even thought we we're at war. I'm not saying they will attack the soldiers, i'm just throwing out the question.

[Mike Windu]

the "back it or get out" thugs, etc..) its not likely to be as bad.

 

FREEDOM FRIES FOR THE WIN!!!!!!