Why Support the Troops?
by Jacob G. Hornberger

One of the most fascinating phenomena of our time is the extreme reverence that the American people have been taught to have for the military. Wherever you go -- airports, sports events, church -- there is a god-like worship of the military.

"Let us all stand and express our sincerest thanks to our troops for the wonderful service they perform for our country," declare the sports broadcasters.

"Let us pray for the troops, especially those in harm's way," church ministers exhort their parishioners.

"Let us give a big hand to our troops who are traveling with us today," exclaim airline officials.

Every time I see this reverence for the military being expressed, I wonder if people ever give any thought to what exactly the troops are doing. No one seems to ask that question. It just doesn't seem to matter. The assumption is that whatever the troops are doing, they are protecting our "rights and freedoms." As one sports broadcaster I recently heard put it, "We wouldn't be here playing this game if it weren't for the troops."

There is at least one big problem with this phenomenon, however: The troops are engaged in actions that are harmful to the American people, including most of the people who have a reverential attitude toward them.

Consider the following hypothetical. Suppose a family lives out in the country on a 50-acre spread in the middle of a wooded area. In the trees are dozens of hornets' nests. The hornets leave the family alone because the family leaves the hornets' nests alone.

One day U.S. troops arrive, come on to the property, and begin poking every hornets' nest they can find. For the next several days, the members of the family and their friends and visitors are stung by the hornets.

The following week, the troops arrive and do the same thing, with the same results. This goes on indefinitely.

Suppose we were to encounter the family and ask them how they feel about the troops. We could easily imagine them saying, "Oh, we love the troops and we support them. Without them, we wouldn't have this nice property. Thank goodness for the troops because they are keeping us free."

What about all weekly stings from the hornets? We could easily imagine the family responding, "Oh, that's not the troops' fault. For some reason, the hornets are just mad these days, but it has nothing to do with the fact that the troops are poking their nests. Anyway, the troops are just following orders. It's not their fault. We love the troops."

Does that make any sense? It seems to me that when people are doing the right thing, they are entitled to be supported. But when they're engaged in wrongful or harmful conduct, then they shouldn't be supported. Why should the military be exempt from normal moral and ethical principles?

Consider the threat of terrorism, which Americans have lived under now for some 11 years. Did you ever think that 9/11 would change our country so fundamentally? There wasn't any "war on terrorism" before 9/11. Torture and assassination weren't official policy. There was no detention center at Guantanamo Bay. There were no official kidnappings, rendition, and torture partnerships with brutal dictatorial regimes. There was no indefinite incarceration without trial.

So, why must everything be different just because of 9/11? Why can't we live in a normally functioning society, one in which people are not living under the constant fear of terrorism and one in which the government isn't adopting and employing permanent "emergency" powers that constitute severe infringements on the freedoms of the people.

What was it that produced the anger and rage that brought on 9/11? Was it hatred for America's "freedom and values," as U.S. officials maintain? Or was it anger and rage arising from what the troops and other U.S. officials were doing to people in the months and years leading up to 9/11?

That obviously gets us into U.S. foreign policy, an area that makes many people who support the troops very uncomfortable. Why? Because if they conclude that the troops are doing things to people overseas that are producing the anti-American anger and rage that culminates in anti-American terrorism, then that presents a problem for them. How do they in good conscience continue supporting the people who are causing their problems?

Yet, the reality is that the troops are doing things to people overseas that are making people angry at the United States. Examples include the invasions and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and ever-increasing drone assassinations. As everyone knows, such actions have succeeded in killing and maiming hundreds of thousands of people, including women and children. On top of that has been the torture, the kidnappings, Gitmo, the support of brutal dictatorships and the Israeli government, the U.S. troops on Islamic holy lands, the illegal no-fly zone over Iraq, the sanctions that killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children, and the current sanctions on Iran. It's the troops who enforce many of those programs.

Now, it might be said that the troops aren't at fault because they're just following orders. Even if that's true, is that any reason to support them? For one thing, no one forced them to join an organization that would require them to do whatever they were ordered to do. They did that on their own volition.

Moreover, even though they're following orders, the fact remains that what they're doing is nonetheless counterproductive to the best interests of the American people. That is, for those of us who want a normally functioning society, rather than the aberrant post-911 society in which we now live, what the troops are doing is an obstacle to the achievement of our goal, whether they are doing it willingly or simply on orders of their commanders.

For those Americans who like the direction our country has been taking for the past 11 years and would like things to continue as they are, the best thing they can do is simply continue supporting the troops.

But for people who are sick and tired of all this, for them it's necessary to confront the root causes of America's problems. And like it or not, one of the root causes of America's woes is the U.S. military establishment and the entire national-security state, not only with respect to the anti-American anger and hatred they produce by their actions overseas but also by contributing to the out-of-control spending and debt that now constitute a grave threat to the economic well-being of our nation.

Why would anyone want to support people who are doing things that are detrimental to us and our country?

Jacob Hornberger is founder and president of the Future of Freedom Foundation.
http://www.fff.org/blog/jghblog2012-09-21.asp

Why would anyone want to support people who are doing things that are detrimental to us and our country?

Who the f**k does this a$$clown think elects the government that sends these people off to fight wars?

Take a good look in the mirror.. Jacob G. Hornberger ..


You fning idiot..

he ought to compare notes with the Westboro Church!

concerning the OP:

I agree on some points and not others. I too believe troops are only human and are not to be worshipped, revered,,etc,,,,

I understand that part of the OP point of view. They sign on to do a job and then they do it, just like any other working person. We assume they all sign up out of honor, but common sense dictates we cant apply such an absolute to such a large number of people. Some actually are signing on because they dont feel they have other options, or because its a family expectation, or because they dont believe its likely they will face battle and they can obtain free education and training for a career and later receive 'perks' for being in the military (like housing grants for example).

Of course not all military troops are in the military because of some noble or self sacrificing intent and of course MANY troops never see any actual battle.

In peacetime, when we arent engaged in official wars, I usually show respect for troops just like I do for teachers or police or firemen or any other job which includes in its requirements a 'duty' to help or protect others. I cant look into the background of each individual teacher to see if they are actually concerned with helping kids learn(many arent). I cant look into the individual background of every policemen to see if they care about protecting citizens (many are just egotists and bullies who get off on their power). I cant look into the background of every fireman to see if they have actually ever saved a life. But I give the benefit of the doubt based upon the job description. These people arent my 'heros' for they merely do the job they signed a contract to do for pay. (to me, heroes do things that have no monetary gain for themself).


This brings me to the troops. Having been a military wife, having loved ones in both combat and higher ranks of the military. I have a healthy appreciation for them. It is most likely that all of them are not honorable men and women JUST because they signed on to be in the military. Yet, whatever their intent when they sign on, I have the experience of knowing their experience once they are assigned. Even if they NEVER see battle, they and their families suffer great sacrifices, great seperations, intense training, and intense pressure on the job. I respect those who are able to survive those conditions and still be sane. That they are paid keeps them from being a 'hero' to me, but that they are paid doesnt diminish how much they endure on their job.


I dont have a blind and all encompassing worship of everyone and anyone who ever signed a military contract. I understand a much smaller portion of these have ever or will ever see any 'risks' (during peacetime). I do have a healthy respect for those enduring a military life though.


Also, being aware that many who are sent in to battle, sent to face death, are very young and yet to really live life or very poor without very many other opportunities in life. That is why I 'support' the troops, they live by a level of obedience that I believe to be phenomenal.I just dont always support the decisions their bosses bestow upon them.

A blog? How authorative.

A lot of 'em just want to go to the war zone to kill extremist muslims.

Is that a bad thang?

just more of his anti American attitudes

I pray for the troops.

I pray that they wake up and realize they are fighting a war for the Elite Bankers and that they need to come home.

We need them here!

America could be invaded at any moment .... and where are the troops then? They are off fighting a war in some other damn country.

Killing people. I have heard horror stories and I am sure there are "troops" here who have experienced them. War dehumanizes people.

And the veterans are treated like crap! The government does not take care of the vets or the troops. They get inferior equipment, they could be wearing bullet proof armor but nope. Billions of money goes to Halliburton for doing their laundry and it comes back filthy.

Its all about making money. It is not about protecting America.

Troops, COME HOME!

troops have no say in the matter, they are doing what they are told to do.. not supporting is going back to that Vietnam type BS, if you don't want to support someone, then try the people that sent them there, like JB said...

All of it is Vietnam BS. All of it.

This war is no better than any other war, which is all about money.

If these young people had jobs, they would not have joined the service.

They don't want there to be enough jobs. If there were, people would not join the service. They would stay here and raise a family. Instead they go to war and get killed or mutilated.

Tell your children to refuse to join.

What if they had a war and nobody came?

I do tell my kids not to join. Im just not able to trust the potential 'reasons' they may be asked to go risk their life.