Snazzy, I share a lot of the same views as you, but it is very difficult to defend your posts.

Whatdidyousay:
You might as well pack it in; you’re casting pearls before swine, and a light-weight swine at that. Once somebody cites Mikey Moore as factual, much less an authoritative source, they’ve lost all credibility. The unprovoked racist slurs further invalidate any hope of an intelligent argument. The prose that ranks barely a half-step above functional illiteracy is the third strike. You might attract a worthy foe as November draws nearer, but you haven’t found one here!

Whatdidyousay,
While much of what Obama and Hillary are proposing may seem like socialism when compared to where our country is right now, it is still far from it. If you disagree, then simply compare it to what many governments in the European Union have done, and works for them. Those countries certainly are not socialist or communist. Also, no one can deny that communism looks great on paper... it's a solid idea that would work if only human inhibitions did not interfere.
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Snazzy is right, Bush has been a terrible president... and I do not believe that any of the three current contenders could possibly do as bad as Bush has. We're almost at rock bottom right now... there's no where to go but up. I don't think McCain would really make much of a difference, though... he'd get us going in the right direction, sure, but not too efficiently. I think Obama is the perfect candidate for the job, and Hillary would also do well. She kind of falls in between Obama and McCain, though...

thekai, with all due respect, and I believe snazzy showed you all due respect, also (and we DO owe YOU that in spades), the fighting of is not the same as initiating and “running” of a war. The motive and morality (or lack of) behind war is not decided by those who risk their lives fighting it, so I think snazzy or any American should at least able to have an opinion in his/her own mind if it was the thing to do-and can state that opinion out loud-or we can assume that these freedoms are not what you and other brave soldiers are fighting for. I can't imagine the "whole picture" is any more available to individual troops on the piece of ground they are defending, protecting, or....?
We should also be free to form an opinion about our leaders without fear of repercussion or being called "unpatriotic", or worse.
And, those opinions are very much changing to the negative-no one can deny that.

Snazzy,
First of all, if you have never been to war, then it's a very bad idea for you to try to tell a veteran of war what war is all about.
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Secondly, I agree that we shouldn't be in Iraq, but there is absolutely NO reason you should be disrespecting Whatdidyousay and his/her opinions. Regardless of the personal beliefs of Whatdidyousay, he still made a sacrifice to you, your parents, and future generations that most people are not willing to make.
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It's great to have your own opinion, but you have to respect the fact that other people can have their own opinions as well. Just because they are in stark contrast of your own doesn't mean that person is any less of a man or woman.

Whatdidyousay,
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The President must seek congressional approval to invade any country or to use our army in any offensive matter... but the president is granted the power to use the Marine Corps to invade any state at any time, without approval (I believe for up to 90 days.) That's why we are the president's army. (I'm guessing you knew that though... but your post didn't cover that.)

Well said

thekai, The last section of your post should cover all viewpoints. The middle section of your post is what makes you a hero to all of us, no matter what our personal viewpoints are. Thank you for being there for all of us.
And, I also agree with a lot of snazzy’s more casually stated beliefs.

For anyone who is having trouble understanding what men and women are dieing for over in Iraq...
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I have wanted to join the Marine Corps since I was in fourth grade. It was a dream of mine to serve my country long before I could have possibly ever fully understood just what that meant. When Bush was elected in 2000, I was fairly involved in politics, and very upset that he won. When the events took place on 9/11, it didn't motivate me any more to serve my country, because I already wanted to serve with my whole heart. When we invaded Iraq in 2003, the proposition of actually fighting in a war didn't deter me from wanting to become a Marine. When Bush was re-elected in 2004, even though I knew he would be president for the ENTIRE time I would be in the Marine Corps, it didn't stop me from going to boot camp. I became a Marine to defend this country. I don't think we should be in Iraq, but if I let that stop me from joining the Marine Corps and someone else attacked us, I could never let myself down. If there is ever a real threat to our freedom, I'll be the first in line to fight.
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I know that most Americans, for and against the war, Bush, or Republicans, understand that servicemen and women do not get to decide the wars they fight in. Please do also understand that we are here to defend against any enemy, not just to fight in Iraq.

Northman-as I suggested in an earlier post, I find your posts to be intelligent, informative, and understandable. I never doubted you knew the meaning of the words you wrote. I never implied you are not allowed to have your opinions about this subject and post them. Debate is good. But you should not be allowed to put your own slant (that we disrespect) on the meaning of the statements of others. I was disputing the accuracy of your words “snide” and “denigrating” ONLY as you attributed them to those who were concerned that the deaths of our service men and women were “in vain”. I found your words “snide” and “denigrating”, well, snide and denigrating-much like some find the term “wasted” distasteful as it pertains to the lives of our fallen service men and women. Once and for all, everyone who opposes this war DOES NOT DISRESPECT those who were sent to physically fight it! If some think these lives were wasted, that probably means they think we should not have gone to Iraq. So? That is their opinion. Lot's of people share it. It doesn't change anything. But most of us are also well aware that, like marinewife said, these men and women were living up to the oath they took. Those who served honorably are heroes-even if it turns out the whole Iraq scenario turns out to be a fiasco. I believe benneton has a right to have her question addressed repectfully. We all want to be reassured that the right thing is being done. It’s better than not caring.

RUSerious:

I don’t know why you would assume I like to pepper my posts with words I don’t understand, but it isn’t so. I’ve had an OED for years and actually know how to use it.
You can dance around all you like, but the posts I was commenting on clearly indicated that the posters believe the service people in Iraq have wasted their lives. If the posters meant otherwise, they should have said otherwise.
Everyone can express an opinion – that’s why this blog is here. By expressing mine, it doesn’t mean I believe no one else should express theirs. Though you seem to be implying that I shouldn’t post mine, if it is contrary to yours.

Northman, Snide means nasty, mean and vicious, but my take on bennetonf1’s comments were that it churns HER stomach to think that their deaths were in vain. I think it would make her, and anyone else who feels this same way, very sad and sorry-not mean and vicious, and certainly not denigrating their sacrifices. Denigrating means belittling or minimizing. No one denies that they paid the maximum price while doing what they thought was the right thing to do-OR-doing what their government told them to do. We would love to, but can’t be forced to, believe it has or will eventually pay off. That does not make us bad citizens. These thousands who died serving their country will never have the same ability to enjoy the freedoms we have. (and those freedoms should include the right to speak our mind) And how many Iraqis have died? I can’t even find a figure!! And they can’t identify or even find all the bodies. And for those who still think it’s related to the tower casualties in NYC- (which was said in an earlier post I responded to, and which we were originally supposed to believe, before that idea just faded away) all the deaths in Iraq have far, far surpassed those nearly 3000. BUT, how many deaths have been PREVENTED by us being there? Here’s another blank for you to fill in______
Why do you not want those people who feel that way to express their opinions, too?

Their lives are not "wasted" because of the simple fact they are following through with the oath they took when they joined our armed forces. Even if they don't particularly like the job at hand....they complete it. Even at great costs.

"I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

If you want someone to give you a straight answer as to your "blank" question bennetonf1...call the President.

Going back to my flag waving now.

Northman,
I am looking for a straight answer such as "We are fighting and dying in Iraq because they threaten our freedom". Or, we need to kill them before they kill us. Or, we need to stop their religion before it takes over the world. My Father and Uncles were in the service. I have several friends that have been in Iraq or Afganistan. I mean no disrespect to anyone that chooses to serve.
It does seem, however, that for all the flag waving patriotism that is shown in this thread, noone can offer a simple answer to what is a simple question.

RUSerious:

It goes back to the comment that prompted my posting. Where bennetonf1 asks to “fill in this blank”, it’s a rather snide way of saying these soldiers died for nothing. And frankly, that just churns up my stomach. The “free ride” has nothing to do with taxes. It has to do with enjoying the freedoms we have in this country, while denigrating the sacrifices of the people who are paying for that freedom.

Northman, in my very own humble opinion, your words were very wise, well put together, and most likely, the truth. You, of course, didn’t cover the whole subject, though, concerning how we get there, etc, etc. But I can’t imagine anyone faulting the logic of what you did say. Until the last line. If some people don’t see the reasoning and logic about why we went to Iraq in the first place, or think the whole thing doesn’t seem to quite add up, you are one of those who say they are criticizing the defenders of our country, those men and women whose predecessors did fight for that very right to question? And by defenders I mean the actual men and women putting their lives on the line by being there. Where do you see these men and women being berated, hated, and blamed for the whole thing? And why are you assuming the ones who really do “criticize” (the war and/or president-not the service men and women fighting it for them) are taking a free ride? Do you know for a fact that none of the criticizers of the war are peacefully (so more often unnoticed) doing anything to benefit his fellow countrymen or global citizen? Not to mention, of course, paying taxes to fund the whole mess.

benneton:

The answer that goes in your blank is “their country”. The military is not like GM. You don’t just wake up one day and decide you want out. It’s like a roller-coaster. You can decide to get in line, or not, but once you’re strapped up, you’re in for the ride, pal.
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I don’t know anybody who joined the military because they wanted to serve Carter, or Reagan, or Bush, or Clinton. They all joined to serve the USA. They joined because they like this country, admire it even, and know that preserving our freedoms is worth their sacrifice. Every president is going to do things that folks in uniform don’t agree with. And every president is viewed by some in uniform with a degree of animosity. But you don’t serve the man, you serve the office. And if you’re told to go to Somalia, or Bosnia, or Afghanistan, or Iraq, you pack up your kit and go.
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As I said before, you don’t have to understand the war, or agree with it. In 30 years, we may look back and say it was a bad idea, or it may stand out as the first rickety step towards peace and democracy in the Mideast. But the folks who are fighting there today are there because they believe in their country. The only waste is that some folks just don’t get it, and are happy to take a free ride while they criticize our country’s defenders.

My dear leesbunny, Don't YOU remember that was only an excuse in 2003 to go to Iraq, that Iraq as a country did not formulate the plan to destroy those buildings in 2001? That does nothing to fill in bettenton's blank.
But yes, their deaths were indeed also a waste.

Doesn't anyone remember what happened on 9/11? Are we just supposed to let terrorists bomb our country and kill 3000 people? Their deaths were a waste.

I'm trying to understand all of this, really.
Please fill in this blank for me:
My Husband/Son/Daughter was killed in Iraq. I'm so proud of them because they died for _______.

Somebody has to to the job. I feel this war is justified. Therefore any loss of life is NOT a waste.That is fine, you have your opinion and I strongly stand by mine and our service men and women. Write your congressman/woman.
As for a noble cause? What is a noble cause for me might not be for you. Everything is objectionable.

Pray tell what is this noble cause we are fighting for??????
An unjustified loss life is a waste.

Very well said Northman. Having a husband who has served twice in Iraq, and is now a reserve... I would hate for him to think that his time served there was a waste.

I agree. It is very sad. I sometimes why this war is being fought, but I am very quick to offer my gratitude to all of our service men and women when given a chance.

No one is wasting their lives over there... I'm opposed to the war, but I would still go if my unit asked me to deploy, because I know there is another Marine there waiting for me to take his place.

Northman WELL SAID!!!!!

Tragic, yes, and very sad. But not a “waste”. Those men died serving their country. You may not agree or understand why US forces are in Iraq, but the servicemen and women who die there are not wasting their lives.

Such as waste.
Why?!?!?!?!?

My thoughts and prayers are with these soldiers' family.