Support The Troops - More Than A Slogan

On an average day I hear dozens of politicians talking about how important it is to support U.S. troops on the battlefield in Iraq. Unfortunately, both Republicans and Democrats are using these brave men and women for political purposes. Republicans believe the best way to honor U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq is to rally around the troops until they achieve victory in Iraq. Democrats, on the other hand, believe that bringing U.S. troops home as soon as possible is what would be best for all members of the U.S. armed services. While there are some U.S. troops that have gone on the record as wanting to come home before their mission is completed in Iraq, the vast majority of U.S. forces want to "stay the course" and defeat terrorism in Iraq in order to protect the United States from future attacks.

I believe that most Americans would prefer a victory in Iraq rather than a quick pull out that will lead to the murder of thousands of people there that have supported U.S. military actions. The reason why most Americans are against the War in Iraq in public opinion polls is because most of the war coverage that is shown on television is of a negative nature. Yes, war is bad and innocent people always get caught up in the crossfire and are killed in any type of military action. However, there are good things happening in Iraq and the mainstream news media are just not coving these stories enough, but instead focusing on the raw blood and guts coverage they have been known for, for decades.

To the detriment of U.S. troops, both Republicans and Democrats have made the War in Iraq a political "hot potato" and members of the armed services are being used as pawns in this game of chicken. I admit that I believe we should stay in Iraq until the mission is completed, but I have not always felt that way. A couple of years ago I began thinking that the Iraq War might be a lost cause and the best move for U.S. leaders might be to bring our troops home as soon as possible. However, the General David Petraeus Report has changed my mind because the U.S. troop surge in Iraq seems to have worked very well and the problem all along might be the result of President Bush committing too few troops to the post Iraqi War effort.

There were war experts that warned even before U.S. troops entered Iraq that the United States did not have enough "boots on the ground" to do the job properly. Of course, these voices were negatively dismissed by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, VP Cheney and President Bush. However, the wisdom of their advice appears to have been right on the money using 20/20 hindsight. I wish there was some way that the Iraq War could be looked at as a fight that could and should be won, instead of a politically charged war where Republicans and Democrats are using brave men and women as a political football to either gain or maintain their power base in the 2008 elections.

Read more about Iraq War:

Hick From The Sticks Wins Again
What Is President Bush's End Game?
President Bush's War Credibility Gone
Polls Drive Network Iraq War Coverage
President Addresses The Nation - Iraq War