Is it right-wing, to demand for better body armor and armored vehicles for troops?

[Smith_3]

I have heard some discussion of people criticizing the Republican Party for failing to supply top grade equipment to the soldiers, and I wonder wether this is really something progressives should embrace. IMO it can only backfire, because talking about getting better protection for the military, although people tend to see this as a clean way of expressing their concern for the troops, is a way of saying we need to make our military more effective at killing innocent people. I think the step from demanding better body armor to demanding better and more destructive missiles is a small one, and I think that the Democrats have stepped into a Republican trap by embracing this topic.

[Wapsie B]

1. Liberals have been saying it for a long time

and were soundly criticized by the gop war machine. Another case of nothing original emanating from the flat earth society.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Being a progressive does not mean you are against the troops

you'd be surprised how many of us are either vets or veteran families

[Name removed]

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[Caution]

3. That's crap. This country needs a military and MANY progressives have family members

serving in the military. It is our responsibility as citizens who are protected by that military to provide them with the best protection that we can.

Body armor and armored transport vehicles don't make them more effective at "killing." Body armor and armored transport vehicles protect the lives of the people who have volunteered their service to protect us.

I disagree with the mission they were sent on. But I certainly support the military as an institution which is there to protect us against all threats.

If you want to argue against maintaining a standing military, that's fine, go ahead and make that argument. But the idea that progressivism and pacifism are equal is simply not the case. Some progressives may be pacifists and some pacifists may be progressives but they most certainly are not the same philosophy of governance.

[TomInTib]

4. What the heck are you talking about?

Humane, maybe.

Caring, you bet.

Compassionate, for sure.

We are talking about our fellow Humans, here.

The fact that innocent people are a constant factor in the costs of combat is, unfortunately, a given.

[asthmaticeog]

5. Demanding better protection for our soldiers is not right wing.

Playing moronic political parlor games while they're dying is. And you seem to be doing that. So who's stepping into a trap?

[blondeatlast]

11. "Political parlor games." I believe you've hit the bullseye on the OP's intention. nt

[varelse]

7. WRONG: It is a way of saying we need to make our military more effective

at bringing our soldiers home whole and alive when the war is over, or their tours of duty are completed. That is not a right wing prerogative; it is part of any patriot's agenda.

[stillcool]

8. Those "troops" are our families..

and our friends. They are being used and abused by the Republican Party, for profit and power. We're all getting screwed, but the price the troops are paying is a crime. Just had another funeral last week. Because I'm a "Democrat", I tried to hold back my tears..as I did not want it to be a 'clean way of expressing my concern for the troops"

[treestar]

9. No, of course not

[blondeatlast]

10. Why make it a political issue?

If this isn't an issue that can unite the two sides, I can't imagine a better one.

[blondeatlast]

12. "I have heard/Some people say..."

Where have I heard that kind of opening so often before--oh, yeah, now I remember--FOX News.

[madrchsod]

13. yes it`s already an issue for the democrats

and believe this will be an issue to use against john in the future

[madrchsod]

14. this is`t the 60`s where we demonized the troops

this war we are on their side.. the thugs are the ones who are against the best interests of our army.

[Juche]

15. I'm progressive and I don't see it that way

If anything one of the reasons I was behind Edwards when he was running was he wanted to expand the US special forces units so we could fight terrorism more effectively. So I'm not opposed to a more competent military.

I think it is rightwing to mindlessly ignore the nuances of foreign policy and throw around simplistic bumper sticker slogans like 'War X is about freedom' and to ignore all the human suffering war causes. Many of our wars have been based on lying to the public and the military so they'd agree to wars over natural resources. The ones we should've fought (peacekeepers in Sudan or Rwanda) never happened.

Seeing how the military and public have been lied to and manipulated into virtually every war we have been involved in I can see your concern. However there is a difference between making sure soldiers aren't dying from IEDs and the politicians who trick the public into agreeing to a war that they themselves wouldn't personally fight in.

[EstimatedProphet]

16. Wrong

We need a military. That is a fact. We don't need militarism though, and militarism is right-wing. Wanting better equipment for our troops to be safer so that they can come home and live the lives they are supposed to live is supporting the military. Wanting our military to roam the world so that we can kick everyone's ass and prove ourselves to be big bad Americans is militarism, and right out of the freeper Nazi manifesto.

[jmowreader]

17. Absolutely not

I've been watching the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Light_Tactical_Vehicle) procurement process. If the JLTV works, and there's no reason why the military can't send each prototype to Iraq to find out, it will really improve the odds of our troops surviving the hell Bush has put them in.

They didn't ask to go to Iraq, it is the responsibility of the American people to ensure those guys have all the protection they need.

[lligrd]

18. Only If You Do So Instead Of Protesting The War In General

Nothing clean about giving up the real fight.

[timtom]

19. The correct meme, of course, is

GET THEIR ASSES OUT OF IRAQ NOW!!!!

Anything else is, as we would say in the Marine Corps, half-stepping.