Posted on 06/14/2004 8:49:31 AM PDT by oompa-loompa
This weekend I was at a friends party and found myself in a calm debate over the war and PResident Bush. I was speaking with a person who called herself "a screaming left-wing moderate" (as if). She was talking about having been to anti-war demonstrations in Washington DC. I told her that I thought debate and opposition was fine and patriotic up until the first shot is fired but once the war is on- debate is ineffective and can only serve to weaken morale and strengthen the resolve of the enemy.
She went on to ask me a very odd question and as prepared as I was to handle "WMD, no al Queada connection and war for oil" arguments- I must admit I had to stammer when she asked me this-"If Kerry wins in November, and we are still at war in the middle east, will conservatives keep quiet and blindly support him unitl the troops come home?" She smuggly added, "...The way you are asking the left to support Bush just because we are at war." I have to admit it is the first time I have had to think about the possiblity.
My question- "If Kerry wins and we are still at war, are we obliged to give him quiet support until our troops are out of danger?"
As if kerry won't run screaming from any conflict...
Provided Kerry stays the course and finishes the Job over there yes, however if he pulls a Carter and just exits us because he's a Detaunt appeaser, and allows Iraq to fall into chaos then No.
We cannot leave Iraq until the Iraqi government is stable and able to defend itself from the vast attempts by many organizations, mostly exterior to Iraq to destroy it.
We don't blindly support the President on war issues, but reasoned thought about the issue cause many/most conservatives to agree with the way things are going. The question assumes a great deal of unthinking, blind Dubya-worship, which invalidates the question.
I cannot support a man who values thugs and dictators and their Appeasers and Collaborators over the United States of America.
Didn't we support the troops in Kosovo?
This is my biggest fear, that Kerry would be elected president.
I guess I would respond to a person like this that the very thought of Kerry being Commander-in Chief so terrifies me that I will be working very hard to get the vote out for Bush.
Yes, if you have consistent principles, you are obligated to shut up and support the President, whoever he is.
That's why I never make the "shut up and stand behind the President" argument, preferring instead to stick to points that can be defended.
Sure. We can support Kerry for the 15 minutes it takes for him to make the decision to pull the troops out...
No-one's talking about blind support. This is about strategy and tactics. Appeasement, to my mind, is a non-starter. And Kerry's talking about appeasement.
First, there's no such thing as a "left-wing moderate", and certainly not a "screaming" one. No "moderate" attended any anti-war demonstration post 9/11, it's a contradiction in terms. So the person you are talking to is inherently dishonest and has announced that up front. You should take this into account when formulating your answer.
The choice between Bush and Kerry is this: Shall we fight this war to win, or are we willing to accept however many dead result from the cowardice of appeasement and isolationism? By voting Bush, one makes the statement that one is not willing to accept the murder of Americans by jihadis. By voting Kerry, one says that one is perfectly willing to sacrifice one's fellow Americans for no benefit other than a very brief period of smug self-righteous sanctimoniousness.
No one should blindly support him or Bush. Nor should they blindly oppose him or Bush.
It's the dishonesty of the anti-war crowd's arguments that are unpatriotic- not that they oppose the war.
Welcome to FreeRepublic.
bump
It's a straw man. No one is demanding blind support. What we are asking for is that Americans in wartime show a preference for OUR side, the AMERICAN side. Calling the war illegitimate while our troops are on the ground, calling our leadership war criminals, paying more attention to the misfortune of some detained terrorists than to the efforts of our brave fighters is what we are complaining about. No matter who is president, I'd have said to her, I will be supporting our troops by supporting the mission and doing what I can to keep Americans united to win. When, my moderate friend, will you begin to do the same?
Provided Kerry stays the course and finishes the Job .....
I concur but would drop "overthere"
The war on terror must be fought continuously on all fronts...... including Boston and San Francisco.
If and when you have another discussion with this leftist again, you might want to ask her what her position was on Clinton's 1999 action in Kosovo.
If she was silent, or worse, supported the action, then tell her she has ZERO credibility on Iraq.
"Moderate" meaning she's slightly to the right of... Chairman Mao, occasionally?
It's OK for your friend to oppose Bush. It's not OK for your friend to root against the US.
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