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My opinion isn't the question here. I'm observing first that there are many people who profess that one or more of our multiple wars are immoral; and second, th

My opinion isn't the question here. I'm observing first that there are many people who profess that one or more of our multiple wars are immoral; and second, that they simultaneously profess that the soldiers fighting deserve our support rather than scorn for supporting the putatively unjust war. If you believe that the war is unjust, and you believe that it's the duty of a soldier (or any person) to refuse to perform immoral acts, then consistency dictates that you should condemn the soldiers fighting in those wars, not revere them.

nate_meurer 13y ago
That's a pretty black-and-white world you're trying to impose on folks. I've spoken with a lot of Iraq war veterans. Every one of them has qualms with how the war was conducted, and many have doubts about the reasons for invading. But the things they have in common are an underlying desire to to "protect" their country in some sense, and the willingness to die for that cause. There's plenty of room there for both disagreement and respect.
- CWuestefeld 13y ago
  I think you're still misunderstanding. This doesn't have anything to do with the motivations of the soldiers. I have friends who are absolutist peacenik liberals, who thing that GWB should burn in hell for all eternity for inveigling us in Iraq, because of "war for oil", "Halliburton will destroy the country", etc. From the point of view of one of these people, there is no moral authority to wage the war; to them, it IS black and white. Yet these very same people utter the "support our heroic troops" mantra. Given that someone is such an extremist in their opposition to the war, it's impossible to square that person's professed beliefs with their support of the soldiers waging that war. That is, unless we're willing to discard the idea that all people are morally bound to refuse to execute immoral commands.

nate_meurer 13y ago

That's a pretty black-and-white world you're trying to impose on folks. I've spoken with a lot of Iraq war veterans. Every one of them has qualms with how the war was conducted, and many have doubts about the reasons for invading. But the things they have in common are an underlying desire to to "protect" their country in some sense, and the willingness to die for that cause. There's plenty of room there for both disagreement and respect.

CWuestefeld 13y ago
I think you're still misunderstanding. This doesn't have anything to do with the motivations of the soldiers. I have friends who are absolutist peacenik liberals, who thing that GWB should burn in hell for all eternity for inveigling us in Iraq, because of "war for oil", "Halliburton will destroy the country", etc. From the point of view of one of these people, there is no moral authority to wage the war; to them, it IS black and white. Yet these very same people utter the "support our heroic troops" mantra. Given that someone is such an extremist in their opposition to the war, it's impossible to square that person's professed beliefs with their support of the soldiers waging that war. That is, unless we're willing to discard the idea that all people are morally bound to refuse to execute immoral commands.