Just telling it like it is:

In the recent political battle around the Marine recruiting station in Berkeley there has been much confusion around the concept or slogan of “supporting the troops,” but opposing the unjust wars of the Bush regime. Many who oppose the Bush regime wars also say they “support the troops.” Let me say it straight out—I do not support the troops and neither should you. It is objectively impossible to support the troops of the imperialist military forces of the U.S. and at the same time oppose the wars in which they fight.

The United States has over 700 military bases or sites located in over 130 foreign countries. The hundreds of thousands of troops stationed in these countries are not there to preserve or foster freedom and democracy as the Bush regime would like to claim, but to maintain U.S. imperialist domination of the world. The United States now spends more on its military than all the other nations of the world combined.

If you “support the troops” in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the other more than 100 countries in which they are located, you also objectively support U.S. hegemony in the world. I believe that the vast majority of people who say they support the troops do not wish to support U.S. imperialism, but that is what they are really doing by putting forth the slogan of “support the troops.”

We need to oppose the recruitment of men and women into the military. We need to support resisters within the military who have realized what they are doing and now choose to resist the role of the U.S. military. This includes people such as Lt. Ehren Watada who refused to deploy to Iraq. Watada stated, “Never did I imagine my president would lie to go to war, condone torture, spy on Americans…” He was the first officer to refuse to go to Iraq and he was court-martialed. Another resister is Camilo Mejia. In 2004 Sergeant Mejia was sentenced to one year in prison when he was court-martialed for refusing to assist the military in Iraq. Mejia said, “I am only a regular person that got tired of being afraid to follow his own conscience. For far too long I allowed others to direct my actions even when I knew that they were wrong….”

Mr. Theisen certainly has spoken his mind hasn’t he?

Here are a few elementary questions for this gentleman.

Where exactly would this country be if it were not for those who chose to fight for her independence?

Would we have survived WWII by simply folding our hands in our lap and wishing away those who certainly would have invaded and secured our homeland?

Do you believe that every man and woman who has given their life for the safety and security of our country has died in vain?

And finally, if Berkeley were under attack today by some foreign entity, who sir are you going to call? Perhaps you believe the local police force could save you and yours.

Oh well, honesty is golden..and freedom of speech is guaranteed. Therefore, I’ll exercise mine.

If living in the United States of American with its “imperialistic system” and those recruited to be “killing machines” is so disagreeable, I suggest you try residing elsewhere. This is not to suggest that diverse opinions are not welcome here..I simply wonder how free you would be to express them in many of the countries you claim we have “oppressed.”

HT:Lucianne

A late addition to this post…

Got to go get me some of those pink duds….not. Imagine how the Marines must smile inside as they pass these individuals on the street.