Iraq, Afghanistan wars not worth fighting, many vets say

[cal04]

Source: MSNBC

Pew report examines attitudes on conflicts, terrorism and burdens and rewards of military

As the United States marks 10 years of war, only a third of the veterans of the post-9/11 era say that the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq have both been worth fighting, according to a new Pew Research Center report.

While a majority of veterans are proud of their military service, about half say that relying too much on military might to defeat terrorist organizations fuels hatred and that only begets more terrorism.

They are among the key findings from the Pew Research Center, which explored the experiences and attitudes of post-9/11 veterans, pre-9/11 veterans and the general public. Researchers explored such matters as sacrifice, patriotism, the worth of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the best way to fight terrorism, and the gaps in understanding between the military and civilians. The report, titled "The Military-Civilian Gap," was to be released Wednesday.
Read the Pew report on veterans attitudes (PDF)




Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44777299/ns/us_news-life/

[msongs]

1. who knew murdering civilians with unseen drones was bad PR? not anyone in DC nt

[dkf]

4. That's the part that works.

It's the other stuff that doesn't.

[PETRUS]

2. Sorry, soldiers. You'll be welcomed with open arms...

...in Zuccotti Park.

[Nostradammit]

3. Not worth fighting?!! Don't they realize how much $$$ has been made?!

What, were they too dumb not to have invested in Kellog, Brown and Root or Blackwater?


Not worth fighting - yeesh!

I've heard everything now...






:sarcasm:

[No Elephants]

5. I am very grateful that people volunteer to die or be maimed

for my safety and yours, if and when necessary, even though I am not attached to staying alive per se.

And the members of our military should be beyond very proud that they are the ones who volunteer for that. Not many would.

Proud of their military service in wars that were not worth fighting, though?

I need to meditate on that before I can fully grasp it.

I know that many who volunteered or were drafted in WW II had a very different attitude from their sons who volunteered or were drafted during the Vietnam War. Yet the fathers and sons were also beyond very proud of each other.

I know that because quite a few of both categories were in my family and my husband's family, not because I read it somewhere.

[underpants]

6. Poll: 1 in 3 vets sees Iraq, Afghan wars as wastes

Source: AP-Yahoo

WASHINGTON (AP) — One in three U.S. veterans of the post-9/11 military believes the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting, and a majority think that after 10 years of combat America should be focusing less on foreign affairs and more on its own problems, according to an opinion survey released Wednesday.

The findings highlight a dilemma for the Obama administration and Congress as they struggle to shrink the government's huge budget deficits and reconsider defense priorities while trying to keep public support for remaining involved in Iraq and Afghanistan for the longer term.

The poll results presented by the Pew Research Center portray post-9/11 veterans as proud of their work, scarred by warfare and convinced that the American public has little understanding of the problems that wartime service has created for military members and their families.

The Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan organization that studies attitudes and trends, called the study the first of its kind. The results were based on two surveys conducted between late July and mid-September. One polled 1,853 veterans, including 712 who had served in the military after 9/11 but are no longer on active duty. Of the 712 post-9/11 veterans, 336 served in Iraq or Afghanistan. The other polled 2,003 adults who had not served in the military

Read more: http://youtu.be/LFB6LQ1-WKU

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http://news.yahoo.com/photos/graphic-highlights-pew-poll-responses-questions-military-photo-071912086.html

[dmosh42]

7. Would be nice to hear why the 'majority' feel there was some....

value in spending almost 10 years, and an unknown amount of money occupying those two countries. We now have a solid block of the Iraqi population in control, and who consider themselves to be allies to Shiite Iran. Nice going Bush & Cheney!

[Crowman1979]

8. The majority probably never served in Iraq or Afghanistan.

[Robb]

10. "Veterans of the post-9/11 military" probably *mostly* fought in Iraq or Afghanistan.

[Crowman1979]

14. I'm talking about the majority in this survey who thought Iraq and Afghanistan was worth fighting.

They probably never left the states.

[mother earth]

9. Sentiments no doubt matched by those at home. End war!

[Pacifist Patriot]

11. Interesting. My experience is anecdotal rather than measured, but....

in ten years I've only found one military veteran out of hundreds I've spoken to who felt it was worth fighting.

[underpants]

12. Poll: 1 in 3 vets sees Iraq, Afghan wars as wastes

This thread has been combined with another thread.

Click here to read this message in its new location.

[Enrique]

13. numbers are confusing

I've seen headlines, "only 1/3 of troops say wars have been worth it" and other headlines "1/3 of troops say wars have not been worth it".

I thought, ok, which one got it wrong? But in fact they're both right:

. Only one-third (34 percent) say that both wars have been worth fighting and 33 percent say that neither war has been worth the cost.