What Does "Support Our Troops" Mean?

The other night, while driving home on the freeway from a distant tennis event, I passed a billboard exhorting "Support Our Troops." Alone in my car, I had the time to contemplate that directive.

I wondered about the implications of that command. I also wondered who is posting and paying for these signs.

U.S. troops haven't defended our freedom for a while.
This is a red-herring justification. Military action
is ALWAYS the action/enforcement tool of
governmental policy, which is rarely directly about
defending our freedom, and is usually worthy
of scrutiny and critical thinking. Respect and
honor our troops, but scrutinize and question
governmental policy.

It may be that the sign sponsors are well-intentioned innocents, who are merely looking out for the morale of the soldiers, who might be laying their lives on the line to do their jobs.

Now certainly I believe that soldiers deserve our respect, and I will always offer respect to them. It is brave, heroic, and honorable for a soldier to do his or her duty. No doubt about it.

Yet I wonder: what does it mean, exactly, to "support our troops"? If it means to pay respect, I'm in.

However, it's important to realize that military actions are the muscle that sometimes enforces governmental policy. And clearly governmental policy is not always right. Hindsight at the Viet Nam conflict proves that the government makes policy mistakes, which many hawks of that era admitted in retrospect. Robert McNamara is a prime example of that about face.

More recently, we invaded Iraq and started a chain reaction of unforseen events that have resulted in seemingly endless war. Actually, if one looks back on this Iraq-invasion debacle, it is clear that the government actually never considered their exit strategy at all. Apparently they assumed we'd go in, kick ass, establish a U.S.-friendly government, and withdraw with our oil supply maintained and stability in the region re-established.

Didn't end up quite like that, did it?

So I will support and honor U.S. military troops, but I reserve the right to speak out against unwise U.S. policy, which may involve the deployment of troops and resulting casualties. Like those who misunderstand flag or anthem protests as somehow disrespecting the military, there may be those who misunderstand protests against specific governmental policy and resulting military action. This is unfortunate, but likely unavoidable. There are always those who take offense when others have opinions that are more deeply reasoned and more nuanced than my country: love it or leave it.

Pay attention to what your government is doing. Understand how some (such as Trump) try to misdirect your attention. Act peaceably. Vote wisely, thoughtfully.