Iraq and Afghanistan veterans: Do you think the wars were worth fighting?

2014-04-02T01:06:44-04:00

Do you say the wars were worth the costs?

1. 53% say the war in Afghanistan was worth fighting vs. 30% of Americans

2. 44% think Iraq was worth fighting vs. 38% of the general public.

3. 87% of veterans say they feel proud about what they did in the wars.

4. 40% who served in Iraq think the average citizen there appreciates their service.

5. 34% of Afghanistan war veterans feel appreciated by the nation’s citizens.

Were Iraq and Afghanistan worth fighting?

My Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/04/01/do-iraq-and-afghanistan-veterans-think-the-wars-were-worth-fighting/

Do Iraq and Afghanistan veterans think the wars were worth fighting?

A new survey of post-9/11 veterans finds many factors play role in views of wars

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 2 at 2014 3:19 AM

2014-04-02T03:19:21-04:00

My opinion is yes, it was worth it.   Afghanistan was an Al Qaeda safe haven.  Now it isn't.  Saddam Hussein was rattling his saber and making chemical weapon threats.  Now he isn't.  Bin Laden was sitting in a cave making video threats and directing his various cells.  Now he isn't.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Apr 2 at 2014 2:22 PM

2014-04-02T14:22:24-04:00

Of course. Between the deployment reenlistment bonuses, the extra pay, and the operational experience, I hope to go to war with the Bahamas soon... War is why we exist. Without it, it's back to painting rocks and pretending to be real Soldiers...

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Apr 2 at 2014 3:30 PM

2014-04-02T15:30:17-04:00

I absolutely think that both conflicts have been worth it. Although we should have had a better plan of attack in place for "rebuilding" Iraq afterwards, and should not have done a wholesale dismissal of the Iraqi Armed Forces afterwards, we rid a country of one of the worst dictators my generation knew of.

Afghanistan is no longer a safe haven for Al Qaeda, and although I do not think much of Karzai, hopefully the people of Afghanistan will be better off when we leave.

I am very proud of my service in Iraq during OIF and OIF-III and know that the majority of the Iraqi people appreciate what the Armed Forces of the US have done for them, now hopefully their government can live up to the people of Iraq.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 19 at 2014 2:48 AM

2014-04-19T02:48:05-04:00

It was worth removing terror from people. People are quick to forget we were attacked. Were the long term goals defined up front, yes but never altered. Many lessons have been learned the hard way and are still being learned. My only quarrel is that we need to remove the rebuilding as out mission set if the country has no use for it. Germany, Japan, and Korea did but these countries do not.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 19 at 2014 5:53 AM

2014-04-19T05:53:40-04:00

We'll let history decide that one in due time, everything else is personal opinions.<div>I am proud to have had the privilege of fighting along my brothers in Iraq and Afghanistan in support of the nations interest.</div>

Response by SGT Shon D. Hill made May 5 at 2014 2:24 AM

2014-05-05T02:24:11-04:00

It is still too early to declare for sure, but my hope is that the people of both nations have a chance for a better life. I have to believe it was worth something, and I will always be proud to have served with my brothers and sisters there! I tell people who ask me, " yes, a lot of good came of our being there". I feel it's important to stand by my CIC, the US Army, etc., because bad mouthing or anti-government speech just hurts us all.

Response by MSG Martin C. made Jun 14 at 2014 7:15 PM

2014-06-14T19:15:04-04:00

Absolutely I join the Army fully knowing the risk at hand. My orders were to go to Iraq and Afghanistan and do my job to the best of my abilities and to take care of those under me and that is just what I did. Politics will always be politics but the Army it's bigger than that we do it for those we love and those who place their trust in us. In the words of General Patton " one day when I am old and my grandson it's on my lap and asks what did I do for my country during the war? I won't have to reply with I was "shoveling shit in Lousiana"

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2014 4:56 PM

2014-06-15T16:56:51-04:00

"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone had blundered:
Theirs is not to make reply,
Theirs is not to reason why,
Theirs is but to do and die.

When I raised my hand, I wrote a blank check to Uncle Sam: Up to and including my life. I don't choose the fight, I choose the service. I will let history, and our duly elected representatives in this great Republic, decide which cause is truly worthy.

Response by LTC Paul Turevon made Aug 21 at 2014 2:58 PM

2014-08-21T14:58:04-04:00

Interesting OpEd piece in the 21 Aug edition of the Wall Street Journal. Here is Brian Welke's view of "Was Iraq Worth It?" He deployed to Iraq in 2005.

http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/brian-m-welke-was-iraq-worth-it-it-was-for-me [login to see] -lMyQjAxMTA0MDIwMTEyNDEyWj

Was Iraq Worth It? It Was for Me

In The Wall Street Journal, Brian M. Welke says it was in the sands of Ramadi that he learned most people want to be masters of their own fate.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 22 at 2014 11:54 AM

2014-08-22T11:54:53-04:00

I think we may have stirred up a hornet's nest in Iraq that manifested itself as sectarian violence while we was there, that has turned into a hornet's mansion with the current situation there. Saddam, as bad as he was, kept the the extremists in check. Should we have gone in? Perhaps, but maybe we should have done it differently. How so?...Well, I'm not really sure. I am proud of my service in Iraq, but not sure if we went about it the right way.

Afghanistan, in my opinion, was warranted. We know that country, along with Pakistan, was the planning place for 9/11. However, we should have left a long time ago.

Was it all worth it? I say yes and no.

Response by A1C Chris Luddeni made Jan 2 at 2015 7:04 AM

2015-01-02T07:04:57-05:00

Aside fro all the political bull shit that "They did this" and "He lied" and"He did this for..." Every member of the United States Military should be proud of their contribution to any conflict or war, or skirmish that happens anytime. The United States military is the strongest military in the world and every member and fellow countryman should be damn proud of each and every member. I know I am very proud to have worn the uniform as well as now supporting each and every one of my brothers and sisters in all branches who are still active. God Bless each and every one of you!

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Jan 23 at 2015 12:50 PM

2015-01-23T12:50:07-05:00

If you use percentages in an argument, you should always quote the source. Otherwise, 93.48% of the time the terrorists win.

Response by SGT James Elphick made Jan 23 at 2015 1:45 PM

2015-01-23T13:45:15-05:00

I think there are some things in those numbers that aren't telling the whole story. Were the wars worth fighting for? I say yes, but I would venture that many soldiers said no because of how they were handled. The mismanagement of the 2 wars and the apathetic public really left a sour taste in the mouths of many soldiers. Not to mention how long they have dragged on. In my opinion that is probably skewing the numbers downward.

Response by 1SG Nathanial Wood made Jan 28 at 2015 6:25 PM

2015-01-28T18:25:52-05:00

Doesn't matter what I think. I swore to follow the orders of the Officers appointed over me. They told me to go, I went.

Response by CDR Michael Goldschmidt made Jun 2 at 2015 8:42 PM

2015-06-02T20:42:36-04:00

Not even close. As a result, our government is much deeper in debt, Iraq is destabilized, and the Afghanis are still unable to organize their own country. Epic fails. Neither one, as it turns out, was worth one drop of American blood.

Response by SSG(P) Matthew Bisbee made Jun 3 at 2015 7:21 PM

2015-06-03T19:21:50-04:00

I served in Afghanistan and feel that OEF was worth fighting for. We helped created the initial instability in both Afghanistan (by turning our backs in the 1980's when the USSR pulled out) and in my book, if you make a mess in someone else's house, it is your obligation to try to clean it up.
I cannot say if fighting in Iraq was worth it. I do feel that our leaders failed to follow the lessons of the past by starting another war while still fighting in Afghanistan. We should have finished one fight before starting another. All we managed to do was split our available forces and equipment so that we didn't have the resources in either theater of operation to effectively and efficiently do the job. I am not saying we should not have invaded Iraq...we just should have completed more in Afghanistan before doing so.

Response by SSG Kevin McCulley made Jun 3 at 2015 8:17 PM

2015-06-03T20:17:46-04:00

Absolutely....until the election the incumbent thief-in-chief. Man.. I sincerely wish misfortune upon everyone who voted for him.. and I don't give a damn if you won the MoH.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Jun 5 at 2015 4:13 AM

2015-06-05T04:13:41-04:00

Iraq was BS. The twin towers, flight 93, and the pentagon were attacked and the soul supporter and planner of that was Bin Laden who was in Afghanistan or some where around there so we invaded Iraq. Okay, that makes sense to me, NOT. Its not a question of whether it was worth it or not; it is a question of was it legal or not.

Response by CDR Michael Goldschmidt made Jul 9 at 2015 1:41 PM

2015-07-09T13:41:26-04:00

In a word? No.

Response by 1SG Michael Blount made Feb 26 at 2016 9:52 AM

2016-02-26T09:52:18-05:00

Iraq - No
Afghanistan - Yes