War divides; pride unites (Stats of military town's feelings re: Iraq)

[SaveAmerica]

http://www.fayettevilleobserver.com/story.php?Template=local&Story=7053349

(This article is full of very good information about how military and civilians in Ft. Bragg and Fayetteville NC feel about Iraq, whether we should be there, how serving there has changed some etc. I'll try to copy the most eye-opening stats but the entire thing is worth a read.)

War divides; pride unites

By Matt Leclercq
Staff writer

*Half of the people living in Cumberland County believe the war in Iraq has been worth fighting, according to a poll conducted for The Fayetteville Observer this spring.

*The poll's findings suggest that nearly three years of heavy deployments have taken a toll - on attitudes about the war, on marriages and family finances, and on the desire of service members to stay in uniform.

# One in four residents of Cumberland County, regardless of whether they had any connection to the military, personally knew someone killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. A larger portion of people - nearly 40 percent - know someone who was wounded. About 1,900 service members have died in the two conflicts; another 13,000 have been wounded.

# Nearly half of people say the conflicts have had a negative effect on the local economy. Even more people - 64 percent - feel that military communities such as Fayetteville shoulder an "unfair" share of war's economic burdens. Yet a third of people say war has benefited the local economy, and 12 percent said it has made no difference.

# Fifty percent of people think peace protests held in Fayetteville, such as the March 19 rally at Rowan Street Park, "insult" soldiers at war. Forty-percent of people don't believe that such protests are insulting.

# Among people who have been deployed - or have had a spouse or relative deploy - nearly a third say the deployments have decreased their desire to be in the military.

# On whether war in Iraq has been worth fighting - considering the costs to the U.S. compared to the benefits - 50 percent say "yes." Forty-four percent say "no."

[deadparrot]

1. Those stats are interesting.

Thought they'd be much more slanted toward the pro-war stance, considering it's a military town. I'm encouraged...

[bluestateguy]

2. Public opinion is moving in the right direction

Not fast enough for my wishes, but this community seems to be rather lukewazm in their support for the war. That is very different from 2 years ago.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. report from san diego

this is a military town

Well went shoping intending to leave a how to join the US Army on any vehicle sporting suport he troops, or W in 04 sticker that DID NOT have a DoD sticker

To my shock and dismay found none

Things are definitely changing folks

[Straight Shooter]

4. bush's propaganda: to support the troops, you must support the war.

It's very difficult for people close to the military or in the military to objectively separate the two. There seems to be a psychological barrier, as if by openly opposing the war, we undermine their morale.

The truth is, by opposing the war, we honor our troops, because it means we value their lives and their profession and do not wish to squander them.

As a (former and forever) military brat, I say bring them home. Bring them home now.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[redwitch]

6. how bizarre

i don't get it, please explain what you are talking about and how it relates to the original post.

i find your post disturbing and inappropriate

and I cannot imagine how one "debates " the Holocaust. It happened. It was evil.

[Frederik]

7. He posts the same post in every thread

"War for Zion" "I'm not denying the Holocaust, but..."

Hmmm, what's that smell?

[redwitch]

8. I have not come across him before

yuk.

[Frederik]

9. No, he just appeared

and appears to have been tombstoned already :)

He dumped that post in every thread related to the war.