This country would be nothing without the brave men and women who have risked their safety and even their lives in the military throughout history. The Iraq war, which has stretched over the past seven years, has caused a lot of chaos regarding support for our soldiers, and what exactly the phrase “support our troops” means.

The problem, of course, is making distinctions between supporting our troops and supporting the conflicts our government has them engage in, with the problem really showing up in two forms. The first problem is that there are people who insist that anyone who doesn’t support the Iraq war doesn’t support the troops. This is a gross misconception.

While many people, including myself, have not supported the Iraq war, it’s unfair to say that people like myself don’t support the troops. I have nothing but the utmost respect for the people who offer their time and put their lives on the line to keep this country safe. The people who enlist into the armed services to keep our nation safe and to protect its interests are nothing short of heroes, and when people use political differences to try to create distortions of these images, it’s completely appalling. Most opponents of the nation’s occupation of Iraq I’ve spoken too in the past feel the same.

This is a two-way road. While most people who are against the Iraq war understand the commitment our soldiers and veterans have made, and how it is a great service to our country, there are people who use the Iraq war as justification to demean the contributions our military has made to this nation. The soldiers who are overseas weren’t the ones who decided to invade Iraq. They aren’t even all in support of the war, but they give their all regardless, because that is the commitment they’ve made to serve the nation.

It is important to keep the distinction between the war and the men and women who fight that war clear, and It is important that we show our respect and gratitude not only to those who fight overseas today, but all those who have served our nation throughout its history.