during a time of war why is it so important for a president to have experienced war first hand or has dealt?
347341
So that he knows about the danger, trauma, and how killing impacts a solder.  There is no other way to know without experiencing it first hand.  Just like you cannot explain what its like to have sex, unless you've had it yourself.   A pretty politician might be able to talk fancy, and make crowd pleasing anit-war speeches, and sound like he is here to help, but no solder ever forgets the trauma of close quarter battle, even if he later becomes a politician.  The man who has the power to send men to their death, owns it to them to have been at least willing to do the same with his life.  If he wasn't willing to serve, and willing to fight for battles that he doesn't necessarily believe in, then he doesn't have the right to order others to do so.  THAT IS WHY.  It's simply a matter of principle.
196639
Wars happen for two reasons.\n\n1. To expand power.\n2. To protect existing power.\n\nAny other reasons given are what we tell ourselves to make us feel better.
852511
Obviously you have valuable experience that would help in the current conflict.\n\nUS troops should be open to hearing other perspectives.\n\nHowever, the real problem is NOT with the troops, it's with the President who put them in Iraq in the first place, and who fails to give them the support to do their job right.\n\nIt's the President who really should have listened to the other countries in the UN years ago, who said give the weapons inspectors time to do their job. But no, he had to invade, and there were no wmds.\n\nPlease don't blame the US troops - they are doing the best they can under the circumstances. Blame the Americans for electing Bush again, and blame bush for not listening to the experience of other countries.\n\nNow that we have voted in a Democratic congress and senate, things will change rapidly.
122333
For the United States, only the Congress has the power to declare war.  The War Powers Act gives limit authority to the President to send US troops into combat, and requires him to report to Congress within a specified period of time.\n\nAnd of course all our enemies can declare war against us at any time.
835087
First of all,war was not declaired in Vietnam.We were the allies & were asked to help!\nSecond of all,no US president can declair war & send anyone to fight without the agreement of congress & all others involved.\nI bekieve that these folks bekieve like I do!The president was right,because if we sit back & take their BS,then they gain power over our will as well as our country.\nHow many of you will run & cower when we are threated again on our own soil?As for me,I will pick up my nearest gun,stick,nail gun,drill,basebal bat,or what ever I can get my hands on & start kicking butt until I die!
165762
you must remember that you live in a country that was founded on greed and bloodshed. every advancement this country has ever made has been because of greed. and our president is looked at as the most powerful man in the country. the two will just never mix.
511287
how do you define a declared war from a conflict as the u s a has been involved in wars and conflicts .
64328
Yes, yes, and yes.  \n\nRoosevelt was reelected during the war.\n\nThere HAS to be an election every 4 years, it's in the Constitution.  There is no provision for delaying an election because of war.\n\nI don't think we have been at war.  I think what happened in Iraq was considered "military operations."
785381
Everyone needs a scape goat, and whom other to point fingers at when something goes wrong in the USA?\niF God Himself were in the White House, some people would complain about him also.\nI have a friend that will be doing his 3rd tour in Iraq in the Marines. He is almost 20 years old.\nI asked him if he thought he was doing the right thing by being over there in the first place.\nHe answered yes, that there were many reasons to be there, and he believes with all his heart that this war is indeed needed- and that Bush was doing the right thing.\nNo one better for me to verify this with than a young man putting his life on the line to protect out country.
1031160
War is the final arm of diplomacy.  This is the way a nation gets what it needs and wants.  Sometimes a nation uses force.  It's not only about freedom, it's also about furthering our national interests, yes even keeping the oil flowing.  Sometimes its about land (the Mexican War and the Spanish American War), occasionally it's about freedoms like in WWII.
141481
In the world there exists men (and women) who terrorize, oppress and take advantage of nations in economic hardship, etc, On the other hand, there exist men and women who have to stand and fight these people because they will not respond to anything but force.  War is the surgeon's scapel that removes the cancer.  True, there is pain and blood loss but overall the patient is healthier for the surgury.  War is necessary unfortunately.  While terror exists in the world, we the soldiers of the US will seek them out and stop them (even in the worst places of the world(Iraq), leave them no safe refuge (Iraq) and bring freedom and voice to the oppressed(also Iraq)!\nAirborne!
58585
If you ask Bush he will say "Because God wants me to be president."  If you ask me, I think people were afraid to change the guard because of the war.  Basically, the American public said: hey, you guys messed up with this war thing but why don't you try and finish it anyway.  I am still shocked.
1110536
Those who do nothing more than gripe, complain, and point fingers, need to put there money where their mouth is, and do something about what they disagree with.  But it is easier to just sit, type, and moan.  I say again, the President is privy to information that We are not, and He makes decisions based on that information.  So if anyone disagrees, run for His job, and do things differently, but then You might actually have to do something.\n\nMay God bless our fighting Men and Women today and always, and if it is His will, may He bring them home safe.\n\nGod Bless Our Troops, and the Innocent People caught up in the War.
47966
That's not necessarily true. For example, the president has a great deal of a job dealing with problems occuring within states and internationally.
515471
Yes.  He has served in the military through 2 foreign wars.  Then he went on to serve in Congress.  And while in Congress, he had the political courage to give his opinion, even though it was unpopular.  He has done more for America than most people ever will.
1115533
War is a little more complicated than you imagine.\n\nIt almost seems funny to see movies depicting war during our Revolutionary period.  Men would stand in a line and wait their turn to fire a shot.  Opposing generals would have elegant lunches with one another and discuss the fine points of how the battle should be waged in a civilized manner, and at what time they should begin.\n\nWar has always had a military code of behavior.  For example, if you surrender, you are supposed to be guaranteed medical attention to treat your wounds, food, and treatment that befits a person of your rank in the army.  If you surrender, the enemy is bound by internationally recognized military codes of ethics.  They cannot say, "Oh, it's too much bother to imprison you.  We'll just shoot you now and get it over with".\n\nWhen Bill O'Reilly talks about insurgents killing women and children, he is talking about a severe breach in the rules of military engagement.  Soldiers are only supposed to fight one another.  Civilians are off limits.  Wars are fought to make it impossible for the enemy to continue fighting.  The general population of a country is not part of the fighting force.  As long as they do not fight, they cannot be charged with war crimes.\n\nIt may sound funny to you, but if there was no exercise of self-restraint in war, it would be complete chaos and barbarism.  If everyone participated in the fighting, how could one side offer a truce, or surrender?  How could one army lay down its arms if there was no assurance they would not be slaughtered once they gave up their weapons?\n\nDo you know why we can't negotiate with terrorists?  Because they do not owe their allegiance to any single government.  If we wanted to make a deal with the terrorists, who could enforce the terms of the deal?   Who would be authorized to speak on behalf of the terrorists?  It just doesn't work this way in the real world.\n\nBill O'Reilly has a great book for kids.  I hope you will read it, and I hope you continue your interest in politics.  The world needs young people as inquisitive and as interested in world events as you are.
387788
The vast majority of our presidents have never had 'combat' expierence.\n\nWhen I was in Iraq we talked it over and decided that what either canadite did during the Vietnam war was pretty much irrelevant to what kind of President he would make.\n\nAnd most soldiers do not use the term 'chickenhawk.'  This is only used by people pushing a political agenda.