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Poll: Most Military Personnel Oppose US Ground Troops in Mideast
Monday, September 29, 2014 06:59 PM
By: Greg Richter
A new poll shows that 70 percent of active military personnel oppose sending U.S. ground troops back into Iraq to fight the Islamic State (ISIS).
The poll, conducted by Military Times over the summer, surveyed 2,200 active members of the armed services who responded to an online survey.
"It's quite obvious that our military has no confidence in this commander-in-chief. His leadership has failed them," retired Marine Gunnery Sgt. Jessie Jane Duff said Monday on Fox News Channel's "Your World with Neil Cavuto."
"Quite honestly, this drip, drip, drip is never going to drown ISIS, and we know this," Duff said.
President Barack Obama has ordered airstrikes on ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria, where the terrorist group has taken over large portions of the countries. He has insisted there will be no U.S. ground troops, with the United States relying instead on Iraqi army, Kurdish Peshmerga and rebel Free Syrian Army forces.
Duff pointed out that a Military Times poll in 2011 showed that 64 percent of military members felt the United States had succeeded in Iraq shortly after President Barack Obama pulled troops from the country. Today, that number has dropped to 30 percent.
"Because they have seen all of their blood and treasure go in vain. Because this president didn't respect the sacrifice they made," Duff said. "And now, for us to have to go back? Of course, they're disgusted."
Still, Duff said military members would return if told to because they are professionals. They would do so reluctantly, though, she said.
"We need a commander-in-chief that motivates and inspires people to do things they would not normally do," she told Cavuto. "But if you don't believe in your mission based upon the leadership you've seen pre-established, it makes it very difficult and stressful."
According to the poll, 62 percent say recent events have either greatly or somewhat affected their views.
"It's kind of futile in the end — regardless of how well we do our job, the Iraqi government isn't going to be able to hold up," Marine 2nd Lt. Christopher Fox told Military Times.
