Why Mute Dissent in Wartime?
I believe that the support the troops argument goes along these lines.

1. The key factor in winning a war is breaking the will to fight among the populace of the nation-state.
   
   
2. If an enemy sees weakness in their opponents will to fight, that enemy's own will to fight will grow stronger. Thus, the stronger the enemy's will to fight, the longer the war, and the greater danger to our troops.
   
   
3. In democratic societies, vocal dissent among large portions of the citizenry are perceived by the enemy as weakness.
   
   
4. Thus, it follows that mass dissent endangers the troops by prolonging the war and delaying victory.
   

Therefore, if you support the troops, you should mute dissent (at least until after victory.)

Though I was against the war for a wide variety of reasons, it is hard for me to deny the force of this argument.

Kilroy Was Here
- posted by Anonymous @ 6:30 PM