Support for men and women in the armed forces must go far beyond the rhetoric used to discredit the peace movement in the U.S. today.

We need to understand that the ill-advised and illegal actions of the U.S. administration have unnecessarily put our troops in harm's way.

We should further understand that the dangerous burden of fighting the unnecessary war in Iraq, and the wars that may follow, due to the administration's overly narrow and militaristic response to terrorism is disproportionately borne by families of lesser means.

Those who are required to carry out militaristic policies, often with great hardship to themselves, their families, and even the risk of their lives, deserve our respect and our commitment to adequate compensation and benefits.

Our first priority in foreign policy considerations is to creating a future without war. We must be committed to the idea that future generations will not face the separations and sacrifices of war.