text: is it part of your duty to  speak up when the troops are in combat? “it is part of your duty. look, there is one statement that bothers me more than anything else. and that's the idea that when the troops are in combat, everybody has to shut up. imagine if we put troops in combat with a faulty rifle, and that rifle was malfunctioning, and troops were dying as a result,”   “i can't think anyone would allow that to happen, that would not speak up. well, what is the difference between a faulty plan and strategy that is getting just as many troops killed? it’s leading down a path where we're not succeeding and accomplishing the missions we've set out to do.”   ~ marine four star general anthony zinni former commander in chief of u.s. central command the military respects anwswers and not vague threats.  demanding the troops come home isn't an answer.  telling them what they need to do to achieve their goal so that they can come home is an answer.