You can be appreciative towards veterans and critical of the policies of our government at the same time. The two things are not mutually exclusive. It is still OK and correct to speak out about flawed foreign policy and the military industrial complex that exacerbates conflicts while profiting from them. Indeed many veterans do just this, especially having seen/experienced it first-hand.
The threat assessment linked mentions the threat posed by Iran. Iran had a democratically-elected leader at one point (Mossadegh). The US worked to topple this democracy and impose the tyranny of the Shah on the Iranian people. The Iranian people rightfully revolted against this US-backed puppet regime and the Islamist Fundamentalists exploited this rage and rose to power with the promise of kicking the Americans out (which they did). Now the region (and particularly Israel) is still dealing with the consequences of this flawed US meddling and overthrow of what was formerly a viable (and moderate) democracy, all to secure more favorable deals for US oil companies.
US foreign policy often creates more problems than it solves. ISIS was a product of the flawed wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Taliban itself grew out of the Islamist Mujahideen which the US armed and backed when it seemed like the lesser evil compared to the Soviets at the time.
And speaking of Soviets, be sure to thank the veterans of the Red Army for liberating Jews too! They were our allies in WW2, and it was they who liberated Auschwitz. US veterans did not single-handedly defeat Nazi Germany. The Soviets bore the brunt of the casualties and destruction fighting Nazi Germany along the Eastern Front.
However, the USSR ended up not being a great place for Jews either, and the USA's greatest adversary after the war. Interests of allies don't always align indefinitely, which is why it is wise to always be willing to re-evaluate how much aid and assistance we continue to provide foreign nations. With Israel being the foreign entity that receives the most aid from the US today, it is thus subject to the most scrutiny of how that aid is used as well.
Many veterans - American and Israeli alike - have valid concerns about the manner in which Israel is prosecuting it's military actions in Gaza (and Lebanon and now Syria too) with the military aid and support the US taxpayer provides. These should not be dismissed away or lumped in with the misguided antics on display from flawed liberal activist types who protest all police or soldiers and have misplaced sympathies with Islamist terror groups.
