Letters for Lions
Woman bites dog, an Iraq-deployed soldier’s op-ed in a major American newspaper that isn’t a Bush-bash. That’s different. Maj. Elizabeth Robbins at WaPo reports on all the Americans who didn’t get the memo on how they’re supposed to be disconnected from the military:Â
BAGHDAD — As the veterans of World War II pass too quickly into history, their ranks are being replaced by a new “greatest generation.” The war on terrorism is creating veterans at a rate not seen in decades.
Yet the military is much smaller now than during World War II, leading some analysts to posit that a rift exists between soldiers and citizens and that those making sacrifices on the battle front are disconnected from the society whose freedoms they defend. The American people are oblivious to the war, they claim, as well as to the men and women who are fighting it. Some have even suggested that the only way to close the gap is to return to conscription.
But these observers of the social scene have never served in Iraq.
Those of us overseas know that “support the troops” is more than a slogan. Here we are besieged by what my master sergeant calls “paper love,” the cards, letters, posters and other gestures of support sent by people across America. The paper love is often accompanied by packages of snacks and comfort items. Some mail comes from family members, but even more is sent by private citizens and troop support organizations. The war has inspired a remarkable level of civic involvement that goes largely unnoticed — except by those of us in the field or recovering stateside.
All of us are volunteers. We’re in Iraq because we want to serve. We are well educated and physically fit and could have pursued a variety of other life options. But, to paraphrase Defense Secretary Robert Gates, we are driven by the romantic and optimistic ideal that we can improve the world. We are seeing real progress on the ground, and we are helping Iraq to change.
h/t Instapundit.
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 8:46 am on Monday, November 12, 2007
7 Responses to “Letters for Lions”
Leave a Reply
Trackback URLYou must be logged in to post a comment.
November 12th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Web Reconnaissance for 11/12/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention updated throughout the day…so check back often.
November 12th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
To state the obvious, the internet allows us to go around the MSM, which as an institution, has failed on so many fronts in this war. Doesn’t matter. The real harm is to the institution. One thing about free enterprise, no monopoly can last for long (without the government gun) because someone will figure out a way around it–as long as men are free to do so. All the MSM has done is make themselves increasingly sidelined.
Those who talk about how “all Americans” need to “sacrifice” are not interested in backing the war, but in finding a way to force sacrifice by the use of government power. They really hope to spur a Viet Nam type anti-war movement, based on forced sacrifice. They completely ignore those who have made it their business to see to the needs of our forces, the rest of their generation, who fought that war and will make sure that this generation isn’t mistreated and abandoned. Antis can’t stand actions based on personal choice, rather than forced sacrifice, Doesn’t compute!
November 12th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
They really hope to spur a Viet Nam type anti-war movement, based on forced sacrifice.
Which is exactly what’s behind their continuous calls to reinstate the draft.
November 12th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
But, Rebecca, they’ve put themselves into a Catch-22. The ostensive purpose of the anti-war protests, and the reason it drew so many young men (besides gullible chicks), was the draft. It was the only valid reason ever given; the state does not own the lives of individuals and has no right to demand that anyone be put in harm’s way against his will. Having succeeded in abolishing the draft, they can propose all they want, for whatever reasons they choose, but they cannot get away with a vote for the draft. Even a willfully-blind, fully indoctrinated PhD will see the gross hypocrisy.
November 13th, 2007 at 10:29 am
“the state does not own the lives of individuals and has no right to demand that anyone be put in harm’s way against his will.”
That’s not what the libbys think. They got us into four serious wars in the 20th century and used military conscription (aka slavery…by honest people) in every single one of them.
Of course, anyone who’s familiar with the history of the Slaveowner/Democrat Party and the nature of today’s liberal Democrat isn’t likely to be surprised by the revelation that they’re into involuntary servitude.
November 13th, 2007 at 11:10 am
Selective service still exists but we do not need it. Today’s volunteer force is quite capable of defending the US without resorting to a draft.
During WWII, we went from 1.4M to 8.3M men under arms in four years. However, the weapons were much less sophisticated. Most American men had fired rifles. Learning to operate an M1 Garand was not difficult. The fighter pilot learned to fly and fight, but there were no complex fire control systems or lead computing sights. Electronic warfare was in its infancy. Today, it takes a year to get your wings, six months to qualify in a weapon system and another year to become a flight lead.
Draftees do not want to serve, and the military do not want to draft.
November 13th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Two things, arco, have you ever qualified with an M-1? Do you still have your thumb?
And secondly, it could be said that part of the reason for the nutroot animosity is that the volunteer forces are dragging the nutroot set out of their self absorbed cocoon by the minute and they resent it.