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It seems to me that if one truly "values the service" of our troops, he could begin by speaking the truth of the wars to which they were deployed.
1. ALL soldiers (and I mean ALL) serve with "honor and courage" and soldiers themselves, regardless of uniform, understand this. The reason is simple: death is the same for everyone (in case people hadn't noticed). Put another way, the quality of service and sacrifice, has little to do with the cause to which it is hitched.
2. By the same token, men and women who are willing to subject themselves to the hardships of military discipline and war deserve our respect, without slavish fawning, in the same way that we should acknowledge the effort and persistence of anyone in any endeavour. Put another way, honouring military service is not the same as making a cult out of militarism -- a distinction which despots and political hucksters are eager to blur.
3. But if we value servicemen's sacrifice, it follows that we value the life they put upon the altar; and, if we value their lives, we will be solicitous that it is not sacrificed in vain or vainglorious adventures. This is where the subtle cheat worms its way into the equation.
This happens when the war to which soldiers were deployed rides coat-tails on their valor or sacrifice. "They were brave, therefore the war was worth it" is a false syllogism. It is a syllogism which political hucksters peddle because it allows them to embark on more useless ventures without public scrutiny. Wars become good because the valor they consume is good.
The war in Afghanistan did not "protect us from terrorism" for one second because the Taliban had nothing to do with terrorism against the United States. They were not responsible for 9/11. They were not responsible for blowing up boats in the Persian Gulf. If they were responsible for anything it was for ensnaring the Russians -- with American help -- in a ten year war, which wasted the courage and honour of THOSE soldiers.
It is true that Al Qaeda used hide-outs in Afghanistan for training purposes. When the U.S. "demanded" that the Taliban turn Bin Laden over, they replied that they were unable to do do so. Looking for an excuse, the Bush administration decided to interpret that as "assisting" terrorism. Uh huh. And how long did it take the "mightiest nation on earth" to smoke out Bin Laden? Uh... maybe 10 years and even then he was ultimately found in Pakistan (which we didn't invade by the way.) This war was a vile cheat from the start and it should be called out for what it was. It protected us from nothing.
I remember the yeehaw hoopla when we invaded this land of endless rocks. In my town, the yahoos spent near a week peeling rubber up and down the streets waving flags from their pickups and belloiwng: A'MURRRRKAAAAA!!!! The town was draped from end to end with American flags. The supermarket posted pictures of the young men who were in the military or who had just signed up. "WE SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!!!!." I kept my mouth shut.
Three years later...on a bright late morning... when the hysteria had long since died down, I saw one of those young men hobbling down a quiet and deserted Main Street, without his left leg. The only support he had were his crutches.
1. ALL soldiers (and I mean ALL) serve with "honor and courage" and soldiers themselves, regardless of uniform, understand this. The reason is simple: death is the same for everyone (in case people hadn't noticed). Put another way, the quality of service and sacrifice, has little to do with the cause to which it is hitched.
2. By the same token, men and women who are willing to subject themselves to the hardships of military discipline and war deserve our respect, without slavish fawning, in the same way that we should acknowledge the effort and persistence of anyone in any endeavour. Put another way, honouring military service is not the same as making a cult out of militarism -- a distinction which despots and political hucksters are eager to blur.
3. But if we value servicemen's sacrifice, it follows that we value the life they put upon the altar; and, if we value their lives, we will be solicitous that it is not sacrificed in vain or vainglorious adventures. This is where the subtle cheat worms its way into the equation.
This happens when the war to which soldiers were deployed rides coat-tails on their valor or sacrifice. "They were brave, therefore the war was worth it" is a false syllogism. It is a syllogism which political hucksters peddle because it allows them to embark on more useless ventures without public scrutiny. Wars become good because the valor they consume is good.
The war in Afghanistan did not "protect us from terrorism" for one second because the Taliban had nothing to do with terrorism against the United States. They were not responsible for 9/11. They were not responsible for blowing up boats in the Persian Gulf. If they were responsible for anything it was for ensnaring the Russians -- with American help -- in a ten year war, which wasted the courage and honour of THOSE soldiers.
It is true that Al Qaeda used hide-outs in Afghanistan for training purposes. When the U.S. "demanded" that the Taliban turn Bin Laden over, they replied that they were unable to do do so. Looking for an excuse, the Bush administration decided to interpret that as "assisting" terrorism. Uh huh. And how long did it take the "mightiest nation on earth" to smoke out Bin Laden? Uh... maybe 10 years and even then he was ultimately found in Pakistan (which we didn't invade by the way.) This war was a vile cheat from the start and it should be called out for what it was. It protected us from nothing.
I remember the yeehaw hoopla when we invaded this land of endless rocks. In my town, the yahoos spent near a week peeling rubber up and down the streets waving flags from their pickups and belloiwng: A'MURRRRKAAAAA!!!! The town was draped from end to end with American flags. The supermarket posted pictures of the young men who were in the military or who had just signed up. "WE SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!!!!." I kept my mouth shut.
Three years later...on a bright late morning... when the hysteria had long since died down, I saw one of those young men hobbling down a quiet and deserted Main Street, without his left leg. The only support he had were his crutches.
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