Three items that have a similar theme caught my eye recently:
1. This post by Digby, which like anything else Digby writes, is totally worth reading and very telling.
2. Atrios makes a good catch about someone talking with a right-wing radio host... and
3. This Kelly cartoon from "The Onion" sums ups everything perfectly. Go check out all three links - there's a common theme. When wingers talk about "supporting the troops", they really mean "supporting the President", which means "follow whatever he says". The actual disdain for the troops is palpable and sad. Expect to see this theme a lot more soon, as Republicans argue that the troops shouldn't be concerned with long tours of duty without coming home very often.
Friday, July 27, 2007
"Support the Troops"
Posted by Bell Curve at 5:50 PM
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4 comments:
NPR has done a series about "supporting Troops". In one story they went to an airport and asked people how they show "Support for hte troops". Mostly they got a lot of words, stupid stuff like bumper stickers and yellow ribbons, but little action.
So then they went and asked military people how the public could show "support". Anything short of enlistment was deemed a hollow gesture by the Army officers they interviewed.
So I am at a loss. I work for a military institution. In my 5 years there, only one time was any substantial action taken to "support troops". There was a drive to collect clothing and food for US soldiers recovering from injuries in the Baghdad hospital. We were asked to donate socks, PJs, trail bars, etc. I went to Costco with my family and bought bunches of stuff. I guess this was just a one time "hollow gesture".
So I am fed up with the "support our troops" crap from both sides. No one has told me how I can really demonstrate support outside of going and doing my job everyday. No one seems to have an answer as to how we can "support the troops" other than "bring them home." Well that isn't in my power. I can't buy war bonds. We don't have shortages of anything that we can ration. We send our family members to fight. In fact, we support our troops by paying our taxes, which supply a multi-billion dollar Pentagon budget. Since the middle class pays their taxes, and the rich people get out of most of their taxes and the poor contribute blood and sons, then the “support our troops” camp needs to quit voting Republicans into office who insist on cutting the taxes of the rich.
When the military starts taking the attitude that anyone not in the shithole with them is not supporting them, it's time to recognize they're in a shithole, and support them by helping them out.
Again, I'd like to know how I do that. I already work for the Pentagon. Most of the average citizen's are too old or infirm to join up. They content themselves to sending care pakages to their loved ones who are serving if they have anyone serving. So that leaves you with a draft of the younger ones. I don't think contractors are there to "help" so much as to bring home the cash. And I am not sure how much of a help having 150K-200K contractors running around is to the miltiary. Seems that it would be more of an insult. At least that is the impression I get from my army brother. They often leave a bigger mess for the miltiary to clean up because they don't have rules of engagement.
That is the larger point. The US population has been told to support the troops by keeping our heads down, agreeing with whatever the Adminsitration says, and going shopping. Because of our all volunteer military, the miltiary has become a closed society unto itself. It is a culture that is now largely separate from the civilian population. So, you want to help, then I say support the institution a one year mandatory military/civil service policy for all people between the ages of 19-25. You can still maintain your professional cadre in the military. But you need everyone to have a stake in the protection of the country. I bet then you'd see a more cautious approach to going into war rather than doing it on fales pretenses.
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