Reason to Stay in Iraq #27
I had to mention this. The latest reason we are staying in Iraq: to honor the fallen dead.
I’m sure the ghosts of all those who died would want exactly that, for more of their comrades to be killed by the people they are “liberating”.
I actually am not in favor of pulling out of Iraq until there is a credible national military in place. But I also am not a fan of patronizing and blatant attempts at emotional blackmail.
Man I hate this fucking guy.
Looks like I wasn’t the only one who noticed the shifting rationale’s for war from Dubya.
Be careful about how cynically you view this reason to stay in Iraq. There is a solid, heartfelt truth among soldiers to stay here (because I am still currently ‘over there’). Staying here WOULD honor the fallen because we would be completing the mission they died for. To a soldier, little else has more meaning than completing the mission. It is drilled into your head at every stage of training. Complete the mission. This drive is what makes the US military as fierce and tenacious as it is.
My respect and best wishes to all the troops, in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Of course they want to complete the mission. They are great troops with great commitment and great loyalty. But there’s another reason the troops have to want to complete the mission.
Their lives are being put at risk for the mission, and not completing the mission is a dishonor to those who gave up their lives for it already. It is only right and admirable that the troops feel this way.
But as I say in my comments on the Iraqi Constitution post, we, as citizens, have a duty to make sure that the missions our representatives in the government send our troops out on are just and deserving of such a costly sacrifice.
And this one is neither.
Continually denying that and employing new rhetorical tactics to win support by implying a lack of support for the troops (both alive and fallen) if you oppose the war is self-serving and craven. It’s what you do to force people to go along with you when you cannot convince them of the truth of your argument.
It should be below any President to use such tactics.
(Just as it should have been below any President to lie to the American people, even about his personal life. Just so you don’t think I’m a hypocrite.)