Face Reality. It is the American Way.
Retired Lt. General Daniel P. Bolger does a commendable job launching a preemptive strike against the push for more “boots on the ground.†He makes the case that “The surge in Iraq did not ‘win’ anything.†He explains the allure of myth making around the failed surge.
“As veterans, we tell ourselves it was all worth it. The grim butchery of war hovers out of sight and out of mind, an unwelcome guest at the dignified ceremonies. Instead, we talk of devotion to duty and noble sacrifice. We salute the soldiers at Omaha Beach, the sailors at Leyte Gulf, the airmen in the skies over Berlin and the Marines at the Chosin Reservoir, and we’re not wrong to do so. The military thrives on tales of valor. In our volunteer armed forces, such stirring examples keep bringing young men and women through the recruiters’ door. As we used to say in the First Cavalry Division, they want to ‘live the legend.’ In the military, we love our legends.â€
But I disagree. The threat of the mythical surge does not come from the military. It comes from the civilians sitting at home with little to lose. It has become so easy for voters to throw away “boots on the ground.†Too many voters accept the mythology of war but not the reality of war.
Honor veterans by stopping politicians from throwing more lives away for their failed mythology. Demand reality. Our veterans and our serving Armed Forces deserve no less from us. Once the flag is placed on the coffin it is too late. There is no reset button in reality.
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.