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(Part VI in an occasional series. Read Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, and Part V)
The first war I remember paying attention to was [tag]Gulf War[/tag] I back in 1990/1991. What I remember about that war was the American response to the activities in the Middle East. You had two choices—either you [tag]support our troops[/tag] (and the president) or you support [tag]peace[/tag] and withdrawing all troops from the region.
Those categories are even starker today. Supporting our military means supporting the war. Supporting peace is an insult to the brave men and women who are fighting for our freedom. Can one support our military by bringing the troops home? Can one support peace and support the troops simultaneously? Are we surrendering our patriotism if we are critical of our administration and its foreign policy?
Andrew Sullivan of the Daily Dish picked up this quote:
[tag]Iraq[/tag] policy has become the poster child for the pathology that afflicts American politics. Specifically, Iraq policy is the exclusive domain of extremists. On the right, attempts to recognize any specific failures in Iraq policy are condemned as “undermining the troops” while all efforts to change strategy or put pressure our Iraqi allies are disdained as “cut and run” tactics. The right’s approach is pinup patriotism — all flash, no substance. The left is no better, smearing everyone that disagrees with them on any detail (no matter how small) as “Bush sycophants” or “neocons”, all the while responding to any new information about incremental U.S. successes or diplomatic initiatives with behavior akin to a child sticking his fingers in his ears and screaming “la la la la la” in an effort to avoid hearing the intolerable. Where are the moderates?
Support our troops by praying for them. Support our troops by praying for peace. Support our troops by critiquing our foreign policy and engaging the democratic process. Support our troops by encouraging diplomacy. Support our troops by bringing them home when our military actions have reached the point of diminishing returns.
Silly categories and further propaganda by those on the right and the left undermine our foreign policy and our troops. Both sides are guilty of politicizing the war and the military and for not supporting our troops.
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It is a hot topic and I agree with you that both extremes don’t help the conversation at all, but the sad fact is that they do dominate the airwaves. My parents who support the President and the war worry that we’ll treat the veterans of this war with the same contempt as we did the veterans of the Vietnam War when they see the images in the media or the voices of the most entrenched anti-war folks. They don’t run in circles with many who don’t support the war, so their fear is somewhat understandable. I don’t support the war, but like you, I don’t appreciate the ferocity of some of the anti-war folks and I know several others who think similarly. I don’t have the same worries as my parents because I know people who can critique the war and the leadership and still receive new information.
Wow. There’s a book project going on at http://www.literaryprojects.com, looking for letters and such in support of troops. I wonder if this would be appropriate.
Keep on bloggin’!