John Kerry is hardly known for his eloquence, but I'm haunted by his words: "How would it feel to be the last soldier killed in Vietnam?" We can now add Iraq and Afghanistan to this question.
There is no winning the war in Afghanistan. Eventually, we will withdraw and listen to more speeches every Memorial Day about how our soldiers in Afghanistan who died in vain did not die in vain.
We simply need to cut our losses and stop adding to the pain.
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Very succint Mr. K. Like many I get weary of living in a militaristic country. The media is full of military. You watch a football game and there's the "flyover" by air force jet fighters, punctually in-sync with the end of the national anthem; and countless commercials for the young to join the "few, the proud, the brave". It's like any big entertainment event has to first pay homage to the troops protecting us so we can now have fun with the proper gravitas. Newspapers and newscasters provide close up and personal looks at the families dealing with a loved one leaving for the mideast or grieving the ones coming home in a box. Oh, and every holdiay has to include news of how the military families are coping. (When I grew up, the 30th day of May was called "Decoration Day"; a day celebrated to remember dear ones who'd passed. Now it's a Veteran's Day Part Two.) The endless, hollow exhortation of bumper stickers to "support the troops!" Anyone who pays taxes supports the troops. It's their goddamned commanders-in-chief I don't support! And to your point, any family member who loses a son or daughter could never ever even begin to question the worthiness of the cause for which they died for fear that their rage might end in an annuerism. It sometimes seems the case that the more vague and questionable the military action, the louder and more desperately passionate it's supporters become.
Right on! When confronted with "patriots" who "support the troops" I ask them: What exactly is it that you do to support them? Do you give blood? Volunteer with the U.S.O. or veteran hospitals? No, they buy 79-cent stickers and kiss their own useless, contented asses.
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