William Arkin Disgraces Troops

Sure, this guy has the right to say it, but that doesn't mean I won't pick apart his arguments.
From the article:

I'm all for everyone expressing their opinion, even those who wear the uniform of the United States Army. But I also hope that military commanders took the soldiers aside after the story and explained to them why it wasn't for them to disapprove of the American people.

Why not? Soldiers are Americans with rights to say what they want and if they want to disapprove of those who criticize them, they have that right.

Friday's NBC Nightly News included a story from my colleague and friend Richard Engel, who was embedded with an active duty Army infantry battalion from Fort Lewis, Washington.

Engel relayed how "troops here say they are increasingly frustrated by American criticism of the war. Many take it personally, believing it is also criticism of what they've been fighting for."

You would too wouldn't you?

First up was 21 year old junior enlisted man Tyler Johnson, whom Engel said was frustrated about war skepticism and thinks that critics "should come over and see what it's like firsthand before criticizing."

"You may support or say we support the troops, but, so you're not supporting what they do, what they're here sweating for, what we bleed for, what we die for. It just don't make sense to me," Johnson said.

This is one of my primary arguments that Mr Johnson brought up so clearly. War critics don't know what's going on over in Iraq, they want to protest all they want, but they only see a bomb going off in a crowded market or an IED going off against one of our convoys. They don't see us building schools, roads, and other infrastructure. They don't see the neighborhoods where we are welcomed with open arms because we bring peace and security where there used to be fear and violence.


These soldiers should be grateful that the American public, which by all polls overwhelmingly disapproves of the Iraq war and the President's handling of it, do still offer their support to them, and their respect.

What??? These soldiers do a job that many of us hope to never have to do. The protect us against threats from around the world and if one is found, they do what it takes to eliminate that threat. We should be forever grateful to soldiers such as these who stay up at night and take care of threats that you and I never even HEAR of.

Through every Abu Ghraib and Haditha, through every rape and murder, the American public has indulged those in uniform, accepting that the incidents were the product of bad apples or even of some administration or command order.

This is the one that burns my ass. Indulged? That means that we believed that soldiers in Iraq do this on a regular basis and that we chose to believe that these incidents were isolated and weren't a product of a larger military campaign of rape and murder. If that were the case, you'd heard about these types of things ALL THE TIME. There wouldn't be Iraqi's left if that was the case. If we had a scorched earth policy, there'd be nothing left of Baghdad.

Sure, it is the junior enlisted men who go to jail. But even at anti-war protests, the focus is firmly on the White House and the policy. We don't see very many "baby killer" epithets being thrown around these days, no one in uniform is being spit upon.

Really? I've seen incidents here and there about soldiers being called baby killer, but there are soldiers who are being beaten. Should we "indulge" the left wing idiots out there and just "assume" that this is an isolated incident, just a few "bad apples"?

So, we pay the soldiers a decent wage, take care of their families, provide them with housing and medical care and vast social support systems and ship obscene amenities into the war zone for them, we support them in every possible way, and their attitude is that we should in addition roll over and play dead, defer to the military and the generals and let them fight their war, and give up our rights and responsibilities to speak up because they are above society?

So $13,809.60 is a "decent wage"? That's $6.29 an hour. Here's a list of the pay grades for the US military. I make more then a starting Colonel. The poverty line for 2005 was $15,735. Granted, Soldiers do get allowances and everything they need taken care of, but you can't tell me that $13,000 a year is a "decent wage".

Next up, "obscene amenities into the war zone"? Have you ever eaten an MRE? They're disgusting. I've never known a soldier to say "I'd rather eat in the cafeteria rather then a home cooked meal by my wife or mother". NEVER. MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) are just about getting the body the nutrients it needs. It's not about flavor.

"We support them in every way"?

It doesn't sound like you do.

"defer to the military and the generals and let them fight their war" They're generals. They fight wars for a living, so I'd say let them fight it the way they see fit because they know from experience what works and what doesn't.

"give up our rights and responsibilities to speak up because they are above society"

When have you had to give up any rights or responsibilities because they are above society? I'd LOVE to hear this one.

But it is the United States, and the recent NBC report is just an ugly reminder of the price we pay for a mercenary - oops sorry, volunteer - force that thinks it is doing the dirty work.

Mercenary? So you're telling me that our men and women over there aren't there for patriotic reasons, college tutition, or just want to be in the military? You're telling me that everyone in the military, EVERYONE, is just there for the vast $13,000 a year that it pays?

The notion of dirty work is that, like laundry, it is something that has to be done but no one else wants to do it. But Iraq is not dirty work: it is not some necessary endeavor; the people just don't believe that anymore.

You don't want to believe that, but it's true. Iraq needed to be dealt with, Saddam was a threat and no one was willing to step up to the plate.

I'll accept that the soldiers, in order to soldier on, have to believe that they are manning the parapet, and that's where their frustrations come in. I'll accept as well that they are young and naïve and are frustrated with their own lack of progress and the never changing situation in Iraq. Cut off from society and constantly told that everyone supports them, no wonder the debate back home confuses them.

They aren't confused, if you read in your OWN ARTICLE, you'll see that they are pissed, not confused. They think, rightfully so, that you and your kind are two faced and don't appreciate the freedom that you have to say such things.

Freedom of Speech is a two way street. Welcome to it Mr. Arkin.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com