Since the Vietnam War, political discussions during wars have become more contentious, more polarizing, and more conspiratorial in nature. Finger pointing appears the exercise of the day, along with poor and simplistic sloganeering.
These last couple of years of political debate on Iraq continued this unfortunately slippery slide. The choice, according to the political classes, says it all: On the one side, Democrats seek to leave Iraq and fast – damn the consequences to America’s fight against terrorism, stability in the oil rich and oil necessary Middle East, and America’s reputation for keeping its word to its friends and allies. On the other side, Republican apologists argue simply to stay the course, failing to require the Administration put into practice more of what it should be learning from insurgent fighting.
It’s become the battle of the slogans, an almost personality-driven reality show where politicians accuse each other of “misleading” or “cutting and running” – where slogans and charges replace honest policy differences over major questions such as how best to balance our commitment to bringing freedom throughout the world versus not wanting to impose our beliefs on others or become too involved to the detriment of our own society.
Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised by this phenomenon, given what passes for entertainment today: voyeuristic reality shows and exultations of me-isms that go from boring to just plain weird. I mean really, people aged 18, 25, 40, and beyond, hanging out in houses crying over who dominates the kitchen or who fails to express their feelings. More interest in the annals of Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, or Angelina Jolie than in any of the 2500 people who died in the War on Terror – 15 from my state of Idaho.
Besides watching politicians undermine the great traditions of political thought and the great political debates that have passed through this grand experiment with their self-serving and pandering complaints, I must watch as people become more cynical and less reverent to the subject of political science – a subject I have studied and love.
Do we no longer care about great causes? Is there nothing worthwhile beyond our immediate material satisfaction? Do we just not want to take the time to learn the great lessons of past wars? Do we not think young people want to learn about political debates over issues of war and peace? Do we not find the values that come from any great sacrifice worthy of discussion? Do we not want to focus on the courage, efficiency, competence, and yes, honor in our armed forces today? Is our lens on Iraq so blinded with partisan and other cheap bickering that we cannot find satisfaction in the willingness of so many volunteers and their families to make sacrifices?
Consider the following: The US armed forces in Iraq have conducted more house-to-house searches than any other military in the history of the world. The bombing technology is 100 times more accurate than that used in Vietnam, and even more advanced than that used in the Persian Gulf War – a mere 15 years ago. That means fewer bombs that are dropped less often to hit the same number of targets. The US operation in Afghanistan overthrew a government, and has helped another get on its feet with fewer troops and a lighter footprint than the Soviet Union committed in its failed attempt to do the same.
Add to this, the fact that this military is fighting in theaters where the language barrier is more significant, where cultural and geopolitical considerations are more complex, where the enemy is harder to identify, and where rules of engagement are more difficult to follow than in previous wars. Despite this, US forces captured one of the most brutal dictators in the world – Saddam Hussein, recently killed a deadly terrorist – al Zarqawi, and have rounded up or killed hundreds of dangerous killers.
These young men and women are not only brave, they’re good. Who says this generation can’t be made to believe in something greater? These people are smarter, better trained, more diverse, more technologically savvy, and more lethal than any military in the world. Yet, they’re something else that sometimes lacks in the rest of us. They’re committed to not only fulfilling the mission, but to sacrificing themselves for the greater good. They’re selfless, giving, caring, generous, dedicated, and honorable. Can we in the civilian world say the same?
They’re fighting to protect and save each other and us from half a world away, while we care nothing about a community only miles from our homes. They’re making our world a better place. What are we doing for them? They’re earning their citizenship by paying the ultimate sacrifice. How are their civilian counterparts earning their citizenship?
They fight and I fought in the US military, an institution that engenders an esprit de corps that finds its roots in the great tradition of independence of a people who sought nothing more than to live free. It is an institution that teaches you that you live or die together – as a team. It is not a political arm of the Republican or Democratic parties, but an institution with a proud and noble history of giving young men and women a chance to do something for their society that they can carry proudly for the rest of their lives. That is rarely found in today’s world, and that is why we should treasure it more than we do.
The next time you see a military member in an airport, store, diner, or wherever, you could ask them whether they’re a Democrat or a Republican, you could spend your time pontificating your views on Iraq, or you could thank them for their courage, honor, and sacrifice to yourself and your fellow citizens. Then ask yourself what is the last thing you did for anybody else in your community. Hopefully, you’ll have an answer that begins to live up to the work of that brave military member. If not, why not?