As one battalion commander complained to me, in words repeated by other soldiers and marines: "Has anyone noticed that we now have a volunteer Army? I'm a warrior. It's my job to fight." Every journalist has a different network of military contacts. Mine come at me with the following theme: We want to be admired for our technical proficiency--for what we do, not for what we suffer. We are not victims. We are privileged.
I can see the battalion commander's complaint. In fact, there's relatively little coverage of day to day operations in Iraq outside ludicrous war-romantics like Michael Yon and his "al-Ameriki" schtick. When American troops are engaged with an enemy, they fight hard, fight effectively, and are almost always victorious. But the embedded reporters are gone, the romanticizing of military technology played out a long time ago, and most people became suspicious of heroism stories after the military lied about Pat Tillman and Jessica Lynch.
It's really too bad.
But Kaplan's engaged in a pity story himself. He's essentially asking people to feel sorry for soldiers because they are not being treated as heroes.
What an irony!
If the U. S. were a better society, we indeed would be treating soldiers as heroes. Everyday American soldiers are doing remarkably well despite the campaign of deception that brought the U. S. into Iraq, the incompetence of the Bush administration, and the overall failure of the mission.
In fact, however, we in the United States don't value people who aren't being successful RIGHT NOW and the military mission in Iraq has been a failure for at least three years. As a result, American soldiers are stuck in the same "pity" rut as single black mothers working multiple jobs, cancer patients, students getting through college despite working 40-50 hours a week, and people successfully fighting off depression, anxiety disorders, and other mental health problems.
I see lots of these folks in my job as a college professor and I'm sometimes so awestuck by the energy, talent, and commitment of some of my students that I end up hero-worshipping them even as I'm supposed to be acting as a role-model.
Another irony!
But the best that any of these kinds of folks can do in the mainstream media is to be portrayed as "victims" and pitied. Oh, maybe there's some token stories about "everyday heroes," but the the overwhelming focus of the media is on the wealthy, celebrities, rock stars, and the titans of business. People who have to be heroic to either get by or move one step forward are lucky to avoid being stigmatized as failures, losers, whores, and rednecks.
That's the pitiable reality.
American soldiers in Iraq want more respect from the media.
And that's fine.
But it's unfortunate that they'll only get that respect if America becomes a better society at home.
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8 comments:
Bob Kaplan is the worst tragedy of the War on Terror for me. I own almost everyone of his books. He was a fantastic thinker on realism in foreign policy pre-2001. The lessons I learned from reading his books are the ones I applied to knowing two things about Iraq: they were not ready for democracy, since democracy requires competing institutions (public and private) to balance the State's power. Hussein had spent 25 years demolishing any institutional check on his power. The only one that remained was Islam and that was the opposite of waht we wanted.
Secondly, people don't like foreigners with guns walking down their streets and kicking doors down. The insurgency was so easy to predict.
Somewhere along the way, Mr. Balkan Ghost skeptic became a Kagan-ite. His latest works are filled with paeans to machismo, hero worship (not reporting) regarding the US military, hagiographic reports on "American Empire" and war-mongering drivel. I could not make it through his last piece for the Atlantic on the B2 pilots...
Professor, do you where it comes from? There are some fascinating articles available online by skeptics debunking his latest works. In the end, and there are subtexts all his writing about his disdain for academia and elitists. He has always resented the fact that when he graduated, the Times and the Post would not hire him, because he had the wrong school on his resume. He resented the academic criticism he has received, because many of those people did go to "the right schools."
Resentment of academics? Disdain for the higher ups in a profession you want, but it doesn't want you? Slight little guy hanging around with tough, manly dudes?
Kaplan is Jeff Goldstein with a better handle on his rage!
Seriously, Kaplan is Goldstein with better meds. But, do read his any of his pre-2001 books. Realism is not the answer in foreign policy, but it's most of the answer.
It is a point of national disgrace that people use our soldiers as political footballs. From the lowliest Private to the four-star general, they are disrespected by the same Republican leadership who use them as virtual human shields and political shields as well.
Americans are great good people. We are better than our Presidential leadership. Our soldiers deserve our respect and admiration for standing by the oath they took when they joined the military. Even though a majority of them do not believe American troops should be occupying Iraq.
Rush Limbaugh has a constitutional right to say what he wants but to denegrate the military service of some soldiers who do not support the disaster in Iraq. These soldiers have earned the right and then some to say whatever they damn well please. And by defending the bloviating prick that is Limbaugh, the GOP has associated themselves with his comment full on.
The GOP is already losing the fiscal conservative vote as their brand shifts from “business party” to “can’t chew gum and walk at the same time” party. By stepping on the “we’re for the military” brand, Rush kicked the wrong hornet’s nest — and then he keeps stepping in it.
Americans who have friends and family in the military right now know how thinly everyone is stretched. They know families who are on food stamps to get by during long reserves deployment, who need a hand with plumbing problems and babysitting, and whose kids cringe every time the doorbell or phone rings.
You think people were pissed off before? How do you suppose pissed off soldiers who feel like their comrades in arms have been dissed on the radio by a lying, hypocrital coward.
Staff Sgt. Brian McGough was a guest on Countdown the other night. This man was IN Iraq, he knows more than Rush knows. He said to Keith Olbermann and I quote: “it makes me mad down to a place where I can’t even think to describe.” McGough continues: “I’d really like to say, and to reiterate I said before, ask me, or any of the members of VoteVets.org to come on your program and talk to you and to tell you how we feel. Don’t just talk bad about us and then we say hey, that’s not right, try to talk bad about us again and think before you open your mouth.” So there we are. Veterans are mad as hell. (so am I).
It is a point of national disgrace that people use our soldiers as political footballs. From the lowliest Private to the four-star general, they are disrespected by the same Republican leadership who use them as virtual human shields and political shields as well.
The irony of this statement is just too rich. Projection at its finest.
todd - I am a veteran, and not pissed. I have friends and immediate family in Iraq and Afghanistan, and they are not pissed.
JD, you should read Kaplan. His post-2001 would be far more palatable to you than it is me, but any of his stuff is a great start.
As for Todd's point, he's dead on. The President can't defend his war strategy; he's too unpopular, so he gets General Patraeus to do it for him.
You can't point out for one second what a silly policy this government has toward our Armed Forces before some asshat Republican screams "You hate the troops".
Lastly, President Bush has CUT funding to the VA, he ignored the disgrace that was Walter Reed, despite being the man responsible for sending the soldiers there, he refuses to give soldiers adequately training and rest at home between deployments, and he refuses (for base political reasons) to attend their funerals and memorials.
If this President had a different name and a different letter after his name, you'd be so angry, you'd be in the streets. Remember during the Clinton years, when you were in the Service and people complained about readiness? Today's divisions cannot hold a candle to the readiness of the infantry divisions during the 90's, but no Republican cries now? Wonder why.
Since I was serving during the time period you reference, I will state categorically that your assessment of our feelings was wrong, as is your current assessment of today's view of the President by the military. But I understand your desire to score political points, and will just agree to disagree.
What part are you disagreeing with? The fact that readiness was rated as low or that there were Republicans who trumpeted everyday on the floors of Congress, the pages of the Washington Times, or from their radio studio?
You were one of many JD. You always accuse me of pretending to know the thoughts and intents of Republican leaders. How could you know the thoughts and emotions of everyone over there?
My first-cousin was also there. Eighteen months of a six-month tour of duty. He does not try to speak for anyone he does not know but he came back imbittered and affirming that indeed the whole thing is so much bull-shit. He saw Farenheit 9/11 and he said that was what he saw and how he saw it and he agreed with Michael Moore's conclusions.
You are to be commended for your service to your country no matter what the motives of your Commander-in-Chief. But clearly different soldiers saw the situation in very different ways.
Thank God I never had to endure such an ignorant & myopic professor as Ric, when I attended college.
Maybe it's my Mensa IQ that finds this entire post too stupid to waste time trying to make sense of;
starting with this sad insight into Ric's mindset:
In fact, there's relatively little coverage of day to day operations in Iraq outside ludicrous war-romantics like Michael Yon and his "al-Ameriki" schtick."
and continuing with this even more inane belligerent and completely erroneous statement "the romanticizing of military technology played out a long time ago, and most people became suspicious of heroism stories after the military lied about Pat Tillman and Jessica Lynch".
A statement that speaks volumes about Ric's mindset, but has no bearing on how a good majority of the rest of Americans feel, both conservative & liberal.
At first Ric says he "understands" the Battalion Cmdrs complaint and then he belittles Michael Yon, who has spent more time in Iraq on missions with soldiers and Marines than the entire MSM combined, and who for 3 years has been providing a global readership with the day to day coverage that Ric claims he understands is lacking! Idiot!
"When American troops are engaged with an enemy, they fight hard, fight effectively, and are almost always victorious."
Gee Ric ---do you want us to believe you came up with that insight on your own?
Reality Check: if it wasn't for Mike Yon, very few Americans would know how true that is, nor would they know about the even more important but far less exciting day to day activities that our soldiers and Marines engage in, to bring about the grassroots political change within Iraq that is now occurring consistently.
But just when I thought no one could be even more off the mark than Ric - along comes Todd:
"Rush Limbaugh has a constitutional right to say what he wants but to denigrate the military service of some soldiers who do not support the disaster in Iraq.
(?? - I guess you meant to say not to denigrate) "These soldiers have earned the right and then some to say whatever they damn well please. And by defending the bloviating prick that is Limbaugh, the GOP has associated themselves with his comment full on."
Rush Limbaugh was NOT denigrating soldiers who "do not support the Iraq war" when he referred to PHONY SOLDIERS.
Anyone with an IQ slightly above room temperature KNOWS Rush was referring to Jesse MacBeth, Josh Landale, Micah Wright,Jimmy Massey, Amorita Randall--- PHONY SOLDIERS who hoodwinked you,Todd,as well as a long list of liberals including the entire leadership & membership of VOTEVETS.org.
PHONY soldiers who make a mockery of the REAL soldiers who are a part of VoteVets.org and really did serve, and who also make a mockery of those soldiers,Marines, & Rangers, who continue to serve in the Military, especially in the front lines of Iraq and AFG.
And I find it the height of audacity that you, Todd, who can't get the facts straight, makes such overly dramatic proclamations about "pissed off soldiers who feel like their comrades in arms have been dissed on the radio by a lying, hypocritical coward."
You have no freaking idea what you are talking about - so please stop embarrassing yourself.
As for Staff Sgt. Brian McGough - I appreciate his service to this country and defend his right to disagree with the war he fought in.
He has earned that right and anytime he wants to voice that opinion I will defend his right to do so against anyone who might try to deny him that right.
But that is NOT what the SSG did during that interview. Instead he chose twist the truth about Rush's comment to suit a pathetic left wing agenda. An agenda steeped in hatred, ignorance, and desperation.
It is rather doubtful that the SGT doesn't know that TWO phony soldiers were spokesmen for VoteVets.org of which he belongs and of which he is a spokesman for!
It is THOSE PHONY SOLDIERS that made a mockery of real soldiers who served and continue to serve in the Military INCLUDING Staff Sgt.Brian McGough, a real soldier.
His anger- and yours- should be directed at them, instead of deliberately misconstruing a statement that a man who has endlessly and tirelessly supported ALL troops, made about PHONY SOLDIERS: Jesse MacBeth, Josh Landale, Micah Wright,Jimmy Massey, Amorita Randall.
Shame on them!
Shame on VotesVet.org who damn well know what Rush meant when he talked about PHONY SOLDIERS!
Shame on you!
Kudos to Rush for denigrating these PHONY SOLDIERS, because their lies denigrated the brave men and women who are REAL SOLDIERS and who have really served in Iraq and AFG.
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