Bob Herbert: An Army Ready to Snap (Soldiers don't win)

[Bozita]

http://select.nytimes.com/2005/11/10/opinion/10herbert.html?hp

-snip-

There are reasons why parents all across America are telling their children to run the other way when military recruiters come to call. There are reasons why so many lieutenants and captains, fine young men and women, are heading toward the exit doors at the first opportunity.

A captain who is on active duty, and therefore asked not to be identified by name, told me yesterday:

"The only reason I stayed in the Army was because one colonel convinced me to do it. Other than that, I would have walked. Basically, these guys who are leaving have their high-powered educations. Some are from West Point. They've done their five years. Why should they stay and go back to Iraq and die in a war that's just going to keep on going?"

Beyond that, he said, "Guys are not going to stay in the Army when their wives are leaving them."

From the perspective of the troops, he said, the situation in Iraq is perverse.

He could find no upside. "You go to war," he said, "and you could lose your heart, your mind, your arms, your legs - but you cannot win. The soldiers don't win."

more...

[rocktivity]

1. It's the commander-in-chief, stupid!!!

But then again, what do you expect considering he deserted?

:crazy:
rocknation

[thebigidea]

2. "win" - as if it was some kind of game.

[architect359]

4. Its not a game

and I don't think that he meant it that way. Unfortunately, our language doesn't have the appropriate terminology to describe events associated with destructive and disruptive events like wars. So, yeah, in a sense you "win" if you make it back alive - a hollow "win" though, considering what a person has to go through to make it to the end.

[northzax]

7. I think the 'win' is also

if you think you sacrifice is going towards the advancement of something meaningful.

[MADem]

3. I am recommending this for the GREATEST PAGE, for a couple of reasons

--The folks who think that all service personnel are BushBots need to read, and understand, the words of that young officer. He is not an exception--many, many, many military personnel feel just the way he does.

--Veteran's Day is coming up. We have to keep in mind these, our fellow citizens, who "cannot win."

If anyone can dig up a free link to this, I would love to read the entire commentary!!!

[indepat]

5. The soldiers don't win but the Halliburtons of the world win big-time

[chaumont58]

6. Tales like this are what bothers me so much regarding any Senator

who voted for the Iraq War Resolution. At that time, before chimpie actually caused the invasion, I thought anyone who believed Iraq could be a danger to the US had to be brain dead. It was like saying Ecuador was a threat to the US. If a DLC senator wins the Democratic nomination for President, I might vote for him, as the lesser of two evils, but I won't like it, not at all.

[teryang]

8. The IWR is a despicable document of corruption and fear

If you want to puke read the litany of self serving rationalizations of so called leaders cowering in fear.

[Gasping4Truth]

9. Free link

at truthout.org:

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/111005K.shtml