BCT Editorial – 4/11/08

This page was last updated on April 12, 2008.

Taken for granted; Editorial; Beaver County Times; April 11, 2008.

The editorial subtitle is “The sacrifices the U.S. military is making cannot continue to be ignored by Americans.”

Call this editorial title and subtitle the Times latest effort to drive a wedge between us ordinary Americans and the brave men and women serving to protect us.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject editorial.

“The terrible truth about the Bush administration’s occupation of Iraq is that the withdrawal of U.S. forces from that country will have tragic consequences, and keeping them there will, too.

“The news didn’t get any better this week when Army Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, told Congress that he could not promise any troop pullouts beyond this summer.”

[RWC] I noticed no one is promising any troop pullouts from Germany, Japan, or Korea either.

“Because President Bush has famously said that he listens to his generals on the ground — but usually only when they tell him what he wants to hear — no significant changes can be expected while he’s in the White House. That means troop presence will remain close to 140,000.”

[RWC] To believe the “only when they tell him what he wants to hear” comment, we have to assume the troop surge was not Gen. Petraeus’ idea.

“But what Americans must understand is that no matter who is elected president — Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama or Republican John McCain — the United States will have a significant military presence in Iraq for the near future, and possibly well beyond that.”

[RWC] This is the Times giving cover to Sens. Clinton and Obama should they not immediately remove all U.S. troops from Iraq as promised if either is elected President.

“With that in mind, much more attention must be paid to the terrible toll that this occupation is taking on the U.S. military and its families. We cannot continue to ask a small percentage of the American people — about 0.5 percent — to carry the burden of fighting this war of occupation.”

[RWC] Previous editorials told us this was a civil war. Which is it?

“The New York Times reports that among the 513,000 active-duty soldiers who have served in Iraq since 2003, more than 197,000 have deployed more than once, and more than 53,000 have been deployed three or more times.

“‘Our readiness is being consumed as fast as we build it,’ Gen. Richard A. Cody, the Army vice chief of staff, told Congress a few weeks ago. ‘Lengthy and repeated deployments with insufficient recovery time have placed incredible stress on our soldiers and our families, testing the resolve of our all-volunteer force like never before.’

“Repeated deployments are hitting noncommissioned officers, who are the backbone of the Army, particularly hard. The Times reported an Army study of mental health showed that 27 percent of noncoms on their third or fourth tour exhibited symptoms commonly referred to as post-traumatic stress disorders.

“Sadly, the sacrifices these men and women and their families are making are being taken for granted by the Bush administration and the American people. While America sleeps, a first-class military organization is being ground down.”

[RWC] This is not the first time a Times editorial made such a claim. Perhaps the editorial board should stop projecting its feelings on the rest of us.

As I’ve written numerous times before, it’s not really a Times Iraq editorial without the obligatory “a first-class military organization is being ground down” or ground up comment. Times editorials have been using this language since at least September 2004. Our armed forces are doing pretty well for a “military organization” that was allegedly “ground up” four years ago.

“One day, Americans are going to wake up and wonder what happened. And it will be too late.”

[RWC] Again, perhaps the editorial board should stop projecting its feelings on the rest of us.

I might be inclined to believe the concern expressed by the editorial is genuine except for one thing. Times editorials consistently do their damnedest to belittle the mission of our armed forces in Iraq. Maybe it’s me, but I don’t honor someone by telling them their actions are misguided and worthless.