nailhead, meet hammer.....

 

Brant I was going to answer and got sidetracked but I might be able to give a perspective. (I'm old enough to remember unfortunately)

The soldiers were not viewed with distain at first. At first it was sort of like now with somewhat less vocal resistance to the war. At time wore on it was mostly the youth who began to speak out againt it. Then all manner of people did.

Slowly the tide turned against the soldiers because it was viewed that those soldiers could have protested or dodged or whatever.

It's unfair of course but there was a bass-ackwards sort of logic to it. Sort of a "What would happen if we had a war and nobody came." logic. In fact that was a slogan for the peaceniks.

Then came Lt. Calley et al and the soldiers began to get real heat. Again unfairly for the most part but it happened.

Thought I'd shed some light... or at least that was my observation.

 

Good observation. I think another difference is that many people who questioned the war in Iraq questioned it from the start. We also had the benefit (if you can call it that) of learning from Vietnam. Even the fervent protestors that I have met haven't been anti-troops...at least not any more anti-troop than they were before any military action was taken.

I think the Abu Gharaib (sp?) scandal cast a shadow on the honor of the troops, but people seem to know that the vast majority of our men and women in uniform are people sent to do a job. It's not necessarily a job they would or wouldn't choose, but it is their job and they take pride in what they do.

Even around the globe, the people who question US actions in Iraq don't blame the troops or the average US citizen. For whatever reason, the public consciousness seems to have evolved to the point where it is beginning to be able to differentiate between those who set the policy and those whos job it is to move that policy forward (or backward).

 

I agree with everything you said except for one thing: Unlike Vietnam, every American soldier who is fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan made the conscious choice to be there. They may regret that decision, but like it or not, it is a choice that each and everyone of them made. Don't misunderstand me here, I have nothing but the highest respect for a soldier. Even so when not at war because a soldier has made the choice that he is willing to trade his life in the name of freedom for you and I. I know that many young soldiers failed to realize that when they enlisted, but that is how it works. Reservists, Guardsman and active military have all taken an oath to obey the commander in chief and to follow the orders of those designated above them. These are the United States Armed Forces, ladies and gentleman, not the boy/girl scouts.They have been trained well. It destroys me inside everytime I see a soldiers' death tarnished by a loved one who protests and says "end the war because my husband/wife/fiance/mother/father/sister/brother/son/daughter/friend was killed over there" Death is always tragic, especially in a time of war, but a soldiers' death should be respected and remembered for what it was: An individuals ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom. Someone who gave their life so that you and I will sleep at ease tonight.

God bless are soldiers for standing up and risking what so many people aren't willing to risk anymore.

At least now they have the freedom to make tha choice on their own.

 

Brant: I agree that incidents like AG tarnish the reputation of the fighting troops. They all get tarred with the same brush to some extent. That was but one incident.

I have low confidence that it is or will be a singular incident. This is the nature of war. This is also the nature of sending tens of thousands of high school students overseas and telling them to take charge... this is their country. (I heard this interesting image on the radio.)

C-B: A correct and interesting observation... For whatever crazy reason I had forgotten the draft factor. This makes the resentment against the returning troops in the '70s all the more perplexing.

If you consider the argument that "I'm mad at the troops for fighting the war" (I don't feel that way) it would stand that one would be MORE angry with voluntary service than with involuntary (the draft) service.

Hmmm interesting.

Regarding:
Here's where I feel a *little* like that. It's been said that "Old bald white men" send soldiers to war. It's the young men and women that die. I think that if the old bald white guys knew that *they* were facing fire I think there'd be fewer wars. Similarly if the young men and women knew the extent of the horror of war, there'd be fewer volunteers.

 

First part: I thought the same thing. It makes more sense that we'd resent someone like Luke who signed up knowing full well he'd end up involved in the mess in Iraq. The boys who were drafted didn't necessarily want to go; they had no choice in the context of remaining law abiding citizens of our country.

Second part: I'm not so sure. Consider how many leaders of the past - medieval kings and lords; the Caesars, etc - were directly involved in the fighting. They generally had better equipment and whatnot, but many were still in harms way in their conquests. And there were an awful lot of wars.

 

Second part: Those dudes sat on a horse behind the actual fighting. Few and far between were the nobles who would ride in to the actual fight. This went on right up until the war of 1812 (maybe later... and I mean the NA one... there were some famous US and Brit commanders who liked to ride in close in that war, but still not many.)

At any rate I'm unsure of the relevance. Surely no one would say that in a modern war the leader would be at the front. Any Bush, Powell, Rumsfeld visit was little more than sitting back on the hill on a horse giving the rally cry and then high tail it back to the US.

 

I partially agree with your assessment Jed. They were still putting themselves in harms way, and they still fought wars to no end. I just think it's the nature of man.

 

Or, in this case, the nature of George W. Bush. God I hope he gets thumped tomorrow!