I often think that the hardest thing about war these days isn't the enemy, but rather the perception both in the US and abroad. The 24 hour news cycle and instant access are rapidly shaping public opinion. A solider in Iraq writes exactly what I believe to be true:
"The other day you read some soldier being quoted in Stars and Stripes that he’d rather fight in World War II than this shit. At least then he could pull the trigger and not be massacred by the media or his superiors. Seeing a uniformed enemy would make fighting a real war possible. You totally agree. Fighting this war sucks."
If our commanders on the ground are more worried about how they'll look, then they can't be focused on what should be the number one goal and that is winning the war. I don't know if another war will be fought without the entire world being exposed to coverage without perspective and if the US has the will to place the goal of winning above how we will be perceived...
1 comment:
This is a tough one for me to feel strongly about either way. On one hand the lack of support and unity is frustrating for supporters. On the other hand, everyone has the right to express their opinions and concerns. The freedom the troops are fighting seems to be taken for granted in many cases.
People do not understand our history and think we live in a vastly different world where we need not be involved in world affairs to the degree of a war. I'm not arguing for or against this war here, simply suggesting that most people in this country aren't thinking about the bigger picture or remembering history.
The "enemy" in this case is just waiting it out and waiting for us to cave and all they need to do is watch TV to see that we are. Imagine if all they saw was George W. repeating "stay the course". Imagine if they were seeing a unified front. And now that the Dems are coming out clearly against the war, they will do anything to make sure "they are right". Any success in Iraq now would make them look bad and now that's the most important thing since the election is coming.
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