Sunday's Doonesbury-Sacrifices

[n2doc]

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. The best way to look after your brother soldiers is to keep them out of wars.

Especially wars of choice.

[Ilsa]

2. And the congregation says "Amen!"

[on point]

4. Soldiers may have to follow orders, but citizens have a duty to question

In order to protect those soldiers

[eppur_se_muova]

3. This is exactly how warmongers get their wars fought ...

throw trained soldiers into harm's way, and leave them to defend their buddies. If they have to kill some of the "enemy" (together with some collateral damage) in the process, so be it. It's the most viciously inhumane exploitation imaginable.

Years ago, I read a book about the French in Vietnam, before the Americans got involved. Soldiers there told the same story. They were sent out on patrols which made no sense, and sent directly into areas where the VC had all the advantages. They took enormous casualties, as the VC could pick them off a few at a time and disappear into the jungle. But they kept fighting because they were "protecting their buddies". And they went back out on the next patrol because soldiers follow orders.

It had nothing to do with politics, like BD said. But it got the war on.

[Gothmog]

5. Very powerful cartoon

[tazkcmo]

6. And Doonesbury gets it.

Veteran my self (1985-1990, re-called for Oil War I) and this cartoon hits it on the nail. The military is a small family, you meet new brothers and sisters with every new post and reacquaint with others from previous posts. While our reasons for enlisting are numerous and vary from member to member, once in we look out for each other in peace and in combat.

As an example:

I work with an Oil War II vet (sniper, name of Ron) and we've known each other for about a month. Last night he was asked to come in and help out due to a dishwasher no-showing and he did. When I arrived I went by the dish pit to say hello to both men as I usually do. He left around 9ish while the remainder of us remained to finish the shift and close the restaurant. When I finished my duties I helped the other dishwasher that had shown (Nu, pronounced "new&quot finish up his duties as he was doing a two person job by himself. Nu told me that Ron had not cared for the way Nu had greeted me (we joke and rib each other for being "old&quot and Ron had make very clear to Nu that he did not care for the way Nu had interacted with me. In Nu's words, Ron had "stuck up" for me. Nu had to explain to Ron that he meant no disrespect, that he and I rib each other like this all the time.

As I said, I've known Ron for a month. We don't hang out off work. We are not "friends". We are brothers. We have each other's backs. This is why I'm a proud veteran even while being completely disgusted by our leader's use of our forces. Doonsebury gets it.