Stand behind our troops, but don't hide behind them

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Rick Horowitz
Nationally syndicated columnist


"The stakes in the global war on terror are too high, and the national interest is too important, for politicians to throw out false charges. These baseless attacks send the wrong signal to our troops and to an enemy that is questioning America's will. As our troops fight a ruthless enemy determined to destroy our way of life, they deserve to know that their elected leaders who voted to send them to war continue to stand behind them."

President Bush, speaking on Veterans Day

There's a difference between standing behind our troops and hiding behind our troops.

This president would be so much happier if we'd just keep allowing him to blur the two. We don't seem inclined to do that, though - not this time, not any more - which is why this president isn't very happy at all lately. He sounds frustrated. He sounds angry. He sounds the way someone sounds who's never had to take responsibility for his own mistakes, and who suddenly discovers that this time, there's nobody rushing in to bail him out, and nobody else he can blame for his predicament.

http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/05/11/16/100opi_horowitz001.cfm

[Alonzo Fyfe]

1. The Moral Essence of Bush's Statements

President Bush’s statements effectively state, "If you do not say that I am the greatest and wisest of all Presidents, and if you do not follow my lead without question or objection, then you are providing aid and comfort to the enemy and betraying our troops to them.”

Supporting the troops means more than providing them with the best equipment and training, but also with leaders with competence and integrity. Just as it means throwing out equipment that does not work, changing training options that are ineffective, but also replacing leaders that lack integrity and competence.

"But, if you tell the troops that I am incompetent and lack integrity, you will weaken their morale and their will to fight, and no decent person would do that." This is Bush's message.

Ancient tribes used to give their soldiers paper armor and then, through magic or prayer, convince them that it was impentrable and they had nothing to fear. They died in great numbers because the paper was, in fact, still nothing but paper.

Similarly, an incompetent leader that we pretend is competent is still incompetent, and still prone to get the troops that follow him killed for no good reason.

Alonzo Fyfe
Atheist Ethicist Blog

[bonito]

2. and bush sends our children out to slaughter

for his interest... profit for there pockets. who in there right mind will have there children kill and be killed for profit? its clear, The republican party! My national interest is the life and future of our children.