Memorial Day and an Internet discussion. The opening post was about how Canadian forces had fought so many times outside of Canada but never for territorial gain. I read that and wondered if the poster was really memorializing the sacrifice of a soldier or just bragging about his nation.
But much worse was to come. In the comments came a stream of posts claiming that “soldiers are psychopaths,” that our fight in World War II was not noble since it was “really” fought to save corporate profits and that the Nazi invasion of Poland was no reason to go to war since Poland was really just part of Germany anyway.
That was followed by someone defending soldiers as the only real patriots compared to those weak second-class civilians and proclaiming the whole discussion “sad.” Finally, that was a comment I could agree with.
Policy and soldiers
I make no apology to anyone for bluntly arguing that our wars in Vietnam and Iraq were moral blots of major proportion on our history. And I also admire soldiers for their bravery and commitment and, when I can, thank them for their service. That is not in the least hypocritical or wishy-washy.
I doubt that WWII was really about a desire to defend American business profits. But, even if it could be shown to be true, that is irrelevant when assessing the motives of individual, rank and file soldiers and the front-line officers who commanded them. I have no doubt of the sincerity of the motives that caused millions to enlist, joke about their hardships and inspire their courage in the face of danger.
Likewise, I have nothing but respect for those who endured combat in Vietnam. They didn’t set the policy that took us there. We didn’t fight in Vietnam because of some massive uprising from ordinary citizens who suddenly demanded we go there and fight there and stay there year after year.
Yes, there were violations of the rules of war, massacres like My Lai, racist name-calling of the enemy and for those things they personally did, they can take responsibility. But most did the best they could with the situation that was handed to them and there are also many stories of grace and kindness amid the chaos of war.
The trauma of many who fought there should be respected.
Likewise, as angry as our citizens were – justifiably angry – about 9/11, no groundswell of support existed for going to Iraq and destroying their nation and making a million people refugees. Soldiers went because they were ordered to by a government that lied and manipulated the situation for its own purposes.
Support for ourselves
We seem to be awash, actually, in “support” for troops. We can hardly go a day without encountering some little ceremony of support, be it a ribbon here, a round of applause there or a logo over here. I am deeply skeptical about the sincerity of much of this.
Time and again politicians seem to be hiding behind the soldiers. “Criticize me and my policies and you’ll be attacking our brave soldiers!” We use soldiers as human shields not for our liberty but to deflect awkward questions about the size of our defense industry, its control of our politics and to silence those who wonder why we are bombing and flying drones in so many places.
We’re told endlessly that soldiers are right now fighting to “defend our country.” From what, exactly? Iraq was no threat to us, neither is Iran, in fact. Another few years in Afghanistan seems far less important to preserving my freedom than stopping the creeping surveillance and ever expanding presidential power here at home. All those drone strikes that hit wedding parties and innocent gatherings too much of the time aren’t helping either.
Again, I don’t blame any soldier for this, not even the ones enthusiastic about it. Most are barely of adult age. They didn’t set the policy. Those who do set the policy shouldn’t try to pin it on some second lieutenant trying to keep his platoon alive.
Further, it seems that for some corporations, a stance “supporting the troops” is a good PR move, a sort of celebrity endorsement that is designed to fool you into thinking they make quality products. They’d support Madonna or Nickelback or the next James Bond movie instead if they thought it gave them more traction with the public.
What soldiers really need
I’m skeptical about such alleged support because it doesn’t seem to be accompanied by real support. Soldiers go off to Iraq without proper armor, they fight under strategies that have no chance of success, they get redeployed without proper rest, they don’t get decent pay, they have problems getting long term medical care – the list goes on and on.
Some of those shouting the loudest about why us whinny liberals should be quiet and support the troops seem to have no trouble trashing actual soldiers, as Tammy Duckworth knows too well. John Kerry and George McGovern could have told her it was coming.
A true Memorial Day
I would have hoped that on Memorial Day we could, just for one day, put aside all the politics – certainly including my own politics – and just remember the sacrifice involved in being a soldier. Not only the ultimate sacrifice of one’s life, but the daily sacrifice of constantly moving, giving up some of the political rights civilians possess, giving up career mobility and surrendering any chance to strike it rich with stock options or even a high six-figure income.
As I drive around the country I see those memorials to soldiers. After Vietnam, it’s popular now to have lists of the names of those who lost their lives in combat. I stop when I can and take a moment to cast my eye over the names and think of all the families shattered, the possibilities lost, the lives cut short – as it is usually the young who die in combat, those newly married and newly a parent.
I don’t think, in those moments, about if the war that took their lives really defended my country. That’s just not the point. We all have limitations on our choices. We can’t pick the times we live in, we can’t pick our nation’s history, and even if we vote, we don’t really control our nation’s policies. But we do get to choose what to dedicate our lives to.
On Memorial Day what matters, what is essential, is to recall to mind that here are men and women who committed themselves to something bigger and better than their immediate life. They saw, however imperfectly, some noble idea, be it a vision of liberty or innocents who should be defended. They decided that, whatever the risk, it was worth taking the one life they had been granted and giving it in service to that idea.
As Lincoln said, “it is altogether fitting and proper” that we should reflect and remember this, and “to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan” is true support of our troops.