It's a shame that our young veterans in the Marines and Army don't have an adequate voice to use to express their true thoughts about the Iraq ordeal, with an unbiased government administration and impartial media available to hear them out, honestly & completely.
I've been searching through the Detroit Free Press online site for nearly an hour, trying to find the article that best exemplifies their frustration. Ultimately, it cannot be found there, nor on any other search engine I've accessed. That is an additional shame, because this did give their voice through in an article where it becomes obvious that things aren't "peaches & beans" overseas.
A group of troops stationed there are war-weary of this effort that seems to yield no concrete results and no visible solutions at close range. They look for a medium to express their opinion that the recent troop surge of 21,500 ordered by the President is fruitless, will only make the situation worse, and not only demoralizes the attitudes & outlooks of those already stationed, but would result in more deaths, chaos, bad feelings, as well as reinforcement that they cannot succeed in a war many believe can never be won. In other words, they see what Joe Q. Public has figured out: the strategy is worsening, trying to cover up mistakes from before - and all gaining a sense of urgency without careful planning, or acknowledgment of other sources providing alternative information.
The article pointed out their inability to have their voices taken seriously. One reason is obvious: you simply can't deny orders from the commander. You can't put the squad in mutiny. They are not looking to make a mutant statement; they do want to fight for their country. Their question is whether the war can be won, and if there is an underlying purpose to the proceedings. They worry about their comrades dying needlessly, and wonder why the administration won't listen to them ("all the politicians do is squabble", it was stated).
We have freedom of speech and of the press. Does this not apply to our people in military fatigues? Who better to tell the administration that things just aren't working - the ones doing the actual fighting?
Risking their lives in a futile environment everyday, and the resulting, realistic opinions & concerns, should be noted with more than just a wink and casual observance.
