The Military Meltdown Countdown

[Sooner75]

I heard on the radio that the US military has about 12 months before the status quo causes a REAL breaking point. The sustainability just won't be there. Even now, military leaders are quietly lobbying for a drawdown in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Next spring, military personnel will be sent on their THIRD 12 month tour to Iraq. (This according to one of Al Franken's guests last week. He was a rather levelheaded "Eisenhower" Republican.)

The divorce rate in military families is skyrocketing.

Lots of highly skilled, career military people are now leaving (whenever they are finally allowed to, that is). They are also NOT going into the Guard and Reserves as they normally might, because they know that that'll just send 'em BACK to Iraq.

If that 12 month time frame is accurate, the breaking point would occur BEFORE the November 2006 election. Think about that.

Of course, the WORST of this is that our people in uniform deserve better than this. They signed up to take on dangerous duty on our behalf, and they take on greater personal sacrifices in the bargain. But, now, the level of those personal sacrifices has grown enormously.

Dishonest and self-serving leaders led us into this intolerable mess, and it's a safe bet that they won't get us out of it unless they are given A LOT OF MOTIVATION.

In any case, it'll probably take decades for our military to recover.

[cassiepriam]

1. They did this to themselves.

Colin Powell led the pack, then the abuse and torture of innocent women and children. Support out troops? I think not.

[militaryWife]

3. I hope you are being sarcastic.

They didn't all do this to themselves, very few of them in fact. As in all things in life, it is the top level making bad decisions for everyone else. They think it is leadership to say 'suck it up and drive on'. Now families are being destroyed, suicides are increasing, people are trapped in a job they chose because of an original sense of patriotism and a strong desire to defend their country from OBL and the like- now, all are being used for a senseless, useless war. My husband doesn't deserve your scorn. He is one of countless victims being used by this administration and not being supported by his chain-of-command.

:eyes:

[cassiepriam]

4. Not sarcasm. I am talking from the heart.

I have been in your spot and then some. I am a military brat. Spent my life on AF bases, grew up South East Asia during the Viet Nam war. School was armed guards and barbed wire during the War. Saw the men take planes of troop supplies to Viet Nam and come back with lots of dead bodies. Not your typical childhood. Later saw my friends get drafted when their number came up in the draft lottery, some of whom never returned alive.

My point is this: The military has to own their part in this horrible war. Colin Powell, and the other generals promoted it, when they knew better. And the troops on the ground have been murdering, torturing innocent women and children. The "I am just following orders" didn't wash in Viet Nam and it doesn't wash now.

For those military men and women who do not countenance the whole sale genocide of the Iraqi people, they need to do the right thing. Lay down their arms are refuse to follow orders. Refuse to kill, rape, torture.

If the US military is feeling victimized, then start leaving the military, protest, go AWOL. Have the courage to do the right thing. Instead of feeling helpless get some courage and power to be better than the immoral leadership. Be strong and do the right thing in life. Stop being victims and victimizing others.

The military is no different then the rest of the country. We are all victims of this corrupt regime. We all must have the courage to speak out, even at great risk. If we do not, then we deserve to be victims. We get the leadership we deserve.

I sincerely wish you and your family well, I have been in your shoes.

[bemildred]

8. Well said. nt

[madeline_con]

2. "... the US military has about 12 months ..."

As unfortunate as the situation is, this couldn't be better in terms of timing. Looks like the caca will hit the fan right on time for midterm elections. :)

[Ioo]

5. As the Military Goes, so goes the rest of the Public.

Because every person in the miliraty is a Brother / Sister / Son / Father / Mother and so on...

The Uber Right will be left alone.

[Sooner75]

6. agreed

If our military folks continue to suffer like they have, the rest of us will live to regret it....like the NEXT time we want their intervention somewhere in the world.

Most military people tend to lean toward the Republicans, and, yeah, they bought into the GOP party line just like a whole lot of other Americans. But, I just don't buy the argument the rank-and-file "boots-on-the-ground" soldiers/Marines brought this cluster fuck on themselves. The higher ranks know a thing or two about tactics, and they're familiar with Sun Tzu. They knew that we didn't have the troop strength to make it work. They also knew that we didn't have an exit strategy. A major no-no. However, disobedience -- civil or otherwise -- isn't an option in their world.

As Michael Moore and others have pointed out, their end of the deal is to go where they're sent, to fight and be willing to pay the ultimate price on our behalf. Our end of the deal is to make sure that it's justified and worth it. On those terms, I feel that WE have failed them.

[leesa]

7. Bush...keeping us safe!