LTTEs that probably won't be published, part 4

[ProfessorPlum]

A recent letter to the editor from a member of the services who had been deployed to the Middle East described his sense of demoralization at seeing protests of the Iraq war, and expressed his desire that all citizens would stop protesting and support the troops.

I feel remorse that he has perhaps misunderstood the message of civil protest to the Iraq War, and regret his feelings of demoralization. I would like to offer another way of looking at the protests which may bring us into a closer understanding.

His agreement to serve his country is a great gift, delivered with honor and received with gratitude from the people in our country. The combination of citizen’s tax dollars and the voluntary service offered by the men and women in our armed forces create a valuable tool for this country, and a bulwark against physical harm to our country by outside antagonists. What the people in this country object to most, is having that powerful tool squandered and damaged unnecessarily.

The temporary commander-in-chief of the armed services has committed us to a war which is guaranteed to create enemies and weaken our friendships. It is an illegal, unprovoked invasion of an oil-rich country where we are building permanent military bases and where the deaths and abuse of innocent civilians are rampant. Thousands and thousands of members of our military have been maimed and killed on a fool’s errand, and billions of our tax dollars are being flushed down the toilet. But the commander-in-chief does not own the military. It is not his to ruin and waste. The people, through Congress, are to decide when and where this wonderful, powerful tool that we all have built and which we all own should best be used, and nothing is more patriotic than having a lively, impassioned debate on those questions. It cannot be wise to squander our military resource on a project that only seems to benefit corporate contractors, and turns the world against us.

We have lent Bush the keys to our military car. You’ll have to forgive us if we see him driving over a cliff at full speed, and wish to register our hope that he puts on the brakes before we are left to walk in this dangerous world.

this one is definitely a no-go. Too long. Requires mouth-breathing public to realize Chimpy isn't the CinC of the citizenry, and he doesn't OWN the military.