I think the Iraq war is different. I think the culture is different. I've met many soldiers from the first Gulf War; they were just a few years ahead of me in school. They're noble people, by and large. They represent the ideal of the noble military as much as is possible by real, live humans.

I've met 'veterans' of the current war a few times in my life at this point. Never has the experience been good. The times I overhear them, read their blogs, it's all just worse. They LIKE needless pain; they WANT empty dominance. And they will afflict our society when they return. They voted themselves into this war, and when they return, their unprecidented rates of PTSD will make them much more likely to abuse their spouses and children, to tax our social services, to be difficult and unpleasant citizens in general. And they VOTED for that.

I don't respect today's American military. It's not noble, or just, or even compotent. It's just scary.