Professional soldiers are paid pretty well to go wherever we send them and do whatever dirty work we need done. It's a convenient arrangement because the average citizen knows he'll never be called to fight. He pays people to do that for him. "I got people who take care of that."

What do we do for them? We pay them okay money, not huge money, but pretty good bucks for senior officers and enlisted men. When you add in the fact their living expenses are covered or subsidized, it begins to look better. The career people can have a nice second career with a defense-related government agency or military contractor. There are so many of these jobs, many of which involve little more than showing up every day, they're becoming part of the entitlement.

We're also careful not to criticize our military personnel. They're all heroes, every single one of them, until there's an incident like Abu Ghraib. Then the whole thing is blamed on a few bad apples and the officer who failed to recognize them as bad apples. Nobody dares to suggest there might be systemic problems.

The lesson we learned from Vietnam is to not allow ourselves to think too much. We invaded a small, weak nation on a flimsy pretext supported by phony evidence. We destroyed the infrastructure and killed hundreds of thousands of people. We tilted our domestic economy so far toward propping up our military occupation that we're incapable of dealing with something like disaster relief in the wake of a hurricane. We are -- literally, not figuratively -- more committed to rescuing and rebuilding a foreign nation on the other side of the world than we are to rebuilding one of our own cities.

As a nation, we are remarkably uncritical of ourselves about all this. We feel perfectly justified rampaging around the world, invading other countries, telling others what to do, and reconfiguring the government so that we work for the military instead of the other way around.

It will be interesting to see how much longer this lasts. The Soviet Union kept it up for over 50 years. We're starting at a more advantageous place, but the effects of globalization may accelerate our decline. Whether the end comes slowly or quickly, it will come. One day we'll run out of money and the business of making war will go bust.

Good points.

It seems we are not totally uncritical; after all, the majority of Americans polled say they do not support the war. One of the major parties campaigns about ending the war, not continuing it forever. We do seem to be paralyzed, however. During Vietnam there was an unceasing public outcry by the critical - active, visible, noisy, and in your face. It was driven by the young. This war has seen little such demonstration or outcry. I have been fascinated about why that is so.

All I can figure is that the young in the 60s could easily be drafted. They had a stake in getting that war ended. The young now are completely absent from the picture, perhaps because of volunteer army.

Perhaps, also, it is so unfashionable now to question anything about the military because of 911. The recent revelation of a $550 billion military budget barely raised a hoot. One would think that just the total (not $ spent so far) cost of Iraq would outrage everyone and send economists into tailspins. How can we comprehend a $3 trillion war? (the latest figure I heard from a Nobel Prize economist)

Much of this really is a testament to the Republicans' masterful ability to couch the issues in terms that feed Americans' current biases and fears and blind us to any sense of rationality. We are paralyzed.

Crowe, you're right about the draft being a huge reason why protests are smaller. But you're wrong about the unfashionability of protest.

The draft put every young person on notice that they had a mortal stake in the conflict, and it amplified critical reaction to the war. Also, casualites and mortality rates were significantly higher. The general intensity of the conflict was greater.

There were massive protests accross the nation between 2003 and the 2004 election. I was in New York participating in two of the largest ones in Feb'03 (before the war broke out), and at the Republican national convention in 04'. The numbers there, and at other protests accross the country at that time speak for themselves.

However, I remember thinking even in 03' that the war was inevetable and that the protest wasn't doing jack. The reason was simply because when you turned on the news every night you could tell that the adminstration's decision had already been made, and that the American public was not giving the situation the critical response it required. We weren't protesting against injustice or destruction, we were up against irrationalism and disinterest. Opinion polls showed half the country thought Saddam had been involved in 9-11 (and 1\3 of us still do). Nobody seemed to be aware that the UN was then conducting weapons inspections that turned up nothing. And hardly anyone seemed concerned that we were essentially going it alone.

After the election, I think, most people threw up their hands. Even after it seemed like the "told you so" approach to war opposition was gaining traction because of the growing unrest in Iraq, Bush managed to pull off a legitimate reelection. Protesters had learned that they couldn't go up against the administration while trying to educate a generally unconcerned swath of Americans as well.

so you can post your spin and half-truths and not get called on it right away?

Eric the wrong; I served a career in the military. Speaking from my personal experience I would say Arlington is pretty spot on. From what experience do you speak?

Perhaps "unfashionable" was the wrong word. I do remember the protests you speak of. I had hope then they would be widespread and lasting. They certainly have not been lasting. I don't pretend to know why, but this administration certainly has not felt the pressure that the public protests had during Vietnam. Polls don't have the impact of 300,000 people screaming for change every weekend in dozens of cities. I agree with both posts that somehow we have been hypnotized since 911 into banishing rationality. Do our policies reflect the peoples' stupor or have we been bollixed by the policies?

I don’t think 9-11 has resulted in a “banishing rationality”. The fact is people on both sides of the fence often times banish rationality, far right and far left lap up their own propaganda just as readily and with equal gusto in the face of objectivity. The reason there aren’t huge protests is because there are a lot of people out there that honestly disagree with the anti-war factions. I support the war in Iraq and on terrorism for philosophical reasons not because Fox news told me so. There is never good and evil, just struggles between varying degrees of bad. Also, being a native Californian and growing up near Berkley and Davis I’ve grown weary of constant protests about everything from war to genetically modified food. When there is a group screaming constantly, they become illegitimated over time because the outside observer sees a bunch of brats that have more passion for the protest than actual issues. It becomes an issue of what won’t they protest? Likewise, when what they protest becomes so predictable, it also hurts their credibility. It is a guarantee that when there is an issue to protest and the protesters hit the street they invariably are supporting the side that is anti-Western and anti-capitalist. When it is so predicable which side they will be on it give the outside observer the impression that there was no objective though put into the issue by the protesters, just a knee-jerk anti-US, anti-Western, anti-capitalist reaction to every issue due to mindless acceptance of the opinions put forth by their leftist professors.

- EricTheLazy.

bollixed by policies 10 times over.

The Bush\Rove electoral policy of reaching to the fringe rather than appealing to the center directly led to the use of 9\11 as a political slogan for republicans, rather than a uniting symbol. That was a conscious decision.

The choice to invade Iraq was the administration's alone. No public histeria pushed them in that direction, as we had just invaded afghanistan and were focused on Bin Laden as enemy No.1 until the administration started talking more and more about Saddam.

The choice to conduct surveillance illegally was the administrations, and the public debate which decided in their favor only happened after those illegal actions had been discovered.

Nobody told the administration to reinvent the term "enemy combatant," and that depriving suspects of habeas corpus, or guantanamo, was a good idea.

Nobody told the administration that rejecting Iran's diplomatic overtures in 2002 was a good idea.

These were all policy decisions that were made in the west wing, and described to the American people as if they represented the "new normal." The policies of the administration are very easily linked to the people involved - Rumsfield, Cheney, Wolfowitz, John Yoo, etc. A different leader would have provided different leadership, and perhaps wouldn't have ended up with a 30% approval rating.

well-articulated political point of view can count on is that someone will "call him." Even if it's only a moron like yourself.

The interesting points in Krebs piece have been overlooked in this intelligent and melancholy thread: <The officer corps is now composed disproportionately of self-identified political conservatives and Republican partisans>, and what was omitted; the internet.

The United States military was never designed to be the military arm of a political party. The all-volunteer army and the conservative mercenaries with even less loyalty to the country are all too often brainwashed thugs. If the military is trying so hard, as Krebs claims, to have compassion for Iraqi citizens, why not count how many of them are dead? Why not petition the Republican party and Haliburton to to something substantial for the 5 million refugees? The astonishing number of Kurds killed by Saddam was supposed to be validation of the invasion. In fact, it would have been had the Bush administration had a shred of character, wisedom, or honesty. The Kurds should be the U.S. focus. They are a democratic and secular people who have always had an affinity for what has sadly become the myth of America. And yet what do we hear from the "party" about the Kurds? PKK, terrorists, anti-western islamo-facists, and mean spirited towards that country of great affinity for New American values, Turkey.

The military command allows grunts to hear Rush Limbaugh, spend off duty hours in air conditioned tents, eat cheeseburgers, and use the internet--as long as it's not for thinking. The same military command prays for ever larger contractual largess from Congress and flocks to "churches" of truly insane fundamentalists like, and worse than, Hagee. Then it's off into the double-dip, tax-payer funded socialism of unaudited splendor for the true believers.

I suspect there are many veterans who well understand what the neocons--throw many Democrats in there--have done to politicize the services; and the Justice Department, and HSL, and all the faux-faith based "charities" to cover only a few. But where would they go to tell there story? What would happen to them if they spoke up? The brute force of the same corrupt handlers, propagandists, and rigidly politicized system would do to them things that Iglesias never imagined. Health care, pensions, and opportunities would--just as they were in the services--be directed only to those favorite flag wavers. Any soldier willing to stand up for the Constitution will pay a heavy price. And, as has become obvious, any citizen as well. This is why there are no protest movements; any young person caught on a surveillance tape can kiss his or her future goodbye. Google, Microsoft, WSJ, and GE will absolutely not hire anyone that has stood up--verbally or physically--to the defacto police state. The internet offers some last tiny illusion of protection from the state. It seems, ah, what is seems, a place where freedom of speech still exists.

Melancholy, indeed.

I can only add these observations from my years in the military. Walk into any military office and you will find a TV, especially an office that serves the military public such as a Community Center or Military Pay. That TV will be on Fox News 90% of the time.

When I was stationed in Europe we got Limbaugh over AFRTs but not one single liberal or progressive talk show.

I was routinely labled a "Communist" for my liberal leanings even though I served honorably and didn't eat babies for breakfast. Supervisors routinely denigrate anyone who doesn't tow the conservative line. Even at major ceremonies, like Awards Ceremonies or Dinings In, Colonels and Generals will slip in a comment about how they can't predict new equipment will be purchased or pay raises will enacted because a Democrat just might be elected to the Presidency or because there is Democratic congress.

It's never overt but it's not subtle either. Still, there are liberals surviving in the military.

Damn commies....all they want to do is watch CNN and listen to NPR.

Adrasteia - I share your experiences of living a closeted life (depending on your taste for public ridicule and pitched debates) as a liberal in the military, particularly amongst the officer corps. It wasn't so bad back when I was enlisted, and from studies I've read, backed by hushed conversations during late night watches, that segment of the military is still largely representative of political demographics in the larger society; A small albeit sad positive that has likely come from focused recruiting in less economically sound areas of the country. Unfortunately, I am unable to find wider solace with those kindred spirits across the divide for reasons of improper fraternization, etc. Not that this stops the righties from loudly and regularly releasing their public sentiments of spin-altered truth to everyone within earshot - but such are the rules when your side holds the lesser hand. A truth bomb every now and then to repudiate whatever Faux News is playing in the background helps, though, to show the troops that not all O's are kool-aid swilling jack-a**'es. As a recently re-delivered consumer of the Armed Forces Network after a 10 year hiatus, I am pleased to find Olbermann, Stewart, Colbert, and Schultz around the dial nowadays, if at odd times and still not knocking Rush and O'Rielly out of their Nielsen-fueled prime time slots. I can only surmise that even this little bit of left wing red meat is the result of more enlisted requests for alternative programming than any ratings issues that would have brought these programs to the fore on their own (well, maybe not Stewart). Nonetheless, thank God for the enlisted man. And may my former XO - who the week of the 2004 elections farce, in a moment of glee, challenged any Democrat in the wardroom to "raise their hand and 'identify' themselves" - rot under the rock that he was forced to retire to (...sweet vindication, albeit for a matter of infidelity). How's that for overt? ("...and if you're Jewish raise your hand, too......") No, I didn't raise my hand - that would have been stupid and accomplished nothing but an un-provable mark against me in my performance report. It is important not to entirely cull critical thought out of the ranks.

Peace.

The all-volunteer army and the conservative mercenaries with even less loyalty to the country are all too often brainwashed thugs

theintelligentdesigner, is that what you really think? That has to be, without a doubt, one of the most offensive things I've ever heard. The men and women who put on the uniform of our Armed Forces are NOT thugs. Most of them are some of the finest people in this country. Have you ever worn a uniform and stood in harm's way? If you haven't, then shut your mouth.

I once served in the military, and I am proud to say I did. I am not, nor was I ever a thug. Neither were the people I served with. To hear an American say something so vile and untrue just makes me sick. You really need to rethink that statement pal, because that is about as un-american as it gets.

Yes, there are some bad people in the military. There are bad people everywhere. But to compare our military to "brainwashed thugs" is beyond absurd, and only makes you look like a hateful fool.

When you go to sleep tonight, you might want to remember that you are a free person...and that freedom was bought by those "brainwashed thugs".