Our soldiers in Iraq aren't heroes (But Andy Rooney is! (not))

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[Peter J. Huss]

Our soldiers in Iraq aren't heroes



4/12/2004

By ANDY ROONEY

Most of the reporting from Iraq is about death and destruction. We don't learn much about what our soldiers in Iraq are thinking or doing. There's no Ernie Pyle to tell us, and, if there were, the military would make it difficult or impossible for him to let us know. It would be interesting to have a reporter ask a group of our soldiers in Iraq to answer five questions and see the results:

1. Do you think your country did the right thing sending you into Iraq?

2. Are you doing what America set out to do to make Iraq a democracy, or have we failed so badly that we should pack up and get out before more of you are killed?

3. Do the orders you get handed down from one headquarters to another, all far removed from the fighting, seem sensible, or do you think our highest command is out of touch with the reality of your situation?

4. If you could have a medal or a trip home, which would you take?

5. Are you encouraged by all the talk back home about how brave you are and how everyone supports you?

Treating soldiers fighting their war as brave heroes is an old civilian trick designed to keep the soldiers at it. But you can be sure our soldiers in Iraq are not all brave heroes gladly risking their lives for us sitting comfortably back here at home.

Our soldiers in Iraq are people, young men and women, and they behave like people - sometimes good and sometimes bad, sometimes brave, sometimes fearful. It's disingenuous of the rest of us to encourage them to fight this war by idolizing them.

We pin medals on their chests to keep them going. We speak of them as if they volunteered to risk their lives to save ours, but there isn't much voluntary about what most of them have done. A relatively small number are professional soldiers. During the last few years, when millions of jobs disappeared, many young people, desperate for some income, enlisted in the Army. About 40 percent of our soldiers in Iraq enlisted in the National Guard or the Army Reserve to pick up some extra money and never thought they'd be called on to fight. They want to come home.

One indication that not all soldiers in Iraq are happy warriors is the report recently released by the Army showing that 23 of them committed suicide there last year. This is a dismaying figure. If 22 young men and one woman killed themselves because they couldn't take it, think how many more are desperately unhappy but unwilling to die.

We must support our soldiers in Iraq because it's our fault they're risking their lives there. However, we should not bestow the mantle of heroism on all of them for simply being where we sent them. Most are victims, not heroes.

America's intentions are honorable. I believe that, and we must find a way of making the rest of the world believe it. We want to do the right thing. We care about the rest of the world. President Bush's intentions were honorable when he took us into Iraq. They were not well thought out but honorable.

Bush's determination to make the evidence fit the action he took, which it does not, has made things look worse. We pay lip service to the virtues of openness and honesty, but for some reason, we too often act as though there was a better way of handling a bad situation than by being absolutely open and honest.

[So Cal Rocket]

This is part of the Leftist-Socialist-Democrat Party's plan to undermine the morale of our brave servicemen & women in Iraq - in order to affect the outcome of the war.

A defeat in Iraq = a defeat for Bush.

Kerry, Ben Vineste, Clinton (both), Kennedy, and the Leftist Media are hoping for the defeat of our military efforts. They are on the same side as Bin Laden, Hussein, Il Jong, and the Ayatollahs.

[TexasCajun]

What a BIG dick!

[Joe Republc]

" ...One indication that not all soldiers in Iraq are happy warriors is the report recently released by the Army showing that 23 of them committed suicide there last year. This is a dismaying figure. If 22 young men and one woman killed themselves because they couldn't take it, think how many more are desperately unhappy but unwilling to die. "

Anybody know how many NYU students and students from other colleges killed themselves in the last year? Why don't we point our fingers at the university ruling elite for this?

-- Joe

[don-o]

Andy Rooney poll:
1. Harmless old coot.
2. Menace to society.
3. Freakish waste of carbon.
Vote for one or all. Feel free to add your own.

[litany_of_lies]

Look at this as an opportunity. Now that Rooney has put the issue on the table, this is the chance for EVERY friend, relative, and spouse of one of our heroes in Iraq to tell their story to the press. Demand that every newspaper that publishes this rubbish give equal time to the stories of local servicemen and women.

Let's hear about the restoration of power, health care, schools, oil fields, and other rebuilding projects. Let's get the stories that never seem to get out of the Internet forums because they're "not important enough" into the mainstream press once and for all.

Let's hear about the bestial nature of our enemy, and the kind gestures and support from everyday Iraqis who haven't allowed the hatred inherent in the "religion of peace" to infect them.

Let's remind Mr. Rooney that our military is there and that the "noble" Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs), the so-called nonpolitical charities, and other self-appointed do-gooders abandoned postwar Iraq at the first setback, not because they are more afraid in Iraq than in, say, Sudan, but because they want the postwar effort to fail and do not wish to be associated with its success when it does succeed (and it will).

[mad puppy]

I wonder how vet's from HIS era feel about his opinions of them?

[mystery-ak]

Im sick to death of these people...they are killing our brave soldiers with ink pens and microphones....

[Teacher317]

There's no Ernie Pyle to tell us, and, if there were, the military would make it difficult or impossible for him to let us know.

Yeah, sending in those embedded journalists to broadcast during the actual invasion was a perfect example of how the press is so brutally suppressed i this conflict. /S>

[Paul_B]

This offensive idiot has got to go. It has nothing to do with free speech, it's about having a responsible point of view.

If he wants to pick at Bush's actions, fine, but for God's sake leave the soldiers alone. Rooney seems not to have the slightest idea what duty and honor are - qualities that keep a soldier on the lines when he wants to go home.

This man is a disgrace, even to CBS - and that's saying something. Get this emabarassment off the air, guys, or you'll be the only ones watching your pathetic show.

[Fiddlstix]

Andy Rooney: Living proof of everything that is wrong with the "Lame stream Media".

[lowbridge]

bump

[Casloy]

There is so much crap in his article it is absurd to even attempt to respond to it. Let's put this in perspective. This is a man who just a few years ago said the Tank was an obsolete piece of military equipment given the ability to knock it out with shoulder fired weapons. The man isn't a dick, he is an idiot. A dick sometimes hits on the truth accidentally. He gets it wrong every time.

[Cap Huff]

I can't believe it either. It has been years since I've been able to stomach this Andy Rooney, and I've not read anything with his name on it in a long time. Unbelievable.

[geedee]

The liberal pukes like this old windbag just infuriate me. He's a pious old fart who does nothing but motivate our enemies.

[TexasCajun]

Well Andy, the Kurds probably have a different opinion as I'm sure the Kuwait people do!

The vast majority of Iraqi people would tell you FREEDOM is a pretty good thing to have!

[Teacher317]

It's disingenuous of the rest of us to encourage them to fight this war by idolizing them. We pin medals on their chests to keep them going.

So he just dismssed the heroism of every soldier who ever won the Silver Star, the Congressional Medal of Honor, a Purple Heart, etc. I can't express what a painful end I wish for him.

(One wonders if he dismisses John Kerry's medals so cavalierly. No doubt he believes that Nobel and Pulitzer winners are for more brave and deserving of accolades.)

[blackie]

Read this Andy:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1116008/posts?

[rangerX]

He's a f***ing oxygen thief.

[TexasCajun]

It's time to boycott CBS until they flush this living, breathing turd!

[Chuckster]

Andy Rooney wouldn't know a real hero if one of them slapped him in the face.

Hmmmmmm.