Mr. Zachary:
As someone who knows Joe Guthrie, the author of the article "Nation Breaking," very well (and he did write it, by the way), I feel compelled to respond to some erroneous assumptions you have made based on no information.
A) Joe is not and never has been a leftist. He was raised in a conservative family and has always maintained conservative values. This is why he wanted his article published in a CONSERVATIVE magazine, one whose agenda claims to seek out corruption in government, among other things!! Is anyone who disagrees with the Bush administration automatically branded a leftist, propagandist, pinko, etc.? Apparently this is indeed the case, and is a sad state of affairs. Try THINKING a little instead of just regurgitating what the administration wants you to believe.
B) THE ARMY DID NOT FUND ONE PENNY OF JOE'S EDUCATION!!! HE WAS IN GRADUATE SCHOOL WHEN THE RECRUITERS BEGAN TALKING TO HIM, BUT HE FINISHED A MASTER'S DEGREE IN HISTORY BEFORE HE EVER JOINED, ALL OF WHICH HE PAID FOR OUT OF HIS OWN POCKET!!! I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW, AND SHAME ON YOU FOR AUTOMATICALLY ASSUMING THAT THIS WAS HIS REASON FOR JOINING THE MILITARY. HE ACTUALLY HAD HIGH IDEALS ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE HE THOUGHT HE COULD MAKE WHEN HE MADE THE DECISION TO JOIN.
C) JOE IS A BIG, STRAPPING, 6'3" GUY WHO FOUGHT IN MANY BATTLES IN IRAQ AND WAS AWARDED SEVERAL MEDALS FOR THE JOB HE DID IN "FIREFIGHTS." HE LED HIS MEN BRAVELY AND WAS HIGHLY THOUGHT OF BY BOTH THE AMERICANS AND IRAQIS THAT HE TRAINED. THESE FACTS CAN BE VERIFIED EASILY. THERE IS NOTHING COWARDLY ABOUT THIS YOUNG MAN; HE SIMPLY HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION THAN YOU DO. CALLING PEOPLE NAMES BASED ON NO INFO MAKES YOU THE COWARD IN MY ESTIMATION.
Were you ever in the service? Have you ever been in combat? Just wondering...