Thoughts On Iraq Part 2

I grew up in East Tennessee. East Tennessee is big on many things. One of those things is football. There's nothing necessarily wrong with that, of course. But if there's one thing you'll notice about sports fans, it's that many of them are experts. The funny thing is that many such experts, at best, only played second string lineman in high school. These particular fans have lots of advice for coaches and players. But that advice isn't exactly backed up by experience. Such avid sports fans are also notorious for throwing around words like "we," as if they are somehow actually on the sports team in question. Such sports fans remind me of that group of war supporters referred to as the 101st Fighting Keyboarders. Similar to those armchair quarterbacks, the 101st Fighting Keyboarders are a group of people who are very enthusiastic about fighting in Iraq, provided that it's someone else who is fighting in Iraq. I suppose it's easy to "support the troops" when that means shelling out $5 for a magnetic ribbon. But here's the deal. If you think the U.S. should be in Iraq, and yet you aren't actually in Iraq, you really have two options. Either go fight in Iraq or shut the fuck up. As Steve Gilliard notes: We have a volunteer army with fewer and fewer volunteers, and people reenlisting only to save their friends. There is a time limit to their ability to be in combat. They cannot serve forever. They will have to be replaced. And fewer and fewer are willing to replace them, What I want people to do is be honest. If you will not serve in Iraq, and no one you know will serve, stop expecting someone else to do what you will not. Therefore, it is time to stop calling for more troops, or the US to make Iraq safe. We cannot do this and even Americans are refusing to join the fight. It is time to look at your actions and realize, that despite your ideals, you oppose continuing this war. In practical terms, you have decided that this war is not worth your life or anyone you know. And million of Americans have joined you in this decision. So, with this fact evident, it is time to call for US troops to withdraw from Iraq. Not save it, not add more boots on the ground. You have already voted by your actions. It is time that you match it with your words. It couldn't be more simple. (h/t: On The Homefront)