I just came back home from an absolutely awe-inspiring YearlyKos Presidential Leadership Forum. It was the first time that I had ever been in the same room with a presidential candidate, let alone seven. I wasn't that close; I was in the rows of chairs behind the cameras, but that was more than enough for me.
But now I am home, and when I turned on the TV I found myself watching a news segment on ABC's World News Saturday. It was about Iraq. And it took the enthusiasm I just gained from Chicago and knocked it right out of me.
(I am still trying to find a transcript of tonight's ABC's World News Saturday, but it doesn't look like it's available yet and I would have to pay for it anyway. So instead, I'll just have to paraphrase and quote from my TiVo.)
The Iraq news story, which I joined mid-segment, appears to be about the redeployment of troops to Iraq for another tour. It talks about how the Bravo Company of the 101st Airborne Division is being sent back to Iraq, after losing 10 men in combat, and this time for 15 months.
It then shows the Army Vice Chief of Staff (who has 2 sons in the military), speaking to the troops who are about to be deployed:
GEN. RICHARD CODY, ARMY VICE CHIEF OF STAFF: I know, and the senior leadership of your Army knows, that 15 months is too long. And we want to get off of 15 months as fast as we can.
It is clear that General Cody, who has 2 sons in the military, is sincere in his desire to shorten the length of the deployment. But who is "the senior leadership of [the] Army"? Certainly the President and Vice President isn't included in that group. Is General Cody, then, suggesting that the President is not listening to his uniformed commanders?
But that's not what spurred me to write this diary.
Later in the segment, ABC News interviewed one of the men from the 101st going off to combat. He was asked a simple question, "Does it look like the rest of the country is prepared to sacrifice?" The response shocked me:
1ST SGT RICK SKIDIS, BRAVO COMPANY, 101ST AIRBORNE DIV: I think a lot of people are willing to put a bumper sticker on their car, and say 'I support the troops', but as you know there's only 1% of Americans serving in the military at this time. You know, some people gave all, and some just say they, you know, they put a sticker on their car.
No emphasis, because all of it would have been emphasized.
Maybe I haven't been tracking the mainstream media enough, but I've never heard anything like that from an active-duty soldier. And it wasn't just the words Sgt. Skidis was saying - it was the way that he said them. It was as respectful as a soldier can be, and yet accurately communicated that too many Americans are not making any kind of real sacrifice for this war. It was made clear that...
- Putting a bumper sticker (magnet ribbon) on your car or
- Saying you "support the troops"
...is not sacrifice, is not helping the troops, and is not anywhere near worthy of the sacrifice of our uniformed men and women serving abroad. I hope that everybody watching the broadcast (especially Republicans) realized that today. The troops couldn't care less about how many magnet ribbons are purchased or whether somebody says "I support the troops" as often as "Amen." The troops would much rather we do something to prevent 15-month tours of service. They would like to see actions, not words. They want the country to share their sacrifice.
I fear that our politicians in Washington are not ready to sacrifice anything yet. But, at the very least, maybe the mainstream media (thanks ABC) is starting to give the troops a greater voice.