The Fourth of July is the time for patriotic hoohah by national poobahs. So, Commander-in-Chief George W. Bush will no doubt invoke, as he did on Memorial Day at Arlington Cemetery, the “sacrifice” of that “awesome bunch of people.” “It only remains for us,” said [RETURN TO ARTICLE]
FOLLOW US
Also by Joel Bleifuss
-
It’s More Than a War of Words
If Democrats can't inspire progressives to vote this year, Barack Obama will be a one-term president.
MORE » -
A ‘Care Socialist’ Speaks Out
An economist debunks the "austerity story."
MORE » -
Our Time Is Now
The Occupy Wall Street protests present a rare and urgent opportunity to put our uncompromised ideals into action.
MORE »
SUPPORT INDEPENDENT MEDIA
Invest in the news you need. In These Times is a nonprofit, reader-supported magazine and website.
subscribe today for $19.95!
SAVE 53% OFFTHE NEWSSTAND PRICE!
MOST READ
- Why Conservatives Can’t Fix Poverty
- The Girl’s Guide to Staying Safe Online
- Siri and the High-Tech Gender Gap
- It’s the Stupid Republicans, Stupid
- True Crime Finance Stories
- Is the Federal Government Helping to Bust Unions?
- Anger Sowing Seeds of a New Consumer Movement
- What Can Labor Learn?
- Marching Off the Cliff
- New Eden, Old Devils
Reader Comments
Looks to me to be yet another transparent “high-minded” attempt to in effect say ...... we should never go to war, and we should just abolish our military. Let’s just stay home and hope for the best.
The civilian suicide rate is still higher, (and no doubt since the rate of attacks has fallen off to near boredom levels the suicide rates will go back to their normal much lower than civilian levels) but this is just a tragedy. Can’t have this. Our military men and women, if they insist on forming awful battalions and companies, should be safe and never subject to harm or stress.
The military is not supposed to be a sanctuary, for heaven’s sake. We’ve got a million other areas of society that are, but for some reason they’re not faring any better than than the cold, cruel, uncaring voluntary military.
Perhaps we should be taking lessons from them, instead of implying that their whole operation is misguided and a terrible health hazard.
Funny how so many people are rushing to reenlist in such a depressing, suicidal organization. Wait till they read stories like Joel’s here; no doubt they’ll rush to just get the inevitable over with.
register a new account »Posting Security