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Pace, Gates Finally Admit Troops Smart Enough to Understand Debate Over Iraq

We all know the common line the Bush Administration, military leaders, and Republicans in Congress have used to stifle debate on Iraq: Questioning the president's policies undermines the troops, who think they are being sent to war without the support of the American public.

When John McCain made this argument on Face the Nation in mid-January by saying, "if we voice disapproval and send our young troops on their way... what message does it send to the troops? That we disapprove of what they're doing but we still support them, but not their mission?" I wrote the following:

I think the troops get it. They aren't dumb. They have the mental capacity to understand the following: The war is over. We've lost. We didn't lose because of them. We don't blame them. We support them in what they are doing. If that means killing bad guys, fine. We don't think that helps anything anymore, but if they must perform well on the battlefield to avoid being hurt or killed, godspeed. But most of all, we want them all to be safe, and home as soon as possible. We know and they know that what they are doing isn't helping anything.

I don't think that's an overly complex set of beliefs or emotions. To say that it confuses the troops is an insult to their intelligence.

Turns out that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Peter Pace see things my way.

Gates to the House Armed Services Committee: "I think [the troops are] sophisticated enough to understand that [finding the best way to win the war is] what the debate's really about."

Pace to the same Committee: "As long as this Congress continues to do what it has done, which is to provide the resources for the mission, the dialogue will be the dialogue, and the troops will feel supported."

Pace again: "There's no doubt in my mind that the dialogue here in Washington strengthens our democracy. Period."

Yes, of course. The most important point here is Gates'. The troops aren't stupid, they know their country can debate the value of their actions while still supporting them. To assume they can't is patronizing. Besides, they know better than anyone in this country that things aren't working in Iraq. I'm amazed that Democrats' haven't made this point more forcefully the last few years.

Posted by Jonathan Stein on 02/08/07 at 7:34 AM | E-mail | Print | Digg | de.licio.us | Reddit | Newsvine | Yahoo! MyWeb | StumbleUpon | Netscape | Google |