On the Front Lines

Good editorial by Robert Herbert on how our troops are doing in the Middle East. Not the most upbeat of articles.

Troops approaching the end of their tours in Iraq are frequently dealt the emotional body blow of unexpected orders blocking their departure for home. "I've never seen so many grown men cry," said Paul Rieckhoff, a former infantry platoon leader who founded Operation Truth, an advocacy group for soldiers and veterans.

"Soldiers will do whatever you ask them to do," said Mr. Rieckhoff. "But when you tell them the finish line is here, and then you keep moving it back every time they get five meters away from it, it starts to really wear on them. It affects morale."

We don't have enough troops because we are fighting the war on the cheap. The Bush administration has refused to substantially expand the volunteer military and there is no public support for a draft. So the same troops head in and out of Iraq, and then back in again, as if through a revolving door. That naturally heightens their chances of being killed or wounded.

Herbert also notes the self evident troop that joining the National Guard is not as attractive as it once was.

Bush is reaping what he's sewn. Well have to see if he has the chutzpah to take on Iran, although my feeling is he probably won't.