While Gen. Petraeus makes the case in Congress today for extending the war in Iraq, ABC News and its reporter over there, Martha Raddatz, have a story out about how the troops see the presidential race back home. The story's headlined, "Surprising Political Endorsements By U.S. Troops," and I assume this is what they meant by that.
The story never once mentions the M-word.
As in McCain. Nope. Not. Mentioned. Even. Once. But if you read the whole story, which involves actual journalism, as in talking to real people who happen to be soldiers and asking then what they think, maybe that's not really so "surprising." Why would they support a candidate who wants to keep troops like them fighting in the desert for a long, long time, when they mainly want to come home?
As in, come home, like, tomorrow:
Though the military is generally a more conservative group, soldiers like Sgt. Justin Sarbaum are just as eager for a pull-out as the Democratic candidates. Sarbaum said he wondered which presidential candidate would be able to better the U.S. relationship with rogue nations, such as Iran, so that soldiers are not sent off to another war."Iran is obviously a big issue," Sarbaum said, "Here in Iraq for my third time; starting another war right now — is it really necessary?"Sgt. Cory Messingham from Lewisville, Texas, said he wasn't following the race, but he was concerned about candidates' paying attention to the emotional toll that the war has taken on soldiers."My biggest issue is support for the military, military funding and our deployments, not having long deployments anymore. Because [the] majority of us are doing ...15-month deployments. So, it's tough on the soldiers and tough on the soldiers' families. Those are really my biggest issues."
If you're keeping score, of the five solidiers who express a candidate preference in the article, four are backing Obama -- the man who said of Iraq in 2002 that "I don't oppose all wars. What I am opposed to is a dumb war." One backs Hillary Clinton, and then there is he who shall not be named. These soldiers/citizens/voters are concerned about the same things their like-minded Americans back home care about, like the economy and avoiding future wars that might be even more ill-advised than the one they've been sent to fight.
I think this article is one more layer of evidence that those of us who say we support the troops by wanting them to end this misguided mission and return safely are, well, yes, supporting the troops.
And yet the ABC article says that what it found was "surprising" -- leaving the reader to assume that we should all be surprised that more troops aren't backing McCain and his awesome surge. (It also notes, without any backup whatsoever, that "the military is generally a more conservative group." Maybe -- but prove it.) To me, there's only one thing "surprising" about the article.
That somebody asked our troops, what do you think?
They were able to find 5 of them, then?
Hey Will you lost your little cheesesteak icons. Somehow I don't think this story is about anything more than 5 soldiers, and not the whole military, or even a representative facsimile thereof.
It looks like the only way to read the comments is to click on "Post a comment", make one up and then you see the rest of the comments. Somebody needs to streamline that.
Counting down to the calls from Ms. Malkin et al. for a thorough investigation of these 5th column traitors serving on the front lines in Iraq, complete with demands for full disclosure of their countertops.
Dis all of my insightful comments from before go away?
"ABC News and its reporter over there, Martha Raddatz, have a story out about how the troops see the presidential race back home."
"The" troops? Martha found 5 soldiers, with a surprising opinion, and is claiming to know that "The troops" all agree? Surprising?, No, Suspicious?, Yes!
Of course if we'd talked to 5 soldiers supporting Bush and demanding an immediate invasion of Iran, our wingnut friends would be doing the superior dance and loudly proclaiming that all the dirty hippies don't understand and don't support the troops who clearly disagree with them to a man.
Of course, Rheinhard's ~hypothethical~ scenario pales in comparison to ecostello's real world observation.
ecostello is discussing the reality of today's reportage. Rheinhard is discussing a hypothetical culled from....who knows where.
Rheinhards illustration shows exactly how Marth Raddatz arrived at her conclusion. Still, truth and common knowledge dont appear to be on the side of either Raddatz or Rheinhard in this case.
I think we could find 5 chickenhawks who comment here to take those soldiers place......
C'mon now, Raddatz and ABC worked for 3 weeks to find 5 liberals. She deserves credit for doing her service for the DNC.
Why would you think that those soldiers need to be replaced? It seems that the only problem that we "chickenhawks" have espoused here are directed toward Raddatz and Rheinhard...not the soldiers who have more right than any of us to an opinion.
Btw, not that it is any of your business, I have a son who is a Marine and has spent two deployments in Iraq.
If it's not our business, then why did you tell us?
Last time I checked, Barack Obama and Ron Paul were the two candidates getting the most donations from military personnel.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-09-13-military-donors_N.htm
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About Will Bunch
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Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.
Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.
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