Now Wait A Minute

While as this UPI story says, the military is certainly "apolitical" (as the founding fathers intended), as a former member of the Armed Forces I can certainly attest that SSAMs (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Marines) like most people hold views falling somewhere along the political spectrum. The fact that relatively few of them choose to petition Congress, doesn't reflect an apolitical bent, but rather an instinctual unwillingness to buck a system where the chain of command is ingrained in their synapses, and where youthful apathy is encoded in their DNA.

SSAMs are far more inclined to grouse and argue among themselves, than to do so in any sort of public way. What is notable, is that those SSAMs who are so inclined, back our war effort by more than a two and a half to one margin, over those who don't. A fact that can be deduced from the numbers cited in the UPI piece, but which somehow escaped mention.

One can only wonder what the Headline might read had the figures been reversed. I'd say it would probably read something like...


'Military Petitioners To Congress Say 'Lets Go Home', rather than...

"Small Number Of Troops Sign Iraq Petition".