Confessions of a Battle-Shy Raptor Posted by Michael Osborne

Angryman responds (August 9), to my piece (August 8), on the Iraqi constitution by grousing that I "backhand the left as a mere afterthought" to my "generally misguided theme."

"Enlist, chickenhawk.  Enlist," he admonishes.

Clearly, Angryman is too angry to explain why he considers me "misguided."  Or to engage on the merits otherwise.  Moreover, he cannot know that, not being a U.S. citizen, I am ineligible to serve.

But let us suppose I was a citizen.  Would I enlist in the United States army?  Let me be clear: Not bloody likely.  For one thing, as Angryman rightly senses, I am chicken.  There.  I said it.  (On reflection, my cowardice would be irrational; I suspect any given enlistee's chances of dying in Iraq are not significantly greater than of being killed on the interstate).

For another thing, my economic opportunities in civilian life mean it would just make no economic sense to enlist.  Let us not hide from the fact that the U.S. army is now effectively a mercenary force.

From the point of view of those who, like Angryman, vehemently opposed the war from the start, those who back it from the comfort of their armchairs make irresistible targets.  (Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911 may be the most mendacious movie ever made.  Yet I could not help enjoying the fat man's earnest attempt to coax congressmen into signing up their sons.)

As a matter of logic, there is, of course, nothing inconsistent in my arguing for an initiative entailing others doing work I would not myself consider.  Why should a councilor not vote for a environmental cleanup that would necessitate workers wading in rank cesspools, just because he himself would not touch the job with a bargepole?  And, to reply to a cheap shot sometimes hurled at liberals, why precisely am I disentitled to vote for a tax hike by the fact that I would not voluntarily pay my share into the public coffers, short of a tax law compelling everyone else also to do so?

That being said, I think that war is one area where pure logic runs out.  Fighting, dying and killing for one's country are just too emotionally and symbolically freighted to permit cool public policy analysis to be insulated from one's personal fears, commitments and aspirations.  So, let me agree with Angryman to this extent: the enthusiasm with which those of us who back the war do so must be tempered by careful consideration of the atrocious costs our position impose upon others -- and searching reflection on whether we would be willing to bear those costs ourselves.

Comments

[Chris]

On reflection, my cowardice would be irrational; I suspect any given enlistee's chances of dying in Iraq are not significantly greater than of being killed on the interstate.

Huh?! You actually think so? According to this, the chances of a car wreck is 1:6000 /year. So far, over 1850 U.S. soldiers have lost their lives, meaning a trend of c. 750/year. If you take 150,000 as the total troop population, that's a 1:200 chance of fatality a year. Even if I have my total deployment numbers wrong, the probability is in the ballpark. To reach 1:6000 odd, there would have to be 4.5 Million troops in combat.

[Greg Hao]

Hey Michael, just wanted to drop a comment to let you know that non-citizens can indeed enlist.

In order for a non-citizen to enlist in the military, he/she must first be a legal immigrant (with a green card), permamently residing in the United States. It's important to note that the military cannot and will not assist in the immigration process. One must immigrate first, using normal immigration quotas and procedures, and -- once they've established an address in the United States -- they can find a recruiter's office and apply for enlistment.

-- http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/f/noncitizen.htm

[Grant]

Why should a councilor not vote for a environmental cleanup that would necessitate workers wading in rank cesspools, just because he himself would not touch the job with a bargepole?

I don't think the analogy holds here. Angryman obviously feels you are advocating that soldiers be put at unnecessary risk. Soldiers, unlike workers, cannot quit if the mission they're asked to perform is reckless or ill-thought.

There are some indications that many soldiers would choose to come home if their tours of duty hadn't been involuntarily extended. The Army's difficulties in recruitment are another indication.

[Dan Kervick]

..."And, to reply to a cheap shot sometimes hurled at liberals, why precisely am I disentitled to vote for a tax hike by the fact that I would not voluntarily pay my share into the public coffers, short of a tax law compelling everyone else also to do so?"...

Interesting analogy. As a fellow-liberal who has also had this charge levelled against me, my usual reply is that I support wholeheartedly the idea of a strong national government, the collection of tax revenues necessary to fund it, and the laws that require all citizens - including me - to pay their democratically legislated share of that tax burden. Applying this analogy to the case of military service seems to give the result that we should either not support military expeditions at all, or we should support the drafts necessary to staff them.

[denny]

Hey, Try to get things right:
You do not have to be a citizen to enlist. I know because before I was an American citizen I served 6 years in the US Army.
drb

[Caitlyn Antrim]

This was a joke, wasn't it? A parody of Dick Cheney's statement that serving in the military was incompatible with his own plans?

[Jay.Mac]

"Let us not hide from the fact that the U.S. army is now effectively a mercenary force."

I understand that you're not a US citizen (neither am I) but do you want to know why the Right continues to take the Left to task for being unpatriotic? It's because of statements like this one right here. Most of the people who join the military do so because of a belief in country, in patriotic duty. Sure, a lot of people join up because they can get help with college tuition fees, etc- but to argue that the US Army is a mercenary one is absurd. There are much easier ways to make money that by joining the Army and going through the rigours of military training and life.

It's statements like this one which show a lack of understanding about the pride soldiers take in wearing the uniform they do- it shows contempt for them and for the job they do.

The argument that you must serve in the military if you want to send the military to war is ridiculous. It's a pathetic argument. If the Left really beleived this then they would have to- by their own logic- only vote for those who had previous military service; otherwise, how could they ever hope to act as commander-in-chief? You want to support space exploration? Hey, you're not an astronaut, how dare you want to send men and women into the dangers of outer space. Nonsense, pure and simple.

If you want to see what the troops think why not pop over to BlackFive (www.blackfive.net) and have a read. Why not check out the post about the Special Forces soldier who lost a hand and is desperately trying to qualify to be returned to combat, or of the Marine who had both his hands blown off in a terrorist attack in Iraq but stayed calm and directed fire toards enemy emplacements so that his Marines stayed safe. That's the spirit of the American soldier.

Calling them mercenaries is a disgusting insult and a betrayal of the sacrifices men and women like this make for their country.

[tristero]

Avoiding a war you support, my friend, is not like avoiding cleaning a cesspool. A war, at least until Bush came along, takes part during a time of acknowledged national crisis, such as an imminent or likely attack from a hostile power. Otherwise, why fight it? (To spread democracy? Oh, please. You know and I know that no mother would let their child die for such cumbaya sentimentaility unless there was a mushroom cloud lurking somewhere to scare everyone.)

If you really believe that this war is important, by definition that means you perceive a crisis for your country and therefore you have no moral right as an American citizen to exempt yourself from military service. No American has the right to avoid military service during a genuine crisis and war. Therefore, your cowardice, while understandable, is an unacceptable excuse, given your support. By your own values, your country demands that you enlist. Immediately

I, on the other hand, know the war was, and is, a catastrophic mistake. Even if I were eligible for combat - I'm too old - I would never serve in Bush's war. I go even further: I want no one to die because of George W. Bush's stupid decisions.

I therefore counsel you, and counsel all potential recruits, not to enlist and, if enlisted, not to sign up again. And I counsel you further to stop pontificating on subjects until you develop the character to back up your convictions with genuine action.

[The_Consigliere]

Re: "Yet I could not help enjoying the fat man's earnest attempt to coax congressmen into signing up their sons."

According to Dr. Kelton Rhoads when Moore askes Republican Congressman Mark Kennedy about sending his own childred Kennedy gives "a quizzical look that's used to humourous effect. What's cut, however, is Kennedy's response: 'I have a nephew on his way to Afghanistan.' According to the Star Tribune, Kennedy actually has 2 nephews in the military, and a son considering a career in the Navy...If we got the impression that Republican representative Michael Castle, who is shown walking and talking on the cell phone, was particularly desperate to avoid Moore, we may find it interesting that he doesn't have any children."

[John Penta]

Tristero: What if they won't let you sign up?

[Michael Osborne]

Chris:

I do not wish to be accused of legalistic evasion, but notice that I claimed that the chances of any given "enlistee's" chances of dying in Iraq may be greater than of being killed on the interstate. There are, of course, many more enlistees globally than there are military on the ground in Iraq at any give time.

[Chris]

Michael, point taken, but the argument still seems odd. There are about 1.4 million Americans in active duty and reserves. So even with that premise, the overall likelihood of combat fatality is three times greater than for a car accident. But, more importantly, your point was that it would be irrational to be afraid to enlist - but do you really think a siginificant percentage of new enlistees are sent to Germany and Korea, or kept Stateside? I don't know the probability that a new enlistee is sent to Iraq (or Afghanistan) but it's got to be pretty high.

[Robert M]

I have come to this discussion late but what makes members of the US military mercenaries. Military service has long been a way out of towns, villages etc to a more sound economic life. The US Military does not engage in rape,
pillaging of villages for foodstuffs and the looting of occupied territory in order to pay its troops.
You owe a big apology to the military. You may not like the fact we are in Iraq but even if we weren't they are the guaranteer of your right to make so eqregious a statement.

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