Has Ralph Peters joined Operation Yellow Elephant?

Retired U.S. Army officer and New York Post columnist Ralph Peters mentions our topic in "Abusing America's War Dead: How Pols Exploit Iraq Casualties."

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As we reached the 4,000th service-member killed in action, I found myself disgusted with both the Bush administration and its irresponsible, cynical opponents. The slogan, "Support Our Troops, Bring Them Home," may be the most dishonest that ever intruded on American politics - but the war's original sponsors haven't rushed their own kids to the recruiting office, either.

With all-too-rare exceptions, our politicians, right or left, really don't give a damn about our troops. Polls matter, grunts don't.

Oh, the pols spout all sorts of rhetoric about how much they honor those in uniform, but they really only value our troops as tools of partisan policies or for photo ops.

Between the incumbent president and his would-be replacements, only one has served in uniform or had a son or daughter serve in uniform. If military service is so praiseworthy, why don't more pols encourage their own kids to sign up? I'll tell you why: They regard our troops as second-raters who couldn't get into Harvard Law or a master's program at Yale.

It's the Leona Helmsley approach to policy: Our troops are the "little people."

Most pols don't even know any service members - except for a few grotesquely ambitious retired generals and admirals.
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OYE Comment:

We thank Mr. Peters for his service to our country; his entire column is worth a careful read, including by our Presidential candidates.

Regardless of one's position on the war - on which this blog has not taken a position - and whether one is looking at the past or towards the future, it is clear that America needs credible national leadership from the next Administration.

Our new President will need to make some serious decisions beginning at Noon on January 20, 2009 [less than 300 days away]. How will (s)he deal with this?

[Emphasis added.]