Semi-random thought

[unixronin]

There's nothing wrong with a nation being ashamed of its soldiers' behavior when their behavior falls short of reasonable expectations.  But a nation that is ashamed of its soldiers simply because they are soldiers is doomed.

Comments

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

In terms of foreign policy, the national dialogue is coming dangerously close to saying we need to be constantly aggressive to give "the soldiers" something to do.

That is, indeed, the opposite extreme, and like all extremes, is just as bad a problem. It's exactly this kind of thing that the Founding Fathers had in mind when they said that the maintenance of a standing army was dangerous to liberty, as it encouraged foreign military adventures (by implication, unnecessary foreign military adventures).

That said, I didn't have a particular nation in mind. Granted, I was remembering the hate and vitriol many vets returned from Vietnam to find, but the US is far from the first — and surely won't be the last — country many of whose citizens regard its military with contempt and disdain, until the day the shit hits the fan and they suddenly realize it's blowing their way.

For it's Tommy this an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot.