A Clucking We Will Go…

Adam Smeltz of Knight Ridder Newspapers on Young Republicans Support Iraq War, but Not Willing to Join the Fight:

In more than a dozen interviews, Republicans in their teens and 20s offered a range of answers. Some have friends in the military in Iraq and are considering enlisting; others said they can better support the war by working politically in the United States; and still others said they think the military doesn’t need them because the U.S. presence in Iraq is sufficient.

Why would anyone expect the kids to do any better than their idols, many of whom including the vice president (with five derferments) didn’t or wouldn’t serve.

“Frankly, I want to be a politician. I’d like to survive to see that,” said Vivian Lee, 17, a war supporter visiting the convention from Los Angeles, Lee said she supports the war but would volunteer only if the United States faced a dire troop shortage or “if there’s another Sept. 11.”

Yes, playing college politician is absolutely comparable to bleeding and dying in the sand. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.

“As long as there’s a steady stream of volunteers, I don’t see why I necessarily should volunteer,” said Lee, who has a cousin deployed in the Middle East.

But absolutely, don’t let that stop you from advocating that others die your interventionist wars. Cluck, cluck.

In an election season overwhelmed by memories of the Vietnam War, the U.S. military’s newest war ranks supreme among the worries confronting much of Generation Y’ers. Iraq is their war.

“If there was a need presented, I would go,” said Chris Cusmano, a 21-year-old member of the College Republicans organization from Rocky Point, N.Y. But he said he hasn’t really considered volunteering.

Of course he hasn’t considered volunteering. Its far easier to watch others die in your place – at your behest – than to surrender your own liberty and possibly your life in pursuit of your interventionist war.

Similarly, 20-year-old Jeff Shafer, a University of Pennsylvania student, said vital work needs to be done in the United States. There are Republican policies to maintain and protect and an economy to sustain, Shafer said.

Yes, like a good little conservative, Shafer is willing to send others off to die for empire in order to allow him to continue his studies in Big-Government-Republicanism 101.

The word “coward” comes to mind when I read from those who support and advocate an interventionist action that costs American lives, yet are completely unwilling to get their own hands dirty in the process. I really need to check that, because there has to be a better word than coward to describe those who advocate that others die in their place so they can play politician.

Coincidentally, when I marched to the Department of Veterans Affairs with a group of WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War and Persian Gulf War veterans to deliver a letter with regard to the sorry state of veteran health care, a small gaggle of College Republican Freepers was on hand to ask us with their brave little signs, “Have Your Forgotten?” Obviously, this was in reference to September 11. It had absolutely nothing to do with our march, but thats pro-war logic for you.

No, you little cowards – I haven’t forgotten. I haven’t forgotten that 1,000 American men and women have perished in the sand of a nation that wasn’t involved in the events of September 11. I haven’t forgotten that you willfully confuse the events of September 11 by attempting to cast all Arab nations as guilty – all from the safety of your dorm rooms. Or the country club. Or the summer villa.

I haven’t forgotten that Osama bin Laden was funded and supported in Afghanistan for several years by American governments. I haven’t forgotten that the majority of the 19 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. I haven’t forgotten that NONE of them were from Iraq. No, I haven’t forgotten.

I also haven’t forgotten that at your age, I had already been to basic training and deployed to the Persian Gulf for the first war. I haven’t forgotten that I served six years on active duty, while you mock veterans everywhere by comparing your partisan political aspirations as equal to the sacrifices of those who surrender their liberties and bodies in service to the nation.

No, you little cowardly bastards. I haven’t forgotten.