Tuesday
July 7, 2009
Seven U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan. This is the by line in the VV Daily Press, A3, Monday the 6th day of July, 2009. Americans with bipolar motivations, are dying with a regularity unknown in the history of our country. Never has American blood on the battlefield been reduced to mere normality.
So many bloody bylines have greeted our days. Has it become trite? Sure, we lip sink patriotic gratitude on cue but has the blood sport become routine? This voice responds in the affirmative. We no longer expect an end to the violence and we could care less. There are much bigger fish to fry, so many more consuming problems and targets.
The root of our propensity to violence is , as usual, money. The economics of war are two fold. The first and foremost is what has been called the military industrial, global dollar complex or engine. Support of our military, its budget and the resulting feeding of the American economy by the supply chain, has it’s own morality. The fact that this engine also feeds our politicians may be significant. In any event, if it’s good for the economy it’s moral.
The second is the character of our standing military. The Vietnam era exposed the abuses of a conscripted fighting force. The process was ugly and some of us lived it, some didn‘t live through it. Today’s military is capturing the negative possibilities of a volunteer and dollar wise fighting force.
In addition to patriotism, the motivation of this force is bipolar and sliding in the negative direction. Killing is becoming more of a job, it is monetary security in tough times. Should luck not follow your efforts and you die, you are a hero and your family gets a big paycheck.
The taxpayer is funding a mercenary military. Violence is, however, a moral issue that is unrelated to the dollar. Either we end our fascination with the blood sport or our country will end very badly. In this present form, at this time, we are witnessing the end of American greatness. We should all shiver at what is in store for our grandchildren.
Church, why are you silent?
G.Goslaw
Victorville, Ca.
