Or to be maimed, broken, and traumatized.
It is a real condemnation of our society that our government knows we are less likely to oppose military missions if all we are exposed to are flag draped coffins and death notices showing a photo of the soldiers looking fresh and proud in uniform before their service ripped them and their families to shreds.
It is disgusting and a betrayal of our troops on the part of a government to play down and even hide the ravages of war away from sight like a dirty secret. Yet, this is what our government does so that it can continue to glorify war and minimize some of the resulting costs. War makes money...for some well situated suppliers. It provides a constant distraction for governments who want to appeal to blind patriotism as a means of diverting attention from their own screw-ups and violations of the trust given them through the vote. It offers great photo ops for those man’s-men who want to wear the sacrifices and courage of others as though they themselves embody such qualities.
But wounded soldiers...dead bodies...hell no! Let’s talk about sacrifice but never, ever look too closely at the raw nature of those sacrifices because citizens may decide they are too much to ask of our troops, and we may pressure our government to actually take care of those who return needing support after having voluntarily placed themselves in harm’s way for others.
"I was told by a senior Treasury Board analyst, who shall remain nameless, that it is in the government’s best interest to have soldiers killed overseas rather than wounded because the liability is shorter term," (Stogran) told a marathon Ottawa news conference.
So we allow our government to shove the wounded and damaged soldiers out of sight and deny them benefits and essential care. We let the government get away with saying that’s what the soldiers and their families want - privacy in their grief.
Bull-shit. They have been making their wishes abundantly clear this week.
"We mention those who gave their lives ... but there are many more with both visible and invisible wounds," said organizer Mike Blais, who served in the Royal Canadian Regiment for 17 years. "These wounds tear families and lives apart."
These visible and invisible wounds need to be publicly acknowledged, and those affected must receive the care and benefits we like to believe, in our sanitized view of war, they are receiving.
I despise the Harper government for feeding of the image of our troops while hiding them away when it could embarrass them, cost them money, or affect public opinion. But if we turn our eyes and ears away from the accounts of torn flesh and spirit because it makes us too uncomfortable or guilt stricken to look at without a happy lens, then we allow these bastards to treat our soldiers like commodities - to flaunt them when they look good, and tuck them away in some dark, smelly basement when they tweak our conscience.
Support our troops. Look at the cost they pay. Really look at it. Then make sure our government supports them after they come home. And make sure you understand the nature of a mission they are being sent on and tell your government you don’t want the troops you so strongly support being ravaged or killed on missions that are not absolutely critical to saving lives and actively promoting the overall betterment of our species.
Monday Afternoon Links
9 hours ago
4 comments:
Thank you for this, it means alot to me. My son is scheduled to go next year and I have been trying very hard to get people to question the politics of this occupation. Whether our soldiers are there in a combat role, or a training mission, it makes no difference to Afghani people. They are still being occupied and as long as that is the case, they will be prevented from figuring out their own national and cultural identity.
I wrote about this today and several times previously at sistersagesmusings. I will continue to oppose this war as publicly as I can. I do not have a portrait of my son in uniform and I will not get one. It seems like bad luck, or tempting fate.
Hi Kim, I wish the very best for your son. What you are doing as a parent of a soldier is very courageous as well because so many people fail to understand you can support the troops without supporting every mission. That's real support, making sure they aren't sent in harms way for political or economic reasons.
Now it seems the mission is to appease NATO and the US, and as you say, our sons and daughters will still be targets regardless of the nature of the mission.
Thank you for commenting. It helps to know how you feel.
Warfare has always been easy to understand, yet rhetoric behind has always been so powerful that it has people falling over themselves to die for the interest of the rich and powerful. I have often been scorned by fellow citizens for expressing distress for our soldiers, the situation they are in, and the futility in which they die. I strongly support protecting the lives of our soldiers, and using them for real national intests, but I am so tired of sending our men and women to die for the "glory and honor" of our nation. Especially since that translates to "the special interests" of our allies, friends and associates who seek to make a profit. War has always been about gain, usually personal, but in our sick and twisted society we are working very hard at limiting the gains of the lowly grunt who will most likely risk his or her life in order to attain those gains. Look at our Veteran's Charter and you will see how our government seeks to enrich itself (politically and economically) on the backs of these poor individuals.
So Kim my heart and hopes go out to you and all others who must watch a loved one go to a country that does not want them, for the sake of men and women who do not care about them.
well said, Informed. That weird condemnation of those who want the troops to come home because, well, several reasons - we said we're pulling out anyway and admissions have been made it's not a winnable situation; now it seems we're extending/altering the mission to please NATO and the US; it was never about Afghan women and children...it's so frustrating and very, very sad to be labeled as not supporting the very people whose lives we are so concerned about.
Figured Harper would find some BS reason for extending it. He thrives on feeding of the military's image. We have to keep opposing these pointless missions.
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