Hyper-Politicization

[Uboat509]

I am wondering what everyone here thinks about how the hyper-politicization currently prevalent in our society effects our war fighting ability. I see two main problems first of all, these days, John Q Public, by and large has never served nor in many cases does he even know anyone who has served so he is wholly dependent on other sources for knowledge about military issues. The problem being that it is increasingly the furthest from center elements on both sides of the aisle that make the most noise and therefore get heard the most. It is getting harder and harder to get unbiased news these days. Because John has never served he doesn't understand military issues. He has no frame of reference from which to form an opinion. He is therefore left on his own to sort out the facts from the hyperbole and the uniformed speculation and general bull that comes from both directions. I spend a significant time on political websites and I am shocked by some of the things that I have read. One poster on a site I visit actually said that "these counter insurgency fights are nothing more than a scrimmage for the military anyway." (The point being, I guess, that anything short of fifty Russian divisions screaming out of the Fulda Gap is a cake walk.) While that is certainly the most egregious example it is far from the only one. Both sides take facts, add rhetoric and try to pass it off as the truth. The Haditha incident is a prime example. To my knowledge the 15-6 is still in progress and yet they have already been tried and been found guilty or innocent depending on who you talk to and what side of the aisle you stand on. Depending on where you get your news they are clearly innocent or clearly guilty, so clearly in fact that if you can't see it then you are blind or an idiot or both. It has gotten to the point where I am not sure that the verdict is going to make much difference(other than to the accused of course). No matter what one side will be saying "I told you so" and the other will other being screaming "cover-up" or "they were railroaded." Which brings me to my next big problem with hyper-politicization being that anyone who differs from the party line is subject to attack and very often vicious attack at that. On one website I was called a coward and a whiner because I said that I did not think we had 5000 troops to spare for peace keeping duties in Lebanon (apparently we have divisions sitting idly on standby in Europe who are not already committed somewhere. I did not know this, silly me) . The blood fest on Batiste, Eaton and Hammes has already started. Over at Blackfive certain individuals have made support of Rumsfeld somehow synonymous with support for GWOT. Rumsfeld is a "visionary" and the officers who disagree with are malcontents and political hacks. I don't see how all of this could possible NOT have an effect on our military and our warfighting ability. Anyway I hope my rambling made sense.

SFC W