Okay, here is a good example of the time of rhetoric that drives me nuts. In a recently written article by a CBSVIACOM employee, the Andy Rooney opined that our soldiers in Iraq are not heroes.

In his article entitled Heroes don't come wholesale the confirmed sexist/racist Andy Rooney states that, "Treating soldiers fighting their war as brave heroes is an old civilian trick designed to keep the soldiers at it." In his mind, we don't have a volunteer military made up of heroes. What we have is a bunch of victims.

Okay, let me just say...bullshit.

The United States has the finest military in the history of the world made up of dedicated men and women who are willingly putting their lives on the line for you, for me, and for that other guy. They risk their lives every day not knowing whether or not the next person to walk up to them will be wearing a belt full of explosives or caring a concealed weapon. Jesus Christ that has GOT to be the worst kind of fear. In his article, Mr. Rooney uses the term "fearful" as an opposite to "brave." Well let me just say that doing your job while fearing for your life (or for those of your comrades) is the definition of bravery. If there is no risk, there is no bravery.

Mr. Rooney then goes on to ponder what would be the troop's answer to a series of five questions. Let's look at the questions.

1. Do you think your country did the right thing sending you into Iraq?

The questions was "sending you into Iraq" not "going into Iraq." There is a reason he wished to make the question personal. Each one of us has a survival instinct that kicks in when confronted with our own mortality. It would be pretty simple to just say, "no let someone else handle it" or "it is someone else's problem." Still, I'm betting that if a majority of soldiers were polled the response would still be, "If not us, who? If not now, when?"

2. Are you doing what America set out to do to make Iraq a democracy, or have we failed so badly that we should pack up and get out before more of you are killed?

First off, never ask a ground pounder to answer a strategic question. It was never our jobs to figure out whether or not a particular set of tactical moves is helping or hurting the overall strategic objectives. The truth is that those on the ground never have enough information to come to an informed decision. When you have 400 men with guns pointed at you and RPGs landing all around, you aren't thinking about the fact about the country with 25 million people who polls show time-and-time again are supportive of the coalition's efforts. You are thinking about what you and your buddy need to do to stay alive.

3. Do the orders you get handed down from one headquarters to another, all far removed from the fighting, seem sensible, or do you think our highest command is out of touch with the reality of your situation?

See above. No that is not fair I'll say this also. Chicken little got hit on the head with a rock. For the sake of argument let's say it hurt. She then ran around screaming to all that would listen that the sky was falling. I can't figure out if the media are voluntary "chicken littles" or if they are just dupes. After a relatively peaceful 12 months of development and progress toward a democratic Iraq, you'd think a last ditch effort to halt the progress leading up to the June 30th turnover of power would have been predictable to our liberal media. Than again, as we all know they are pawns of the Democratic party and slaves to their sales numbers, maybe it was exactly what they've been hoping for.

4. If you could have a medal or a trip home, which would you take?

I think Henry V answers this one the best. Or maybe the way Pierce Anthony describes it in Wielding a Red Sword would be better for you. You don't fight for medals or honors. You fight because the man or woman sitting next to you in the foxhole is counting on you to do your job. It's called esprit-de-corp. Look it up big guy.

5. Are you encouraged by all the talk back home about how brave you are and how everyone supports you?

Gee, let me think. Would I rather have people back home supporting me or calling me baby killers. Hmm...tough choice. Idiot. Just because something doesn't encourage you doesn't mean the inverse wouldn't discourage you. The lack of support would be brutal to the mental health of our troops. Just ask our Vietnam vets.

As to the other crap Mr. Rooney discussed, the Army usually has about 16-18 suicides annually. This is in fact a better ratio then the population at large (look it up). To have only an increase of 3-5 lives during a period of maximum stress and awful hardship should be impressive. In an environment where you are forced to fire back 10 to 12 year old boys with guns or take down a gunman who is hiding behind women and children or having to bag the remains of your buddy that was blown up by a mule cart full of explosives it is a miracle that it isn't more.

Mr. Rooney closes with, "we should not bestow the mantle of heroism on all of them for simply being where we sent them. Most are victims, not heroes." Mr. Rooney, that may be the world you live in but it is not mine. They are true heroes. You sir, are a zero.

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