Soldiers Focus More on War Than Voting

[unhappycamper]

Soldiers Focus More on War Than Voting
November 01, 2008
Associated Press

MOSUL, Iraq - Car bombs rather than Obama, making it home rather than McCain dominate the talk among many U.S. Soldiers in Iraq's deadliest city during the final countdown to America's presidential election.

Dangers, distance from home and the dawn-to-dark effort in an alien environment push U.S. politics into a corner for many Soldiers - especially in combat outposts where television and the Internet are not readily available.

"Regardless of who wins the election, we are going to be here 15 months. And our mission is not going to be fundamentally affected, at least in the short term," said Capt. Justin Davis Harper after returning from a patrol into the northern city of Mosul's most violent zone.

Harper, of Sherman, Texas, said "a small minority are excited about elections" in his 130-member "Killer Troop" of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. But most have not voted although they have had the opportunity to do so.

The U.S. military has traditionally tilted toward the Republican Party, and analysts said they do not expect this election to be different. But they also said Barack Obama's appeal to youth, African-Americans and Hispanics - all groups over-represented in the military - could cut into support for John McCain.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/soldiers-focus-more-on-war-than-voting.html?col=1186032310810

[dhpgetsit]

1. Kind of hard to focus on other things when you are under mortar attack.

Ask McCain what "victory" in Iraq is going to look like.