'L.A. Times' Columnist: 'I Don't Support Our Troops' (Joel Stein)

[sabra]

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001883886

'L.A. Times' Columnist: 'I Don't Support Our Troops'

NEW YORK In a piece sure to draw controversy or worse (he notes that he is listed in the phone book), Joel Stein opens his Los Angeles Times column with: "I don't support our troops."

He says he has no problem with those in favor of the Iraq war expressing backing for soldiers by loading up on "those patriotic magnets and bracelets." But he feels "being against the war and saying you support the troops" suggests that "the one lesson they took away from Vietnam wasn't to avoid foreign conflicts with no pressing national interest but to remember to throw a parade afterward."

Stein adds: "I understand the guilt. We know we're sending recruits to do our dirty work, and we want to seem grateful."

Other points:

--"Blindly lending support to our soldiers, I fear, will keep them overseas longer by giving soft acquiescence to the hawks who sent them there — and who might one day want to send them somewhere else."

more @ link

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I like his point

and from that POV none of us do... for we want them home and we want the resources to be there,not a silly bumper sticker

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Supporting the troops also means

doing everything possible to bring them home and keep them here and out of aggressive wars of adventure.

[catmother]

5. i totally agree. n/t

[LiberalEconomist]

3. I support the national guard

Bring home our moms and dads...

[pocket]

4. good. I'm sick of all this token support for oppressors who just happen to

wear a US uniform.

It's BS, and it's refreshing to hear someone call a spade a spade.

[dusmcj]

7. the source of that problem are politicians making policy in DC. nt

[bananas]

6. link to his column

http://www.latimes.com/news/columnists/la-oe-stein24jan24,0,1168298.column?coll=la-news-columns

[sabra]

8. thank you.