(Host) For a country at war for the decade since 9/11, Veteran’s Day –
and Thanksgiving – have special meaning for those Americans and their
families who have fought these wars, often at great sacrifice. Yet
commentator and retired ABC News diplomatic correspondent Barrie
Dunsmore senses a growing gap between those who have served and those
who have not.
(Dunsmore) A recent headline in the Washington Post caught my eye: "Troops feel more pity than respect."
The
thrust of the story was that some service members are troubled that the
troops are lavished with praise for their sacrifices – but that the
praise comes with a price- the public increasingly acts as if it feels
sorry for those in uniform.
As the report goes on, "The
military’s unease springs in part from American indifference to the
wars. Battlefield achievements are rarely singled out for praise by a
country that has little familiarity with the military and sees little
direct benefit from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars."
The story
ends with a plea of a battalion commander. He wrote on his Facebook
page, "Don’t thank me for my service. Don’t give me 5% off my Starbucks.
Don’t worry about yellow ribbons. Do me this one favor…talk to your
kids about serving their country and their fellow citizens."
I
completely understand why military people must indeed tire of hearing
"thank you for your service" – a phrase that has become the national
mantra of the many people who have not served. The troops hear it
endlessly – from TV hosts, famous professional athletes, movie stars and
especially politicians. Everyone feels compelled to show respect for
those in uniform. Nothing wrong with that. But frankly, I don’t think
pity is the motivating factor. It is guilt – based on the dirty little
secret that most Americans have done almost nothing tangible to help the
war effort.
For this I blame President George W. Bush who when
declaring the War on Terror ten years ago, inexplicably never asked the
American people for any sacrifice whatsoever, to defeat this new evil
enemy. In fact, not only did he not raise taxes to pay for his wars, he
dramatically cut them. This especially benefitted the very wealthy – and
accounts for a substantial part of the crippling national debt the
country now faces.
It’s interesting that when people are asked
in almost any kind of forum or poll if they support America’s troops,
virtually 100% say yes. But if they are asked if they would be willing
to accept a tax increase to pay for the wars those troops have been
fighting and the long term medical care the seriously wounded will
require – the results are likely to be quite different. That’s because a
substantial percentage of voters say they’re opposed to raising taxes –
no matter what the circumstances. While they won’t see it this way, in
effect, they are saying no to supporting the troops.
I am not
normally inclined to raise the issue of patriotism, which is too often
the last refuge of a scoundrel. But I would argue that if you consider
yourself a patriot, the troops and the country need your help to pay
down the huge debt accumulated while fighting the wars of the past
decade. Merely saying thank you for your service, is much too easy.