what does Unite mean to unite to fight a common enemy

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: Glenn Fleishman <glenn () glennf com>
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 06:58:07 -0800
To: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Subject: Re: [IP] 2 on Time to unite to fight a common enemy

On 3/18/03 6:50 AM, Rich Kulawiec <rsk () gsp org> wrote:

> On Tue, Mar 18, 2003 at 09:08:59AM -0500, Dave Farber quoted:
> > once such a decision has been made, Americans have an obligation to rally
> > behind our troops and support them without hesitation.

> We are not obligated to stop questioning this decision or any other
> one simply because it's been made.  Our right to express agreement,
> disagreement or anything in between does not cease merely because the
> President or anyone else makes a decision, no matter how momentous.

In the era after Vietnam, the statement that Rich objects to is being
misused and misread simultaneously.

We do have an obligation to "rally behind our troops": support the men and
women who are acting to achieve an objective set by the commander in chief
and acquiesced to by Congress. They are not acting unjustly, unilaterally,
or with malice. They're part of a tradition that led to and defended our
democracy. 

Likewise, we should probably support any troops who, for ethical reasons,
believe this to be an unjust, malicious, unilateral war who refuse to fight
and go to the brig. Are they traitors if they obey their conscience?

Rich's response indicates that he's viewing troops monolithically: as an
expression of military will. They're not. They're individuals.

Of course, if we learn something from Russia's invasion of Afghanistan, it's
clear that a military force that sees the truth outside their own borders
can bring down a government. Returning Russian soldiers from the Afghan war
almost certainly changed the perception of fighting blindly for Mother
Russia.

-- 
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