Now that we are nearly four years into the quagmire that is Iraq, public attitudes are changing towards the war. The American public is now solidly against it. Democrats in D.C. are now against it (Lieberman obviously doesn't count as a Dem). Even moderate Republicans like Smith and Hagel are coming out against it.
The most fervent supporters of the troops have always been the troops. We here on the left care about them and want them home, wingnuts claim to care about them by sticking magnets on their SUVs and wanting more of them to be in harm's way to win an unwinnable war. Yet it is the soldiers' duty to protect his brothers and sisters who fight on the front line. It is their duty to support the commander-in-chief as he leads them into war.
For years the troops gave the President enthusiastic responses. Bush has relied on using our troops as a backdrop to his misbegotten policy blunders to give an illusion of support. On Thursday, January 11th 2007, this wasn't the case.
Except for the grilling Rumsfeld received by soldiers asking for body armor, the troops have been highly supportive of the President and especially when he visits them face-to-face. However yesterday wasn't that day over at Fort Benning.
Buried on page A12 by WaPo:
Soldiers being soldiers, those who met the commander in chief Thursday saluted smartly and applauded politely. But it was hardly the boisterous, rock-star reception Bush typically gets at military bases. During his lunchtime speech, the soldiers were attentive but quiet. Not counting introduction of dignitaries, Bush was interrupted by applause just three times in 30 minutes -- once when he talked about a previous Medal of Honor winner from Fort Benning, again when he pledged to win in Iraq and finally when he repeated his intention to expand the Army.
The soldiers are told to be a good audience for the President, but they do not have to go over the top. Being polite is sufficient for the commanders. However those commanders were still wary of their troops' opinions of Bush and decided to silence them from talking with reporters.
Eventually frustrated journalists were allowed to speak with a few selected soldiers. A hand-picked few hardly represented how these brave men and women feel about the President's recent decision to send the 3rd Brigade Combat Team from the 3rd Infantry Division back to Iraq, two months earlier than previously reported.
Another typical PR move by the White House. The President gets his photos without hearing how the troops really feel about the escalation Bush has saddled our military with. As the military's support for the war plunging, expect more cool responses to come.
David Greene from NPR reported on this story as well, listen to it here.
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