Underwhelmed

The Results of a Military Times poll of 933 active-duty members of the military aren't receiving much play. It features in a small item in the December 29 Seattle Times, while Google News returns, as of this writing, only a single reference (from the Arizona Republic).

The poll finds only 56% of responders "approve of Bush's handling of Iraq", while 77% feel the military is "stretched too thin to be effective".

Maybe not too surprising, given the Bush Administration's atrocious treatment of both current members of the military and veterans.

Maybe not too surprising, either, that the Administration itself would find the results "a pleasant surprise". After all, the Administration's big-wigs know full well that soldiers are treated as cogs in a machine. They also know that the military is comprised largely of minority and/or impoverished sectors of our society -- cannon fodder that it doesn't give fuck one about.

A shame those 56% don't have the option of bugging out -- this is a Democracy, right? -- rather than seeing their retirement dates indefinitely extended. Wouldn't that be a sight to see?

Anyway, the Administration's reaction to the poll must come as a surprise to casual viewers of the American scene. They're "pleasantly surprised" to be going into combat with only 56% support? What about all the rabidly cheering soldiers Bush and Cheney address seemingly every week? What about the "Mission Accomplished" spectacle? What about Thanksgiving (those troops were pre-screened, as it turns out)? Doesn't the Bush Administration love the troops?

Uhh...

Posted by Eddie Tews at December 29, 2003 01:25 PM