At evening chow I saw Rummy and a couple of brass talking at senators today. I gather that the White House is heavily into their damage control mode. Maybe the hundreds of thousands of protesters that showed up in DC last weekend actually got Bush & Co a little worried.
What little of the testimony I caught seemed to be the typical spin: all's well, the Iraqi Army is standing to, democracy on the move, yadda, yadda. We had an IED go off outside the base today--it was a big one, but the bad guys missed our patrol. I guess they hadn't heard that we're winning.
What would it be like if, instead of an ideologue and four-star generals (one doesn't get to that level without being political), Congress heard from ordinary soldiers? Enlisted soldiers and junior officers? And not ones vetted by the brass. What would it be like if the people who keep sending us over here actually listened to those who returned? True, there are those in the military whose depth of analysis is that of bumper stickers, but it's surprised me how many soldiers are asking what this is all about. And not just what we're doing here in the first place, but what we're doing here day-to-day.
I have no illusions about the good senators & congresspersons: such hearings are theater, and they know it. But somehow, someway, more ordinary voices need to be heard.
Two weeks ago, my wife was part of a group that met with aides to senators Kennedy & Kerry. The senators' aides were asked to call for hearings about the Iraq War, just as happened for Vietnam. Let the ordinary soldiers have a chance to explain what this war is really about. Then let the generals and political hacks explain their actions.
Encourage everyone you now to send an e-mail to your senators and representatives. Maybe we can build on the weekend's momentum.