HELIOLITH

If none of the arguments for peace thus far have persuaded the Americans who still support the war, perhaps Reservist Wilson’s questions of Rumsfeld yesterday will hit home. When Rumsfeld went to Kuwait to give war-bound army reservists a pep talk, he found himself confronted by several angry soldiers unintimidated by rank. One asked why the country’s leaders are forcing soldiers to stay in Iraq beyond their term of duty. Reservist Wilson, who the army’s spokespeople have said will not be disciplined (one wonders if the army’s PR people advised against such disciplinary actions to avoid bad press), boldly confronted Rumsfeld over the lack of adequate protection for the soldiers. They are importing metal from Europe, and welding sheets of metal onto Humvees themselves in order to better protect themselves. Wilson questioned Rumsfeld specifically about why the soldiers had to dig through landfills to find scrap metal to use as armor for vehicles. (Perhaps they could recycle the scrap metal that contains DU while they’re there.)

If pro-war Americans are moved by no other argument, perhaps they will finally come to see that the government is ill-protecting the very people who it claims to honor and esteem. If the Bush administration cares about our soldiers, and trusts them to represent our country and our ideals, then the very least it can do is properly outfit them. Read:As one soldier’s mother has stated, “[if] we send them overseas, let’s send them equipped.” Rumsfeld’s inadequate reply to Wilson’s question was, “You go to war with the army you have, not the army you wish you could have.” Administration officials are already criticizing him, claiming that his remarks are an admission of poor preparation. Cheers to Wilson for his courage and pluck. I hope other soldiers will see his fearlessness in confronting mismanagement of the armed forces and call into question the authorities who put the soldiers in danger.

I heard also about a group of soldiers who refused orders to drive their convoy with no escort. They were being punished last I heard. I wish I knew how to send them my support. I know their names weren’t being released, but if you know anything more about them–an address or contact–I would like to write my words of encouragement. In a time when ideas like “bravery” and “patriotism” are co-opted and misused with such frequency, I would like to point out that these, well, pockets of resistance, if you will, command a great deal of respect in my mind. Finding the strength and the courage to speak out against corruption merits full recognition. Wilson received it from his peers; the soldiers caused Rumsfeld to pause and swallow, shuffle his papers, and improvisate his response by clapping and cheering loudly in support of their colleague.

Link to story via CNN, MSNBC, & the NYTimes.