Derick read a headline to me yesterday that mentioned the hanging of an eight-year-old boy in Afghanistan. Apparently, the boy's father is a police officer who refused to give his vehicle to the Taliban. So, they killed his son to seek revenge. And our President thinks pulling out of Afghanistan is the thing to do.
I just finished Meghan McCain's book Dirty, Sexy Politics. Meghan, a moderate Republican, supports the presence the American military has in Afghanistan and Iraq. I agree with Meghan's stance about 50% of the time. But on the issue of the Middle East, I agree with her completely.
Here's the thing. For some reason, our government finds that funding studies of penis sizes of gay men (really. Look it up.) and cranking money into a Welfare system that is being disgustingly abused is more important than paying for the defense of this country.
Derick makes a good point. Sure, George W. wasn't everyone's favorite President, and that's putting it lightly. But since 9/11, since we've had troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, if everyone will reflect with me for a second, the United States of America has not been attacked by terrorists. Sure, there are extremists and blatant idiots, Ft. Hood, for example, who unfortunately carry through with inhumane acts. But, every time we've been directly threatened by the Taliban on a large scale, our military has caught it and stopped it.
The Marine Corps, individually, is cutting numbers in a dramatic way. When Derick applied to Officer Candidate School for the first time in late 2008, they were pretty much dragging him through the door. His application was quickly pushed through, and he was on a plane to Quantico two seconds later. When he applied last year, the process was grueling, with several quality candidates getting turned down. I'm probably correct to assume that budget and troop cuts only allowed room for the best of the best....and sometimes, even they didn't get in.
I hope our government realizes how important it is to fund the military. We need them and call upon them everyday, and one day our country will need a solid, experienced military, but it may not be readily available because too much money was spent on other, insignificant things. (Not to mention the ridiculous amount of mulah we're pumping into Pakistan, but that's a different post!) Some people may not realize it either, but one day, when the going gets tough, without a beefed up military, we would have to crank up another...dare I say it?...draft.
Anyway, all of this to say that the war is unfortunate, but it is real, and if our government decides that there are more important things to budget for than its military, it is making a huge mistake. Not just President Obama. Not just Democrats. But conservative Republicans, too. The whole dadgum institution. From liberals to the Far Right. Everybody seems to have lost sight of the importance of our military. The USA has the strongest fighting force in the world. It would be a really bad move to sacrifice that all in the name of federal spending.
So, let's take a deep breath, and tie this into something else. Not long ago, I saw a comment or post on a photo or some sort of statement on Facebook or elsewhere that didn't disturb me as much as it just made me realize my own feelings. A woman said something along the lines of, "I am SO happy my husband is NOT in the military anymore!"
Really?? Well, I'm sure you were a high-quality military spouse.
Ok. That was harsh, but come on! I feel so honored and humbled to be married to one of the Few, the Proud. I am so proud of his accomplishments and his selfless drive to defend a country that, in turn, may or may not be grateful for that defense.
I know what she really meant. I'm not that radically patriotic. Or am I? :) I know she was really saying, "I am glad my husband is here, safe at home with me, instead of in harms way in the Middle East or even at the military's disposal." And I get that.
I have yet to deal with a deployment, so ask me again once that bridge has been crossed. But, I do know that whatever Derick is called to do, that is his job, and the Marines come first. Hard to handle for a wife who has always been number one. But I get it, and let me explain the way our household puts (and plans to put) the Marines first:
I am, and will always be, number one in his heart. He loves me more than anything--yes, even the Corps. But there is a big difference in his love for me and his calling to serve. As military wives, even in the hard times, we need to realize that.
I have a friend, also a Marine wife, and if she's reading this, she will know who she is. But, she has been through two deployments and she's younger than I am. Does she cry and complain and curse the Marine Corps? No. She sucks it up, takes what she's given, and keeps a thankful heart that she has a husband who is so willing to serve his country. Because she knows, through his service, he is also caring for her. Not once have I heard her degrade the military. In fact, she has only good things to say about military life, and she helped me through some of the early, tougher steps of adjusting to the lifestyle.
Derick is so ready to go to Afghanistan. He's almost in a hurry to go, I guess, and because of talks of withdrawals, he's a little nervous he may not get the chance. I hope he gets the chance, too. How can you say that? You really want your Marine to go to war??!
No. Of course not. But I do know that there is a bigger picture than being separated from Derick for 6-12 months. I know that there are still things to be done, and my husband is and will be prepared and ready to do them. Even more, I know that he wants to be there alongside his Marines. And I want him to have that opportunity. That's what he signed up for, and if I wasn't ok with that, then we are absolutely in the wrong place.
Peace on earth would be such a wonderful thing, but it's not realistic. Sorry. And while it is unrealistic, it's better to have the support of a quality military. Supporting the war, to me, doesn't mean that I support unneeded death and violence. It means that I trust our military leaders and I want their continued protection for me, my future kids, and my kids' kids. Not funding the war directly ceases troop funding. They're hand in hand. Ceasing troop funding depletes troop numbers, and the need for a strong military, though not recognizable to some now, could very easily become blatantly obvious.
I'm just a little ole civilian on the outside looking in. But if I, uneducated in politics and military strategy, can see the dire and constant need for our men and women in uniform, surely our government officials realize it, too. Surely!
Support the troops!
well put!
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