Yesterday, the Washington Post published this op-ed, entitledThe Truth On the Ground by a Marine officer.
The common wisdom seems to be that Iraq is an unwinnable war and a quagmire and that the only thing left to decide is how quickly we withdraw. Depending on which poll you believe, about 60 percent of Americans think it's time to pull out of Iraq.
How is it, then, that 64 percent of U.S. military officers think we will succeed if we are allowed to continue our work? Why is there such a dramatic divergence between American public opinion and the upbeat assessment of the men and women doing the fighting?
I wrote about this divergence, here. I argued that the cause of this diveregence among others is related to the all-volunteer nature of the military, which has caused a shift in political outlook. Captain Ed, had a different view, including the view implicitly targeted in this op-ed--that the portrayal of the Iraq war by the media has led to the divergence of opinion.
Open optimism, whether or not it is warranted, is a necessary trait in senior officers and officials. Skeptics can be excused for discounting glowing reports on Iraq from the upper echelons of power. But it is not a simple thing to ignore genuine optimism from mid-grade, junior and noncommissioned officers who have spent much of the past three years in Iraq.
Indeed, it is often the grunts on the ground that have the most cynical view of any conflict, after all it is they who are doing the bleeding and dying. But when you have such overwhelming optimism amoung the ground-pounders, it would seem that the national media is turning a blind eye to the belief in success.
However, there could also be another reason for the optimisim among the military related to their professionalism. A professional, all-volunteer army works from a very goal and mission-oriented mindset. This is different from a conscritpted army that thinks first and foremost about survival. The American, professional army believes that it must accomplish the mission set for them by the political leaders. Further, because the military, the American military, views every mission as achievable, thus the optimism about completing this mission.
It is difficult for most Americans to rationalize this optimism in the face of the horrific images and depressing stories that have come to symbolize the war in Iraq. Most of the violent news is true; the death and destruction are very real. But experienced military officers know that the horror stories, however dramatic, do not represent the broader conditions there or the chances for future success. For every vividly portrayed suicide bombing, there are hundreds of thousands of people living quiet, if often uncertain, lives. For every depressing story of unrest and instability there is an untold story of potential and hope. The impression of Iraq as an unfathomable quagmire is false and dangerously misleading.
It is this false impression that has led us to a moment of national truth. The proponents of the quagmire vision argue that the very presence of U.S. troops in Iraq is the cause of the insurgency and that our withdrawal would give the Iraqis their only true chance for stability. Most military officers and NCOs with ground experience in Iraq know that this vision is patently false. Although the presence of U.S. forces certainly inflames sentiment and provides the insurgents with targets, the anti-coalition insurgency is mostly a symptom of the underlying conditions in Iraq. It may seem paradoxical, but only our presence can buffer the violence enough to allow for eventual stability.
To be honest, most civilians cannot fathom the devotion to mission and country necessary to serve in the modern military. Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Airmen, no matter what their rank, are never going to become rich in the service. Most enlisted may serve for a variety of reasons, including GI bill benefits. But at the core, everyone in uniform has chosen to be there because, at some level they believe in the necessity of service. While they may not admit it, most enlistees and officers implicitly understand that they may be called upon to place themselves between the civlization of America and the chaos they face.
Civilians also cannot fathom the surrender of personal freedoms in the service of one's country. But that is the price of a free society.
Everyone in uniform does not share this sentiment. Thirty-six percent of military officers are less confident in the mission. But these officers will continue to work as hard as the rest of us toward success because they, too, are professionals. With men and women such as this, the United States has an excellent chance of success in Iraq. We can fail only if the false imagery of quagmire takes hold and our national political will is broken. In that event, both the Iraqi people and the American troops will pay a long-term price for our shortsighted delusion.
Professionals do the job assigned, to the best of their ability. Effete snobs whine about such tasks. The professionalism of our military, no matter what their personal views on the war may be, will ensure our victory.
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