"Value" Training

The Pentagon has announced that U. S. Military personnel are to receive additional "value" training as a result of the uproar over the suspected killing of Iraqi civilians by American troops.

The non-combatants back in Washington are now requiring that the troops under attack receive even more training to consider the legal, moral and ethical consequences of their actions before they pull the trigger in a combat situation.
I can see it now...

A motorized convoy of American troops witnesses one or more of their vehicles blown apart by an Iraqi IUD, watching as bits and pieces of their fellow solders splatter on the ground and walls around them. The surviving senior officer announces to the remaining live troops that -- before they do anything -- they must consider the legal, moral and ethical consequences of the actions they may take.

Setting up a conference table in the street, chairs all around, they pull out their laptops and load the latest Pentagon Prepared Power Point Presentation on legal, moral and ethical conduct while under attack by an unseen enemy.

Members of the TV news happy-faced "blonde muppet brigade" loved reporting about this "Value" training, as if such additional training would actually help solve something they themselves have no solution for.

These smiling, perky, flippant TV reporters and anchors, resplendent in the latest dress style, hair-do and hours-long makeup, should all volunteer to replace Kimberly Dozier on the front lines. Kimberly just experienced an Iraqi IUD up front and personal like. Serious money says they would all have a sudden change of attitude.

Of all the people in America who desperately need this "value" training on the legal, moral and ethical consequences of this war, it is George W. Bush, Chaney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Wolfowitz, Pearl and the rest of this war-loving administration.

Don't blame our troops for acting like soldiers at war in an enemy state. They are constantly under fire in a no-win situation in a place where every supposed civilian -- men, women and children -- can be an armed and deadly killer.

I would like the above mentioned war-mongering beltliners to be called to the bar... to face the consequences of their illegal, immoral and unethical decisions.

Better yet, put them all into an unarmored hummer and force them to drive around on Baghdad streets for twenty-four hours. If they survive, send them back to their jobs, better men for the experience... hopefully.