Competition for Resources and The Politics of Dehumanization

"The time when anything remotely negative said about our military was deemed as “un-American”, during the flag-waving days following 9/11, are but a memory. The cost and length of the Iraq war and the economic downturn have made the military as a whole a ripe target for criticism among Americans as resources become more scarce amongst our tax base and the country’s debt runs out of control. I recall seeing a lot of bumper stickers growing up that said “It will be a great day when our schools get all the money they need and the air force has to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber”. Could the same line of logic be applied about tax dollars going to social programs for the general public instead of veteran benefits?

The politicization of the war has mostly been directed at the “neocons” (an undesirable label that is now morally akin to the Hitler Youth), but it can even explain how Hillary failed to win the Democratic primary, as Publius at Obsidian Wings explains. Whoever gets the proverbial “Iraq war” necklace hung around their neck is most likely to be characterized as a nuisance or evil for decades to come. This has terrible ramifications for Iraq vets and other personnel who have served in the military during these troubled times, as the Iraq war’s architects will retire to castles invisible in the public eye, but us vets will be amongst the general populace representing an endeavor Americans will resent. Take your pick on why the Iraq war has taken so long, been so costly, or how we shouldn’t have even started it, but we must deal with reality now or we could end up in a very poor position in our future society."
LT Nixon Rants