JustOneMinute: At The National Guard

Citizen Soldiers:

It's interesting that the National Guard Assoc. gave Bush seven standing ovations, to none for John Kerry. But it's even more interesting that one of those standing ovations came when Bush attacked Kerry for planning to cut National Guard forces in Iraq.

That would appear to suggest strongly that these men would rather finish the fight in Iraq than not, even though it means possibly being deployed under fire for an extended period. One expects that of the regulars -- Live to Fight, Love to Fight -- but it's reassuring to see it from the "citizen soldiers" as well. These men tend to be older, with wives and children and careers outside the military. One could understand if they felt sympathy for (one of) John Kerry's position(s), which is that the National Guard should stay at home (where they are betraying their country by not fighting in Viet... er, that is, nobly serving the cause of freedom).

That isn't what they think at all. They want to be defending the walls too. I understand that entirely. We win, or lose, the GWOT in Iraq. Whether it had to be part of the war on terror, it is now the front line. It is natural to want to do your part.