Another Conservative Blind Spot

Conservatives have a number of blind spots. One of them concerns support for U.S. troops even when the wars they fight in are criticized. A recent example is this article by Robert Owens, “War: What Is It Good For?” Although he raises some good points, I note this statement: “I am a supporter of our troops. I believe they are patriots and America’s best. It is not the bravery or skill of our troops that I question; it is the imperial foreign policy which sends them as sacrifices on the altar of political ambition that I question.”

As I have tried to point out for years now, it makes no sense to support U.S. troops killing for the state in unjust wars and at the same time criticize the nature of the wars. It is not patriotic to fight unjust wars. Soldiers who do so are not America’s best. U.S. foreign policy is wretched, it is true, but this doesn’t excuse the actions of individual soldiers.

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3:59 pm on March 29, 2013