Star Tribune Editorial: The yellow ribbon—and beyond

07/29/2007

Americans have lost confidence in the war, not in the troops.


Star Tribune
Published: July 29, 2007


An almost palpable wave of relief spread across Minnesota this month as 2,600 members of the state's National Guard began to arrive at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, turn in their weapons and head home to their families after a harrowing and marathon deployment in Iraq. It's as if Minnesotans could take a breather from the divisive and discouraging debate in Washington and celebrate something simple, local and heartfelt: the safe return of their sons, daughters, spouses, parents and neighbors.

Writing in the Weekly Standard last week, columnist William Kristol argued that you cannot simultaneously support the troops and harbor doubts about the war. We wish he could have been in Anoka or Mankato or Albert Lea. Minnesotans, regardless of their political views, united around their Guard members -- admiring their courage, respecting their sacrifice, celebrating their safe return.

One puzzling aspect of this costly, protracted war is that many Americans seem numb to the fact that their nation is at war -- a spell that is broken by the hugs and tears of farewells and homecomings.

This does not mean that pride and relief for the troops should silence questions about the strategy. The latest CBS/New York Times poll shows that 69 percent of adults disapprove of President Bush's handling of the war -- with similar doubts about Congress -- and that a plurality wants the troops out now. When young Minnesotans are risking their lives in Iraq, they deserve a clear statement of the mission, a plain definition of success and a plausible strategy for victory.

If Americans seem fatigued by the war in Iraq and the debate it has engendered, that's no surprise. The conflict has lasted longer than World War II, yet seems nowhere near a conclusion or even a clear definition of what the conclusion might be.

One virtue of a government that enshrines civilian control of the military is that you can separate your opinion of the troops from your opinion of the politicians and the decisions they've made. Americans forgot that distinction during the Vietnam War, an error that helped make it one of the most divisive episodes of the 20th century. This time around, the wounds of war must heal much faster.