We've Finally Found A Military Man The Left Can Love

The coward:

Angry, left-wing Washington Post blogger William Arkin considers American troops in Iraq who believe in their mission "mercenaries" who are "naive" and should be thankful they haven't been spit upon yet. Curdled Democrat Sen. John Kerry thinks those soldiers, who volunteer for service, didn't "make an effort to be smart" and are "stuck in Iraq" because of their intellectual deficiencies. At the last anti-war spasm in Washington, liberal peace-lovers vandalized a military recruitment office -- repeating an act of destruction taken by rock-wielding thugs across college campuses and at ROTC headquarters nationwide.

So, who inspires these troop-bashers? Whose courage do they cheer? Whom do they call "hero"?

US soldiers from the 20th Engineer Battalion, including Capt. Bryan Meese, left, from Ft. Riley, Kan., stand guard as they visit a Joint Security Station, where American and Iraqi troops will stage during upcoming security operations in Baghdad, Iraq Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) Not the American soldier on the battlefield, willingly and freely putting his life on the line for his beliefs, his family, our country, security and freedom.

No, their idea of a military hero is Army Lt. Ehren Watada. Did Watada take a bullet for his comrades? Rescue innocent civilians from insurgent forces? Throw himself on a grenade? Ambush a terrorist sniper nest? No.

Watada's the soldier who went on trial this week for defying orders to be deployed to Iraq -- after volunteering for duty. For those deficient in English, here's the meaning of volunteer: "To perform or offer to perform a service of one's own free will." Hundreds of anti-war groupies, including actor Sean Penn, showed up to cheer Watada.

Perhaps the real similarity between the War in Iraq and the War in Vietnam is the Left spitting on those who serve while celebrating those who hide.