As I've mentioned before, I joined the editorial board of the Philadelphia Daily News this year. Even though they are the anonymous voice of the editorial board, I do at times take extra time in crafting specific editorials that I feel are of utmost importance -- like this one.
WANT TO SUPPORT THE TROOPS? LISTEN TO THEM
We all support the troops fighting in Iraq and around the world. That is without question. The debate has largely been over whether the best way to support the troops is to support the course the President has charted out in Iraq or to bring the troops home. The argument from the supporters of the Administration is that the troops know and believe in the mission in Iraq, and therefore, we should not be undermining their zeal by questioning the war. That assertion has gone out the window with a new poll.
Zogby International - one of the most trusted polling firms in the nation - has conducted a groundbreaking poll of the troops fighting on the ground in Iraq, and the results should make the President's supporters think twice. In polling of nearly 1000 troops in Iraq, 72 percent say that the US should pull out of Iraq within the next year. When polling just the Guardsmen and Reservists serving, who make up a large chunk of our forces, that number jumps to over 80 percent. While the President has repeatedly said that the mission is clear in Iraq, polling shows that those engaged in this war aren't so sure. While 58 percent say that the mission is clear in their minds, 42 percent say it is not.
The President has some explaining to do, not just to the nation, but to the men and women in harms way overseas. Leaving aside any debate over whether the war is just or not, the administration must immediately realize that not only are they on the precipice of allowing chaos in Iraq via a civil war, but that they are on the cusp of losing the support and morale of troops. When nearly three-quarters of the forces think we should leave the war soon, and nearly another half don't know why they are even there at all, it is a clear indicator that the President is losing the hearts and minds of the troops. Like any other organization, negative feelings will spread quickly throughout the military, unless the President plugs the hole in the dike.
Mr. President, if you really support the troops, hear their concerns. No more platitudes. Tell our troops and our nation what our specific mission in Iraq is, what metrics quantify "success" and how long you estimate it will take until troops can come home.