When we lionise our service, we enable the next generation to think good people can fight bad wars. If people had turned on the troops coming back from Vietnam, anyone enlisting would know that social damnation awaits them too. If we martyr 2448 people then future recruits have 2448 reasons to go through with a mistake. If we make apologies for the war or excuses for any faction carrying them out, that only allows self-absolving wiggle room for people facing those same choices in the next war. The only victims of this war we should see are the Afghans. If Americans are capable of feeling shame at all, the only legacy of this war should be shame.
When we lionise our service, we enable the next generation to think good people can fight bad wars. If people had turned on the troops coming back from Vietnam, anyone enlisting would know that social damnation awaits them too. If we martyr 2448 people then future recruits have 2448 reasons to go through with a mistake. If we make apologies for the war or excuses for any faction carrying them out, that only allows self-absolving wiggle room for people facing those same choices in the next war. The only victims of this war we should see are the Afghans. If Americans are capable of feeling shame at all, the only legacy of this war should be shame.