Eight-Year-Old More Intelligent Than Columnist

An op-ed by David Kennedy in the NYT today essentially charges that our military is nothing more than a group of mercenaries.

To be sure, our soldiers are hired from within the citizenry, unlike the hated Hessians whom George III recruited to fight against the American Revolutionaries. But like those Hessians, today's volunteers sign up for some mighty dangerous work largely for wages and benefits - a compensation package that may not always be commensurate with the dangers in store, as current recruiting problems testify.

Neither the idealism nor the patriotism of those who serve is in question here. The profession of arms is a noble calling, and there is no shame in wage labor. But the fact remains that the United States today has a military force that is extraordinarily lean and lethal, even while it is increasingly separated from the civil society on whose behalf it fights. This is worrisome - for reasons that go well beyond unmet recruiting targets.

I would submit that our military is far less removed from civil society than...say...David Kennedy.

Captain Ed lays out the "attractive" benefit program for enlistees.

Ask our military families how good they have it on those oh-so-attractive wages and benefits. A private makes between $14 - 16k. Even a sergeant with six years of experience only makes a base salary of $25K, which puts them at the same wages as a full-time worker at $12 per hour -- almost entry level everywhere for office jobs.

Ah, the spoils of war.

Blackfive has a few thoughts on the subject, which are, not surprisingly, less than complimentary. Also, contrasting Kennedy's assault on the military and call for a draft, read this letter from an eight-year-old kid.

How come an eight-year-old gets it and Kennedy does not?