Brain Fertilizer

You are a soldier, even if your body will no longer allow you to serve.

Diogenes makes multiple excellent points, so read the whole thing. I'd like to highlight two, however.

Some time ago, I asserted (without backing up my claim) that are a huge number of Christians in the military. I didn't follow up on it because Jeremy was the only person who seemed interested, and I'm lazy sometimes. Well, Diogenes makes the exact same point, plus more, that I was going to make:

You see a lot of religious soldiers. There's a reason for that, and it's humility. Service to country and Service to God bear a striking resemblance in the humility that it imposes. There is a recognition in both that there is more to the world than your wants, your desires, and your needs. Facing the prospect of death reminds many soldiers that much of what we see in the world is smoke and shadow. Conquering your fear of death through belief in the Almighty reminds you of the same thing.

...

Some people are uncomfortable with the idea of service to God. Perhaps for those who don't understand the power of God's love for humanity, it is an easy step from belief in your ideals to blind-eyed fanaticism. Certainly there are those who in the name of religion betray the fundamental precepts that undergird a religion and twist the tenets of one's religious beliefs to fit the selfish needs of an individual or a group. Perhaps. I've never seen it. I've seen only weak men who claim one thing while feverishly pursuing another. Certainly that's what I saw when the planes hit.

This point is of the utmost importance, as well:

The weak cannot defend themselves. George W. Bush has many flaws, and so does his administration. But one thing can be said that only a fool can discount. He has chosen his ideals. Those ideals are worthy of emulation and respect. And the American president will not waver from service to those ideals.

We, the American people, and those of our like-minded brethren around the world have a choice. Both in the ballot box and in our personal lives, we can choose to follow the ideals of our president, or we can choose to fight them.

When clever pundits mock the strategy behind the war, or seek political gain from missteps, they are doing so because they do not care about the weak and the innocent. When protestors in the street chant mindless slogans meant to showcase their defense of the weak against American ideals, they are stomping on the dreams of those they claim to care about.

Hat tip to Dean Esmay, again.