I went to see the movie “Stop Loss”. I
went to the matinee on opening day which might explain why the theater was
nearly empty, but the weekend box office was disappointing as well. 
So, I’m left to wonder, are we disinterested and disaffected, or was this simply
another Iraq war movie that failed to connect? Some could rightly
argue this movie unfairly contributes to the stereotypical portrayal of
enlisted men as beer guzzling, wife beating, uneducated ne’er do wells. But, the
overarching story is one that needs to be told, and I left the theater with a
renewed determination to tell it, yell it if I have to. Granted, this issue is
personal to me, as my own son is facing this very conundrum…but it also begs the
question, are we as nation paying attention to the burdens and sacrifices
being made for all, by too few?  After two tours in Bush’s Iraq,
10 years in the Army as a Black Hawk pilot, his military obligation fulfilled,
my son is looking down the barrel of “stop loss”, even as he prepares, and
hopes to go on with his life as a civilian.  While few would
disagree that national security is important, how many of us
really believe we are safer because of the bloodshed
in Iraq? To that point, what do we take away from the fact that so many
able bodied patriots who supposedly support this Presidents war, are not
stepping up to participate, especially in redder than red Utah? That it is up to
someone else? Why after 6 years do we continue to be an Army at war and not an
entire nation? We
haven’t been compelled as a citizenry to participate I realize, but at a time of
war, how is it we haven’t overwhelmingly volunteered?
Hence, over 80,000 soldiers (since 2003) have been held hostage, prisoners of
war if you will, past their enlistment obligation in order to be
re-deployed for their 3rd, 4th even 5th tour of duty. That this
policy even exists speaks to the reality that contrary to those who would have
us believe we have an “all volunteer Army”, we have over extended and
over obligated our military through an egregious breech of faith by this
government and it’s civilian leadership. It is reprehensible that our soldiers
are expected, with no relief in sight, to bear the burden of those who’ve failed
to use their service carefully and judiciously. Placing undue hardships on those
who have given their all is by far the worst recruiting tactic imaginable.
Bottom line, stop-loss is an unethical policy. It exposes the lack of
decisive action on the part of our elected officials who refuse to be held
accountable, and refuse to recognize that they have broken our economy, and
broken our military with their negligent missteps. It is long past time to move
beyond “debate” and actually “support our troops” with solutions that offer
light at the end of this endless tunnel. The very mindset and ideology that
created the mess we find ourselves in tragically continues to be the primary
influence driving the policies that dig us deeper in to the morass. We must
draw attention to the “back door draft” that is being used as a substitute for
conscription, and if it takes a Hollywood movie to engage us in the
conversation, then shame on us. Stop-loss needs to end. We need to get
the heck out of Iraq, begin re-deploying our soldiers’ home, engage the
region diplomatically, and get our own nation that has been torn to
shreds, back on track.

Peace,

Carla