I have to say that although I find the Walter Reed story disgusting and saddening, it does not surprise me one bit. There is, predictably, a lot of outcry about how, with all the "support the troops" rhetoric, the Bush administration can have the unmitigated gall to treat wounded soldiers this way. It seems, I dunno, inconsistent. But actually, there's nothing inconsistent about the way this administration treats soldiers.

Let's see, so far the Bush administration's record as far as its treatment of "the troops" is as follows:

* Created an unnecessary war and then sent them to fight it.
* Sent many fewer troops than were necessary to have a hope of success.
* Failed to provide the best possible protection for them, despite the billions of dollars burned every month during the war effort.
* Indefinitely extended their tours of duty.
* Refused to bring them even after it's clear that their sacrifice is serving no concrete purpose.

So, now we find out that when these soldiers are grievously wounded, the Bush administration wants them out of sight and out of mind. Well, to me that makes perfect sense. After all, if you have committed a crime and you want to escape punishment, the first thing you need to do is hide the evidence.

That's what these soldiers are: evidence of the horrible price that the troops we are constantly exhorted to 'support' have paid and are still paying for Bush's illegal and unjustifiable war. Of course they want these people warehoused and left to rot. Honoring them, or even respecting them enough to put the effort into healing them, might expose them to the public eye, and that might remind people that Bush is responsible for their condition. Which, you know, we can't have.

Having beaten up on the Post in the past, I want to thank them for paying for and printing this story, because at least it is having a concrete and positive impact on the lives of the people in Building 18. I certainly hope that we are able to keep the heat on, because obviously as soon as this story is off the front pages, this bunch of criminals will go right back to hiding the bodies.

C ya,

The Plaid Adder