But when the military briefs troops with reference notes (as they brief troops on any alien culture they must interact with) on the views of visiting Congresscritters, the anti-war legislators are suddenly not so proud of their "patriotic" dissent:
The sheets of paper seemed to be everywhere the lawmakers went in the Green Zone, distributed to Iraqi officials, U.S. officials and uniformed military of no particular rank. So when Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.) asked a soldier last weekend just what he was holding, the congressman was taken aback to find out.
In the soldier's hand was a thumbnail biography, distributed before each of the congressmen's meetings in Baghdad, which let meeting participants such as that soldier know where each of the lawmakers stands on the war. "Moran on Iraq policy," read one section, going on to cite some the congressman's most incendiary statements, such as, "This has been the worst foreign policy fiasco in American history."
The bio of Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher (D-Calif.) -- "TAU (rhymes with 'now')-sher," the bio helpfully relates -- was no less pointed, even if she once supported the war and has taken heat from liberal Bay Area constituents who remain wary of her position. "Our forces are caught in the middle of an escalating sectarian conflict in Iraq, with no end in sight," the bio quotes.
"This is beyond parsing. This is being slimed in the Green Zone," Tauscher said of her bio.
The cards are accurate. And accurate descriptions of their past votes and statements "slime" them?
Now, hey, I agree that those are pretty slimy facts. But I support the war! I'm fairly shocked that statements and votes that these members of Congress proudly display for MoveOn.org and Kos fans are now to be kept secret from the troops.
Aren't these Representatives proud of their "support" for the troops?
God, what I'd give to see the sheets for Pelosi and Reid! They'd be the size of a phone book, I dare say.
The WaPo writes of this as somehow ominous. I find it funny as heck.
Maybe our military should instead use signals like foot taps, hand gestures, and especially wide foot stances at parade rest to indicate anti-war Congressional delegations.
