STOP SUCKING UP TO THE GENERALS: Back in November I argued in TAP that progressives would be well-advised to stop trumpeting every general who opposes the Iraq War, as it subverts civilian control of the military, and sets a precedent we may one day regret. In the new Washington Monthly, Iraq veteran Melissa Tryon makes a similar argument for a different reason. She says that Democrats fail to realize that the overwhelming majority of military members view the generals as out of touch. Seeing the errors so many of generals have made in this war only reinforces their disdain. And so the Democrats' fetishization of the generals' opinions does nothing to help them win converts in the enlisted corps. All the more reason that Democrats should show they can be tough by taking strong stands, not by surrounding themselves with high-ranking officers. --Ben Adler
