A dear friend in the military writes

Advisory Panels Say Military Benefits Unsustainable

Knew it was coming, but surprised they’re already showing their hand – especially before the election. Figured it’d be after 2010 elections, if not the 2012 cycle.

Now, making a 401(k)-style retirement system to replace the current defined benefit plan makes sense, but I fully expect that current military members will eventually not be protected by a grandfather clause. In fact, I suspect that those already receiving their retirement pay will take cuts in the not-too-distant future.

I was talking to a friend the other day whose Dad was in the military (like my Dad and my brothers). She remarked that she felt very protective of our troops and regarded anti-war comments as attacks on them. It’s understandable, particularly since our troops got so badly shafted when they came home from Vietnam, with all the disgusting cries of “Babykillers” and such from the antiwar left.

But here’s the thing: one can also be opposed to the war *because* of reverence for the sacrifices these men and women are making. Precisely what galled me about the Bush-Cheney torture policies was that it forced men and women who signed up to defend their country to engage in evil acts at the orders of immoral superiors who then forced them to take the fall in order to cover up their own criminal orders.

Similarly, when we send our exhausted troops for their fifth tour of duty, we *owe* it to them to requite them with a serious retirement and benefits package. We have billions to throw at hardware, but we are cutting back on care for the actual human beings who have borne the heat of battle, and his orphan and widow?

It’s appalling that after we have sent an all volunteer force into two long and brutal wars to no good end, we should now crown the debacle by saying, “Thanks. Here’s a cut in your retirement and benefits. Those $700 hammers don’t grow on trees you know. And the First Lady certain deserves her vacation in Spain. And what about Charlie Rangel’s pension?”

This sort of contempt for our troops by our Ruling Class eventually leads dying democracies (like ours) to situations where the troops say, “Since nobody back home cares about the people who are dying to keep our Ruling Class in limos and cocaine, perhaps it would be a more equitable arrangement if the people who are doing the dying were also doing the ruling.” The Roman Republic, after devolving into the Roman Empire, eventually devolved to the Barracks Emperors. Treat people like crap long enough and they eventually refuse to take it. Especially when it dawns on them that they have the guns and the politicians have only limos and cocaine.

No. I’m not saying the military is about to stage a coup. I am saying it is a proud testament to their discipline and sense of honor that it has not occurred to them to do so and that they still would regard such a thing with a sense of horror. But our Ruling Classes seem bent on seeing just how close to the breaking point they can push that sense of discipline and honor and (military people being subject to original sin like the rest of us), we should not tell ourselves “Hey! Our Ruling Classes can go on treating our troops like dogs forever and nothing will ever happen.” Poke a lion with a stick long enough and he may eat you even if he’s not hungry.