Uh. Don't puff up that chest to far just yet. It seems our soldiers are starting to get the picture and they aren't too happy to be stepping into the meatgrinder for nothing.
Former soldiers slow to report
A strident minority: anti-Bush US troops in Iraq
Once again, MrC, you are misrepresenting facts.
The first link you posted refers to indivduals who are in what is called "ready reserve status". This means that they have already served their 4 years of service and have been released from duty. At this stage, their only requirement is to keep a set of uniforms ready in case they might be called up. The period of time you have to spend in the ready reserves is different for each individual, and is based on many different factors. I spent 3 years in the ready reserve status.
And you wonder why they are late reporting for duty? They have already served, many of them have seen combat. They have jobs and have gone on with their lives. This has absolutely NOTHING to do with whether they think the war is right or wrong, it has EVERYTHING to do with the fact that they have already transitioned back to civilian life.
Your second link refers to soldiers who were promised that they would go home on a certain date, but are now told they will be in Iraq indefinitely. Of course they're pissed off, who wouldn't be? But their dissatisfaction has nothing to do with whether the war is right or wrong.
You must also realize that there IS a SMALL PERCENTAGE of soldiers who join thinking that all they have to do is "play army" and have fun shooting guns and blowing up stuff. When it is time to go to war for real, these people aren't ready for that and start crying about everything from food to uniforms to unjust wars. Well, these people get no sympathy from me or any fellow soldiers. The purpose of an army is to fight, and you better realize exactly what that means before you sign your name on that line.
Remember, every single soldier in the armed forces today volunteered. General Schwartzkopf said it best. If you don't like a policy in the Army, you have two choices: stay and try to change it, or get out and don't worry about it. Complaining about it gets you nowhere.
BTW, it is a court martial offence to speak badly (to the press) about ANY superior officer, up to the President, in times of war.