Iraq and the Most Important Thing

Bill Bennett just said something that's needed putting into words now for a long time, but I didn't know how:

McCain has nothing to apologize for or retreat from re: yesterday’s statement on the most important thing and Iraq, but that’s how the statements the campaign is making in his defense read. The weak defense I have read — “their lives are precious” is well ...weak.

McCain is absolutely right. First, the military, the all-volunteer military, does not think returning home is the most important thing to them. Doing their job successfully is what they consider to be their most important job. These are not children in a summer camp where the river is rising and the most important thing — the only thing — is to get them home. These are the soldiers of the U.S. military. Their lives are valuable indeed, but their mission is foremost. They understand that. And that's why they reenlist and that's what they tell us again and again on this show and elsewhere.