The Big Tent and the Troops

BY writes:

Ted, you’re a god. Unfortunately, a lot of liberals would disagree with me. The Left is split on whether we should criticize the troops for obeying unethical orders; too many think we’d hurt the soldiers’ pwecious wittle feewings. How can we all fit into the Big Tent?

God? More like a minor wood nymph. But thanks.
Two thoughts:
First, it’s time for the Democratic Party/American left to start recognizing that there is a wide range of opinion concerning the sort of tactics we deploy against the neofascist hard right. It’s embarrassing to see Democrats shy away from their own party chairman, Howard Dean–particularly when he’s one of the few Dems willing to say out loud what they all say over rosé.
Which brings me to point two. One of the major reasons Americans don’t trust Democratic politicians is thay they come off as even more mealy-mouthed than their Republican counterparts. Some straight-talking, even trash-talking, is what’s in order here. That includes not allowing themselves to be beaten over the head with the flag or the flag’s well-armed surrogates, the military. Besides which, the kind of people who’d take offense to such remarks probably won’t vote left anyway.