Review: Will they trust us again?

This is another gem by Michael Moore, author of several books and movies unveiling some of the ragged truth about modern America. Will they trust us again is nothing more than page after page of letters from the troops.

These are shockingly raw letters talking of lost lives, interrupted dreams, rage at being misused for a war with such shaky premise, and more.

These are the troops who are supposedly all gung-ho fighters, republican to the core, supporting the commander in chief, and so on. Yet letter after letter talks of betrayal by their commanders, and in some cases how they hate their commander in chief.

To be sure the letters speak of dissension in the ranks. There are many gung-ho fighters in the military fully in support of what they're doing in Iraq and elsewhere. It's clear from this book that there are many dissillusioned fighters in that very same military, hating what they are being forced to do, perhaps even hating who they have become.

For example

I hate the army and my job. I am supposed to get out next February but will now be unable to because the asshole in the White House decided that now would be a great time to put a stop loss in effect for the army. So I get to do a second tour in Iraq and be away from those I love again because some asshole has the audacity to put others' lives on the line for his personal war. I thought we were the good guys.

This from an infantryman who began the war in complete support of the President and the stated goals.

("stop loss" is military jargon for the order that has gone out canceling all limits on the length of tour for all soldiers. This and other jargon is something you will learn through reading this book.)

I can't recommend this book more highly, for it will awaken you to the feelings our soldiers are going through. The news reports filtered through official journalism, or the statements by the country's leaders, well, they just cannot do justice to what our soldiers are experiencing on the ground in Iraq. It is in seeing their words, their heart and soul, that we can appreciate what they are doing.

I will warn you however, this is a very powerful book. It is full of heartrending stories. But, then, that's why I'm wholeheartedly recommending it.