What honor?

I am tired of hearing Bush’s latest talking point about troops killed in Iraq. The president keeps repeating that we honor their service by completing the mission.

Honor?

Where is the honor in continuing an engagement that everyone now agrees was based on erroneous information? Where’s the honor in sticking to a strategy that clearly doesn’t seem to be working? Where is the honor in continuing down a road that seems to be costing Americans far more in lives and money than anyone foresaw, without any effort to re-evaluate the approach?

According to this thinking, we honor the dead by ensuring more fall to the same fate.

Here’s a thought. If you want to show respect, address the issues that led to the soldiers being killed in the first place. Make sure they have enough troops to defend themselves, enough armor to protect themselves, a clear strategy for engagement and withdrawal. I'm sure that is a form of honor all the troops would appreciate.

Honor: a : good name or public esteem : REPUTATION b : a showing of usually merited respect : RECOGNITION example: pay honor to our founder.