Kori Schake is a fellow at Stanford University and co-edited a book with now-Secretary of Defense James Mattis. (She also called then-candidate Donald Trump a “unique risk to US national security“.) In an article about the politicization of the deaths of US troops, she notes the US military is increasingly seen as a means to a sociopolitical end:

Research…points to a growing belief the military is fair game to mine for partisan talking points because of its place as America’s most trusted institution.

That’s something the homosexual movement discovered a few years ago, as they claimed an American service member who was willing to serve and potentially sacrifice his life for his country should, in return, have his preferred sexual lifestyle permitted, validated, and even honored. The homosexual movement used this argument again just last month to say American companies must be required to promote and celebrate sexuality, irrespective of their moral or religious beliefs.

They were so successful with their messaging — the ‘selfless servant’ willing to die for his country deserves to be celebrated regardless of morality — that other groups have attempted to follow suit, with varying degrees of success. Unfortunately, the attempted deification of the US Soldier has also had unintended consequences, with many veterans now pushing back on the “every Soldier a hero” mantra.  (Of course, Bradley Manning is a living example of that contradiction.)

To some people, the US military has become an effective means of achieving social change.

It would seem some parts of society need to learn that “support the troops” doesn’t mean promote their immorality, and just because someone signs up to serve doesn’t mean they’re laudable — or even “good.”

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