What Was That About “Opposing the War but Supporting the Troops?
” Anti-war liberals persistently – but implausibly – protest that they “support the troops” despite hysterically opposing the war effort itself. Well, now Senate Democrats, most of whom fall within the anti-war description, have a chance to put their money where their mouth is. Unfortunately, they are instead exposing the absurdity of their claim. The occasion for this revelation is the obstructed nomination of Judge Leslie Southwick, a remarkable man who left his position as judge on the Mississippi Court of Appeals to volunteer for action in Iraq with the Mississippi Army National Guard. To enlist, he even had to first obtain an age waiver allowing him to join, even though he realized that his advanced age would prohibit him from serving enough years to vest a military pension. Even more courageously, Judge Southwick intentionally transferred in 2003 from a non-combat unit into the 155th Separate Armor Brigade, a line combat unit that was nearly certain to mobilize for a tour in Iraq
