One of the hidden costs of war is that young men (and now women)
become desensitized to the horror of war, and often take some
time to recover. Some don't.

Many, if not most, of the outlaws and 'gunfighters' of the
American West were actually Civil War veterans.

We're in a situation in the US where the administration is
doing its best to keep Americans from seeing the cost of the
little adventure in Iraq.

So I suspect that the official motivation for coming down on
the singing Corporal is not in any way altruistic.

For all those who are offended by his words, perhaps they
should consider that he might be speaking a certain truth.
If he's making light of it now, perhaps its his effort to
minimize the trouble he's in for doing so.

Whether he's concious of the truth that he's telling is a
question that will have to wait some time to be answered,
I suspect. (Unless you're in the filthiest latrine in
Baghdad, in which case just ask the guy on his hands and
knees with a toothbrush.)