The local media have been full of stories about the return home from Iraq of Alaska’s 172nd Stryker Brigade. It is wonderful news for those who are coming home and for everyone who cares about them.

     I too am glad to see them coming home. As a longtime activist for peace and justice, bringing our soldiers home from war is an important part of what I have been struggling for. I want them to have full, meaningful lives. They are less likely to be hurt, and are less likely to hurt others, when they are here at home.

     Unfortunately, this good news is tainted with a lot of bad news as well. More than a few members of Alaska’s Stryker Brigade died in Iraq. A much larger number suffered physical or psychological injuries. If the ratios applicable to all military personal serving in Iraq hold true for the Stryker soldiers, about one third of them either died or will end up on V.A. disability as a result of their service in Iraq.

     Unfortunately, these happy reunions and others like them all over the country are systematically being used to promote imperialism and militarism. The returning soldiers are used as recruiting tools by the Pentagon, with the enthusiastic help of the mainstream media. Rather than letting the soldiers reunite with their families in private, the military organizes a media circus to photograph and publicize the kisses and tears and embraces.

     It is all part of a cynical plan to encourage other young women and men to sign up for the military. The media do not show the true horror of war. Because of official and self-imposed censorship, almost no images of death on the battlefield have been broadcast in this country. But the media gladly show the happy reunions. It paints a very distorted picture of war and military service, and helps to promote recruitment and public support for the war.

     The warmongers among us have been using this type of tactic for a very long time. During the American Civil War, the song “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” was used to encourage enlistment by hyping the joyous celebration that will take place when a soldier returns to his home.

     The men will cheer and the boys will shout,
     the ladies they will all turn out,
     and we’ll all feel gay when
     Johnny comes marching home.

     Many people are not aware that this pro-war song borrowed its tune (and the name of the soldier) from the powerful antiwar lament, “Johnny I hardly knew ye” which describes the true horrors of war in gruesome detail.

     Without any arms, without any legs,
     you’re an eyeless, boneless chickenless egg,
     You’ll have to be put with a bowl out to beg,
     Johnny I hardly knew ye.

     Then as now, the masters of war were manipulating the return of the soldiers to help pump up support for their wars.

     We certainly should celebrate the return of our soldiers. But we should also point out the craven acts of those who needlessly sent them to war in the first place, and who now further exploit them and their families to build more support for more wars.

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