Red Dawn - Iraqi Style

Morning Edition today had a story they summarize as

"U.S. troops in Ramadi and nearby Fallujah find themselves detaining many Iraqi teens — and even younger children — who are being recruited for insurgent activities. Many may have lost their fathers or others in the ongoing conflict."

One of those is described as being about 16, a "doe-eyed teenager" who seems "confused."

You know ... when we made a movie about teenagers fighting Soviet invaders they were all heroic and wonderful.

But Iraqis are doing it because they're confused, or looking for sense of belonging, or even for money. Whatever it is, it can't be because their country was invaded, occupied, reduced to rubble; because their fathers or other family members were killed; or because they themselves live in daily fear of the thuggish government the occupiers put in place and support.

Patriotism? It's only patriotism if it supports what we want it to support.