BBC NEWS | World | Americas | 'Ethics training' for US troops

BBC NEWS | World | Americas | 'Ethics training' for US troops:

"As military professionals, it is important that we take time to reflect on the values that separate us from our enemies."

- Lieutenant-General Peter Chiarelli, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, commenting on the US Military's new ethics training initiatives.

Part of the problem is that the distinction of who the enemy is has been blurred from the onset at the very highest levels of government. The Vice President's deliberate slight of hand in tarring Saddam Hussein with the 9/11 brush has led to confusion at the rank and file levels of the military and among the citizenry.

I've met thoughtful, educated officers who understand the geopolitical complexities of the region and have a clear idea of the mission. But there are also a lot of 19 and 20 year olds, jacked up on heavy metal and Hannity and Colmes who equate being Muslim with being a terrorist. Add to that the daily stress of being a soldier engaged in the occupation and you have a recipe for disaster.

The reductivist television media doesn't help. In addition to ethics training for the military - I think we need Ethics in Government, Civics and Journalism training for the American public as well.