For days now, the media has been pretending that SecDef Donald Rumsfeld got ‘hammered’ with ‘tough questions’ in his recent visit with soldiers in Kuwait. Now Chris Dodd, never one to miss a cheap opportunistic moment, is trying to score political points by pretending that Rumsfeld - of all people - was ‘cavalier‘ in his answer. As if, in some bizarro-world universe, a left wing hack like Dodd actually is more concerned about the troops than Rummy. Sorry, Chris, won’t work.

Today in New Delhi, when asked about the exchange, Rumsfeld said “it was good” for soldiers to get to air their grievances. And here’s the deal: because we’re who we are, Spc. Thomas Wilson doesn’t have to worry about his life being in danger from the military brass. We’ll hope (as we do with all our troops over there) that he doesn’t come to harm in the course of military operations. But if he does, he and everyone else there knows that it won’t be because he griped to the SecDef about the lack of armor.

What I’m struck by, once again, is the unique nature of our country, and the military that defends it. I’m trying to think of a parallel in all of history where a dominant world power’s leading military men would be willing to take rather pointed criticism, in public, from a “mere” foot-soldier, and there be no hint of reprisal. Drawing a blank here…yeah, hasn’t happened. There’s the U.S.A., and there’s everyone else, all-time, everywhere. And so I agree with Rummy, yet again: “It’s good.”

UPDATE: As usual, I’m behind the Kerry Spot and InstaPundit on this. Of course, since I pretty much have been AWOL since the election, I’m behind everybody on everything, right?