This is the seventh year that The Hill newspaper has published a Tribute to the Troops section. Again we assert the same central message — that we, the Capitol Hill community, and the people of America support the men and women of the U.S. armed forces who are undertaking grueling, dangerous and courageous work on our behalf.
But if the core purpose of this special section is unchanging — and even though we are honored to be joined in these pages once again by the commander in chief, this time a new one, President Barack Obama (whose message to the troops is on page S-4), and all the service chiefs — the political context in which this writing appears has changed dramatically in the past 12 months. The focus of conflict has switched from Iraq to Afghanistan.
{mosads}Both sides of the political spectrum speak of respect for the nation’s troops. Those words of respect are well-deserved. We do not endorse policies, but we endorse the praise and the prayers that go out from America to our men and women in uniform.