I am continually amazed when individuals are able to extend their 15 minutes of fame. It seems old Joe the Plumber, a title given by the media despite his lack of a license to actually be a plumber, thus making him the "Dr. Phil" of home improvement, has been selected by Pajamas Media to be their war correspondent. It is rather sad that poor Joe had to risk his life after his planned country music career never got off the ground. Considering that the average American most likely cannot name the three branches of the Federal Government, one has to wonder if Joe will be able to explain the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Even if one was to ignore the religious aspects and the outside foreign powers supporting their own different groups in the region, it is a brutal conflict that leaves millions struggling for basic necessities. Considering that Pajamas Media picked Joe for this assignment, I can only assume that Ashlee Simpson has been selected to cover the next G-8 summit.

It did not take Joe to put his foot in his mouth. Many members of the media have done this over the years. His first one was a doozy though. "To be honest with you, I don't think journalists should be anywhere allowed war [sic] … I liked back in World War I and World War II, when you'd go to the theater you'd see your troops on the screen and everyone would be real excited and happy for them." While much better people have taken Joe to task for this utterly asinine comment, I would be remiss for not adding my two cents.

Joe, the American public saw graphic images of U.S. war dead during WWII. About half way through the war, FDR ordered the media restriction to be lifted so as to show the home front that the U.S. military needed their support. Some of the most graphic and difficult images from the Pacific Campaign, which included photos of U.S. marines lying dead on the shores, were printed on the front page of U.S. papers. The film industry, which had been basically taken over by the Department of Defense, showed films of U.S. personnel fighting and dying in the name of Freedom. Moreover, to insinuate that the American public didn't struggle with the U.S. military during those difficult time is insulting to that entire generation. Entire industries shutdown except for war production, rationing was universal, and for the first time in history, the entire manufacturing of the country was completed on the hard work of our nation's women who had to take the place of their fathers, brothers, husbands and sons who were over there fighting and dying. I agree with you Joe that I wished we were like that generation. I feel that if the U.S. decides to go to war, and after all other options fail, it should be fought by the entire nation. Instead, we are still trying to fight this "War on Terror" on the cheap.

Also, please stop telling people what me and my fellow Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans want. I won't be their voice because I don't know what they individually want to say and it's not fair to assume the mantle of "Voice of Vets." At least I have served this country and I understand the challenges that current Vets face making an adjustment from war. Here's a hint...its not like the movies. I have had to deal with the suicides of three fellow military members from my six years in the service. I have struggled with using the VA healthcare system and the difficulty of getting into college. Most troubled vets never ask for help and a lot of them end up homeless, in prison, or addicted to drugs and alcohol. Putting a yellow ribbon on your car or calling for the media to silence themselves sure as hell isn't going to help them out.

Finally Joe, you're going to learn, if you actually bother to visit a Muslim country, that your understanding of those people and their culture is sadly inept. I suggest you learn the differences between Sunni and Shiite, Hamas and Hezbollah. You may want to actually learn a little about the religion of Islam and see the similarities it has with other Abrahamic religions. If you are really trying to see the conflict beyond what the national media says, try staying with the estimated 1.4 million Palestinians on the 139 square mile postage stamp they call the Gaza strip. Considering the population density, it is surprising that more have not been killed by the Israeli offensive. Remember that many things we Americans take for granted such as clean water, sewage, travel, and lack of suicide bombers don't exist for far too many people in the world. If you are serious about being a "war correspondent," don't be surprised that your understanding of yourself and your fellow man completely changes in a short period of time.