Middle East

I've been hearing for some years now about unreasonable environmental activists fighting against resurrecting the use of DDT in Africa to control the malaria scourge, and meaning to check out the story. Michael Crichton, for example, charged that the ban on DDT has killed more people than Hitler. Hard to ignore.

My interest was further piqued when I met malaria sufferers on my trip to Africa, and again when I donated money to a campaign to buy pesticide-treated mosquito netting for African children. Something like 1 million people die annually from malaria -- most of them African children under age 5.

So, what's the real deal? Are the greens so caught up in their rhetoric they would allow kids to die? I'm afraid getting to the bottom of that question slipped pretty far down my priority list.

Fortunately for me and the rest of the world, Simon Fraser University media prof Donald Gutstein did a pretty thorough job poking into the controversy.

Here's something you don't see every day: Battle-hardened military veterans out advocating for an environmental cause.

Oh, I have little doubt that most soldiers and sailors -- like most Americans -- consider themselves friends of Mother Earth. And it's also true, as we wrote recently, that former generals and admirals count energy independence a national security issue. 

 But one doesn't necessarily associate: Military = Green. In fact, waging a war produces a heck of a lot of greenhouse gases.

 So we noted with surprise this week that a group that calls itself votevets.org is launching a $400,000 blitz of radio ads urging key senators to get moving on legislation to safeguard the climate. Here is how the group describes itself:

The leading progressive, pro-military organization of veterans, dedicated to the destruction of terror networks around the world, with force when necessary. It primarily focuses on education and advocacy on issues of importance to the troops and veterans, and holding politicians accountable for their actions on these issues.

The radio spots feature actual vets of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, giving a pitch in their home state. They will run in conjunction with a bus tour making its way Arkansas, Montana, North Dakota, Missouri, South Dakota, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Maine.

Here's the script:

ANNOUNCER: There's a new generation of American patriots - young veterans who've fought for our country overseas. Now, they're on a new mission? right here at home. (Home State) veteran (Name).

Local Veteran: Growing up in (Home State), nothing prepares you for the things you see over there.