A Military Peace Corps?

Until a couple of days ago, I wasn't aware that the armed forces had been authorized to let recruits serve part of their "military" time in -- of all places -- the Peace Corps. This was apparently done three years ago, but the program is being promoted now that it soon goes into actual effect. The Washington Post reports on the travesty here.

"'We are already accused on a daily basis of being CIA agents so I don't see how this [link to the U.S. military] could help,' a volunteer in Burkina Faso said by e-mail.

'It is hard enough trying to integrate yourself into a completely different culture, convincing people that... Americans are not these gun-toting sex maniacs... without having a connection to the U.S. military,' another volunteer in Africa wrote."

Not to mention the simple oxymoron of the Peace Corps holding hands with the armed forces. What an appalling idea. But at this point, why stop here -- let's cross-train in both directions and get the PC volunteers fluent in the arts of hand-to-hand combat and espionage. That's something I wish I could have done as a Peace Corps volunteer.