Screw the body armor, get the troops Maxim

Georgia Republican Congressman Paul Broun wants to ban the sale of men's magazines, including Playboy, Hustler, Penthouse and maybe even Maxim, on U.S. military bases.

From an article posted at military.com:

Sgt. Simon Brown, 34, of Daytona Beach, Fla., said men's magazines build morale. "It's not all about the pictures, although 80 percent of it is," he said. ...

Brown deployed to Afghanistan in 2002 and 2005 and is preparing to go to Iraq with the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade this summer. When he was in Afghanistan he was one of the first to pick up a new copy of Maxim or FHM when it came out, he said.

"It would suck if they ban it," he said. "It's bad enough we are down there to begin with. Taking that away would be like a knife in the chest. I'm not saying I'm depending on Maxim to keep me alive over there, but it helps."

Broun, the congressman, believes the mags contribute to sexual assaults and other violence on bases. The assertion sounds specious and begs the question: why don't Republicans support our troops?

(a nod to Slog)