Dog Is Hero In Raid On ISIS Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

US President Donald Trump has identified "Conan", a Belgian Malinois Military Working Dog as a key member of the team that caused the death of the wanted terrorist leader. The dog is said to have been injured in raid, apparently by an  electrical shock.

The dog is being returned to the US where it will visit the White House and receive honors from the POTUS.

Maybe it's time to step back for a moment and take stock of this event. Wonderful as dogs might be, man's best friend and all, they don't have the power of abstract thought that humans do. They're not capable of actually volunteering for military service. 

Furthermore, since they're trained for military and law enforcement work, they really don't have the option of refusing to enter a cave or dark building in search of an armed suspect. They are given such tasks because of their natural sensory gifts and powerful bite and, more importantly, because the humans involved don't wish to be injured or killed. A dog doesn't search for bad guys or contraband because it's concerned. It does so because it knows that it will receive a food treat. That isn't an act of heroism.

If people had a genuine love and respect for canines they wouldn't expose them to dangers that they can't understand.