Originally posted by: Craig234
sorry bud, thats not why Im in the Army... and im not a kid either....
well, bud, if neither money nor a vague patriotism is your reason, you're unusual. I agree that some are outside the two main groups.
And of course not all are kids, but many are, and kids are the most susceptible to BS seducing them to kill for others, for whatever real reasons.
Older people who do - some are the same, some are career military, some just drank the kool-aid.
There's a reason Thomas Jefferson said that a standing military was incompatible with democracy, why Lincoln warned of the president being too easily able to use it.
You have agreed to let the government decide for you who you should kill. To my view, that is an immoral abdication of responsibility when absent a Hitler-like threat.
I'll make exceptions for a small force for protection, but beyond that, I see it as a tragic folly that leads to unnecessary suffering no matter how good the motives of the soldiers.
They say it's hard for a man to understand something his income needs him not to understand. That's a dangerous truism for a military man.
Questioning the morality of the use of force is not good for business, and it's pretty difficult to do in a culture built around the readiness to do so.
First of all, if a solider really did not agree with the actions they are about to do, ort be deployed toa particual warzone they are about to go to, THERE are ways of getting out of it, Consenious objector etc..... if a solider really didnt agree and didnt want to go, he could backdorr himself out.... why he joined i nthe first place boggles my mind.... Id say roughly 99% of those dont have any problem doing what they got to do in thier job, or "for thier country". Yes a vast majority dont want to leave home.... who wants to leave wife, kids, the bar, weekends sitting at the beach? no one, but it comes with the job. I know about 99% of those I serve with in my unit, wouldnt think twice about shooting someone right between the eyes when they took one, poorly aimed way over the head shot, at any one in our unit.... no matter who he is or where he is from, we dont care about the politics, we care about each other... cause we are in the ****** together...at least thats how it is in a combat unit in the army...
And 2nd...your comment about income? whats that suppose to mean? I can sense your an educated man as I am, but that comment is just bleeding ignorace to me. Just cause someone is in the military doesnt mean they are not well off... I serve with 2 individuals who are multi millionaires in thier mid 30's, and have reupped their contracts both, post war.... so to think people do it for the money...is crazy.... military pay is ok, if you have a family and no education and are young it can be better than someone of similar age
and belive it or not...some people just wanna serve in the most powerful, most advanced military on the planet, some people jus twant to serve.... some people come from other countries, ( iknow one Lituanian) to serve in THIS army (and they get citizenship). its not all about the money, or this blind patritism you talk of...soldiers arent dumb, they see what isa going on in politics, they know all the BS, but when you go over there, and you have to a do a job, thinking about the politics, or all the pissing on the mission so many people do, it makes it EVEN harder to do that HARD a$$ mission we have over there.....hell, it makes some people not care....just because of all the piss on Iraq BS that goes on....
you honestly think every solider thinks bush and the admin is god??? hell no, we all joke up and down about everything that goes on.... but we have ajob to do...and no one wants to be a part of the Army that couldn't do it..... even though all the "piss on Iraq bums" are making it harder and harder to do everyday
yeah, its messed up over there, yeah its a hard mission, but put some boots on and come help out, or shut the hell up, i dont need anyone pulling this "its not fair for the soliders" crap either.... i dont need pity for my job, i knew what i was getting into when I signed up....and why you may not believe so, most new recruites do to.....