You both missed my point. Detrop, you have had it out for me for a year… so just shut the hell up and stay out of my thread.
Do I support this ridiculous war? No. Do I think that it is fair to hate all 20 year old soldiers who are told to go to war? No. Am I supportive of my neighbors sons and daughters in the military? Yes and I will continue to send my letters of support for their personal safety. It is very close to home for me because my two nephews are in Iraq. War sucks for both sides and just because Bush has gotten us into this travesty doesn’t mean I am going to bash our boys and girls serving my country.
Hate the war. Hate the administration, but hating young people in the military is just stupid. I was merely saying how lucky we all were to be having dinner with our families on the holidays. I regret not showing photos of hungry children, dead babies, and the plight of all the oppressed in the entire world to balance my empathy for those away from home at the holidays.
Holidays should be banned altogether due to strife in the world. Dontcha think? Right. That’ll happen.
I hope neither one of you catch yourself eating at Christmas time – you would be scoffing at the hungry children with your full bellies and laughter. Self righteous is putting it mildly - shame on you.
I think the war has been badly botched, but I’m grateful to the soldiers we have over there fighting it. Right or wrong, they serve for us. That’s a profound and terrible thing, and I’m very proud of them for it. Hopefully they’ll come home soon; may they never have to put their lives on the line for old men’s vanity again.
I’m not greatful they’re fighting a war that is absurd, I’m not grateful they are serving for “us” because they aren’t if they are in Iraq. I am not grateful they are putting their life on the line for nothing, and killing in the name of nothing. They are serving a man, an extremist ideology, they have been manipulated by those they have been brainwashed to absolutely trust.
There is nothing about Iraq, that one can be grateful for.
I understand your point, Nihilistic, but I don’t share it. Though it’s perhaps socially unpalatable and politically incorrect to say this, I don’t want my soldiers to do to much thinking for themselves. They are, and I say this with no disrespect to them, like trained attack dogs. They should have no qualms about doing as they’re ordered- no right or wrong, just obedience. True, taken to the extreme you have something like the German SS, but so long as their orders are lawful (a loaded statement, I realize, but I’m talking strict constructionism here) then they should let us do the moralizing while they do the fighting. Their job is to break things and kill people, when they’re instructed to do so. I find it very reassuring that they’re damned good at it, and dedicated as well.
JMOHO, of course. YMMV.
Thank you for that. All I did was give a shout-out to be thankful. We don’t wake up in the morning wishing innocent babies had their limbs blown off any more than you do. It is like blaming all of the German people and their children for the Holocaust. Put the blame where it belongs. Talk to Barbara.
I agree, the standards for military service are not high enough for every member to be allowed to make judgements. On the other hand, when the invididual is essentially nothing more than part of the whole, one finds it impossible to appreciate or respect the individual in a case such as Iraq.
I disagree with you on an important point though, I do not find it reassuring that they are damned good at it. That is a most dangerous fact.
This conversation is a slippery slope considering the atrocities of some of those Nazi prison guards - all in the name of patriotism. In all wars there are criminals but in my heart, I feel that most soldiers are humane - but you will find a few looneys.
I was just saying thanks for Thanksgiving. Geeesh.
Oh I do blaim Barbara, I blaim barbara for putting American military personnel in a situation where citizens cannot in good consious appreciate what they’re doing,
I wonder how the war got wrapped up in thanksgiving(day).
Thanks, drift. Sensitive topic when you post a photo of a soldier…