On Fighting

why the fuck should I have to serve in the military for two years. IT’s a horrible war, why should I waste my life , when we can send kids who don’t have 60,000 for college off to war instead.

what youre saying is that the kids who werent blessed with $60,000 for college should go fight for you to have $60,000 for college. thats entirely backwards. since you were blessed with that opportunity go show some appreciation for it by giving something back to your country. 2 years is nothing compared to people who serve 20 or more years, some their whole lives, so that you can have that $60,000 to go to college. give back by fighting to let someone else have that same opportunity. keep in mind youre no better than those kids who cant afford college.

How about no fighting at all? How about no war? That woudl be real progress. The sad truth is that we go to war for all the wrong reasons, and more and more people of younger age are are understanding this. When you break it down piece by piece war is absolutely irrational and based solely on fear. Fear that has been conditoned into society for the benefit of those who benefit msot form war. Who makes money from war??? That’s what it’s all about. There is absolutely nothing moral or just and certainly not noble in killing other humans because we don’t agree on how to live our lives. Much of what that boils down to is a lack of cultural understanding and acceptance.

Any one out there who actually believes we are in Iraq to help the cictizens of that beleagered country gain democracy is in severe denial. The U.S, invaded that country to strengthen ties to foreign oil. We are there because of greed, no more no less.

I would rather see every one who is of age and qualifies, spend 2 years in the Peace Corps or Mercy Corps, than in military fatigues learning how to murder strangers.

thats a great idea, no war at all. but its unrealistic, because it is about money. and thats what most people in this world live their entire lives for.

sort of as a side note: not everything going on in iraq is about killing people. there is a lot of building going on. even though it is war the main goal isnt murder. and even though its about money, bystanders and other people indirectly involved are benefitting in different ways as well. just thought id throw that out there.

The thing is, the last thing the Pentagon wants is a draft. it’s hard enough training and retaining folks who signed up in the first place — can you image a bunch of malcontents suiting up and getting in the way? “Stripes” was cute and all, but you don’t really want them on the front line, even with their razzle-dazzle.

But at the same time, when point zero five percent of folks participate, and point zero five percent are contributing in any way, shape, or form, it’s not good for public policy. If you don’t pay, you don’t play, and when we confuse “support” with “putting a yellow magnet on our cars,” then we also lose track of the fact that the next generation is going to pay for this war (and current estimates are $50,000 per person, thanks to GWB’s installment plan approach to financing OEF / OIF).

When there is no apparent cost, then both those who support and those who don’t support the war get lost in the shuffle.

that’s the point: when there is no apparent cost, then both sides, for and against, think it’s their option will pay for itself.

not supporting the war doesn’t get you anywhere, because “supporting” the war isn’t really required of anyone, either.

congress should require all wars to be paid for up front, in cash, preferably twenties. if it’s worth doing, it’s worth paying for.

Yo Tsilz- I like the sarcasm, if that’s what it is- war is passe’- in my opinion. We should figure out how to resolve conflicts without blowing each other’s brains out. How archaic. stupid and juvenile. World “leaders” still opt for guns/bombs etc ’cause, hey, it’s great for business- and population control, and world domination…and then there’s room in the classroom for kids and parents who have managed to scrounge up the dough or have shot some decent hoops for scholarship bucks.

The truth is the only reason America enters wars is only for monetary gain. It boost economy, it panics their citizens so they become more obedient, and at a “time of crisis” the government can very well do what it pleases which usually is to behave like savages.  Exploit another countries resources and overthrow governments that have already been elected democratically. America is the thriving cancer of society. It’s propaganda forces us to think we are giving for granted our freedoms although the government is on the first hand there to protect, no questions asked. Sadly, it is our government that is taking its people for granted; and hypocritically manipulates for high staff economic gain. Why involve ourselves in foreign wars when we can’t win a battle over poverty, hunger, violence, no health care, bad education, racism, no tolerance and few have respect for other, elders, and ignorance lurks around the corners of almost every political office, every hate group, every school that has computers but very little reading skills.I do believe that America has a chance against these home wars; but, first we should think about putting a book instead of a gun in someones hand.

Great graphic, but I find the choice of image for Vietnam War interesting — a British Lynx helicopter that didn’t fly until after the war ended (and from a country not even involved in the war!). Not a criticism really, just thought it an interesting choice.