Those who Claim People in the Military are Fighting for our Freedom/Defending Us

[Roose]

It's called a "Military Presence". It reminds people that we're here and we're the top dogs.

So we are scaring them into compliance? How is that not terrorism?

[Wildtree]

Everyone is ignorant to some extent. I have yet to find someone who is informed about every subject manner in existence.

oh. that's stretching it a bit now, isn't it? What if you are simply unaware of something?

Ignorant is rather denying what's known. In the most extreme, when you tell me that 1+1=2 and I say no. Then I am extremely ignorant. Given I am not too stupid to count.
But if you give me any extreme mathematical task which I am not used to, am I ignorant if I can't solve it?

[Kymei]

I pulled it right out of what you wrote: "Says the highschool dropout who joined the military as a final attempt to not be a loser in society"

Your hatred of all things military is positively endearing.

Loser in society =/= social loser, I don't know what you're attempting to do or prove but it doesn't make sense.

[Purlina]

It's called a "Military Presence". It reminds people that we're here and we're the top dogs.

Holy shit, there's so many edgy mcedgerton's in here it's ridiculous. The military is just a job. I wake up every day and go to work, just like some of you. I just get paid less to do it.

That's exactly what some of us are saying. It's a job, and that doesn't automatically mean you deserve more or less respect.

---------- Post added 2013-02-07 at 08:52 PM ----------

oh. that's stretching it a bit now, isn't it? What if you are simply unaware of something?

Ignorant is rather denying what's known. In the most extreme, when you tell me that 1+1=2 and I say no. Then I am extremely ignorant. Given I am not too stupid to count.
But if you give me any extreme mathematical task which I am not used to, am I ignorant if I can't solve it?

I suppose that depends on your definition of ignorant.

I think of ignorant as: "Lacking knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact"

[smelltheglove]

Loser in society =/= social loser, I don't know what you're attempting to do or prove but it doesn't make sense.

you need to really sharpen your knife to split a hair that finely

[Notos]

I think a lot of people would be surprised by how many idealists are in the military. The ideal of this country is that it is a government by the people and for the people, and this is what many who join want to defend. Of course, politics being what it is, that's not quite the case, and unfortunate mistakes end up being made which entangle our forces and cost lives, thanks to political and economic agendas that are really out of the hands of the common people.
Knowing quite a few kids both prior and after their enlistment, yes, some will have odd motives for joining, but many join because they feel the uncertainty in the world and want to protect their families and friends, and others see it as a way to better themselves through discipline and education. My own interests in the service are strictly academic (I intend for my dissertation to be on military culture and military/civilian interaction in warzone settings), though I certainly wouldn't hesitate to protect my family and friends if the need arose. Very few people I know joined for things like "glory", because to be honest there's nothing very glorious about warfare, only a load of suuuck.
To people who say "I didn't ask anyone to fight for me": The US was built and stands on the corpses of the men and women who fought for it. You may not owe any gratitude to current service members, but you do to those that came before them.

[Jijek]

Who says we get paid to do nothing? I'm in Kuwait, RIGHT NOW, handling all satellite communications for SE Asia.

Thanks for 1700$ a month though for doing nothing.

[Tore]

The US is a nation, and a nation has its armed forces. The purpose of those armed forces is to serve, in a potentially violent capacity, the greater benefit of that nation. Whether that armed forces actions are ethical or not is mostly irrelevant. They do not exist for ethical purposes. They exist to fight and kill, either in offense or defense. many would say that alone is inherently unethical. If what they do benefits the country then they are doing their job. Morality doesn't play a role.

I hate to use the terrible phrase "support the troops," because really, what do we do that supports them? But am I generally in favor of the troops? On an individual level perhaps. As I said, they do their job. Ethics don't mean a thing. However, I am not so in favor of the people giving the troops their orders.

[eodusaf]

They are defending/fighting for the country's interest, Oil.
Never really been about freedom or a war on terror, just Oil.

In my eyes (Im not from US btw) they are just makeing sure that other cant have freedom.. or money.

I love ignorance, we dont get most of our oil from the middle east, the vast bulk comes from indonesia, south america, mexico, or domestic. If we really wanted to go to war with a country over oil, we would just invade mexico or canada, less logistics, cheaper, etc. I never understand why people claim the US is in the middle east for oil

[Kymei]

Who says we get paid to do nothing? I'm in Kuwait, RIGHT NOW, handling all satellite communications for SE Asia.

Thanks for 1700$ a month though for doing nothing.

Did you bring an xbox with you, simple yes or no will do.

[Wildtree]

There's one thing that may play into this topic.
I have observed that Americans - more than Europeans for example - have a need for heroes. People are made a hero in the US rather quick. And the media supports that. Let's use 9/11... The Firedept from NYC did a great job there. There is no doubt. There's also credit deserved, there's respect and thank you earned without a shadow of a doubt. Those guys did a hell of a job.
But what the media made out of it, no matter tv, radio, print media. At some point one would really like to run their head against a wall.
I mean the only thing missing was asking the pope to award them saint status. It was totally out of line and context.
There's a similar tendency with soldiers too. Yet, to bring it back down a notch. Incredibly enough, many returning soldiers struggle to get back into society.
Private initiatives are needed to find jobs for former service members. The medical benefits for veterans are free, but since they are free, they are very lackluster. So, down the road, if the soldier isn't smart. That service can very well bite him/her in the ass.

[Jijek]

The US is a nation, and a nation has its armed forces. The purpose of those armed forces is to serve, in a potentially violent capacity, the greater benefit of that nation. Whether that armed forces actions are ethical or not is mostly irrelevant. They do not exist for ethical purposes. They exist to fight and kill, either in offense or defense. If what they do benefits the country then they are doing their job. Morality doesn't play a role.

I hate to use the terrible phrase "support the troops," because really, what do we do that supports them? But am I generally in favor of the troops? On an individual level perhaps. As I said, they do their job. Ethics don't mean a thing. However, I am not so in favor of the people giving the troops their orders.

Morality is a HUGE key in today's military. If you aren't in you'd have no idea how many quarterly/annual training events we have on Ethics, Equal Opportunity, The Laws of War, etc. It happens so often it's ridiculous. If you aren't in the military. Then observe it and do research, but don't spout shit you have no idea about.

[Deleted]

Did you bring an xbox with you, simple yes or no will do.

We had them in Afghanistan, after a 12 hour patrol through IED and sniper infested lands it was a good way to relax.

[Jijek]

Did you bring an xbox with you, simple yes or no will do.

No, it's a clearance controlled site. Nothing with any form of camera, wireless signal, or harddrive may be brought from outside the gates.

[Purlina]

I never understand why people claim the US is in the middle east for oil

Because the truth is worse. Previously there was no "real" reason to be in the middle east. The truth is people are dying in the middle east because of petty political reasons.

We are there to save people? To free other people? Give me a break, if that was true why do we let other countries stay a mess?

Tell me, what was the real reason we supported the Mujahideen? That's right to undermine the Soviets...

[Kymei]

We had them in Afghanistan, after a 12 hour patrol through IED and sniper infested lands it was a good way to relax.

Must have not been that infested if you're alive to tell me about it.

[dercaderca]

31 years going strong with no need to wear an military uniform nor own a weapon. Know why? No one is attacking the U.S.

Yea, 911 clearly wasn't a attack on the US.

[Deleted]

Must have not been that infested if you're alive to tell me about it.

Yeah, i was one of those 1% that was lucky enough to survive........

[RoKPaNda]

Bingo! You don't fall to your knees to worship cops right? Cops can be "good" or "bad", just like soldiers. You should judge them based on their actions, not their profession.

I don't think ANYBODY is telling you to worship soldiers. Just to respect the decision to enlist and be a soldier. On the same note, I respect the decision to become a police officer. As you said there are good police and bad police, there are good soldiers and bad soldiers, and I don't think anyone has said otherwise. If they did, they're wrong. It's all about respecting them and their potential sacrifice. No matter one's reasons it's a brave decision and it usually deserves respect. Not respecting a police officer, fireman, soldier, etc "just 'cause" is selfish and shortsighted. (And no, I'm not calling the poster that I quoted those things.)

Respect and appreciate your law enforcement and your military until they give you reason not to, and even then it's on an individual basis, not the entire military.

Edit: Now if you take issue with the government that's giving the orders, that's a different thing entirely. =)

Yeah, i was one of those 1% that was lucky enough to survive........

If it means anything to you, even though I'm from a different country and all, thanks for your service. =)

[King Shark]

We had them in Afghanistan, after a 12 hour patrol through IED and sniper infested lands it was a good way to relax.

We had PS2. Nothing beat the morning routine of rockets and mortars quite like beating the shit out of each other in Madden and Need For Speed.