Thread: Ordered murder
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Old 07-12-2012, 08:02 AM   #47
Kevin Leavitt
 
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Re: Ordered murder

Quote:
Roger Flatley wrote: View Post
Kevin, I don't want to divert the topic onto the draft, but I want to make one comment for what it's worth. As it is now, the US military is comprised of volunteers, meaning they chose that line of work and whatever consequences come with it. Their fate, particularly if it is undesireable, is something they chose. Therefore the blame, anger, and sadness that results, whether it be their own or that of their loved ones, can not be put back onto the government, military, or anyone else besides themselves.

With the draft, like we saw in Vietnam, ALL the blame can then be put back onto the government and military whenever a soldier dies. Then political figureheads, like Nixon and Westmoreland, can be demonized as the personification of war mongers. Thus reinforcing the divisive "us agasinst them" mentality--which weakens the country from within and makes us less effective at waging war. I just think that is a worse scenario than what we have now. But that's admittedly only one angle of it.
Disagree. I took an oath to support and defend the constituion. I did not sign up for a particular fate. The military works for both the president and congress...elected respresentatives of the people. It is the people of the united states that are and should be accountable for the actions of our country.

Your very logic is exactly my point. "You get what you deserve cause you volunteered for it". You don't share in the investment of trigger pulling. As a citizen of the US, you share in the actions of our government and the military.

Also your logic about Vietnam is incorrect. The will of the people was not behind the war. I'd submit that the fact that we had a draft was the major reason for us pulling out. I'd bet it'd have gone on longer if we did not have a draft.

I would agree that not having a draft makes it easier to wage war. That is my point exactly. It is why our military leaders don't want a draft. Fundamentally though, while it may slow down our abiltiy to take action, I think that it is a good point to consider that we do not have the investment in our country that is necesary to keep our government accountable.

Basically as long as gas is cheap and we can drive our SUVs with big cup holder with a cell phone and starbucks in hand...then we really don't think too much about stuff that makes us feel sad.

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