Sign i recently saw

[Iceburner 0]

So it was an older picture, but about to be deployed again i think it is fitting. It said:

Americans are not at war. Americans are at the shopping mall. Marines are at war.

All-be-it an exaggeration, i think it holds some truth...and yes it says "Marines," but you can substitute soldier, sailor, airmen...whatever fits you. IMHO i believe the average American only thinks about the war when he/she hears about another Marine dying. When talking to an Afghanistan immigrant, he said that the "insurgents" know how to win...dissuade the Americans as to why they are fighting. I see this happening, and it really irks me as i'm about to deploy again. What happened to the media showing at least some of the good that comes from conflict rather than just showing death rates? I'm interested in hearing responses of what you think from the quote, American or not.

[airdvr 210]

Like anything in here there's some truth to it. The general public does not pay the wages of war anymore. I remember thinking after the first Gulf War that it had been too easy. I was afraid we might start to believe it would always be that easy. Obviously it's not.

Thank you for your service. It is not unnoticed or unappreciated.

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[Coreece 190]

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I'm interested in hearing responses of what you think from the quote, American or not.

"I don't need sex...the government screws me everyday..."

probably applies to marines too...so I hear....but shhhhh!!!!

Your secrets are the true reflection of who you really are...

[quade 4]

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What happened to the media showing at least some of the good that comes from conflict rather than just showing death rates?

Doesn't that work AGAINST Americans caring?

If everything seems to be going fine, why stop it?

Isn't showing the BAD side of war and people getting pissed off about it what stopped Vietnam?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[RonD1120 62]

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What happened to the media showing at least some of the good that comes from conflict rather than just showing death rates?

Doesn't that work AGAINST Americans caring?

If everything seems to be going fine, why stop it?

Isn't showing the BAD side of war and people getting pissed off about it what stopped Vietnam?

I prefer stopping a war the old fashioned way, killing the enemy to the point of annihilation, decimating their homeland, and reducing their infrastructure to the level of a tinker toy set.

But, that's just me. When I served in the U.S. Air Force, GEN Curtis LeMay was Chief of Staff.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[DanG 1]

Very Christian of you.

On another note, a counter-insurgency is not Total War. The tactics and strategy are completely different.

- Dan G

[tkhayes 348]

I prefer stopping a war the old-fashioned way as well, grass roots protests with a half million people on the steps of the Capitol Building and Congress voting for what the people actually want - no war.

The fact that Americans are so disconnected from it is reason number 147 why we should not be there. If we are going to fight wars, perhaps a Constitutional Amendment that says a DRAFT must be in place for every war we fight. That would bring a pretty good halt to it all. Or a victory, whichever.

How many Congressmen and Senators children are in Iraq and Afghanistan?

[RonD1120 62]

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Very Christian of you.

On another note, a counter-insurgency is not Total War. The tactics and strategy are completely different.

We are not likely to have a total war again like WWII. You are correct. SOCOM is the way to go now.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[RonD1120 62]

Your dog don't hunt.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[rhaig 0]

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I prefer stopping a war the old-fashioned way as well, grass roots protests with a half million people on the steps of the Capitol Building and Congress voting for what the people actually want - no war.

Americans are too lazy and apathetic to get up off their fat asses and protest in numbers. Good luck with that.

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The fact that Americans are so disconnected from it is reason number 147 why we should not be there. If we are going to fight wars, perhaps a Constitutional Amendment that says a DRAFT must be in place for every war we fight. That would bring a pretty good halt to it all. Or a victory, whichever.

I could get behind that.

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How many Congressmen and Senators children are in Iraq and Afghanistan?

a quick googling tells me http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/politicians_with_children_in_iraq/
***It turns out that no less than five federal legislators (four Republicans and a Democrat) have children currently serving in Iraq.

(it has a cite for that but it's expired)

--
Rob

[winsor 236]

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What happened to the media showing at least some of the good that comes from conflict rather than just showing death rates?

Doesn't that work AGAINST Americans caring?

If everything seems to be going fine, why stop it?

Isn't showing the BAD side of war and people getting pissed off about it what stopped Vietnam?

I prefer stopping a war the old fashioned way, killing the enemy to the point of annihilation, decimating their homeland, and reducing their infrastructure to the level of a tinker toy set.

But, that's just me. When I served in the U.S. Air Force, GEN Curtis LeMay was Chief of Staff.

That would be DEVASTATING, not DECIMATING.

Decimating is killing one in ten. Curtis LeMay stated the intent to reduce the population of Japan "by half," which goes well beyond decimation and into the realm of devastation.

BTW, he was largely successful in his policy of Japanese population reduction.

FWIW, the myth of Japan surrendering by dint of atomic bombing has cost us dearly ever since. The Diet chose to capitulate to MacArthur when the Soviet Union declared war against Japan, since territory captured by the US would remain Japanese, but territory captured by the USSR would be Soviet forevermore.

The only time annihilation works is when you take a Tanakh ("Old Testament" to you) approach, killing every man, woman, child, dog, cat and canary. This is viewed as being rather bad form in this day and age, and battles fought with surgical skill to win over "hearts and minds" are horrendously expensive.

Thus, in a protracted war fought by "civilized" rules of engagement the outcome tends to be bankrupcy - regardless of who wins. Any victory is likely to be Pyhrric at best.


Semper Fi,

Winsor

[tkhayes 348]

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Americans are too lazy and apathetic to get up off their fat asses and protest in numbers. Good luck with that.

THat may be true now, but once the economy re-collapses (my own personal guess), there will be so many unemployed that they just might have a lot of time on their hands to do just that - not just wars, but the corporations, health care, all that good stuff.

The corporate model of finding your labor at the bottom line price, and cutting jobs might just backfire on them.....i.e. the French Revolution.

Also my own prediction that eventually we will see something similar in the this country. But first the rich must get much more rich and obnoxious, and the poor must get to a point of destitute.

[skyrider 0]

That sign is Bullshit, who do you think raised and loves those soldiers? Whole families are there, NOT just the soldier!

[rhaig 0]

the point of the sign as I read it is that those who are not directly involved with the military (through direct family members) are so disconnected from any damage done that they are not involved at all (other than watching on the news once in a while).

--
Rob

[kelpdiver 2]

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The fact that Americans are so disconnected from it is reason number 147 why we should not be there. If we are going to fight wars, perhaps a Constitutional Amendment that says a DRAFT must be in place for every war we fight. That would bring a pretty good halt to it all. Or a victory, whichever.

Worked so well for us in Vietnam.

[rhaig 0]

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The fact that Americans are so disconnected from it is reason number 147 why we should not be there. If we are going to fight wars, perhaps a Constitutional Amendment that says a DRAFT must be in place for every war we fight. That would bring a pretty good halt to it all. Or a victory, whichever.

Worked so well for us in Vietnam.

do you believe activism and demonstrations during the Vietnam war were at the same levels of today?

I believe they were higher. Which would indicate a public more connected to what is going on overseas.

--
Rob

[turtlespeed 226]

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Your dog don't hunt.

LOL He must just lay there and lick his balls all the time.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[TankBuster 0]

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Like anything in here there's some truth to it. The general public does not pay the wages of war anymore. I remember thinking after the first Gulf War that it had been too easy. I was afraid we might start to believe it would always be that easy. Obviously it's not.

Thank you for your service. It is not unnoticed or unappreciated.

I lost two buddies in that war. And another was taken prisoner after getting shot down. I guess "easy" depends on where you are sitting.

The forecast is mostly sunny with occasional beer.