A great patterns to be seen

[nadinbrzezinski]

You may have noticed that every time I give any of these chickenhawks a link to the DD4 form of the US Military (Enlistment..reenlistment form) they tend to disappear.

Over the last few years I've asked many of these people to put their body on the line. My husband served, 20 years in the navy, and retired in 2002. My brother in law served 20 years in the USN, and retired in 1992.

I served (albeit not in the US Military) for ten years.

I take exception to those who'd have OTHERS die for what they believe in.

I'm also a historian by training and this service ethos affects the country, regardless of party.

Flashback December 7th, 1941 (I know why the pubies like to use it, ah the comparison to a world war). The day after recruitment stations in the US were swamped, to the point they gave people numbers and told them they would get a call back.

9.12, my local recruiters were waiting for a rush that never came. A week later they were still waiting for that rush that never came. Heck I tried to enlist and they said no, because my husband at the line at the moment.

That spoke volumes to me...

And these days, troops come back to a country that mostly does not know we are at war. The pubbies have managed this very well... make the smallest percentage of the population feel the war, while the rest goes shopping.

Now going to the original point, I've asked this question from the most fanatical of war supporters, are you currently serving? So far we've only gotten ONE person who was currently serving. Overall we have other priorities seems to be the common theme.

This is for any pubbies who may be readying... ask your grand parents how it was during WW II? They knew the country was at war, you on the other hand, think you are supporting the troops by putting a magnet on the car (most likely made in China) that says to the world that freedom ain't free... you're right, go pay up and stop hiding behind every excuse in the book.. or shut up.

[orpupilofnature57]

1. They we're fighting Satan ,We're occupying Hell .

[brokensymmetry]

2. Good points, and good questions.

I suspect the misadministration likes it this way - it becomes
very easy to go to war. Unlike with Vietnam, there is no hint
of mass protests. The soldiers are "them", not "us". I'm not
saying this is how it should be; but I contend it is reality.

I think we face another problem. How, exactly, does one fight
terrorism? Who, who precisely, is this "terrorist" of whom we
speak? Our experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan suggest we don't
have a good enough operational definition to fight them effectively.

In WWII, we had clear and easily identifiable opponents. Not so
now. Is the fellow in the doorway, the one smiling, a potential
friend? Or a frightened non-combatant who hopes against hope that
no one will hurt him? Or a cunning killer who is, with his smile,
signaling a sniper to strike? Who knows? Who can know?

I think this "war on terrorism" will end badly. We're flailing
about in the dark, trying to strike enemies real and imagined.
How can we ever hope to win such a fight?

And - back to your point - who is going to enlist to fight they
know not who, for they know not how long, for a cause that remains
undefined?

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Who will enlist?

the poor, the hungry, who need a job and cannot find one... mostly no choice, want to eat, go fight!

Today we went and watched flag of our fathers... one point made in the film was how much in debt we were in 1945... we came this close to loosing. I did not realize that, and for god sakes I have read quite a bit on the period

Fast forwards to 2006... care to tell me how valuable our propped up dollar should actually be?

Yep, they like it, because the well to do can be "patriotic" by putting a maget on their SUV while OTHERS go die, out of mind and out of signt...no flag drapped coffins, no welcome homes to the troops and when confronted... well they volunteered! Ah if I got a dollar for every whinny republican who has told me this over the last five years I'd be rich, Ironically the modern tactics of terror were invented by us... by another generation that did stand up when they needed to stand up... we know them as the Founding Fathers. This is a little uncomforatble truth that most history teachers leave out off lesson plans.

But as you said, this is a tactic not an ideology, or a country.. and that was done by design