The Iraq War veteran on C-SPAN this morning..?

[kentuck]

He said some things that I found very disturbing. His comments about the present Army being an army of "professionals", not an army of "draftees" like in the past. They want to win this war, he said. When pressed on the strategies involved in Iraq, he dismissed it with an off-the-cuff remark about "just following orders".

So we have a professional army, who support someone like George W Bush, who is willing to follow orders? What if a bunch a liberals were protesting the New Life Church or the Focus on the Family. Would the Commander in Chief order troops to dispel the crowd? Would the troops obey the orders without question? Would we even question posse comitatus, whereby a armed militia is following the orders of authority?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

1. If Bush ordered U.S. military (or National Guard) units to fire on U.S. citizens, I think

that some would (just as some would for any president), but enough would NOT, especially now, that it would result in a total breakdown of discipline and instant collapse of Bush's authority over the country.

Do you think people like Binka's Marine son would fire upon U.S. citizens? Again, some would but I think MOST would not.

[raysr]

2. That's what the kid's at

Kent State thought.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

3. There's never any way to be sure what would happen until you put such a moment

to the test.

This is my personal feeling. I spent most of my adult life and career in the military. Most of the members are ordinary people. As I said, there are no doubt some, many even, who would kill citizens by "following orders".

But what I am saying is that enough would NOT (let's even just say 10-20 percent for the sake of argument) that this would result in a breakdown in order and a stop to the whole thing.

I can't prove that assertion. I'm not saying I wouldn't be scared if I were in that crowd. But that is my feeling about it.

[kentuck]

4. But is there a difference in today' "professional" army and..

..the "draftee" army of old, in regards to their willingness to follow orders and to do whatever their commander asks??

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

5. I don't think so. I can't prove it, much like I can't prove that some guy who

calls into C-SPAN is even in the military like he says he is.

[DocSavage]

6. I see that no one on this thread

has ever done any military service. Just one more example of why there should not be a draft.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

7. Read post #3

[DocSavage]

9. I just did

was not up when I posted. I spent my time with the Corps. There is a limit to following orders. Shooting into a crowd of americans is way past that limit. There is a difference between todays military and that of 1970. Everyone that is in Iraq wants to be in the military. No one was forced to join. Many have re-enlisted knowing that thier MOS or NEC will guarentee them another tour. Thread like this just get my ire up.

[jody]

8. "professionals" with a non-professional commander in chief is a recipe for disaster. n/t

[tsuki]

10. I listen to some of these guys who call in to these shows, and I

swear, I think a lot of them are just blowing, never having served. They just don't sound military.