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During the 1970's and 80's I asked every combat vet I knew who was in combat from WWII to Vietnam, "If you knew before you went, what combat was really going to be like, and you had a choice to go or not to go, would you have gone?" Every single person I asked that question to, including a Marine who did three tours in Vietnam, and my Dad who was an infantry combat Sergeant in WWII, said no.
The brilliance of Nixon was that by abolishing the draft he ended the anti-war movement, because self interest was the motivation for most of the politicians who promoted the war, as well as most of the protestors who fought against it. That's why there's no anti war movement today. And most who thank the military for their service are just thankful that they and their families are in the 99% of the population who weren't in the military in the last 40 years.
Thanks. just another voice who backs up the fact that most of those "brave" war protestors were simply wanting to avoid the military...……..cowards.
How does serving make someone more credible on the subject of political affairs?
Specifically? As far as Vietnam I was there for a year. I saw the bottom of what policies were doing and had done in the environment they were directly affecting. As opposed to those sitting in their living room watching the news...…….I consider my opinions on that subject more credible.
Specifically? As far as Vietnam I was there for a year. I saw the bottom of what policies were doing and had done in the environment they were directly affecting. As opposed to those sitting in their living room watching the news...…….I consider my opinions on that subject more credible.
Fallows article discusses the problems of the American military on a national level. I'm failing to see how serving in the military makes one better qualified to comment on the things Fallow is talking about.
Fallows article discusses the problems of the American military on a national level. I'm failing to see how serving in the military makes one better qualified to comment on the things Fallow is talking about.
71% of the planet is covered in water. Much of commercial traffic take place on water. It makes sense to have a strong navy. Aircraft carriers and submarines are necessities. They are designed to deter/fight hostile nations at their front door. We have the CIA and special forces to deal with jihad fighters and terrorists.
Yes we need to keep the sea lanes open to international commerce. That’s goes back to the old Mahan Doctrine. Whether we will ever need to fight another World War II style open sea war is debatable. Meanwhile the Taliban in Afghanistan still holds the same amount of rural territory they did pre 911 despite regular ground troops and special forces. It’s these little micro wars instigated by terrorist cells all over the world that could break the back of US and Allied military forces.
I don't think you actually read what I have posted.
Here we go again, "someone who lived through it" So predictable.
Some of you always tried to shut somebody up because we don't have the "first hand experience". Isn't you just said to somebody else that civilian can also express their views about military? Give me a break, admit it or not, your bias has shown.
I never said ONE should not take a stand in public, I said, "Many opportunists actually hide behind the anti war mask, they are the worst kind." Some anti-war protesters are just that, opportunists. They give genuine anti-war protesters bad name, can you really deny that? This is the whole point I was making. I never said one takes a stand in public is a coward.
Let me ask you this, the people who protested in front of VA hospital are actually college students who never served (just like me), what kind of first hand experience do they have? What makes them "experts" to judge other people's choices? I have said it once and I am going to say it again, if they are really anti-war, they should have protested in front of the white house, any government building, Marine corps or Army base. That is what I would call "take a stand in public". What is the point of protesting in front of the VA hospital where everybody just tried to heal the wounds of war? There are HUGE differences between anti foreign policy and anti-military or anti-soldiers. Do you know the differences between the two?
Try read before commenting on my post. Try understand the point I was trying to make
I read everything you posted starting with your irrelevant proclamation that you are a millennial, as if that gives you some sort of higher insight. It does not, but no one is trying to shut anyone up. And yes, I believe that having not lived during a period of conscription you could not understand the multitude of ways it affects people. This is a total category of experiences that tore families and communities apart because draft age people and their parents often had different outlooks. Roll your eyes all you want, it does not impress me.
Fleeing the country, getting married, having children, enrolling in school all solely to avoid being drafted are not things that you, your friends or your family felt compelled to do. There were also many who enlisted in an attempt to have some minimal control over their military experience and those who maimed or even killed themselves to avoid it. You never faced getting that thick envelope in the mail from the Selective Service System that said your time had come.
You never had a brother or friend who decided they wanted to join the Armed Forces to defeat an "enemy" but would never get the full support of their government in executing that war. Many of them don't have that full support fifty years later.
Try to explain what you mean by "opportunists." Tell us what opportunity they claim or gain by protesting at all. Where they protest is immaterial, often they are protesting not just against war but for better treatment for its victims, so what better place than where many of those victims are? Why should you be permitted to dictate where and how demonstrations take place?
I read everything you posted starting with your irrelevant proclamation that you are a millennial, as if that gives you some sort of higher insight. It does not, but no one is trying to shut anyone up. And yes, I believe that having not lived during a period of conscription you could not understand the multitude of ways it affects people. This is a total category of experiences that tore families and communities apart because draft age people and their parents often had different outlooks. Roll your eyes all you want, it does not impress me.
Fleeing the country, getting married, having children, enrolling in school all solely to avoid being drafted are not things that you, your friends or your family felt compelled to do. There were also many who enlisted in an attempt to have some minimal control over their military experience and those who maimed or even killed themselves to avoid it. You never faced getting that thick envelope in the mail from the Selective Service System that said your time had come.
You never had a brother or friend who decided they wanted to join the Armed Forces to defeat an "enemy" but would never get the full support of their government in executing that war. Many of them don't have that full support fifty years later.
Try to explain what you mean by "opportunists." Tell us what opportunity they claim or gain by protesting at all. Where they protest is immaterial, often they are protesting not just against war but for better treatment for its victims, so what better place than where many of those victims are? Why should you be permitted to dictate where and how demonstrations take place?
Your crazy post has nothing to do with my post, nor the point I was making.
Try calm down first.
As for the first paragraph, I have apologized already. I misread your post and I apologized right away. Not good enough for you? As for the "I am a a millennial" remark, all I was trying to say is that I didn't have a dog in the fight (not in the Vietnam war era), but I do respect the soldiers chose to fight or chose to stay during war. No more/less. You need to stop reading something that is not there. LOL
In case you still have no clue, My whole point is this:
There are many war protesters who hide behind the anti-war mask and they are actually just opportunists themselves. Just like the people who protest in front the VA hospital. If they are anti-war, then try do it in front of the white house, any government building, or in front of Marine corps or army base. But no, they chose to protest in front of the VA hospital where everybody is trying to heal the wounds of war. Do you call them "the brave war protesters who take a stand in public?"
They are just NOT the same as the genuine war protesters. This is the point I was making. Got it? There are major differences between anti-foreign policy and anti-soldiers. Do you know the differences between the two?
Please...
Yeah, try understand the point I was making first before going into the full attacking mode. Okay?
Last edited by lilyflower3191981; 08-25-2019 at 03:06 PM..
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So predictable. 
