posted on Jan, 30 2011 @ 04:57 AM
The military there is in a hard place. They're still technically under the authority of the government and it's orders to stop the violence. Yet in
most countries soldiers swear to protect the people when they enlist. (Or are drafted even, some countries still do that.) Also, how could one ever go
home again on leave if they took arms against the greater populous? Not all military bases are that isolated from surrounding communities, so often
friends and family would be among protesters and rioters in the crowd. Going AWOL also has it's societal and legal repercussions, so that could bite
you in the butt depending on how the situation turns out.
It sucks to be a soldier in that position, so getting in the middle and showing restraint while keeping both sides from clashing is about the most
they can do. You'd have to respect them for that.