US troops die protecting innocents sometimes,We never deliberately go for non military kills,though higher leadership may command us to attack an area where there are civilians because the enemy seems to be unable to go toe to toe with the average us soldier.We are here to win, not compete.Covertly, all bets are off.Sometimes indirect fire causes heavy collateral kills which sickens us(you call it PTSD).But Comparing us to Mexican thugs is a bit insulting,I'm sure you know that.

Originally posted by starviego

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
The U.S. would happily avoid killing ANY civilians if possible, as it goes counter to the entire strategy the U.S. military is built around.

You make me want to gag. From Wounded Knee to Hiroshima the slaughter of vast numbers of non-combatants has been the fruit, if not the intent, of US military policy.

edit on 21-1-2012 by starviego because: (no reason given)

Well, I can at least say that feeling is 100% and entirely mutual. I'll agree and be the first in line to say the U.S. Military needs reform in some areas and certainly needs politicians to knock off the social experiments. Do abuses happen? Absolutely they do. We have Fort Leavenworth, Kansas to show the results when it happens and the criminals with a rank are caught for it. The system works to the extent that abuses are known.

However... Yes.. As this started by your statement of hate...I'd have to say I feel as strongly about those who would blindly condemn the U.S. Military as those who would blindly defend it. As with MOST things in life, once naive ideology is removed, the truth lies somewhere in the middle of the extremes, and nothing is ever as black and white as some would wish it were, IMO.


I think it's really summed up best here by a sentiment I've heard often repeated about the American style of Government. The saying applies equally, many times, to the Military. To paraphrase... 'The United States Military is the worst........except for everyone else.'

If I had a choice between being rescued by a unit of combat weary U.S. Marines or a unit of Taliban killers in a good mood, I'd Pray for the U.S. Marines every time, and twice on Sunday. Taking my chances with them, in any circumstances, is better than any alternative.

Gangs do things like this within the US. If a Blood kills a Crip is that taken as an innocent civilian death? Of course not they are enemies.

According to a report by the mexican government 95% of the deaths in Mexico are from the narco side or the cops and 5% are innocent bystanders. Well the narcos (amongst themselves) and the cops are at war. Just because they are not military doesn't mean they are innocent civilians.