Why do people say the Military are "Fighting for our country"

The same people/corporations who crashed the economy so that the poor kids coming out of school (or just barely coming out) had no jobs and no plans and no direction ended up 'joining the military' because their parents were convinced it was patriotic, !salute that flag at every ballgame and school function! and 'make a man out of them' and they'd learn some skill sets and get free educations and maybe pensions. So they go into the military, some get killed, some get injured, all get wised up, those that survive face a lifetime of trying to deal with the cognitive dissonance that happens when you see a little kid blow up in front of you, or have to kill one, or your buddy gets his face shot off two feet away.

But the corporations that crashed the economy get their empires expanded and the orders for war materiel keeps coming in, cuz the Pentagon gets plenty of money even though they seem to not have enough for granny's social security or grampa's medicare.

And there probably isn't a school in the entire US that teaches enough about the Roman Empire or how to think for yourself to keep this from happening again and again and again.

The soldiers aren't necessarily stupid but they aren't exactly clue'd in, either. This is where the rubber of ignorance hits the road and kills you. Salute that flag, you're a CONSUMER and don't you forget it.

Informed Citizen? What's that?

reply to post by Briles1207


I have met dozens of people under the age 26 that where getting into the armed forces and have always made it a point to ask them what motivates their decision.

What seems to come up 90+ percent of the time is a paid education.

I wont suggest that it is the only reason they have, But it is usually the first and only response I am given.

If this actually turns out to be a real statistic, its sad that the one thing that they are trying to acquire may very well be the whats needed to get them to think twice about joining in the first place.

reply to post by Briles1207


US military personnel are but grocery clerks sent to collect an unpaid bill. I respect the military members who refuse illegal orders, such as Lt. Watada, and those that whistleblow, i.e. Bradley Manning, but the ones who go to fight illegal wars for corporations and venal US policies are just tools who either are too ignorant or to scared to refuse to fight in these wars of aggression by the US.

Some will claim the low-level military personnel aren't too blame, that it's the government we should hate/disrespect/whatever. People have choices. There is no draft. No one has to join the military. And one can refuse illegal orders. Do people claim the low-level military personnel of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan were not to blame for their war crimes, and so shouldn't be thought badly of? Hell, they're still trying to arrest geriatric cases, who they claim were sergeants in the SS during WWII, involved in concentration camp running. Could these fellows have said "no" to their orders? They would have been killed. And yet we blame them for following orders, and want to still hold them legally culpable. Why shouldn't the same go for US military personnel involved in illegal wars and violating the laws of war?

What war? Do you mean the occupations America has going on in Iraq & Afghanistan? War is where there is an enemy who you fight. Not folks who simply want your arse out of their country. You know who in the military owns the highest suicide rate........Recruiters..........So lieing & guilt can kill you. As well as imaginary terrorists.

but you notice that the sons and daughters of the ones giving the orders to war never go to the front if they serve at all, and if they do it will be in some cushy remf position far from the dirt, sweat and blood.

bring back the days when the king (or any leader) led from the front, see how many wars we get into when they are in a foxhole on the front line

reply to post by Briles1207

Same principle as Bush saying you're not a patriotic American if you support constitutional government over a nanny state. A ploy to ignore and suppress reality of tyrannical out of control government

I have also questioned the designation of "hero's" being used since the "draft expired" after the Vietnam War. I was in the Army during that War, and I had a choice given me by "my government", get married, enroll in college, go to Canada or go to jail if I refused to go, of course with those options I decided going into the Army was the better choice.

I think when a citizen is required by their government to (under penalties of imprisonment) to go to the Army, then there is a reason (self preservation) for subordinating ones wishes to their Government.

In the Vietnam War there were "Real Hero's" who died, most received the Medal of Honor after they were killed. I so not recall anyone calling a soldier a hero during that war, in fact when we got off the plane we were advised not to wear our uniform, because of the hatred of soldiers being exhibited by the general population.

Soooo . . . in my mind Vietnam was the last war where we had "hero's". All wars since that time have been police actions taken to defend the assets or fulfill personal animosities of our government (i.e. George Bush vs. Saddam). Our Army has become a mercenary force being paid for by taxpayers and used to defend the oil and business interests of Wall Street Bankers and their muppets who hold seats in Washington.

When one volunteers to expose themselves to personal harm and sacrifice without a declaration of war by their country, and choose to engage in private wars which are "undeclared by Congress", and there is no mandatory police power that will require you to go, then you are not "hero's", you are not fighting for "my country", you are doing the deed because you have chosen (not the citizens of the United States) to risk your life and well being on your own.

The National Guard was (is) made up of those who did not want to "really serve" when called to do so. Instead it was always a way to hide out and not face War because you were only in basic training and you when home, when the rest of us were exported to a foreign country.

Sooooo . . . the National Guard is a Volunteer service, where people hid out to play Army, only to find that George Bush had the power to use them as his private army in Iraq, and endless extend their tours of duty . . .not for the protection of the United States but for his personal reasons to expend the lives necessary to end the feud between his family and Saddam.

I do agree with going after Osama Bin Laden . . . but he was in Afghanistan not Iraq. However, none of the wars,(declared and undeclared) since WWII have been wars American Soldiers were allowed to win. In War you do not tie the hands of your troops behind their backs, and you do not hesitate to used the deadly force necessary to bring that war to a favorable conclusion.

Sooooo . . . like you my version of "Hero" has a greater meeting that used today. Just wearing a uniform does not make anyone a hero. I knew some real 8 balls in the Army and few Vietnam vets were classified as Hero's, even after they got their ass shot off during their tour of duty. Their are 65,000 dead on a black granite monument in Washington DC, few if any wear the "Hero" designation, all of whom died in a war where they were required to participate.

So, I do not view anyone in the Army since the Vietnam War as "Hero", in fact a congressional medal of honor should not even be awarded unless it was earned by someone who had no choice but to go in to the Army or face the consequences of jail and have a black mark on their lives forever. Adios Amigo. John

No one alive in the military today is fighting for "our country" or "our freedoms". Lots of people live in self delusion/denial in all kinds of professions. The military included. A lot of Americans are still operating under the lie that America is the "land of the free" and a bastion of human rights and liberty. That we're the "good guys". Ask the rest of the world whether we're the "good guys" and I guarantee you'll get a different answer.