US Servicemen and women, YOU are the SOLUTION and the PROBLEM...

reply to post by NullVoid

I'm doing my job, waking up people about the matter. Since you are at the front, you have the most immediate access to the situation. Running for the office require tremendous sacrifice and even if succeeded, things are very hard to change, too many people too much trouble.

I agree. But here's the thing. There is only one kind of person I hate on this planet. And that is the politician. I think we can both agree American politicians are worthless.

Then you should be aware what you are doing now.

I am very aware of what I am and am NOT doing.

I understood your dilemma, between your responsibility and personal choice, but do have a look from third perspective. Think why you are defending the country from other people country. We armchair warriors see things from different angle and at our own leisure time, and I personally dont like what the army doing. Much better to deploy to the Mexican border than to patrol some dessert. Let them kill each other if that what they want. There are peace keeper and UN.

Hey I won't argue that I would rather stay home and train for a real conflict than the police action we are currently engaged in. It would have been just fine with me to kill bin laden, destroy his network and then go home. But the policy of nation building is not my policy. It is the policy that is demanded by the feel-good crowd that thinks war can be won if you just build the roads and schools yourself. It cannot. You'll just go broke and we are.

You got it the wrong way, its when you are holding it that it truly matter. The person you are shooting, truly believe he had the right to kill you. Dont kill or torture him, just let him go and he will be never dare to face you again. He owe you. He will be a change man later.

My friend you do not understand the Taliban. Nor do you understand the foreign fighters who support them. They are not the "changed man" type of people. Their mentality is far different from yours, the average Afghani, or you.

Its hard to accept or even to do this when bullet flying around, thats why - ask to move away from that unit or quit.

I didn't join the Army to quit.

You probably are correct, but then, you also not a local, fair ? What more important is stopping the war, but look what is happening, it goes longer than anyone expect. Its what the boss want, its in the plan, and you guys executing the plan. Dont worry about it, even after you return or returned, the plan will still go on. But if enough people on the front say "I dont sign up for this" we might make a difference

Armies, I don't care which one, must have soldiers who are willing to do their jobs. But free and just nations must have a people willing to do the heavy lifting at home while we do the heavy lifting abroad. I don't want to be in Afghanistan anymore than you want me to be here. I'd rather be at home with my wife and daughter. But I am a soldier. I signed up to do a job. And sometimes that means doing the job in crappy places I don't want to be. The day this war is over will be a glorious day for me and every other soldier in America.

Let me redo the situation.
I congress/president/boss/IC said that person is an enemy, he clearly planted the IED, evidence is clear, he need to be shot dead, would you shoot him ? You know the answer, keep it to yourself.

It depends on the situation. Here in Afghanistan things are not that simple. If you see a man planting an IED most of the time we'll sit there and watch them. A lot of the time you will see evidence of coercion by the Taliban. The Taliban will kidnap a man's family and force him to do things like plant IEDs. Because they know that they might get killed if they do it themselves. What we're doing in Afghanistan might be misguided in general but it is not the black and white situation many on ATS have been led to believe.

I dont know, UN which is not US ? and it consist of various countries ? and it doesnot have grudge ? and it have minimal political motives ? and... uhh so much difference.

Most of the funding and military support of the UN is provided by the US and western nations.

Lets say the person who plant the IED, he was told to do that by his commander, his mother and friends think he is one of the country hero, he think he is doing good job forcing you out from the country, he sell bread near your location and sometimes begs to have a something from the troop as souvenir, his age - 13. You have made your choice above, will you shoot him ? It doesnt matter his age or intention or whether he realized it or not, the order is to kill him.

Please don't think me an idiot. You're trying to paint me into a corner. As I said above this situation is not black and white and it hardly ever is. But in this particular scenario he would most likely be arrested by coalition forces or the ANA(Afghan National Army) or the Afghan Police.

When all this end, you will return, and when your grandchildren aged 8, you suddenly remember him and it all will come back to haunt you.

You must be confused as to what I do for a living. There are many threads I have authored that detail what my job in the US Army is.

reply to post by projectvxn


I havent read your other post and dont know what you do there, but seems that all are clear to you, its fine I guess. You already made up your mind. It really troublesome reading about ex coming back getting depressed.

Its understood being at the front you deal with various mind boggling situations that challenge moral and human ethics, but that is war.

Thanks for the good job and I believe the politicians need to experience it themselves to understand what they have done.

I have a question posed generally to folks who have taken the position or suggested members of our armed services should go AWOL/quit or simply never join in the first place, thus effectively removing a useful fighting force from America's toolbox.

What do you believe would happen following a complete success? If we ended with a weak defensive force on the continent or not even that much? Do you honestly believe this would lead to a better America and/or better world?

Not theory in isolation of international reality...but given ALL modern facts of life. Would it be a net positive or negative for the US and World?

reply to post by Wrabbit2000




Net positive, definitely. If the need arise, recruitment can be done. The workforce of the nation might even rise thus will provide less dependency on foreign country (China ?).

If Japan can do it why cant we ?