Religious Fanatics and War

[Downthestretch55]

Originally Posted by irishtrekker

DTS, I have to respectfully disagree with some of what you've said, only because I was almost one of those Marines myself! The kids from my class ('99) signed up when our state was going through some economic problems. I'm from a farm town, and not a lot of people go to college after high school. Most come from military families, and that's where the kids go, too.

None of us had any idea in 1999 that we were going to go to war, but the sign-up contract is for six years with most branches of the service. I had good friends who never thought they'd actually fight wind up serving in both Afghanistan and Iraq. They are really psychologically messed up now, and I'm still counting my blessings for deciding to listen to my parents for once.

You're right that deep down, they should maybe have thought there might actually be a war some day...but we grew up at the end of the Cold War. To us, there were no bad guys left, naive as that may sound. Plus, when you're 18, a lot of things make sense that seem really stupid when a few more years have passed. I despise this war and have from the very beginning, but I have sympathy for soldiers who are stuck, and particularly for the kids who have families to support and can't just disobey orders and drop out. I also have tons of respect for people who don't enlist. I respect the soldiers who believe in what they're doing, because whether or not I agree with them, it's their lives on the line. Everyone makes their choices. But there are so many people I know who would give it all to take back that moment when they signed on the contract.

Just my two cents. Hope you don't mind.

Irish,
Thanks for explaining where your thoughts come from.
Mine come from a family that has served, going back to my Great grandfathers in Civil war, my grandfather in WWI, my Dad in WWII.
All were officers.
Then, during Viet Nam, I took a stand. I had many arguements with quite a few people, including my father, and several friends that thought it was completely worthwhile. Obviously, we all know how that turned out.
Three of them came back in flag draped coffins for "proper burial".
What a waste! They never got the chance to have wives, children.
These were kids that grew up in "middle class" families, hoped to go to college on the GI bill when they got out...believed everything the recruiter threw at them. My friend, John, got himself ambushed in Laos trying to rescue parts from a blown up jeep. He lived. But he's never been the same since. Now he lives like a hermit on a mountainside, doesn't talk to very many. He once thought he was going to be an aireonautical (sp) engineer, and even went to Cal...St Luis Obismo to pursue that dream. No way...
his mental state couldn't handle it.

Excuse my rant, but I've seen far too many people destroyed by war, and their willingness to participate in it. Not much good comes out of it.
That's the truth.
Bad things happen when people believe in lies.
DTS