At 10:34 PM 9/17/01, you wrote:
>Ticia said:
>Does the end justify the means? Sometimes it does. You just need strong
>people willing to make those moral choices. And brainwashed soldiers with
>ninfo on need-to-know basis, who will follow orders without questioning.
>War
>is a game of Stratego.
>
>Ticia ',:)
>
>Me:
>While I hope you didn't mean it, Ticia, I think this is a remarkably
>offensive way to describe the men and women of the American armed forces,
>probably days before they enter into battle. Soldiers don't follow orders
>without complete information because they are brainwashed. They do it
>because they have what the military terms "vertical loyalty." They believe
>that their commanders are acting in the best interests of their country,
>and they are willing to die because they think those interests are worth
>dying for. War is _not_ a game of Stratego. War is something where young
>men and women are fed to a monster that spits out only the dead and
>wounded, in body or spirit. I have been variously described as a warmonger
>and a jingoist on this list in the past few days - most often, I'd be
>willing to bet, by people who know few or none of the soldiers who will
>soon be risking their lives in Afghanistan, Iraq, or some other Godforsaken
>spot on the planet. The irony is not lost on me, although I expect it is
>on
> most other people on the list. Most of the people I was most frightened
>for on Tuesday worked in the Pentagon, not the WTC. Like most people who
>are willing to use measured force when called upon, I do it not because I
>like war but because I hate it - and I hate it because I know something
>about it - not from personal experience, but from respecting and learning
>from warriors - and hating it, I know that sometimes it must be waged to
>prevent those things that are even worse. To get back to my initial point
>- the soldiers who will soon be dying (and killing) to protect _you_
>deserve better than to be called brainwashed pawns in a game of Stratego.
>You may not agree with the choice to send them their, but I beg you not to
>fall into the Vietnam War protester trap of disparaging the strong men (and
>women) armed who will soon be placing their lives between us and our
>enemies.
>
>Gautam
Speaking as one who has worn the uniform, "what he said."
-- Ronn! :)
God bless America,
Land that I love!
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam�
God bless America!
My home, sweet home.
-- Irving Berlin (1888-1989)
