[kitex]

I am a big supporter of the military, they risk their lives to protect our own. But some people are VERY anti-military. One time I was talking to a group of people who were all anti-military and they were just going on insulting the military. It even seemed that one person thought that it was OK that US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq die because "They kill people."

What has happened to the period where people truly cared about our armed forces? I don't get it at all.

[cjav0]

If you look at history, then you are referring to a very small portion of it.

[BlackKnight]

I respect the Military if the acts they're doing are honorable and humane.

However, our troops in foreign nations who die, unfortunately, died in vain and as occupiers, since the Wars we're in the first place are baseless and dishonorable.

Pretty much, from a neutral point of view, one can understand why they target our men and women in their nations, because they're nationalists and see our troops as invaders.

Just my opinion.

[Ned the Great]

BlackKnight, on Dec 28 2008, 02:38 PM, said:

I respect the Military if the acts they're doing are honorable and humane.

However, our troops in foreign nations who die, unfortunately, died in vain and as occupiers, since the Wars we're in the first place are baseless and dishonorable.

Pretty much, from a neutral point of view, one can understand why they target our men and women in their nations, because they're nationalists and see our troops as invaders.

Just my opinion.

I second this.

[Kenadian_2006]

What Cjavo said, plus the little bit about those kinds of people being a minority. People don't need to be rabidly patriotic, jingoistic or pro-military. They should simply respect the people for what they are. They are the people who willingly signed on to be soldiers so you don't have to.

[Foggers]

I sort of agree with the above things about people fighting for their land against invaders and what not.

But remember that the people who are dying do so as part of their mission. Very few people, if any, die to become an invader these days and abuse people who's lands they are occupying. It is the faults of the politicians who have this bizarre agenda of theirs most of the time, while a few wars (I'm thinking Afghanistan but people will probably argue against this) are justified or wars of defense (Falklands conflict) while others are counter strike (6 day War, and no, let's not get into the Arab-Israeli conflict).

While it is expected that armies will take casualties and deaths in war, it is part of their training to try and avoid it, and the countries job to look after them. I had a guy at school who hated the army, calling them chavs with no hope of an education and thugs who shouldn't have any benefits if they are injured as it's part of the job. Obviously that opinion is full of flaws, the soldiers don't decide to get injured or go out to the countries they are sent to. Yes there are hazards to the military, but you don't say to someone "your cancer is your problem, your fault, so you treat yourself for it".

[Lord GVChamp]

It's a small chunk of people. The number of people of "anti-military" people I've run into is very small and mostly consists of high school students who, quite frankly, don't know their hands from their butts.

[Delta1212]

Since when does pro-military or anti-military have anything to do with one's opinion of the soldiers? I'm no rabid peacenik just because I don't see it as a currently realistic goal, but I can still see the difference between hating the fight and hating the fighter.

Besides which, "supporting the troops" is a joke these days. It used to mean sending care packages or finding ways to send comfort/aid. Now it just means you bought a bumper sticker. What the hell?

[mastab]

No part of defending me requires someone to kill civilians or invade countries that don't care about me.

[Vaal Satori]

What did Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, Benito Mussolini, and Adolf Hitler all have in common? They were military men who used the prestige garnered from their position to establish dictatorships. Therefore it is perfectly understandable that civilians are deeply suspicious of the military. It is an inherently undemocratic and authoritarian organization, and operates on principles which when applied to civilian life result in the worst horrors imaginable.

Add to this the fact that there is little that people in the military have more contempt for than civilian life. Many of them consider army life superior and think the country would be better off if the rest of it took notes from their book. Just on these forums there are plenty of military men like Margrave who are very frank about their distaste for the freedoms they are supposedly defending. Not everyone is that way, but enough are that it raises alarm bells for anyone who cares about preserving liberty and equality. And if history is any indication, the greatest threats to our rights will come not from without but from within.

[joracy]

There are quite a few people who don't agree with what their military is doing right now. I'd say its a very small minority who think that their own soldiers should die for doing what they are doing.

[Smallfrog]

I think part of the reason could be that people who support the troops tend to do so in a less loud voice than the minority who don't, so you notice the minority.

[HHAYD]

My point of view:

The military is important to defend a nation, BUT...

The military doesn't deserve a huge amount of cash from the government unless if it is an important war. Right now, the U.S. government is throwing about $120 billion dollars to the military for the Iraq war. Think about it, were else can the yearly $120 billion dollar can be spent on that is more useful?

[New Frontier]

I am a conservative, and I support the military.

However, that does not mean I support everything our military is ordered to do.

[Electron Sponge]

When I was in the military I neither looked for nor desired the support of the public, except the pretty ones.

[Alaric the Great]

Electron Sponge, on Dec 28 2008, 03:31 PM, said:

When I was in the military I neither looked for nor desired the support of the public, except the pretty ones.

QFT; the USAF tends to have a leg up on the pretty ones, lol.

I also find it somewhat staggering the amount of people who have never enlisted or served in the armed forces, yet honestly believe that their opinion on military issues really truly matters. Really, it seems to me that quite a few people listen to what their local, rather uninformed news affiliate/favorite celebrity/wack job political pundit is spewing out, and take that as the bottom line truth.

[cjav0]

mastab, on Dec 28 2008, 09:43 PM, said:

No part of defending me requires someone to kill civilians or invade countries that don't care about me.

What about those that do care about you

[Foggers]

Vaal Satori, on Dec 28 2008, 08:48 PM, said:

What did Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, Benito Mussolini, and Adolf Hitler all have in common? They were military men who used the prestige garnered from their position to establish dictatorships. Therefore it is perfectly understandable that civilians are deeply suspicious of the military. It is an inherently undemocratic and authoritarian organization, and operates on principles which when applied to civilian life result in the worst horrors imaginable.

Add to this the fact that there is little that people in the military have more contempt for than civilian life. Many of them consider army life superior and think the country would be better off if the rest of it took notes from their book. Just on these forums there are plenty of military men like Margrave who are very frank about their distaste for the freedoms they are supposedly defending. Not everyone is that way, but enough are that it raises alarm bells for anyone who cares about preserving liberty and equality. And if history is any indication, the greatest threats to our rights will come not from without but from within.

Non-military people were also responsible for allowing those kinds of things to happen with those dictators you mentioned. Plus it isn't really the fault of the military. They are commanded to a do job that their leader tells them to do.

And most people like to think that they're better than others anyway. Doesn't just happen in the military.

[Straylight]

What does anti-military even mean?

Is a deep suspicion of the military enough to be considered anti-military? Does believing the military to be an evil, a necessary evil, make you anti-military? If so, I suppose you could call me anti-military. But I support the people who are in the military and I understand thoroughly that military organization is necessary in this world of desperation and greed, so I certainly would not call myself anti-military.

Alaric the Great, on Dec 28 2008, 03:38 PM, said:

QFT; the USAF tends to have a leg up on the pretty ones, lol.

I also find it somewhat staggering the amount of people who have never enlisted or served in the armed forces, yet honestly believe that their opinion on military issues really truly matters. Really, it seems to me that quite a few people listen to what their local, rather uninformed news affiliate/favorite celebrity/wack job political pundit is spewing out, and take that as the bottom line truth.

You're right man, only people who have served in the armed forces should have opinions on military issues, that always works out well. /sarcasm.

This post has been edited by Straylight: 28 December 2008 - 05:25 PM

[cjav0]

Straylight, anti military are the type of people who would walk into a crossfire with flowers...