<p>I am reading a book on the Iraq War and it follows the lives of the 1st recon division that entered the war and was in the heaviest fighting. One of the squad leaders was a graduate from Dartmouth! I thought that was funny since I had thought about doing the same thing. </p>
<p>Anybody here wanting to join the military?</p>
<p>No, not at all. My friend joined the navy this week and I don't approve at all, but I recognize when things are personal decisions that I have no right to try to change.</p>
<p>Still, I "consciously object" to people voluntarily joining the military. I guess I just don't see all of the heroic values in it that most Americans see, but I suppose I can certainly respect it as a choice.</p>
<p>Willywonka, I believe the term you meant to use was "conscientiously object". HTH.</p>
<p>Personally, I think it is commendable for one to pursue military service. Good luck, elcommondo, and don't listen to too many people like willywonka! (lol, but you probably already know that)</p>
<p>haha yeah it is sortof silly to go pay 100 grand for an ivy and then get your head blown off by some jihadist sniper.....but oh well i guess its my choice to make</p>
<p>Thanks on the term correction. It's not used much anymore in these support-or-die, fear mongering times, so my usage gets a bit rusty.</p>
<p>I'm canadian, my govt. decided it would be a bad idea to get all macho about sadam and international shenanigans.</p>
<p>Old wise guys: "War is the failure of diplomacy":(
W: "what's that spossed to mean?" :confused:
They actually believe that where I'm from:cool:
can you imagine?</p>
<p>
Still, I "consciously object" to people voluntarily joining the military.
</p>
<p>Don't you feel that it is better than the alternative?</p>
<p>You know... a military made up solely of conscripts?</p>
<p>The alternative really had nothing to do with what I said. If it has to be put in terms of the alternative, it would go like this: I respect those who were forced to join and those who died when they were forced to join. When I said I conscientiously object to people voluntarily joining the military, it was just the next thought about my friend, or anyone's friend, joining the military.</p>
<p>If it has to be said, then yes, a volunteer army is better than an army of the drafted. Like I said, I respect personal choices and if they all feel it's a good choice, good. </p>
<p>On the other hand, if the army worked solely on a draft, maybe our country would be a little more selective about which wars it jumps into and which wars it doesn't.</p>
<p>
If it has to be said, then yes, a volunteer army is better than an army of the drafted. Like I said, I respect personal choices and if they all feel it's a good choice, good.
</p>
<p>Alright, just wondering.</p>
<p>commando, hey man , im the same boat with you. i've always been the little army boy, and toyed with the idea of west point. but after alot of thinking, the whole strict regimen as well as nearly a decade of mandatory duty threw me against the idea. after being accepted penn ed, i've thought a little about rotc, beacause it would really help with the tuition as well as the fact thati want to (hopefully) go into the cia. but once again, whats the use of paying over 100k to get blown up in iraq.</p>
<p>I'm a pacifist and would never join any of the armed forces. It's quite humorous actually when the recruiters call me. The Army guy called and asked me for my SAT score. Then he said, "DAMN!! You must've worked your ass off" and started going off about ROTC and becoming an officer. It felt pretty good to interrupt him and say, "I'm not interested in the military because I'm a pacifist, and I disagree with your discrimination against open homosexuals." He was kind of stunned, and we quickly parted. He rarely gets those kind of remarks from students in this area. Yes, it's a stereotype that doesn't apply to most, but there are many people at my high school (western NC) who are pro-war homophobes. So, yeah, I'm kind of on the same boat with willywonka.</p>
<p>there plenty of queers in the military.....from what i hear they dont discriminate so much anymore.....not that i care at about them do u care about homos mradio?</p>
<p>Yes, I do care about homosexuals. They are just as human as you and I are, and they deserve the same rights and priveleges as we do. I believe there is a lot of misunderstanding about homosexuality today, and they continue to be oppressed. Yes, there are homosexuals in the military. However, the policy that Clinton signed into law is called "don't ask, don't tell." This prevents homosexuals from being open about their sexual orientation and serves as a deterrent for them to join the military. Imagine that you're Jewish and there's a policy that you can serve only as long as you don't tell anybody that you're Jewish. That's still discrimination because you're singling a group out due to their preferences.</p>
<p>i would go to the military if Bush wasnt president. With him as commander in chief, I'm destined to die.</p>
<p>what kind of statement is that future?? He doesnt command forces on the ground....besides everyone thinks its blood for oil which is just speculation and bs (its more about his dad's war)....besides the book im reading the troops dont even care why they are fighting so long as they get to fight.....anybody seen Chapelle's show when he says if Bush were black...that was hilarious when he starting yelling about the whole HE TRIED TO KILL MY FATHER thing</p>
<p>Bush is a war hawk. Because of his stupid decisions, thousands are dead. Many more are still suffering.</p>
<p>"he doesn't command forces on the ground...."</p>
<p>No; but he is Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. While he certainly isn't the first in line to actually serve or command on the ground (as his oft-mocked history shows), I agree with the poster above me, who points out that Bush has made the decisions that direct the actions of our troops. I don't think the army just moved into Iraq of its own free will.</p>
<p>Willywonka, I too have a friend taking that route - he'll be at the US Air Force Academy next year. I worry for him, but I respect his choice. It's not an easy thing to watch, though, is it?</p>
<p>There is no way I would die for Bush and friends self interests. They are using the government as a way to subtly profit in the process. It amazing how the buddy system works among the defense and oil rich conservatives. They just got access to the 2nd largest oil reserves in the world and Dick's old company's stock is worth 5 times what it was worth before the war. Kids who need money for college are dying. Shameful.</p>
<p>why doesnt Bush get assassinated? Then everything would get back to normal.</p>
<p>Come now, slipper, that's being a bit harsh, don't you think? I think poorly of some people, but I don't think I'd ever stoop that low. There were a lot of reasons to go to Iraq; surely a conspiracy theory isn't the best one you can think of.</p>