The War - How do ya like it so far?

Wilso
I saw that :-(

Wilso, I'm as against the war as anyone, but surely you can see how making statements like this before the whole story is clearly known doesn't help the discourse about it any. I've seen contradictory reports.
For all we know, fresh from the suicide bombing that took out 4 of their comrades, these guys made an honest misjudgement, which translated into a tragedy. Maybe not, but until we know, isn't it a little early to cast it as if it was wanton murder of women/children, and nothing more.

I love that Maureen Dowd.

Oh, well, they were driving a vehicle in their own country. They were probably terrified of the soldiers they saw so didn't stop, and got killed. So sorry that I don't care about the feelings of the invaders.

Once the shooting starts, accidents and atrocities follow. All a part of murdering one another.

on NBC this morning they were interviewing a young US soldier who had been wounded, his comment really scared me "it was just like a video game"--I was in Nam and it was no video game so i guess time and technology have changed the smell of death.

Unbelievable!

War is not for children and other living things.

Some of those "invaders" are people just like you and I, no more evil than you or I. The powers which got them there are beyond them. They list their occupations as "soldier", and so they go do their jobs. I take just as much offense in your oversimplifying it so that all the Americans are evil murderers, just as much as I take offense at the powers which got them there.

By the way - some of those soldiers are terrified, too. You can't mimimalize their lives or feelings because chance has them on this side or that.

good points snood, thanks.

Scared kids shooting because they didn't know if the civilians were suicide bombers or not. Scared civilians caught in a living horror movie. War sucks.

They shouldn't be there in the first place.

The only thing I'm grateful for is the fact that the Australian ROE prohibit them from operating in civilian areas.

And what do you suggest the millions of people who support their families and homes through their military jobs do, wilso? Lay down their weapons (computers, brooms, etc.) and just go home, or pick up a picket sign? What I haven't seen from you is some acknowledgement that the men and women of the US military aren't a buncha Nazi goons out for blood - I'm telling you, it is not easy for me to hear you be so offhandedly critical without a sense that you know we're talking about regular people who happen to wear uniforms, and are asked to do horrible things in the line of duty. It sure ain't easy to hear that kind of casual smear, without some sense of balance in the discussion.

If a US or Australian soldier dies in action, we have and will get every detail of their life in our newspapers and on the television and the whole nation mourns. SOMEONE has got to cry for those 7 unknown unremembered innocent people.


As for them not being out for blood, that's not what I thought when I heard a bunch of marines cheer loudly for a successful missile attack on an enemy position. They sounded like they really enjoyed it. So much so that it made me sick.

snood:
The soldieres were not forced to join the military. So they don't "happen to wear uniforms".

No, they were not forced. But neither did they join to kill babies. In any case, "they" are all kinds of people, good and bad, smart and stupid, all hues and both genders. It's too easy to cast them all in one light.

I am simply saying balance is necessary when considering the people who fight wars. Things are very seldom black and white, right and wrong. wilso, I hear you about no one crying for the innocent. There will be plenty of crying for a lot of people from differing walks of life in this. The whole thing stinks.

Bush and Rummy won't be crying.

But every soldier has to know, that when (s)he makes the decision to join the military, (s)he also makes the ethical decision that (s)he is able to kill people. And those people aren't always soldiers. I think there was no war in history, where no civilian was killed by soldiers.

I'm actually most concerned about those who would join BECAUSE George Bush is president. Oh god he scares me.