Perpetual War & Never-ending State of Mourning

#76
#76
The "reunion stuff" as many of you are referring to it is possibly a response to many of our brave soldiers coming home and being spit on before many of you were born. Stop getting your panties in a wad and understand that not everything is about you.
 
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#77
#77
Biopsyman said:
The culture is under assault .. which includes love of country
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Here's the problem: Many Americans claim a love of their country but really don't understand the principles for which our country was founded or for that matter, patriotism in general. Many of this board's resident conservatives have this issue
 
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#79
#79
Grand Vol said:
Basically, I'm saying we can honor the service members without having to honor the justification (or lack thereof) of the wars they fight in. I know many times they include the "Sgt Smith returned from Afghanistan where they received a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for actions..." in the speech for honoring them, but I don't specifically relate that as the propaganda for supporting the war effort. I think you're looking at it a little deeper than most and believe that honoring them is a form of forcing the public to accept the overseas engagements we are currently in. I don't think the public as a whole looks that deep into the whole thing and just thinks "this guy's a hero" and moves on.
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I think you are misunderstanding where I'm coming from. I think most people that share my line of thinking are able to separate the man and the mission. Not sure how returning veterans from Vietnam were treated, but if they were called Baby killers by a bunch of Marxist hippies, then obviously I don't cosign that. But, I think that in general, the war worship in this country has been over done.

As you know, nothing would make me happier than to not have us wasting our blood and treasure in some sandbox halfway around the world over dubious motives.
 
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#80
#80
n_huffhines said:
Times have changed around here. When I first joined VN, foreign policy was the 3rd rail. You couldn't question our efforts in the war on terror or even smack talk the PATRIOT act and warrantless wiretapping. Now pretty much everybody is on board.
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Go back and look at some of my posts from 10 years ago and I was right along with them. I think most people are beginning to see the futility and flaws in our foreign policy.
 
#82
#82
Rasputin_Vol said:
I think you are misunderstanding where I'm coming from. I think most people that share my line of thinking are able to separate the man and the mission. Not sure how returning veterans from Vietnam were treated, but if they were called Baby killers by a bunch of Marxist hippies, then obviously I don't cosign that. But, I think that in general, the war worship in this country has been over done.

As you know, nothing would make me happier than to not have us wasting our blood and treasure in some sandbox halfway around the world over dubious motives.
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To me, the ceremonies for lack of a better term at these ball games transcends the war worship. I've seen them honor police (I know you love that), fire fighters, teachers and other community servants at the games with things they did. I tend to think the .mil ones get the most attention, but I also think it greatly depends on the area you're in. It seems like you are focusing on a small portion of what goes on rather than the whole.

But I agree and disagree with not wasting money overseas on military adventures. As I've always stated, I have no problems with this nation going overseas kicking someone's ass who needs it. I do have a problem with the drawn out occupations in places that don't want us and with no clear end in sight.
 
#83
#83
Grand Vol said:
To me, the ceremonies for lack of a better term at these ball games transcends the war worship. I've seen them honor police (I know you love that), fire fighters, teachers and other community servants at the games with things they did. I tend to think the .mil ones get the most attention, but I also think it greatly depends on the area you're in. It seems like you are focusing on a small portion of what goes on rather than the whole.

But I agree and disagree with not wasting money overseas on military adventures. As I've always stated, I have no problems with this nation going overseas kicking someone's ass who needs it. I do have a problem with the drawn out occupations in places that don't want us and with no clear end in sight.
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Agree with every word of this, happens purty regular
 
#84
#84
Grand Vol said:
To me, the ceremonies for lack of a better term at these ball games transcends the war worship. I've seen them honor police (I know you love that), fire fighters, teachers and other community servants at the games with things they did. I tend to think the .mil ones get the most attention, but I also think it greatly depends on the area you're in. It seems like you are focusing on a small portion of what goes on rather than the whole.

But I agree and disagree with not wasting money overseas on military adventures. As I've always stated, I have no problems with this nation going overseas kicking someone's ass who needs it. I do have a problem with the drawn out occupations in places that don't want us and with no clear end in sight.
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I actually have developed a distaste for going around the world and kicking peoples asses who need it on that basis alone. Saddam was a POS. No doubt. But we had our chance in ‘91 and pulled out early. We had no business going back in in ‘03 on the basis presented.

I do not want to see our forces used as the worlds police force. And I never want to see a US service person in a blue helmet. EVER!

If they take some clear action against us or an ally and they request aid? Game on. Be swift, be violent, be gone.
 
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#85
#85
NorthDallas40 said:
I actually have developed a distaste for going around the world and kicking peoples asses who need it on that basis alone. Saddam was a POS. No doubt. But we had our chance in ‘91 and pulled out early. We had no business going back in in ‘03 on the basis presented.

I do not want to see our forces used as the worlds police force. And I never want to see a US service person in a blue helmet. EVER!

If they take some clear action against us or an ally and they request aid? Game on. Be swift, be violent, be gone.
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I agree. Perhaps I wasn't clear about the criteria for kicking someone's ass.

Bombing AQI back past the Stone Age in A-Stan. Yes.

Finishing what we started in 91 in Iraq (had it been sold that way). Yes.

Getting involved in Libya. No.

Getting involved in a civil war in Syria. No.

Yemen. No. Balkans. No.

So on and so forth.
 
#86
#86
Rasputin_Vol said:
I think you are misunderstanding where I'm coming from. I think most people that share my line of thinking are able to separate the man and the mission. Not sure how returning veterans from Vietnam were treated, but if they were called Baby killers by a bunch of Marxist hippies, then obviously I don't cosign that. But, I think that in general, the war worship in this country has been over done.

As you know, nothing would make me happier than to not have us wasting our blood and treasure in some sandbox halfway around the world over dubious motives.
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If you weren't alive for that treatment, then you need to bow out. Those kids had no choice since they were drafted. If your only experience with returning Vets is with the volunteer Military, you don't have the experience to hold the opinion you have.
 
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#87
#87
82_VOL_83 said:
If you weren't alive for that treatment, then you need to bow out. Those kids had no choice since they were drafted. If your only experience with returning Vets is with the volunteer Military, you don't have the experience to hold the opinion you have.
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My dad was one of those “kids.” He was given two options: 1) Sign up and you get Campbell for basic (2 hours away) or 2) hold out, we come and get you, and you’re at the mercy of the US Army. He took 1).

Served for one year in Daegu, South Korea and one year in Ft. Monmouth, NJ. Never served on the front lines, but was actively a part of the mission during the latter years of Nam (circa ‘71-‘72).
 
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#88
#88
Grand Vol said:
I agree. Perhaps I wasn't clear about the criteria for kicking someone's ass.

Bombing AQI back past the Stone Age in A-Stan. Yes.

Finishing what we started in 91 in Iraq (had it been sold that way). Yes.

Getting involved in Libya. No.

Getting involved in a civil war in Syria. No.

Yemen. No. Balkans. No.

So on and so forth.
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Well, that was a dictatorship (Iraq) invading a monarchy (Kuwait) halfway around the globe... So it really couldn't even be said we were protecting "democracy" or a republic.

But that's a debate for another thread... along with us not attacking Saudi Arabia instead of Afghanistan.
 
#89
#89
Rasputin_Vol said:
I think you are misunderstanding where I'm coming from. I think most people that share my line of thinking are able to separate the man and the mission. Not sure how returning veterans from Vietnam were treated, but if they were called Baby killers by a bunch of Marxist hippies, then obviously I don't cosign that. But, I think that in general, the war worship in this country has been over done.

As you know, nothing would make me happier than to not have us wasting our blood and treasure in some sandbox halfway around the world over dubious motives.
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The returning Vietnam soldiers were treated by the leftists in about the same way that the leftists are treating Trump and his employees now.
 
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#91
#91
Rasputin_Vol said:
Well, that was a dictatorship (Iraq) invading a monarchy (Kuwait) halfway around the globe... So it really couldn't even be said we were protecting "democracy" or a republic.

But that's a debate for another thread... along with us not attacking Saudi Arabia instead of Afghanistan.
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Kuwait isn't a pure monarchy. The parliament actually "picks" the next emir via elections.

Government of Kuwait - Wikipedia
 
#92
#92
I'll never criticize something that honors the military. Whether or not they're "protecting our freedom", they are serving our country, making sacrifices that every day citizens do not. They don't choose which wars to fight or where they get deployed, politicians do that.
 
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#93
#93
Weezer said:
I'll never criticize something that honors the military. Whether or not they're "protecting our freedom", they are serving our country, making sacrifices that every day citizens do not. They don't choose which wars to fight or where they get deployed, politicians do that.
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Do you think John McCain is a hero? Even though he was captured?
 
#95
#95
Rasputin_Vol said:
Go back and look at some of my posts from 10 years ago and I was right along with them. I think most people are beginning to see the futility and flaws in our foreign policy.
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Because we are serving other countries interest over our own...
 
#96
#96
Weezer said:
I'll never criticize something that honors the military. Whether or not they're "protecting our freedom", they are serving our country, making sacrifices that every day citizens do not. They don't choose which wars to fight or where they get deployed, politicians do that.
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We'll said.
 
#97
#97
114VOL said:
Here's the problem: Many Americans claim a love of their country but really don't understand the principles for which our country was founded or for that matter, patriotism in general. Many of this board's resident conservatives have this issue
Click to expand...

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#100
#100
bray2milton said:
You will have to ask someone else. I don’t think he is a hero either.
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On the other hand you didn't fly over N Vietnam with people shooting at you. I might still agree with you about "hero", though, because it is a completely abused word - there were plenty of other pilots who flew in the same skies as McCain. However his level of risk was still much greater than the majority of people serving in the military at the same time. To label someone playing sports, a politician or generally most public figures a hero is complete and utter BS.
 
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