US Mercenaries

[Waffletush]

So, we pay the soldiers a decent wage, take care of their families, provide them with housing and medical care and vast social support systems and ship obscene amenities into the war zone for them, we support them in every possible way, and their attitude is that we should in addition roll over and play dead, defer to the military and the generals and let them fight their war, and give up our rights and responsibilities to speak up because they are above society?

I can imagine some post-9/11 moment, when the American people say enough already with the wars against terrorism and those in the national security establishment feel these same frustrations. In my little parable, those in leadership positions shake their heads that the people don't get it, that they don't understand that the threat from terrorism, while difficult to defeat, demands commitment and sacrifice and is very real because it is so shadowy, that the very survival of the United States is at stake. Those Hoover's and Nixon's will use these kids in uniform as their soldiers. If I weren't the United States, I'd say the story end with a military coup where those in the know, and those with fire in their bellies, save the nation from the people.

But it is the United States and instead this NBC report is just an ugly reminder of the price we pay for a mercenary - oops sorry, volunteer - force that thinks it is doing the dirty work.

ECW asked in another thread...

More whining from the "If You Criticize the United States For Any Reason You Are A Traitor" crowd (or IYCUSFARYAT for short.) When is it appropriate to point out the shortcomings of our nation? Or should we just sit silently by the wayside while we watch wrong doer after wrong doer get away with tarnishing our good name and our presitge because you may be offended? When are we allowed to freely speak without being demonized by the IYCUSFARYAT crowd? When?

It seems Mr Arkin thinks now is a good time to freely speak.Â*Â*So I ask, is Arkin just pointing out the shortcomings of our nation for hiring a mercenary force?Â*Â*Or is he tarnishing our good name and prestige?

I have to say his first paragraph cracks me up.Â*Â*We ship obscene amenitites to them, politicians instead of the military should run the war, the military is above society...

[BoogyMan]

Arkin is a coward. He writes garbage like this and then refuses to step up and own his commentary.

People may not like Oreilly but he is spot on in this video regarding Arkin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv-s1vfvQTQ

[Elrathin]

The thing is, yes, some people speaking out against the war are nutballs. However, not everyone that speaks against the war speaks like Arkin.

In what he wrote above, yes, I would classify him as a nut job. It is not the soldiers that should receive the brunt of anger about the war, it is the administrators of this war.

There are also conservatives out there that think people shouldn't speak AT ALL negative about the war. To those conservatives, I say "Fuck off". You have no right to freedom from criticism about the war either.

In the military, much like any other profession or job, there are a small handful that are bad apples. Not all soldiers are rapists, mercenaries, etc. But yes, there are a minority. Those now are serving in jail, and some will most likely commit some atrocities later on. That is part of war and they will be punished for it if they do.

[Churchel]

Arkin is a coward.Â*Â*He writes garbage like this and then refuses to step up and own his commentary.

People may not like Oreilly but he is spot on in this video regarding Arkin.



I laugh when oreilly tries to pull an income hit job on people. All that I saw is someone trying to get a guy fired. I wonder if he is still talks dirty to the skirts in the office. Another hypocrite.

I have a grey area when it comes to troops. I was seriously considering walking back in to the recruitment office until around august 2003, when a consesus at work between myself, 2 other enlisted personell, and 3 officers decided we do not like being lied to.

I remember being 18 and naieeve, so I give most of the troops a pass. When they spout political overtones they lose that. I would like to see footage the person of topic was referring to.

[BoogyMan]

I laugh when oreilly tries to pull an income hit job on people. All that I saw is someone trying to get a guy fired. I wonder if he is still talks dirty to the skirts in the office. Another hypocrite.

I have a grey area when it comes to troops. I was seriously considering walking back in to the recruitment office until around august 2003, when a consesus at work between myself, 2 other enlisted personell, and 3 officers decided we do not like being lied to.

I remember being 18 and naieeve, so I give most of the troops a pass. When they spout political overtones they lose that. I would like to see footage the person of topic was referring to.

Speak to the topic at hand churchel, or do you agree with Arkin that our forces are mercenaries and we are shipping them obscene amenities?

[Churchel]

If I walked into the recruiter and recieved a 20,000 dollar enlistment bonus for a two year stint what would that make me? If 20,000 is an ammount of money I make in a quarter, then I guess I would have different reasons. If I have never had 20,000 at one time, ever, then I believe the money would have something to do with it.

Dinner on the night of Friday, Jan. 27 offered entrees of baked salmon, roast turkey, grilled pork chops, fried crab bites, breaded scallops and fried rice. The smiling servers standing behind those dishes were from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India and Nepal.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/03/AR2006020302994.html?nav=hcmodule

I do not know if you consider that "lavish" but during my time in the military, overseas, that would be a dinner served on christmas eve. I suggest reading the washpost article and making your own judgements. I can understand we are talking for some people their fourth or fifth go-around, and the little things count.

In the essay, in this week's issue of Time magazine, General Newbold wrote, "I now regret that I did not more openly challenge those who were determined to invade a country whose actions were peripheral to the real threat — Al Qaeda."

The decision to invade Iraq, he wrote, "was done with a casualness and swagger that are the special province of those who have never had to execute these missions — or bury the results."


New york times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/10/world/middleeast/10military.html?ex=1302321600&en=bebe10881a2703dc&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss)

I consider now that since the upper staffs of the pentagon had shed all of the dissenters to the cheney/rumsfeld/wolfowitz battleplan that the politicans have been running this war, and the results are showing. Hopefully comments I made in another post about the new staff revisiting the planning and direction of this war will turn things for the better.

I believe the military attracts all types. Without origional footage of the soliders remarks I do not know if their comments are being taken out of context. William arkin is also a vet with an honorable discharge, so he gets a certain ammount of pass.

[Elrathin]

I would not call U.S. soldiers mercenaries. I remember when I joined up, I wanted to serve. Yes, because the Army was willing to give me a bonus I did sign with them over say the airforce (Which at the time gave no bonuses), but my desire to serve was still the utmost reason.

I don't know of too many people that signed up to the military because of money, rather they signed up for job security. The military is one of the few places where as long as you keep your nose clean and don't do anything illegal, you will never be fired and you can ALWAYS rely on a paycheck. Try to say that in the civilian world, especially the corporate civilian world.

I may not agree with the Iraq war or how this administration is running it, but U.S. soldiers as a whole ARE NOT mercenaries. To say they are IMHO is just not understanding what it really means to be a soldier.

[BoogyMan]

Well said Elrathin. The US military, while volunteer, is NOT a band of mercenaries.

[PatrickHenry]

Well said Elrathin. The US military, while volunteer, is NOT a band of mercenaries.
Wrong. Some are. The Mexicans who sign up for the money are not American patriots.

Sometimes they get a US citizenship out of it. That's another bribe. Mercenaries...not citizen/soldiers.