Yes, well of course we don’t want people talking about the horrors of combat too much. Exposing those continuing realities of wasted lives gets in the way of the propaganda that gets young men to join and become a “Marine Corp family” (which to me means nothing but a matching set of nationalism-blinders.)
Don’t whine—she says.
“Serve” no matter where they send you and kill whomever. For the most part keep it to brown people on the other side of the world. Bend over and do your dooty (sic)—don’t ask for lube— and certainly not Truth.
And, if you behave, we’ll give you that clever twist prize of “Pride” that you “served” your country — no matter how evil the goals — Vietnam, Iraq or the other 750 military bases around the world ready to kill for “democracy” and “freedom”.
For full disclosure on my side, I refused to even register with the Death Lottery because even at 17 I saw what bullshit that war. I, alas, had friends whose critical thinking was not as developed. The “gooks” they were sent to kill in their homeland shot back.
I've tried to teach my sons what the War Racket is really about.
The slant of your thinking has certainly emerged in this diatribe.
The nits you pick are crowbarred all over the place to fit your narrative, spiced with hyperbole, that I cannot (will not) get caught up in trying to point by point disassemble.
Call me weak, I come from a “Peace Loving family”, —who know that the "Defense" Department is really the Military-Industrial Complex and wepons are all we make anymore— but I have to direct my future writing energies and thinking elsewhere—and not debate Babylon and suicide bombings with someone who resorts to Godwin’s law in her arguments, but ignores apartheid and Nakba.
[Example: “Hezbollah blew up 250 sleeping Marines and French guys when I was in, suicide bomb like Hamas, thus the root then out and kill them urge." Pardon me but WTF were you doing there? I’m sure you or the State Department can justify with freedom and democracy, but I call BS.]
I have been dissenting and working against the typical blind U.S. militarist solution you propose my whole life.
That perspective loves dissenters in other countries but hates them here. Elevate Navalny and his questionable CIA support to hero status, but try to kill Assange.
I am personally delighted to see the voices of dissent finally rising up in the country again—voices which have been pacified, election after election, to accept less and less, to be disregarded by the system that serves the wealthy.
This country is in obvious trouble, as it deserves to be based on its behavior.
Summed up: My view of this game you are part of was all perfectly explosed in 1935 by the highly decorated Major General Smedly Butler in his work “The War Racket”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzr5pW21a7U
Footnotes:
A guy you won't like:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzEuJJhRqeJ/
Here's another guy you won’t like —https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2h1KBACjHu/?igsh=MTJpZGZicXFudmd4dQ==
Maybe one you’ll like:
https://youtu.be/N0DvO72fuG4?t=23
(Except maybe that part about “the whole of Palestine handed to them on a silver platter.)
And . . .
You’ll be happy to hear that Donald Trump has joined your team — declaring that Israel must “finish the problem” in its war against Hamas.
I don't feel like I have a lot of time. I don't think this country/planet do either.
Carry on.
As I will from my small corner of the world.
