Merry Christmas

what about the rest of the military? Soldiers=Army, so your saying fuck the Air force Marines and Navy :X

Oh god, source please..

I don't get why people insist that being a soldier is honourable. Especially if they're sent to some far off country that their own homeland have no business in.

About 10% of the us population can join, of that only 1% actually stand, that to me makes an honorable person.

I'm sorry, could you rephrase that. I am not sure I completely understood your point.

Of the whole population of the United States, over the age of 18 and under 40, only about 10% of them will be able to join the Military, of that 10% only about 1% will swear the oath.

Alright. And what does this oath say? And does these same people get shipped off to foreign countries?

I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God. And depending on what you do may increase your chances to deploy. Being as i was in ADA i had a low chance but i went with and infantry unit.

Well I can get how defending your country is honourable. But plenty of soldiers gets shipped over to countries they have no business in. How is that honourable?

i felt bad for those soldiers being away from their families during the holidays, there are more professions out there that indeed have the same situation, i feel a lot less pity for doctors etc that are just running a shift on xmass-eve, they still get to spend the rest of the holidays spending time with loved ones..

it's not their fault that they get shipped where they don't belong, they're just following orders and doing their jobs, earning money to build a life.. this is honorable.

But they know what they signed up for.

still does not make it less honorable.. could you be away from everything and everyone for such a long period of time, especially if it's going against what you believe, following the most retarded orders, just so you can support yourself/family?

I can agree to this.

Well, that i have no answer to, and for that i am sorry. but because they are not here does not mean we can forget about them, that I think is the point. Because they are out of sight they should be out of mind.

I'm not saying they should be forgot about. All I am saying is that they really have no business there. And that applies to every soldier deployed in a foreign country.

What about Korea? Germany? Japan? we are there for protection of foreign assets.

Korea is okay because they are under the threat of N.Korea.

But Germany is now one of the most if not THE most stable country in Europe.

This applies to Japan too. You don't need soldiers there, really.

Good point, but if may make another, Japan is mainly a naval point. and Germany is a R&R spot for Korea.

Germany is a what spot for Korea?

And why do you need people stationed in Japan?

Germany is a Rest & Recuperation spot. Not JUST for Korea, for MANY places. They also have airbases which means their response time to tragedies in and around Europe are much quicker (Re: power projection)

Like he said Japan is a naval point, it ALSO provides a power projection point for the US navy in and around the Pacific. Also, after World War II the US took control of the Japanese military. Meaning they pay entirely for the equipment and the training, the US often does training exercises with the Japanese Defence Force.

Thanks.

because they dont risk there lives for your country.

pic kinda related?

Who gives you thumbs?
Because these men and women are sacrificing large amounts of time away from the people they love, and putting their lives on the line for their country, or something they believe in. They do so voluntarily and knowingly and that's what makes it even more honourable.

Fighting and dying for your country is only worth it if you truly and strongly believe in what your country is fighting for.
Any sane man would agree that no war is worth dying for, especially if this war is one of invasion and doesn't bring honour upon your country at all.
Do you really think that most soldiers in any army today believe in the cause they are fighting for? If they truly did, they'd volunteer without receiving payment.

That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Yeah, people are always willing to risk their lives for free. Coming home financially ruined is a small price to pay for having "truly" served your country. You're an idiot.

Who are you to say they don't believe it?
Any sane man? I would die in a war if it saved lives of people I love, does that make me insane?

Why would they volunteer without payment? Joining the military and being shipped off overseas doesn't mean you stop paying insurance, mortgage, lease payments. Doesn't mean you STOP having to pay for a family to eat, go to school, buy clothing.

They put their lives on the line not for the government's benefit. Being shipped off overseas won't save the lives of those you love.
As a soldier, you kill people. There is nothing honorable about that. To refer back to my earlier example, as an ER doctor, you save lives.
You're right about the payment, they do need to get paid. But it's still very lucrative to get a lot of money and be called a hero because you went overseas with the army to do fuck all.

I didn't say any current day war involving my country, Canada, WOULD. But you said any sane man would agree that NO war is worth dying for, which I completely disagree with.

As a soldier you can stabilize a nation, provide areas for schooling, accessible clean drinking water, build bridges, schools, etc. and yes you also kill people to protect those assets and open up new areas for new assets to HELP a country.

You think a military unit goes overseas for an overall goal of "Kill those people"? No, every mission has a goal and that goal is rarely ever to exterminate a group of people. The ISAF in Afghanistan (the International Coalition) is there to stabilize the region, provide support for the democratic government, and build infrastructure for a nation that was once ruled and oppressed by religious warlords. The international coalition's goal in Iraq has the exact same goals NOW, however that was not exactly the USA's goal to begin with. However, Suddam Hussein was committing ethnic cleansing, so whatever the reason the US had didn't matter, Suddam Hussein had to go.

You're one of those guys that attributes things from the World Wars to the conflicts of today, which is silly. These aren't wars to gain new territory, to gain capital, to become a superpower. These are wars to HELP people overseas who are being oppressed by murderous regimes.

If you think a soldier's salary is 'lucrative' maybe YOU are the one who is not sane.

The motives behind war don't change. The only reason any country would want to "help" another is for influence. Overthrow the current regime and install a regime in favour of your country. While annexing territory would be deemed as oppression towards a smaller power, expanding the influence of your nation, and thereby gaining access to resources, is the modern alternative. Of course I don't think that soldiers are sent to "kill the bad guys". That would be silly.

I think you're just a little angry that NATO bombed your country in the Yugoslav wars ;)

You're a pessimist. We have the UN and NATO that constantly work towards assisting other countries, no NATO country in the modern day has EVER 'annexed' another country. Any assets in a country are assets of that country's sovereign power, the US has never taken oil from Iraq or Libya or Afghanistan. You're being a cynic, you're saying that because a MULTI-national coalition has removed an oppressive 'regime', something that in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Libya could barely have been called a government, that was killing people and put in to place a democracy that is modelled after their own governments (Who, ya know, AREN'T mass murdering their own citizens) is because they want to increase their influence rather than because they (and by they I mean countries that have condemned the previous regime) do not feel comfortable with the previous regime and find it detriment to international safety is because they want to gain something? They're doing it to make sure that we don't have a violent government controlling millions of citizens. Imagine if we allowed every country to become something like Iran? Let them build nukes and have religiously oppresive regimes, how fucking FUCKED do you think the world would be!?

I don't really see a reason to discuss this issue with you further. It's clear that we have different points of view, and I see where you're coming from, but I stand by my thoughts.

Sorry, the not in the first sentence doesn't belong there.

Because as a soldier you have a risk of getting whacked?

because fisherman arent killing terrorists

Lol.

Neither are they killing civilians.

you make it sound like americas the only one who kills civilians.

I'm referring to soldiers in general.

well, american soldiers try their best to keep civilian casualties as low as possible. if youve ever watched any videos of apache operators while theyre hunting down insurgents, almost every other sentence is "he is armed" and usually somoone reminding only shoot at armed people.

its not like the completely disregard civilian life in order to kill their targets.

I know they don't. And that's not only american soldiers. That's soldiers in general, they try not to kill civilians unless they belong to some dictator or something but they tend to revolt at times.

I'm just saying that soldiers are putting civilian lives at stakes because civilians might get caught in the crossfire or they have the wrong intel.

I GOT FAR CRY 3

EMPEROR BE PRAISED!

Hey my best friend is currently stationed in Bliss. Thanks so much for your service and sacrifice!

I see what you did there

Holy shit, it's just a goddamn Christmas Greeting. Put your boner back in your pants and move along.

well that's true but in the comments it's more like heroizing the soldiers and their war. All these war-horny Cod-fanboys here never take a look on it from both sides. Everyone here is good in ignoring the reality. Because fuck yeah heros overseas.

Man, it's stressful being so far from home, in a country you barely know and with horrible living conditions for 6-12 months. I'm stationed overseas and I miss my family dearly, but I can't even imagine what they must be going through. I don't "heroize" anyone, but I do respect them for staying strong. And I'm not even touching on your first comment, because I don't want to have a stupid internet war of the political correctness of war. War sucks, people die. We're not the only country at war right now.

You know, I really start to think that everything is justified for people if it is something that fascinates people (like war). So everyone respects the soldiers and when civilians die it's just "war" and" how dare you blame a soldier for that" but nobody thinks about the countless civilians that got killed and I think it has something to do with games and movies that heroize the soldiers. I am sorry for you and I know a lot of soldiers got good intensions (not pride, money, respect, fun, idealism, hate) when they joined the military but I also know soldiers who brag about killing.

I don't promote this type of behavior in any way. Every so often you DO get one of those dumbasses who should not be handed a weapon and they commit horrible crimes. You can't brand the whole military off of one person. Most people are because they love their country they serve for and want to support their families back home, not aimlessly killing civilians. Think about it. It's the same type of thing like when people say that "Kids who play violent video games kill people", or "16 year olds are all maniacs on the roads." One bad person spoils the group. This is the same thing for the military. The media only reports on the horrible things a few people have done.

actually I never heared the media talking about how many civilians died in iraq, afghanistan etc.. but if a terrorist bombs himself its on the news everywhere. And I never said everyone is like that in the military. That would be ridiculous. Well but could you tell me in what way you support your family back home with invading a country thousands of miles away?

If you have never heard it from the media and you have never been there... Then where are you hearing it from? And of course a terrorist will be on the news. Americans hate terrorism and Americans love hearing things they hate. The soldiers support their families because they make money just like anyone with a job does. They don't choose to go out there though, deployments are done with alternating groups and sometimes even random. They have to make money somehow. And also, the soldiers aren't the ones deciding to invade. Blame the government if you don't approve of that. I'm sorry sir, but this is the last I'm replying to. This thread is ruining my Christmas spirit. Good bye.

It's stressful living in fear that you or your family could get caught by an american bullet at any time

Yeah, because American soldiers wake up everyday and say, "Boy, I feel like killing someone random today." I betcha they high five their bros and everything too! Nobody wants to hear a normal story of soldier's day to day lives deployed, all they want to hear is SCANDALS and how one dumbass PFC shouldn't have a gun and does something horrible. Then everyone back home rages about how everyone is a fucked up maniac. You are only shown what the media allows you to see. You have no idea what actually goes on over there.

well but I hope wont come in difficult situations and be home soon. I know how it is to be in horrible living conditions for years.

Look, dude. I don't wanna sound like a butthurt faggot but a lot of times things need to get worse before they get better. Ever hear "The blackest night is just before the dawn"? I'm canadian and we're in Afghanistan too, we can't just leave the Taliban there getting away with everything. Even if there's more killing now if we stopped them the killing would go way down as the Taliban would be gone.

according to our curriculum, in christmas 1914, they began to play football (soccer) on the battlefields as a means of ceasefire.

ah, yes, back when people weren't horrible douchebags...

True that, son.

But other parts of the trench were still firing but like miles down

I'm sorry, dude. I'm very fortunate and happy that my little brother was able to make it home.
I hope you and the rest of you family has a very merry Christmas wherever in the world they may reside.

I know, it will probably only get worse. No harm in hoping though.

Christmas tip: Avoid fast moving bullets.