Why do people claim the military "risks their lives" to "protect our freedoms"?

[cnm]

Strictly a matter of opinion. Maybe the US prevents Philippine "leaders" from trampling on the rights of the people. Actually I think the Japanese were probably the biggest rights trampler and we helped send them packing.

Hilarity. You do know the .45 was developed as an army round because the .38 wasn't 'stopping' 'rebels' in the Philippines?

 

[Mad Scientist]

I only risked my health parting and chasing wimmen all over the Pacific.

 

[ChrisL]

Freedom is an inherent human right. And unless a force to be reckoned with preserves that right a tyrant will interpret his or her freedom to mean freedom to persecute those who he/she does not deem worthy. You do not owe anyone anything for your freedoms, but through sacrifice you may ensure those freedoms for the next generation. The real issue is that people live in a magical world where inherent rights are free. Just the opposite, inherent rights are costly because they contradict the natural instinct of man to rule.

Freedoms just another word for nothin else to lose

Er, no it is not. Mr. President's post was correct.

Maybe not....but its Good enough for me and my Bobby McGhee

 

[9thIDdoc]

Hilarity. You do know the .45 was developed as an army round because the .38 wasn't 'stopping' 'rebels' in the Philippines?

Absolutely! That was a great improvement. But once again totally beside the point. Locals are about as likely to attempt to enslave the people as anyone else.

 

[cnm]

Hilarity. You do know the .45 was developed as an army round because the .38 wasn't 'stopping' 'rebels' in the Philippines?

Absolutely! That was a great improvement. But once again totally beside the point. Locals are about as likely to attempt to enslave the people as anyone else.

But it was tyrannical US soldiers shooting and waterboarding Philippinos in this case. Because Philippine leaders could not prevent the US from doing so and thereby guarantee Philippinos their inherent rights.

Really, that whole argument is internally contradictory with both 'inherent rights' and 'natural instinct to rule'. A very US position.

 

[9thIDdoc]

"But it was tyrannical US soldiers shooting and waterboarding Philippinos in this case. Because Philippine leaders could not prevent the US from doing so and thereby guarantee Philippinos their inherent rights.
Really, that whole argument is internally contradictory with both 'inherent rights' and 'natural instinct to rule'. A very US position."

Tell me about it. I live in the Southern part of America and I'm pretty sure the US government shot more of my ancestors than yours (assuming you're Philippino.).

 

[dadsgm]

The vast majority of military members go their entire careers without seeing combat. The rise of drone warfare means an increasing number of those who do are still risking not much more than a tax payer bought robot. None of our recent wars actually had anything to do with defending the United States or its citizens' freedom. Afghanistan was supposedly about finding bin Ladin. Iraq was about kicking Saddam out of power to find his non-existent chemical weapons and a few billion tons worth of oil for Bush's butt buddies. The newest Iraq war will be to try to fix the problem of the massive army of genocidal conservative crazies our most recent fuck up there created.

Wouldn't it be more accurate to thank our troops for the sacrifice of six years they could have spent going to college to go out and risk occasional inconvenience for our national oiligarchs' bank accounts?

Thank you for the limited thought provoking and un-logical post. Many do not see direct combat during there service because of their role in support of the combat troops. Those support troops are doing that terrible personnel work, pay , purchasing, testing, distributing rations, fuel, ammunition, repairing vehicles and equipment and in general anything that will keep the combat soldier, alive, paid, fed and equipped.

Your comment is relative to the thought of one who if called to serve would run for the closest door or exit to a foreign country - in other words a non thinking coward.

 

[MikeK]

I understand. We can agree to disagree. Disagreement is not a sin. We see it differently, and that's fine. I respect your opinion and your right to express it. By the way, I was sent notice that I was about to be drafted into the Army, so I signed up for the Marine Corps instead. So, no, I did not volunteer. I was drafted, but chose a different branch of the service in order to get a better deal.

I joined the Corps in 1956. I hadn't received my draft notice but it was a matter of time. Also, my father's Army unit was among those that relieved the Marines on Guadalcanal and his praise for the Marines all over the Pacific planted the Gung Ho seed in me.

I was in from '56 to '60. Peacetime. I've always regarded my service as a duty and I consider myself very lucky because my Inactive Reserve obligation ended in '62 and I thus avoided the Vietnam debacle. Because neither that nor the current outrages in the Middle East have anything to do with preserving our freedom. Nothing!

Further, I have no doubt that if the draft were still active Bush could not have gotten Congressional approval to invade Iraq.

 

[9thIDdoc]

Everyone has a right to an opinion. Even an idiotic one like Mikey's.

 

[PratchettFan]

I understand. We can agree to disagree. Disagreement is not a sin. We see it differently, and that's fine. I respect your opinion and your right to express it. By the way, I was sent notice that I was about to be drafted into the Army, so I signed up for the Marine Corps instead. So, no, I did not volunteer. I was drafted, but chose a different branch of the service in order to get a better deal.

I joined the Corps in 1956. I hadn't received my draft notice but it was a matter of time. Also, my father's Army unit was among those that relieved the Marines on Guadalcanal and his praise for the Marines all over the Pacific planted the Gung Ho seed in me.

I was in from '56 to '60. Peacetime. I've always regarded my service as a duty and I consider myself very lucky because my Inactive Reserve obligation ended in '62 and I thus avoided the Vietnam debacle. Because neither that nor the current outrages in the Middle East have anything to do with preserving our freedom. Nothing!

Further, I have no doubt that if the draft were still active Bush could not have gotten Congressional approval to invade Iraq.

It is not the role of the military to decide its mission. If you disagree with the mission, talk to the politicians. That does not change the simple fact that our military is the defense of our freedom whether you like any given mission or not. Its very existence is a defense, and the people who raise their hand are the reason it exists. Your argument simply demonstrates the sacrifice they make, because they do so knowing some politician may throw their life away.

 

[rightwinger]

I understand. We can agree to disagree. Disagreement is not a sin. We see it differently, and that's fine. I respect your opinion and your right to express it. By the way, I was sent notice that I was about to be drafted into the Army, so I signed up for the Marine Corps instead. So, no, I did not volunteer. I was drafted, but chose a different branch of the service in order to get a better deal.

I joined the Corps in 1956. I hadn't received my draft notice but it was a matter of time. Also, my father's Army unit was among those that relieved the Marines on Guadalcanal and his praise for the Marines all over the Pacific planted the Gung Ho seed in me.

I was in from '56 to '60. Peacetime. I've always regarded my service as a duty and I consider myself very lucky because my Inactive Reserve obligation ended in '62 and I thus avoided the Vietnam debacle. Because neither that nor the current outrages in the Middle East have anything to do with preserving our freedom. Nothing!

Further, I have no doubt that if the draft were still active Bush could not have gotten Congressional approval to invade Iraq.

It is not the role of the military to decide its mission. If you disagree with the mission, talk to the politicians. That does not change the simple fact that our military is the defense of our freedom whether you like any given mission or not. Its very existence is a defense, and the people who raise their hand are the reason it exists. Your argument simply demonstrates the sacrifice they make, because they do so knowing some politician may throw their life away.

Do you mean freedom or security?

If you mean freedom, which freedoms have they been protecting? The right to vote? Free speech? Freedom of religion? Freedom of the press?

Which freedoms of ours have been threatened and what did the military do to protect them?

 

[hortysir]

The vast majority of military members go their entire careers without seeing combat. The rise of drone warfare means an increasing number of those who do are still risking not much more than a tax payer bought robot. None of our recent wars actually had anything to do with defending the United States or its citizens' freedom. Afghanistan was supposedly about finding bin Ladin. Iraq was about kicking Saddam out of power to find his non-existent chemical weapons and a few billion tons worth of oil for Bush's butt buddies. The newest Iraq war will be to try to fix the problem of the massive army of genocidal conservative crazies our most recent fuck up there created.

Wouldn't it be more accurate to thank our troops for the sacrifice of six years they could have spent going to college to go out and risk occasional inconvenience for our national oiligarchs' bank accounts?

Because there is ALWAYS a risk, asswipe.

Google USS Iowa 47

You're welcome

 

[hortysir]

I understand. We can agree to disagree. Disagreement is not a sin. We see it differently, and that's fine. I respect your opinion and your right to express it. By the way, I was sent notice that I was about to be drafted into the Army, so I signed up for the Marine Corps instead. So, no, I did not volunteer. I was drafted, but chose a different branch of the service in order to get a better deal.

I joined the Corps in 1956. I hadn't received my draft notice but it was a matter of time. Also, my father's Army unit was among those that relieved the Marines on Guadalcanal and his praise for the Marines all over the Pacific planted the Gung Ho seed in me.

I was in from '56 to '60. Peacetime. I've always regarded my service as a duty and I consider myself very lucky because my Inactive Reserve obligation ended in '62 and I thus avoided the Vietnam debacle. Because neither that nor the current outrages in the Middle East have anything to do with preserving our freedom. Nothing!

Further, I have no doubt that if the draft were still active Bush could not have gotten Congressional approval to invade Iraq.

It is not the role of the military to decide its mission. If you disagree with the mission, talk to the politicians. That does not change the simple fact that our military is the defense of our freedom whether you like any given mission or not. Its very existence is a defense, and the people who raise their hand are the reason it exists. Your argument simply demonstrates the sacrifice they make, because they do so knowing some politician may throw their life away.

Do you mean freedom or security?

If you mean freedom, which freedoms have they been protecting? The right to vote? Free speech? Freedom of religion? Freedom of the press?

Which freedoms of ours have been threatened and what did the military do to protect them?

You could be living under Japanese or Nazi law

 

[rightwinger]

I understand. We can agree to disagree. Disagreement is not a sin. We see it differently, and that's fine. I respect your opinion and your right to express it. By the way, I was sent notice that I was about to be drafted into the Army, so I signed up for the Marine Corps instead. So, no, I did not volunteer. I was drafted, but chose a different branch of the service in order to get a better deal.

I joined the Corps in 1956. I hadn't received my draft notice but it was a matter of time. Also, my father's Army unit was among those that relieved the Marines on Guadalcanal and his praise for the Marines all over the Pacific planted the Gung Ho seed in me.

I was in from '56 to '60. Peacetime. I've always regarded my service as a duty and I consider myself very lucky because my Inactive Reserve obligation ended in '62 and I thus avoided the Vietnam debacle. Because neither that nor the current outrages in the Middle East have anything to do with preserving our freedom. Nothing!

Further, I have no doubt that if the draft were still active Bush could not have gotten Congressional approval to invade Iraq.

It is not the role of the military to decide its mission. If you disagree with the mission, talk to the politicians. That does not change the simple fact that our military is the defense of our freedom whether you like any given mission or not. Its very existence is a defense, and the people who raise their hand are the reason it exists. Your argument simply demonstrates the sacrifice they make, because they do so knowing some politician may throw their life away.

Do you mean freedom or security?

If you mean freedom, which freedoms have they been protecting? The right to vote? Free speech? Freedom of religion? Freedom of the press?

Which freedoms of ours have been threatened and what did the military do to protect them?

You could be living under Japanese or Nazi law

Actually, no I couldn't

At no point were the Nazis or Japanese capable of invading the continental US

 

[PratchettFan]

I understand. We can agree to disagree. Disagreement is not a sin. We see it differently, and that's fine. I respect your opinion and your right to express it. By the way, I was sent notice that I was about to be drafted into the Army, so I signed up for the Marine Corps instead. So, no, I did not volunteer. I was drafted, but chose a different branch of the service in order to get a better deal.

I joined the Corps in 1956. I hadn't received my draft notice but it was a matter of time. Also, my father's Army unit was among those that relieved the Marines on Guadalcanal and his praise for the Marines all over the Pacific planted the Gung Ho seed in me.

I was in from '56 to '60. Peacetime. I've always regarded my service as a duty and I consider myself very lucky because my Inactive Reserve obligation ended in '62 and I thus avoided the Vietnam debacle. Because neither that nor the current outrages in the Middle East have anything to do with preserving our freedom. Nothing!

Further, I have no doubt that if the draft were still active Bush could not have gotten Congressional approval to invade Iraq.

It is not the role of the military to decide its mission. If you disagree with the mission, talk to the politicians. That does not change the simple fact that our military is the defense of our freedom whether you like any given mission or not. Its very existence is a defense, and the people who raise their hand are the reason it exists. Your argument simply demonstrates the sacrifice they make, because they do so knowing some politician may throw their life away.

Do you mean freedom or security?

If you mean freedom, which freedoms have they been protecting? The right to vote? Free speech? Freedom of religion? Freedom of the press?

Which freedoms of ours have been threatened and what did the military do to protect them?

Yes. All of those things are protected. You don't have freedom without security. All of our freedoms are threatened all of the time. If you don't get that you have never opened a history book, or didn't understand what you read.

 

[PratchettFan]

I understand. We can agree to disagree. Disagreement is not a sin. We see it differently, and that's fine. I respect your opinion and your right to express it. By the way, I was sent notice that I was about to be drafted into the Army, so I signed up for the Marine Corps instead. So, no, I did not volunteer. I was drafted, but chose a different branch of the service in order to get a better deal.

I joined the Corps in 1956. I hadn't received my draft notice but it was a matter of time. Also, my father's Army unit was among those that relieved the Marines on Guadalcanal and his praise for the Marines all over the Pacific planted the Gung Ho seed in me.

I was in from '56 to '60. Peacetime. I've always regarded my service as a duty and I consider myself very lucky because my Inactive Reserve obligation ended in '62 and I thus avoided the Vietnam debacle. Because neither that nor the current outrages in the Middle East have anything to do with preserving our freedom. Nothing!

Further, I have no doubt that if the draft were still active Bush could not have gotten Congressional approval to invade Iraq.

It is not the role of the military to decide its mission. If you disagree with the mission, talk to the politicians. That does not change the simple fact that our military is the defense of our freedom whether you like any given mission or not. Its very existence is a defense, and the people who raise their hand are the reason it exists. Your argument simply demonstrates the sacrifice they make, because they do so knowing some politician may throw their life away.

Do you mean freedom or security?

If you mean freedom, which freedoms have they been protecting? The right to vote? Free speech? Freedom of religion? Freedom of the press?

Which freedoms of ours have been threatened and what did the military do to protect them?

You could be living under Japanese or Nazi law

Actually, no I couldn't

At no point were the Nazis or Japanese capable of invading the continental US

Why weren't they capable?

 

[rightwinger]

I understand. We can agree to disagree. Disagreement is not a sin. We see it differently, and that's fine. I respect your opinion and your right to express it. By the way, I was sent notice that I was about to be drafted into the Army, so I signed up for the Marine Corps instead. So, no, I did not volunteer. I was drafted, but chose a different branch of the service in order to get a better deal.

I joined the Corps in 1956. I hadn't received my draft notice but it was a matter of time. Also, my father's Army unit was among those that relieved the Marines on Guadalcanal and his praise for the Marines all over the Pacific planted the Gung Ho seed in me.

I was in from '56 to '60. Peacetime. I've always regarded my service as a duty and I consider myself very lucky because my Inactive Reserve obligation ended in '62 and I thus avoided the Vietnam debacle. Because neither that nor the current outrages in the Middle East have anything to do with preserving our freedom. Nothing!

Further, I have no doubt that if the draft were still active Bush could not have gotten Congressional approval to invade Iraq.

It is not the role of the military to decide its mission. If you disagree with the mission, talk to the politicians. That does not change the simple fact that our military is the defense of our freedom whether you like any given mission or not. Its very existence is a defense, and the people who raise their hand are the reason it exists. Your argument simply demonstrates the sacrifice they make, because they do so knowing some politician may throw their life away.

Do you mean freedom or security?

If you mean freedom, which freedoms have they been protecting? The right to vote? Free speech? Freedom of religion? Freedom of the press?

Which freedoms of ours have been threatened and what did the military do to protect them?

Yes. All of those things are protected. You don't have freedom without security. All of our freedoms are threatened all of the time. If you don't get that you have never opened a history book, or didn't understand what you read.

I have opened many history books

At what point in the last 200 years has someone threatened to invade our country and take away peoples freedom of speech, assembly, right to vote, freedom of religion or press?

The only times in the last 200 years those freedoms were threatened, it came from within, not from an invading force

 

[rightwinger]

I joined the Corps in 1956. I hadn't received my draft notice but it was a matter of time. Also, my father's Army unit was among those that relieved the Marines on Guadalcanal and his praise for the Marines all over the Pacific planted the Gung Ho seed in me.

I was in from '56 to '60. Peacetime. I've always regarded my service as a duty and I consider myself very lucky because my Inactive Reserve obligation ended in '62 and I thus avoided the Vietnam debacle. Because neither that nor the current outrages in the Middle East have anything to do with preserving our freedom. Nothing!

Further, I have no doubt that if the draft were still active Bush could not have gotten Congressional approval to invade Iraq.

It is not the role of the military to decide its mission. If you disagree with the mission, talk to the politicians. That does not change the simple fact that our military is the defense of our freedom whether you like any given mission or not. Its very existence is a defense, and the people who raise their hand are the reason it exists. Your argument simply demonstrates the sacrifice they make, because they do so knowing some politician may throw their life away.

Do you mean freedom or security?

If you mean freedom, which freedoms have they been protecting? The right to vote? Free speech? Freedom of religion? Freedom of the press?

Which freedoms of ours have been threatened and what did the military do to protect them?

You could be living under Japanese or Nazi law

Actually, no I couldn't

At no point were the Nazis or Japanese capable of invading the continental US

Why weren't they capable?

Logistics

 

[PratchettFan]

I understand. We can agree to disagree. Disagreement is not a sin. We see it differently, and that's fine. I respect your opinion and your right to express it. By the way, I was sent notice that I was about to be drafted into the Army, so I signed up for the Marine Corps instead. So, no, I did not volunteer. I was drafted, but chose a different branch of the service in order to get a better deal.

I joined the Corps in 1956. I hadn't received my draft notice but it was a matter of time. Also, my father's Army unit was among those that relieved the Marines on Guadalcanal and his praise for the Marines all over the Pacific planted the Gung Ho seed in me.

I was in from '56 to '60. Peacetime. I've always regarded my service as a duty and I consider myself very lucky because my Inactive Reserve obligation ended in '62 and I thus avoided the Vietnam debacle. Because neither that nor the current outrages in the Middle East have anything to do with preserving our freedom. Nothing!

Further, I have no doubt that if the draft were still active Bush could not have gotten Congressional approval to invade Iraq.

It is not the role of the military to decide its mission. If you disagree with the mission, talk to the politicians. That does not change the simple fact that our military is the defense of our freedom whether you like any given mission or not. Its very existence is a defense, and the people who raise their hand are the reason it exists. Your argument simply demonstrates the sacrifice they make, because they do so knowing some politician may throw their life away.

Do you mean freedom or security?

If you mean freedom, which freedoms have they been protecting? The right to vote? Free speech? Freedom of religion? Freedom of the press?

Which freedoms of ours have been threatened and what did the military do to protect them?

Yes. All of those things are protected. You don't have freedom without security. All of our freedoms are threatened all of the time. If you don't get that you have never opened a history book, or didn't understand what you read.

I have opened many history books

At what point in the last 200 years has someone threatened to invade our country and take away peoples freedom of speech, assembly, right to vote, freedom of religion or press?

The only times in the last 200 years those freedoms were threatened, it came from within, not from an invading force

I misspoke. I should have said read. In response to your question, WWII our territory was not only threatened, it was invaded. The only reason we were not over run was because of our military. The reason no one has made any serious attempt was because of our military.

 

[PratchettFan]

It is not the role of the military to decide its mission. If you disagree with the mission, talk to the politicians. That does not change the simple fact that our military is the defense of our freedom whether you like any given mission or not. Its very existence is a defense, and the people who raise their hand are the reason it exists. Your argument simply demonstrates the sacrifice they make, because they do so knowing some politician may throw their life away.

Do you mean freedom or security?

If you mean freedom, which freedoms have they been protecting? The right to vote? Free speech? Freedom of religion? Freedom of the press?

Which freedoms of ours have been threatened and what did the military do to protect them?

You could be living under Japanese or Nazi law

Actually, no I couldn't

At no point were the Nazis or Japanese capable of invading the continental US

Why weren't they capable?

Logistics

Nonsense. What material would the Japanese have needed if there was no opposition to them?