What's with the 'thanks for your service' and such to soldiers etc

[Gnrl Kitty]

If the us did not give the Taliban guns, they wouldent even have to be there right now

Does that undermine my point in some way?

[Sauron]

some say even ww2 and Nazism in europe was done by corporates to stop communism from shredding in europe and to review the us economy 

 

...well that would be a little far fetched considering the us then allied with russia to pwn Hitler... if killing off comunism was their goal they would probably have done their best to prevent us intervention if not to have them side with Adolf... communism became a "problem" later down the line.

 

To add to your point, the actions of soldiers in the Middle East have if anything made the US less safe.  Even if the soldiers had no malicious intent when they joined up for service.

 

true dat

[stconquest]

No, but we'll be thanking them when North Korea decides to go even further with their terrorism. People in the US military know they are taking a chance at facing danger to protect their country, and that's something commendable.

 

God forbid people be thankful, and God forbid people actually believe that the country they were born in is a great and wonderful place.

 

Let's all just live in misery since people can't handle another nation's patriotism without crying about it.

 

That's not what I was talking about. I was talking about them trying to prevent the movie from releasing. It's taking away freedoms that people have and that's an act of terrorism.

What are you talking about? :unsure:

 

Remember:  War is bad.

[Hans Christian | Teri]

I have the utmost respect for our soldiers, even if I don't agree with the battles they are fighting. They are risking their lives so I can sit comfortably in my home and that in my opinion definitely warrants at least a "Thank you".

[Unhelpful]

Veteran here, stop saying thanks for your service, it's annoying as fuck.

Yeah... Not everybody feels like that. Most people don't. So I'll keep saying it. Thank you for your service. Dick.

[Misanthrope]

War is bad.  Soldiers are just people.  Soldiers that retain "who" they were before entering a war theater deserve accolade... it is just that it will usually be hard to tell who the "true" soldiers are.

That kind of thinking and absolution of responsibilities leads to situations like Serbia.

[stconquest]

That kind of thinking and absolution of responsibilities leads to situations like Serbia.

How's that?  There are/were many situations in Serbia.

[Misanthrope]

How's that?

 

"Soldiers are just people" leads to "Soldiers are just following orders" which leads to "Soldiers killed innocents cause they were ordered to" then leads to "Soldiers raped and tortured innocents cause it was a difficult situation" and you just keep going down the slippery slope and you end with horrible war crimes and atrocities which nobody wants to be accountable for, because we gotta "support the troops!"

[Whorax]

What are you talking about? :unsure:

 

Remember:  War is bad.

I said in my previous post what I was talking about when I mentioned North Korea, did I not?

 

War might be bad, but sometimes it's necessary depending on the circumstances. When and if a terroristic nation such as North Korea crosses certain boundaries such as harming innocent citizens of any country, it's then time to take action.

 

EDIT: This conversation has nothing to contribute to the original topic of discussion that the OP asked. I was merely making an example to the person I originally quoted of a situation in which people in military service deserve respect and thanks.

[stconquest]

"Soldiers are just people" leads to "Soldiers are just following orders" which leads to "Soldiers killed innocents cause they were ordered to" then leads to "Soldiers raped and tortured innocents cause it was a difficult situation" and you just keep going down the slippery slope and you end with horrible war crimes and atrocities which nobody wants to be accountable for, because we gotta "support the troops!"

Holy shit, you are so far off my meaning. 

[Misanthrope]

Holy shit, you are so far off my meaning.

Seemingly yes, and granted short of Nazi Germany, Serbia was one of the worst examples one can possibly come up with. However don't you think the fact that water boarding, unlawful imprisonment and sexual abuse becoming the norm in Abu Ghraib and the general population in America not only not being outraged but going as far as doubling up in their support of the troops and such is completely disconnected with overly patriotic and romanticized idealization of the military by society? I do not think so: there's no worst blind man than the one who just does not wishes to see. 

[stconquest]

I said in my previous post what I was talking about when I mentioned North Korea, did I not?

 

War might be bad, but sometimes it's necessary depending on the circumstances. When and if a terroristic nation such as North Korea crosses certain boundaries such as harming innocent citizens of any country, it's then time to take action.

 

EDIT: This conversation has nothing to contribute to the original topic of discussion that the OP asked. I was merely making an example to the person I originally quoted of a situation in which people in military service deserve respect and thanks.

Let's try this:

 

War is never necessary,  defense against aggressors is.  Soldiers that wage war cause more problems than they solve.  Soldiers that systemically differentiate a good fight, from a bad one successfully, are "true" soldiers (just to somewhat clarify).  There is nothing wrong with thanking a so called "true" soldier.

 

So, let's say North Korea funded an attack to stop a movie from being screened.  You are ready to go to war?  You are NOT a true soldier.

[stconquest]

Seemingly yes, and granted short of Nazi Germany, Serbia was one of the worst examples one can possibly come up with. However don't you think the fact that water boarding, unlawful imprisonment and sexual abuse becoming the norm in Abu Ghraib and the general population in America not only not being outraged but going as far as doubling up in their support of the troops and such is completely disconnected with overly patriotic and romanticized idealization of the military by society? I do not think so: there's no worst blind man than the one who just does not wishes to see. 

I think the "support our troops" thing is crap.  Okay?  (I really mean that)

[Gnrl Kitty]

The WW2 soldiers definitely deserve the thanks of everyone in my opinion.. without U.S. intervention that whole situation would have only gotten worse and worse...

Btw: Hello Officer. Nice talking to you. Keep the streets safe!

Well... historians would almost entirely disagree with that.  US resources were incredibly helpful to the war effort, but they didn't win the war, and certainly not the soldiers.  Though the idea they were fighting for alone makes thanking them for their service worthwhile.  US forces just happened to be there at the fall of Berlin.  Had the US never entered the war (and remember, they joined very late) Russia would have eventually won.  After late 1940, Germany had no hopes of ever coming close to overpowering Britain' defenses. Hitler literally decimated the Luftwaffe in the process of trying. The continuous shipping raids would have eventually started to resource starve Britain, but that was permanently eliminated as a threat after radar in 1942.  Germany vs. Britain was effectively a stalemate.  Inevitably Russia would have stormed Berlin after The Battle of Stalingrad, which had marked the impending end of WWII.  It's kinda unfortunate, but not enough people have ever been told about what actually happened to Russia during the end of the war.  They literally moved their ENTIRE population to the other side of the continent.  Rebuilt their ENTIRE army, starved to death during one of Russia's coldest winters, AND THEN decimated the German army SO BADLY that German forces had to be diverted from the eastern front to keep up with the number of people dying to Russia's (effectively) only populated city.  Russia was willing to kill its' entire population to end the German war machine.  Stalin once said "In the Soviet Army, it takes more courage to retreat than advance."  This is because the Red Army had "penal battalions" called "shtrafbat" that would shoot soldiers on site if caught attempting an unauthorized retreat.  Russia ultimately crushed the German army, but by the end of the war, Russian deaths attributed to 1/3 of the casualty rate for the entire war, spread out among 61 countries.  Germany lost 7-9 million people.  Russia lost a staggering to imagine 22-28 million.

[Misanthrope]

I think the "support our troops" thing is crap.  Okay?  (I really mean that)

 

Well I was not specifically directing that are you only, I'm just exploring the argument of being forgiving and uncritical of the military being a serious problem for Americans and in my opinion directly connected to their attitude and all those "thank the troops" attitudes. 

[stconquest]

Well I was not specifically directing that are you only, I'm just exploring the argument of being forgiving and uncritical of the military being a serious problem for Americans and in my opinion directly connected to their attitude and all those "thank the troops" attitudes. 

I agree completely.  Total "Psy-Ops" crap.  (Psychological Operation)

[Whorax]

Let's try this:

 

War is never necessary,  defense against aggressors is.  Soldiers that wage war cause more problems than solve any.  Soldiers that systemically differentiate a good fight, from a bad one successfully are "true" soldiers (just to somewhat clarify).  There is nothing wrong with thanking a so called "true" soldier.

 

So, let's say North Korea funded  an attack to stop a movie from being screened.  You are ready to go to war?  You are NOT a true soldier.

It's the same as war. If calling war "defense against aggressors" makes you feel better then by all means call it that.

 

If NK funded an attack to harm innocent citizens you're damn right I'd go to war. It's called combatting terrorism. By the way, who are you to deem someone a "true" soldier? Have you done some immaculate feat for your country that you can tell someone whether they're a soldier or not? Everyone has their personal reasons for joining the military, and just because you don't agree with them doesn't make them wrong.

 

Don't try to talk me into believing what you believe because it isn't going to happen, especially when your ideas are so shallow.

[Thorium19]

I've had, and still have relatives in the armed forces and they all frown upon people who say thank you all the time, although that's very few and far between in the UK.

[stconquest]

It's the same as war. If calling war "defense against aggressors" makes you feel better then by all means call it that.

 

If NK funded an attack to harm innocent citizens you're damn right I'd go to war. It's called combatting terrorism. By the way, who are you to deem someone a "true" soldier? Have you done some immaculate feat for your country that you can tell someone whether they're a soldier or not? Everyone has their personal reasons for joining the military, and just because you don't agree with them doesn't make them wrong.

 

Don't try to talk me into believing what you believe because it isn't going to happen, especially when your ideas are so shallow.

Whoa.  How many countries should declare war against the USA?... to combat "terrorism".

 

...and I am not gonna get into an "insult match" with you... I am better than that.

 

 

 

 

VVV

okay

VVV

[Whorax]

Whoa.  How many countries should declare war against the USA?... to combat "terrorism".

 

...and I am not gonna get into an "insult match" with you... I am better than that.

Well you've already engaged in a pissing contest with me, so you might as well throw your I'm better than you bullshit attitude away. Stop stirring the pot. Your views and opinions are no better than anyone else's, so stop acting like it.

 

Actually, if you're "better than that" then why are you saying that people aren't "true" soldiers? As you apparently call them. That's quite insulting in my opinion.

 

Like I said earlier but you must not have read it, everyone has a reason for joining the military. As far as I'm concerned that makes them a "true" soldier.