HEY DU...I have an Idea...tell me what you think?

[spin]

97. The function of our military is to be largely a deterrent. ...

The decision of when and how to use our military forces is up to our elected political leadership. The military does not start wars on its own but follows orders. If you do not wish to see our military "reeking death and destruction on millions of other human beings" then assign the blame to the people we elect. The number of people in Congress who have served in the military is now only 20%, the lowest level since WWII. Perhaps if that number was higher, we would not be as willing to go around looking a fight all over the world.

I know several young men who joined the military recently. One of the reasons they enlisted was the bleak employment situation in our nation today. A high percentage of those who do volunteer for the military do not come from wealthy families or have the money to go to college. Facing limited opportunities they join the armed forces and hope to gain skills that will enable to them to find good jobs after their enlistment is up. Many take advantage of the educational programs offered while in the military and after.

I don't think many soldiers wish to be sent to some hell hole to fight but they willing accept the sacrifices that this involves both to themselves and to their families. They have and deserve my admiration and my respect.

Our military has been sent in recent years to invade and fight in foreign nations and after the initial mission is complete they are tasked with rebuilding these nations and helping them to adopt a democratic form of government despite the fact that their culture is far different from ours and lacks the background to establish a well functioning democracy. During this second phase of the mission we often find our military suffers far more deaths and injuries than in the first phase.

Unfortunately when those WE SENT to accomplish the impossible return,they have often suffered severe debilitating injuries, suffer from PTSD or arrive in body bags. Those who survive but suffer physical or psychological injuries often find it difficult to get the necessary treatment to aid their recovery as it almost seems that our political leaders view them as just cannon fodder and that they have served their purpose. Our leaders seem reluctant to properly finance the agencies that are responsible for aiding those who we sent to fight for us and to insure that these agencies are well managed. Perhaps they believe that the money should be invested elsewhere.

You have a right to your opinion just as I do. You seem to be insinuating that our military is largely composed of blood thirsty killers looking for an opportunity to rape, pillage and destroy. I disagree. I feel our military has established tight rules of engagement and does its best to avoid civilian causalities even when that places our soldiers in extreme danger. Unfortunately innocent people do die in warfare. War IS hell.

I feel that our nation should only send our military to fight and die when it is truly necessary and directly involves a threat to our nation. We often overreach when we try to be the police force for the entire world. Unfortunately we are the most powerful nation in the world (at this time). Sometimes we have to step up to the plate and do our best to intervene in a crisis occurring far from our shores but we should be damn careful when we do so that we are actually needed and that the situation is serious enough to justify the expense and effort.