Picture of the Day - 2
Jesus
Is
Love.
posted by mikevotes at
1:54 PM
About This Blog
This is not the America I was brought up to believe in. This blog seeks to highlight abuse of power, deception, corruption, and just plain bad ideas in government and corporations. Updated several times a day.
Previous Rantings
- Lampson wins TX-22 - Political quickhits
- Picture of the Day
- Coup attempt in Iraq? Sunnis forming militias?
- You don't hear about this.
- Whew! Inflation at bay from faltering economy.
- Picture of the Day - 4
- Iraqi leaders not happy with US military raid
- Picture of the Day - 3
- Hallucinating a Walmart in the Iraqi heat
- I have been the direct target of propaganda
8 Comments:
Mike
That's not really fair. Those soldiers are not the agents of the Theocratic, Scofield-contaminated, Xtianity that has infected a large number of American churches. Some may feel that they are on a mission from God but I would think that in large part most don't.
They are doing what they are commanded to do no matter what they think of the field operation they find themselves in at that time. The Nuremberg trials dealt only with high ranking officers not the boots on the ground soldier. Volunteer or conscript, once they are in a life or death situation they do what they have to stay alive. Israel is the only country that has killed foot soldiers of the German army. Kind of gives you a perspective on the type of morality they practice.
I fully understand your frustration Mike.
By
matt, at 3:40 PM
Nononononono...
I agree with you.
My intention was not to blast these guys, but the "Christians" who revel in their killing power. The "Christians" who worship at the alter of war.
I fully expect, hell, hope, that they defend themselves as best they can.
I feel like I've been too wordy lately, so I'm trying to tighten it all up, communicate with less. Unfortunately, this sometimes leads to miscommunication on my part.
Sorry.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 4:17 PM
Guy has a point about soldiers simply following orders, but on the flip side there are also soldiers who become concientious objectors based on their religious convictions against killing. Whether a person serves or opts out, I think most soldiers are basically decent people who struggle to serve God and their country and I don't blame them for doing what they have to do.
On the other hand, our government leaders who proclaim their christian convictions are another matter. They're hypocrites. Jesus would never approve of the mindless killing of children and civilians - or of a war waged for profit.
By
Kathy, at 4:33 PM
Mike, that's a clever visual.
Kathy:
"our government leaders who proclaim their christian convictions are another matter. They're hypocrites. Jesus would never approve of the mindless killing of children and civilians - or of a war waged for profit."
Exactly.
By
Clampett, at 4:36 PM
Kathy, I agree. Frankly, the soldiers don't really have a choice. Conscientious Objector is a very high hurdle, and, frankly, without a draft, it's a very, very difficult argument.
So, really their choice is to face potentially 10-20 years in the brig or go where they're told.
But, I do hold a very different standard to those who decide on wars.
And, Kafir, I believe this is your first comment here. Welcome!
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 5:49 PM
Mike was right the first time. Kathy is right. Kafir is right.
It is the fundamentalist, Christian nationalist mentality of our leaders and those who support them that is helping fuel this war of empire. These soldiers are "just obeying orders"? Those orders are unjust and illegal, because this war is unjust and illegal.
"Israel is the only country to have killed foot soldiers of the German army." Those would have been the "foot soldiers" who carried out the orders that made the Holocaust happen, I assume. I am against the death penalty, but I wonder how punishing those who carry out the orders to murder people in cold blood is somehow more immoral than punishing those who gave the orders.
By
QuakerDave, at 10:44 AM
I don't know Dave. That's a fair question. I don't have an answer.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 12:51 PM
When it comes to war crimes, with the exception of the post World War Two trials, very few of those who do the the planning and the ordering get punished. Look at My Lai. Look at Abu Ghahib. In those cases, the foot soldiers - one ones with the guns (or cattle prods) - were the ones punished. Those up the chain of command who either condoned the acts by inaction or who created a climate wherein these acts could be carried out or who actually ordered and encouraged it WALKED AWAY.
So the beat goes on.
By
QuakerDave, at 8:53 AM
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