Tuesday, December 26, 2006
American heroes
What is the U.S. army?
A U.S. military 'at its breaking point' considers foreign recruits
"....Foreign citizens' serving in the U.S. military is a highly charged issue, which could expose the Pentagon to criticism that it is essentially using mercenaries to defend the country...."
Would this be so different from the current arrangement?
What makes the troops worthy of special honor?
I do not wish to question their bravery or skill, nor do I wish to mimimize the pain many are now suffering. They are, more ore less, victims. So would foreign mercenaries, likely impoverished young people taking a gamble on an economic future as US citizens, be victims if they suffered death or injury in the service of the US army.
But would an unemployed Bulgarian, say, who joined the US army because he couldn't afford college and wanted to get out of Eastern Europe, be a good candidate for "a profile in courage"? Then why are "native" soldiers in any sense "heroes"? They are skilled, brave, perhaps naive, perhaps violent, perhaps making the best of a bad situation, perhaps committed to ideals of service and patriotism that are, now, in the age of global capital and "humanitarian war," obsolete.
posted by speakingcorpse : 12/26/2006 12:46:00 PM
A U.S. military 'at its breaking point' considers foreign recruits
"....Foreign citizens' serving in the U.S. military is a highly charged issue, which could expose the Pentagon to criticism that it is essentially using mercenaries to defend the country...."
Would this be so different from the current arrangement?
What makes the troops worthy of special honor?
I do not wish to question their bravery or skill, nor do I wish to mimimize the pain many are now suffering. They are, more ore less, victims. So would foreign mercenaries, likely impoverished young people taking a gamble on an economic future as US citizens, be victims if they suffered death or injury in the service of the US army.
But would an unemployed Bulgarian, say, who joined the US army because he couldn't afford college and wanted to get out of Eastern Europe, be a good candidate for "a profile in courage"? Then why are "native" soldiers in any sense "heroes"? They are skilled, brave, perhaps naive, perhaps violent, perhaps making the best of a bad situation, perhaps committed to ideals of service and patriotism that are, now, in the age of global capital and "humanitarian war," obsolete.
posted by speakingcorpse : 12/26/2006 12:46:00 PM
