Point. Counterpoint.

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Point:

"We go to liberate, not to conquer. We will not fly our flags in their country. We are entering Iraq to free a people, and the only flag that will be flown in that ancient land is their own. Don't treat them as refugees, for they are in their own country...
...You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest, for your deeds will follow you down history. Iraq is steeped in history. It is the site of the Garden of Eden, of the Great Flood, and the birth of Abraham. Tread lightly there. You will have to go a long way to find a more decent, generous and upright people than the Iraqis. You will be embarrassed by their hospitality, even though they have nothing . . . . "

Counterpoint:

http://www.startribune.com/stonline/images/news47/3imag08.l.jpg

"TOUCHDOWN!!!!"

― gabriel (gabe), Wednesday, 9 April 2003 00:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I've had to wear those goddamned helmets on a couple of occasions. It made me stupid too.

― Millar (Millar), Wednesday, 9 April 2003 00:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Am I the only stoned backpacker here or do those helmets remind anyone else of stormtrooper headwear?

― mu, Wednesday, 9 April 2003 00:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Around the point:

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2003/WORLD/meast/04/08/sprj.irq.war.main/top.hi.mom.ap.jpg

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 9 April 2003 00:54 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.worldwar1.com/tgws/jpg/picger.jpg

― mu, Wednesday, 9 April 2003 00:56 (twenty-two years ago)

http://rydia.net/jprovost/artblog/images/080.jpg

― mu, Wednesday, 9 April 2003 01:01 (twenty-two years ago)

The thing people sometimes fail to realize in this case is what I think they fail to realize re: lots of occupations - certain kinds of people don't go into certain kinds of jobs very often. At all. And the people who criticize certain types of occupations (based more often than not on a stereotype they have of the sort of people who are in them) more often than not have NO interest whatsoever in doing them.

EG regarding the conduct and decorum of riot cops, infantrymen, tank commanders, et al - what would you do in that situation? Would you behave better? Would you ever even be able to imagine yourself in that situation? The people in these career fields are there because they want to do that sort of thing while you find it utterly distasteful.

I suspect that my conduct in wartime, in a hostile country, where I may be in danger of attack from biological agents, suicide bombers, and am forced to go about in a rubber/charcoal bodysuit in 80-90 degree weather all day with infrequent bathing opportunities, would not be much different from that which has been seen so far. It's the little victories that make sanity possible under duress, as any military member can probably tell you.

― Millar (Millar), Wednesday, 9 April 2003 01:07 (twenty-two years ago)

http://lookinside-images.amazon.com/Qffs+v35lersytq1rvJc4+DrayHQN8h/ZG1lSrNyXvt05tN1iZYolbOwx4GALVRv7rEsPzdgc0c=

― mu, Wednesday, 9 April 2003 01:19 (twenty-two years ago)

We can't go around talking about the military as made up of actual people, Millar. It'll disturb everyone else and make them cry. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 9 April 2003 01:20 (twenty-two years ago)

http://lookinside-images.amazon.com/Qffs+v35leocx9HRRR9C2k2xr85eMhXKiQTq1yQuf8g2OZbqjoYeARIyhVkfcxey3fdHdu3xJqA

I'm finding a disturbing resemblance in the helmets. Is this the
overactive imagination of a stoned backpacker like myself or
is anyone else troubled by this resemblance?

Maybe they should change their helmets so as to avoid this undesirable resemblance?

― mu, Wednesday, 9 April 2003 01:23 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.theforce.net/kids/death_star/vnn/pics/stormtrooper.jpg

― Millar (Millar), Wednesday, 9 April 2003 01:24 (twenty-two years ago)

oops ...

http://lookinsideimages.amazon.com/Qffs+v35leocx9HRRR9C2k2xr85eMhXKiQTq1yQuf8g2OZbqjoYeARIyhVkfcxey3fdHdu3xJqA=

― mu, Wednesday, 9 April 2003 01:26 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.mercola.com/2000/oct/22/klunk.jpg

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 9 April 2003 01:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Someone should probably show this thread to the Army Chief of Staff. We need new helmet designs pronto before we spook another stoned backpacker.

― Millar (Millar), Wednesday, 9 April 2003 01:32 (twenty-two years ago)

http://sfgate.com/chronicle/pictures/2003/04/08/ba_protest3.jpg