Quote from taodr:
I forgot something. What about these young men and women Americans and British getting killed over there, the Iraqi on the street doesn't give a damn about them. Mostly these soldiers are from poor families or areas where there is no work so they sign up for a better life. The Iraqi army is no different. Listen to Cnn. We killed 5oo Iraqi military in 2 days. They talk like these Iraqis are nothing , toys. In fact they are also mankind. War is total madness.
This is not quite accurate. While what you say did apply (regarding American soldiers) during times of conscription and even early in the "post draft" military, it is not that way now.
I know this first hand. My son is entering the Navy on June 30. (Nuclear Propulsion School).
The requirements, (of course depending on the branch of service, and the agreed upon training) are in most cases pretty stringent.
Remember, today's military is where tomorrows technology is used now. The enlistees must take a test (The ASVAB is the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Test. Test results determine (1) whether or not one qualifies for military service, and (2) if so, what jobs they qualify for). The kids take the test and qualify for their jobs before their swearing in.
This war is being fought by highly trained and highly motivated kids. And all officers are college graduates. All pilots are officers. Even my son, while only getting an associates degree from the Nuke School, won't be coming out of his 6 year commitment without a bachelor's degree. Minimum.
It isn't 1968 anymore. Ever been arrested? No military service for you. Didn't graduate high school? No military service.
Want to shoot a weapon at someone? No military service.
Psychological profiles......MondoTrader can cheerlead all he wants, but no way would they let him in the service. (or the FBI). Same with any bloodthirsty war loving fanatics.
Hapaboy asked about the military's laws being more severely enforced than civil laws. Why? Because it is important that while today's soldiers must be smart enough to think their way through situations...to improvise when necessary, they also have to be depended on to follow orders and show restraint. Not to be emotional.
Here's MonoBrainCell crying to imprison protestors, and the truth is that his mentality would put him in the brig if he were so narrow minded and fanatic and were actually serving his country rather than just being an armchair warrior.
I don't want my son in harm's way. But I want kids like him to represent us on the battlefield when and if necessary.
As far as coming from a "poor family", "areas with no work", well my wife and I will be the beneficiaries of Dubya's "tax cuts", (and still thinking it totally unfair). Yet my son chose this Navy route as preferable to him than going to the University of Florida on the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program (a lot of us here from Florida, so I know you guys know about this program...those who don't...look it up). Because he thinks he will get a better education and have more opportunities in "the real world" when he is done with his Navy service. 400 Florida kids applied, and 6 got accepted (or something very close to that...not so easy to get top secret clearance, even when you are only 17...plus of course high school performance in chemistry and math, and a high ASVAB score just to qualify to take the Nuke test).
As far as the Iraqi's....obviously a different story. But even conscription can and has worked. American Military in WWII, and Israeli Defense Forces come to mind.
Peace,

Rs7