The DOD is turning all of our soldiers into mercs

[wtmusic]

A $40K signing bonus? What's the catch? OK, the bottom line--we used to get people to sign up for the armed forces for not just the money, but from a sense of duty, of honor, of true patriotism.

That ain't working anymore. So we don't ask that you believe in what you're fighting for, or that you had to kill that foreigner to protect America. We frankly don't give a damn if you're patriotic. If you'll just pull the trigger when we say so, we'll grease your palm with $40,000, which is more than you've ever seen in your life. Your own 2-bedroom house? That's a helluva down payment soldier--and sitting back watching that bigscreen TV goes a long way towards helping you forget about those other things we ordered you to do.

So you get the idea. This is America, land of free enterprise, where good work is rewarded (if it makes your relatives feel better, tell them the world is better off with Saddam Hussein gone--believe us, it works).

:rant:

[jody]

1. Bonuses are pure capitalism at work. In other countries, poor people

sell their kidneys but in the U.S., they sell their body to the Army lottery and see whether they die, are maimed for life, or survive with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Not much return for gambling one's life!

[oblivious]

2. You should outsource your wars, like the Brits used to do in colonial days

Wasn't it mainly Indian troops that fought and died in Iraq for the empire about 85 years ago?