Interview of soldier back from Iraq.

[Postman]

I listen to Amy Goodman and Democracy Now as often as I can. I have to wonder though about Amy's choice about interviewing this particular soldier.

Is he representative of the majority? If so, it's disgusting how ignorant of the facts these soldiers are.

Judging from the lack of this soldiers command of the English language, some of the questions put to this man seemed to have thrown himn for a loop and clearly made him uncomfortable with himself as far as his ability to reason. As if he never really thought about the world around him.

It also goes a long way in understanding what motivates these guys to enlist. A chance to climb out of poverty.

Maybe my observations were harsh but I call 'em as I see 'em.

http://www.democracynow.org/

[Cannikin]

1. Well, if I may call em as I see them as well....

I'm sure many do feel this way. The Iraq war is a for-profit war. Notice we never liberate countries with no oil? If we truly had the Iraqi people's best interest in mind, we wouldnt worry so much about who's going to profit.
Also, its sad but true, but the vast majority signed up not ever expecting to fight. Chances are, a recruiter called him and dangled numerous monetary incentives in front of him that would improve his life. The military does indeed lift people out of poverty and put them on a different path. Recruiters see this as a hot bed of recruiting potential. Besides, lesser educated people usually dont question orders and can be led around easier than someone with the intelligence to question motives. I'd like to see if recruiters are still meeting there quotas. Somehow I doubt all of those 'conservative' pro-war folks are putting there money where there mouths are and signing up to fight. This is why you are hearing the draft being tossed around.
I salute that soldier for being brave enough to oppose the war. I'd fight to defend this country. But I will not give my life so the president can make his friends more wealthy. How many young Americans have died while his daughters party it up around the country? If he feels so strongly about this war, why doesnt he encourage them to enlist?

[Bandit]

3. "Notice we never liberate countries with no oil?"

I don't know if you could call it liberation exactly but that is what we did in Haiti. We decided their president was not acting according to the way a democratic president should act and we made him step down. If he had not done so we had 82nd airborne in the air and ready to invade. Under President Clinton we thought liberating a close neighbor from a dictator was the right thing to do. It was because we were directly effected by refugees landing on our shores. I applauded that decision and was unhappy when Bush 1 didn't do anything about it. Iraq is another matter entirely.

[Postman]

5. you mean like the way we "liberated" Guatemala, El Salvador, Domincan Rep.

Panama, attempted "liberation" of Cuba?

They weren't about "democracy" they were about keeping client states in line.

If they want to install "democracy" why don't they start at home?

[david_vincent]

2. "As if he never really thought about the world around him"

I've been doing some substitute teaching lately, and it has been pretty alarming to discover that almost all 7th graders I've taught have absolutely no conception of a world beyond, say, a 20-mile radius, or any motivation other than immediate gratification. I try to compare to my own experience, but even when I was their age, I was well aware of the larger world of ideas, motives, and principles, and the physical world far, far beyond the city limits of my own hometown. But these kids seem to have not a thought in their heads bigger than going to Walmart to buy some crap CD that's being pushed on them by major label brainwashing. They are completely lacking any guidance or imagination. There are, however, a very few exceptions. It's pretty easy to spot which ones aren't going to be joining the service.

"If my soldiers were to begin to think, not one of them would remain in the army." - Frederick the Great, as quoted by Tolstoy

[Skittles]

4. 90% of Americans don't think of the world around them

the world outside their own back yard does not exist.