military service

[Neutrino]

yeah i remember that quote
and i used to believe the same
but, somehow, it seems right to die for something.
Otherwise, you will never fufil you life. Because, come to think of it, what is life? And how do we live it to the fullest? By getting money, going to strip clubs, buying drugs, or doing stupid dangerous shit? Nobody knows, so as long as no one has the answer to that question i will believe that the best thing i can do is serve my country, even if its not the greatest one in the world, and even if its politicians are fat greedy son's of bitches. Plus i wouldnt be fighting for them, I would be fighting for motherland.

It's quite a sad reflection on today's society if it is percieved that catching a bullet with your forehead is the only way to have a meaningful life. Is suburbian life so pointless that being used as gunfodder is the apex of your achievement? What ever happened to working in a job you enjoy, living to a ripe old age and leaving lots of stories for the next generation? If you want a more important life, go unite Gravity and the Electro-Weak force

[Neutrino]

It's not the flag that tricks you...

No, that's only for the severely deluded. It's the peer pressure that makes you go...

[mybike_yourface]

you know what?
i would, we all gonna die some day, it might as well be for our country.

Well you keep doing that - armies need dimwits like yourself thinking like that to keep the machine running.

What was the Wilfred Owen quote?

"The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori."

die for oil sucker.

[Anarkistsdream]

"War is a word men use to clothe the nakedness of their murder." - Kwai Chang Kain

Hell yes... A Kung Fu quote...

[Lucky Se7en]

Just by reading these two pages I can tell that most of these people have never been part of something that meant anything to them

[EvilPurpleMonkey]

Just by reading these two pages I can tell that most of these people have never been part of something that meant anything to them

QFT, I've only seen 3 people on this topic who are making a real point. Otherwise, they're just bad flames.

[got tonkaed]

I dont know if i really think a civilan army is that practical in todays world. I do like the idea of having a defense against threats both abroad and at home, but the idea of arming the population and having them serve in militias seems both impractical and unnecessary these days. If there was a large domestic dispute and our civilans had to fight against the professionals, it would not end well for the civvies id think, which would seem to be the entire point of having a civilian army. Still there could be a variety of capacities which civilians could peform civic duties, which would probably serve both the country and the individual.

I dont think any service should have to be compulsory though, even if you could encourage it through a variety of ways.

And to those who claim that you need to be a part of some type of armed force: i dont deny or pretend to know about the incredible bonds that seem to occur in the course of service, but certainly there are a number of other ways to develop things that have meaning in ones life.

[Frigidus]

I dont know if i really think a civilan army is that practical in todays world. I do like the idea of having a defense against threats both abroad and at home, but the idea of arming the population and having them serve in militias seems both impractical and unnecessary these days. If there was a large domestic dispute and our civilans had to fight against the professionals, it would not end well for the civvies id think, which would seem to be the entire point of having a civilian army. Still there could be a variety of capacities which civilians could peform civic duties, which would probably serve both the country and the individual.

I dont think any service should have to be compulsory though, even if you could encourage it through a variety of ways.

And to those who claim that you need to be a part of some type of armed force: i dont deny or pretend to know about the incredible bonds that seem to occur in the course of service, but certainly there are a number of other ways to develop things that have meaning in ones life.

Of course you have to keep in mind that there are many more civilians than there are members of the army (usually), and they don't have uniforms to distinguish them. Underground resistance movements (of varying degrees) are one of the most difficult stumbling points in modern warfare.

[Carebian Knight]

Would you rather live to a ripe old age, but live under a dictatorship? OR Would you rather die at 25 knowing that millions of others like you will get the freedoms they have the right too?

Personally I'd rather die at 25 knowing that millions of others like me will get the freedoms they deserve.

[Nobunaga]

... <Edit> Nevermind.

...

[radiojake]

Would you rather live to a ripe old age, but live under a dictatorship? OR Would you rather die at 25 knowing that millions of others like you will get the freedoms they have the right too?

Personally I'd rather die at 25 knowing that millions of others like me will get the freedoms they deserve.

Haha, by invading a country and killing them all? Sounds like a great definition of freedom to me.

I'd rather live to a ripe old age knowing that I didn't commit murder under the guise of 'serving my country' - again, I say, go join the army and die in combat, i'm sure it'll be worth it

[heavycola]

Just by reading these two pages I can tell that most of these people have never been part of something that meant anything to them

I take it you were in the military?

I think this thread is about whether or not national service should be compulsory, not whether civilians never get to be part of something that meant anything to them. Anyway - family? sports club? charity? lynch mob? anti-war rally?

Patriotism is bullshit, I. M. H. O. Like fircoal said (almost), i get to live on british soil and i'm glad of that fact. And I would have fought in WWII. But not for patriotic reasons, for humanitarian and moral ones.

[radiojake]

^^^^^^^^^^^

Your sig made me laugh... i hope thats you with the mo and sombrero!

[got tonkaed]

I dont know if i really think a civilan army is that practical in todays world. I do like the idea of having a defense against threats both abroad and at home, but the idea of arming the population and having them serve in militias seems both impractical and unnecessary these days. If there was a large domestic dispute and our civilans had to fight against the professionals, it would not end well for the civvies id think, which would seem to be the entire point of having a civilian army. Still there could be a variety of capacities which civilians could peform civic duties, which would probably serve both the country and the individual.

I dont think any service should have to be compulsory though, even if you could encourage it through a variety of ways.

And to those who claim that you need to be a part of some type of armed force: i dont deny or pretend to know about the incredible bonds that seem to occur in the course of service, but certainly there are a number of other ways to develop things that have meaning in ones life.

Of course you have to keep in mind that there are many more civilians than there are members of the army (usually), and they don't have uniforms to distinguish them. Underground resistance movements (of varying degrees) are one of the most difficult stumbling points in modern warfare.

that is certainly true...but i feel like at the same time, your talking about a bit of a meat grinder as in all likelyhood the civilians would have inferior weapons and in all likelyhood dont have some of the same moral high ground a lot of insurgents normally have....after all the its the armies country too. I just dont feel like its the type of thing that would really serve america very well, even against whatever tyranny would continue to exist into the future.

[Lucky Se7en]

Just by reading these two pages I can tell that most of these people have never been part of something that meant anything to them

I take it you were in the military?

I think this thread is about whether or not national service should be compulsory, not whether civilians never get to be part of something that meant anything to them. Anyway - family? sports club? charity? lynch mob? anti-war rally?

Patriotism is bullshit, I. M. H. O. Like fircoal said (almost), i get to live on british soil and i'm glad of that fact. And I would have fought in WWII. But not for patriotic reasons, for humanitarian and moral ones.

I get pride in the fact that my ancestors died to give their descendants a government which would cater to them. And I also get pride in the fact that my more recent ancestors have risked their lives to protect that government.
No, I am not currently in the military because I do not believe it is possible to mount a war on terrorists without becoming that which we are fighting, but if our country ever needs me for something plausible I will be waiting.

[graeme89]

National service is unnecessary for countries with large populations.For small countries in troubled regions it is understandable. I dont know if China has a draft, that could be scary. In the UK it is a totally bad idea, it would undermine the effectiveness of the armed forces.