SA@TAC - Forgetting the Troops

[xtremejohnny69]

I'm proud to be a U.S, soldier and to serve my country. I just don't like interventionism. I think the war in Afghanistan needed to be fought, but Iraq? I don't think Bush went to war with Iraq for oil like people claim, I think he wanted to instill democracy in the middle east. It's never a good idea to give people democracy unless they ask. I'm all for helping people, but only if they ask for our help and offer us something in return.

[shamusername]

Hah. Figures the only video I agree with so far is based on the research of an NY Times reporter =)

[rotccadet2010]

Why hasn't jack made any new videos recently?

[yojimbo81]

Does anyone read The American Conservative? I wanted to read this issue but the local Borders appears not to stock the zine. Is it worth a subscription?

[FateEternal]

3:45 - He looks a lot like dubbbbbya....

[malangsob]

Oh Americans love to wrap themselves in flags, songs and slogans.

"Vicariously, I live while the whole world dies"

Its all about joining in and at least feeling like you contribute, even if its with muted vacuousness....sheep

[jmelkis]

@malangsob That quote makes me think of "World dies, I still pay taxes"

[malangsob]

@jmelkis its from a Tool song--vicarious

[ProNorden]

@controversyking ... Generally it's a poor idea to sacrifice one's life or those of one's countrymen for the interests of a Degenerate Oligarchy.

The "Reagan Doctrine" still seems the right approach re the use of force in foreign policy: give affordable aid and training to freedom fighters abroad willing to fight their own battles in 'the good fight'.

Not sure what it's called other than the "Reagan Doctrine".

[Pikkabuu]

US ingoring POW is nothing new. Back in 1921 when Russian civil war ended Soviets were willing to change their 63 US POW to US recognition of Soviet Union. Army just decided to list those dudes as KIA.

And let's not forget also WW2 and Korea where lot's of POW were not returned.

[evergreenpotato]

The American people haven't been given a real choice about foreign policy since 1920. In the election of that year, we had a choice between a party that favored internationalism via League of Nations membership, and a party that sincerely opposed it and advocated strategic isolation. For the last eight decades our choice has been limited to two, slightly different varieties of the same foreign policy--a policy of globalism and intervention in other countries' affairs.

[chuckbear]

anyone who believe "the government knows what its doing" deserves the most of fall out when the shit hits the fan

[granulorhoek]

How old are you, Jack? You're just now realizing this? Where are the voices? I was watching these things in high school, so when the recruiters came a-knocking I was pretty well convinced that my government would put me in harm's way for no good reason and write me off if I became inconvenient in any way. The message was out there whether you were paying attention or not.

[steve0281]

My best friend spent years in SE Asia, to include Viet Nam, in the 90's looking for any trace of POW's and didn't find any. Some of the military types he worked with were not the most meticulous and the whole operation was not as thorough as one might hope, but I know at least one person who really wanted to find some and tried to, but couldn't. He testified before Congress to that affect.

[UnderseaCaveman]

WOW

[HuxleyWasRight]

google "operation keelhaul" .

[NHindividualist]

Wow. Excellent.

I made the point earlier this weekend that flying a flag on Memorial Day makes you a patriot just about like going to church on Easter makes you a Christian.

It's a nice gesture, but what about the rest of the year?

[vblord]

Brilliant. Well done.

[MooseOfReason]

"It's so much easier to raise a flag than an objection."

Bang. Thanks again, Jack.

[wolgreth]

what movie did SA refer to that starred Kevin Bacon?

BTW, this is probably your best post SA, keep it up.

[vonPeterhof]

@wolgreth The movie is called Footloose.

[whoo689]

I've always had some qualms about using memorial day to memorialize troops who didn't exactly 'volunteer', esp. in Vietnam. They were FORCED to go (or face stiff punishment if caught dodging) or leave their families behind in Canada, at least until they stopped trying to punish objectors for not going along with the state. Now, I'm sure few Americans had qualms about WW2 and most liberals to this day would say ww2 was the one war worth it. But forced 'volunteering' is kind of an oxymoron.

[whoo689]

For folks who didn't wanna go to Vietnam or Korea but had to cuz of the state and simply made the best out of a bad situation once there, it's kind of hard to say their sacrifice is more worthy (or equally worthy) than a voluntary veteran who actually felt a sense of duty and wasn't forced. But that's just my 2 cents.

[whoo689]

@whoo689 While I certainly don't hate the military, I think Americans DO need to develop a sense of perspective on military and war matters. We need stop blindly walking into disaster, as if every war is worth fighting. I think we also need to quit acting like a veteran who went to Iraq but faced very little combat is somehow equal to a war hero or purple heart. Better service is worth better accolades, of course. It's just like with school or sports or any other legit place with rankings.

[whoo689]

If you just come home from Iraq having done little to show for it, it's like "Yeah, you went there supposedly to defend my freedom, but things wouldn't have gone to hell if you weren't there, so what do I have to congratulate you for?" Simply joining up and saying "i'm a veteran" when u get home is not enough in my eyes to wanna give you the keys to the city. It's what you have DONE as a veteran or your worth as a soldier that counts.

[whoo689]

Lastly, I'm getting tired of "defending our freedom" being used an excuse by too many pro-war folks for all sorts of bogus military actions. The last time I can remember our freedom ACTUALLY potentially being under threat was the Nazi era. For a country that prides itself on being land of the free and home of the brave and the president being leader of the free world, our freedom sure seems "threatened" a lot lately, eh? That was sarcasm if you didn't tell.

[LibertaerUeberAlles]

@whoo689

Actually, the "Nazis" never threatened America's freedom. It was Roosevelt and his Commie friends who subverted the Constitution and plunged America into war, along with debt slavery for generations to come.

True patriots Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh and Joseph Kennedy supported neutrality and good relations with Germany; as did most Americans.

Germany fought against the Commies and banksters, and could've been America's best ally had it not been for FDR's criminal subversion.

[Xenthoid]

@whoo689 1000% agree...couldn't say it better myself

[BernieEOD]

@whoo689 Not even then. The Nazis couldnt even cross a 22 mile wide channel much less the Atlantic.

[Apptendo]

HOW DARE THEY NOT LET KEVIN BACON DANCE!!!!!!

[whoo689]

I've always been curious as to just how many veterans who served in Vietnam actually WANTED to go over there, what with the draft, as soon as Johnson's Tonkin Gulf Resolution passed. I can't imagine it's anywhere near 50%, maybe more like 10 or 20%. Are there any stats on that? Is it possible to get a statistic on that?

[hrosemd]

"Most people prefer to believe their leaders are just and fair even in the face of evidence to the contrary, because most people do not want to admit they do not have the courage to do anything about it. Most propaganda is not designed to fool the critical thinker, but only to give moral cowards an excuse not to think at all"

- Michael Rivero

[truthfreedom4all]

The mainstream media in this country is utterly useless. McCain & Kerry and any other whore who knew about this and did nothing should be shot.

[fairlylargejohn]

Yeah, well, you know what they say... War is Hell. The problem is that we're constantly putting countless good people through hell on a regular basis.

That's a good point about movies. You see less and less of anti-government sentiment in films today. Recently I saw Law Abiding Citizen, which is right along those lines. It would have been one of my all time favorites, if it wasn't for the terrible Good Guys (Government) Always wins ending.

You guys should check that one out. Was a fun watch

[Starpilot17]

Don't forget we have a Soldier who was captured by the Taliban last year in Afghanistan and is still out there....somewhere.

[oicub2]

Awesome =-) 

[mlawson84]

Great bit. Thanks again for all your work SA :)

[mrbasil0]

even if 1/10th was true, shocking...

[schulwitz]

Did not know this

[bittergunowner12]

First and spot on S.A!