are soldiers abused by governments?

[dyhppy]

i watched some old war documentaries showing young men willingly signing up to fight in foreign wars in the name of america. it was like an issue of pride and honor. things that are very foreign in the modern era, imo. the issue i wonder about is were those men fools? they trusted in their government and commanders and it really seems to me that the higher ups used those men on the front lines and didn't reward or honor them nearly enough if they were lucky enough to survive.

call me a traitor, but knowing how corrupt our government is now and hearing how senators wouldn't allow their own children anywhere near the war, i would not be willing to fight for this sad country. and yes, i live here enjoying democracy etc. i miss the days of honor and pride, though.

what do you think about any of this?

[Brutha]

If you sign up as soldier, that your choice.
You should know what you can expect and therefore are responsible for the consequences it has on your life.

[Jamie]

A patriot is an enemy of he entire collective human race; welcome to humanity.

If world leaders, power mongers and politicians fought their own battles, now that would be something...

[Lisa McGregor]

DULCE ET DECORUM EST

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.

Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . .
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori.

8 October 1917 - March, 1918

Poem by Wilfred Owen

says it all.

love
lisa