Military is voluntary!

I guess I'm not sure what you're getting at, but most servicemen also don't have a say in US foreign policy. They just do what they're told.

That's a rather blanketed statement. The US is huge and is very diverse. You think that someone who lives out on a ranch in Montana doesn't view normal life as being rather quiet? Or someone who lives in a peaceful little town in Vermont?

Hmmmm. I think the ethics in the military is to primarily protect US, at least those I know. Foreign policy and the military itself are two different things. Quite often not in....harmony.

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

70.5m people voted for Trump yet you continue to say that they're: 1) brainwashed and 2) stupid.

you have learned nothing about the last two elections, Trumpism won't go away because Trump will no longer be President.

It's terrifying.

wrong.


from Wiki:

" However, conscription remains in place on a contingency basis and all male U.S. citizens, regardless of where they live, and male immigrants, whether documented or undocumented, residing within the United States, who are 18 through 25 are required to register with the Selective Service System.[2][3] United States federal law also continues to provide for the compulsory conscription of men between the ages of 17 and 45 and certain women for militia service pursuant to Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution and 10 U.S. Code § 246."

where did you live- how many locations did you live in? Sweeping nonsense.

Trumpism might no go away- that the statement above still holds true.

Dead wrong ! for the most of the military its a way to make a living

and to get training and an education and acess to all sorts of activities and sports. Certainly is in the UK.

My wife's fam. is from NI 90 % are military

Personal reasons wasn't what I talked about. Any way in any job is a way to make a living. I know that foreign policy interest isn't always an interest of the military, it is pretty obvious. But it is not like that there is much leeway.

Maybe not what you meant, but one of the marketing slogans for the US military was always "see the world". Not foreign policy, but certainly one way to get people to join was to entice them to travel. In the near past, only 20% of US citizens had passports (US citizens were notoriously little traveled - that's increased now.).

I wouldn't judge the military and their efficacy based on abused foreign policies that they couldn't influence, nor cheesy marketing slogans of their draft depts. that only attract a part of their population. Those I know actually had a rough time with the nomadic overseas waste of human lives..It is like assuming in general that the police force is made of generally desperate adepts and people who have no other means for a career. It is simply generally not true. Some people, maybe. I think the current situation in the armed forces looks like there was very little investment done in their development, edu, support. The military sent to battles they didn't wish for, the police severely under-invested, unprovided for. It is still a risky and dangerous career. I wouldn't ever shrug the military off as just some people desiring travels. Not the ones I know..Some people join because they have high ethics and feel like they want to improve the status quo.

__________________
"L'homme ne peut pas remplacer son coeur avec sa tete, ni sa tete avec ses mains." J.H. Pestalozzi

“The only difference between a rut and a grave is a matter of depth.” S.P. Cadman

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." A. Einstein

The military.

HTH.

The military? You guys are confusing.

So an illegal immigrant can be compelled to go and die for Uncle Sam but is not allowed to live and work in the US.

Yes, I do indeed think that a good percentage of Americans are "brainwashed and stupid," and I blame that on a number of factors including the educational system in the US (which is extremely US-centric and focuses more on memorization than logic and critical thinking skills) as well as the fact that many Americans do not educate themselves. Also, consider the amount of Americans who have been programmed into their religious beliefs and/or patriotism and who never question those beliefs. I could go on and on. And for the record, I think that applies to people on both sides of the political spectrum.

If you ask any random American to briefly describe the theory of general relativity or to find Switzerland on a map, chances are they would be unable to. But ask them who Kim Kardashian is or what football team won the Super Bowl in 2017, and they would most likely be able to answer.

I never said that Trumpism would go away completely (please show me where I did). What I recall saying is that I hope it begins to fizzle out a bit once he is no longer President and is no longer constantly making headlines.

I think the US military actually preys on people in poverty. Keep the cost of college and university education high in the US, and meanwhile young kids in poverty or in middle class families join the military because it's the only way they can afford to go to college.

e.g.

https://www.todaysmilitary.com/educa...paying-college

https://yourteenmag.com/teens-colleg...ay-for-college