I am now a U.S. Soldier

[caymaniac]

With all due respect, pull your head out long enough to get some fresh air.

Troops are not sent "off somewhere to die." Troops are sent to perform a mission. Sometimes dying is the result of attempting to perform that mission.

In the end, it comes down to believing that there are some things that are more valuable than your own skin and to making a commitment to protect them.

When you live in a world where certain extremists will kill you if you don't see the world from their view point, then the free world as a whole must stick together to stand for freedom. When your country is attacked by those persons that will kill you because there will be, no understanding, no discussion, then we need to have people to stand up and say " We stand for the free world." When you have countries that have terrorist training camps and are a hot bed for those that would kill innocents then who will stand up? I'm proud to hear of those that would do so, especially when they are from my country the USA. I'd rather have the terrorists fought in their own country not on our soil. If you are from France you'd better wake up! If you are from Switzerland you'd better pay attention to what's happening in the world. You feel like you're safe in your corner? I think you should re-think what the Muslim extremists will do to you, what, you think you can reason with them? ........Get real!

Thanks Northeastwrecks,
Caymaniac

 

[^*^BATMAN^*^]

SO cay, what I got from that post of yours is that Iraq is a terrorist hotspot that the US felt obliged to take over by force, and that France needs to wake up and realize that they need to fight terrorism.
Well, France is entitled to their own opinion, you say that you are proud to be from the states because you force people to have free will??? isnt that sortof an oxymoron??
France exercises its right to make a free choice, by not participating in a war it felt unjust(their opinion, though along with probably 25% of the world), so France being free did this, but the US castrated France at every turn.......
french fries and french toast became FREEDOM fries and FREEDOM toast.
From my point of veiw everything but a trade embargo was put on france. It was a pretty quick turn around on you allies for over 200 years(remember they were a huge part of your war of independance).

enough ranting, i know im gonna get flammed for this, but like i said, if you want to be free, then ill talk with the fact that i can. But think about this, if you want everyone in the world to be "free", then why do you feel that you can eject their current leader, then put a leader in his place taht the US chooses??

 

[WJL]

i feel very safe in switzerland where no one cares for an army, not even during ww2. i know swiss think differently about this than the rest of the world, so as not to start anything, i'm gonna shut up now. sorry.

I think you ought to know more about your own country.

Right now Switzerland has substantial military forces. The Swiss Land Forces are organized into 4 infantry brigades, 3 mountain infantry brigades, and 2 armored brigades. Reserves are large and relatively well-trained, as a consequence of the policy of compulsory universal participation of adult males in military training. The Swiss Air Forces have multiple staffels of F-5s, no less than 34 domestically-built F/A-18s, multiple trainers, and numerous helicopter units. The military budget is about 1% of GDP. The only reason military expenditures are not higher is that Switzerland, like the rest of Europe, reaps the benefits of the overwhelming military superiority of the U.S. You feel safe, and pay relatively little for it, because your government is content to live in the shade of the U.S. umbrella.

In WWII things were different. Do you suppose that Germany and Italy did not invade Switzerland because they felt kind-hearted towards the Swiss? Do some research. Switzerland armed itself to the limits of its economy in the late 1930s and early '40s. Every Swiss male of military age was part of the militia-based defense forces. In 1939 Switzerland ordered a general mobilization, and 430,000 troops (20% of the working population) manned the border defenses. The country maintained its independence and escaped the fate of France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece and the Soviet Union, because the Axis powers calculated that the cost of conquering the country exceeded the benefits to be gained, particularly in view of Switzerland's utility as a conduit for international financial transactions and for wealth stolen from the Jews and other victims.

 

[caymaniac]

SO cay, what I got from that post of yours is that Iraq is a terrorist hotspot that the US felt obliged to take over by force, and that France needs to wake up and realize that they need to fight terrorism.
Well, France is entitled to their own opinion, you say that you are proud to be from the states because you force people to have free will??? isnt that sortof an oxymoron??
France exercises its right to make a free choice, by not participating in a war it felt unjust(their opinion, though along with probably 25% of the world), so France being free did this, but the US castrated France at every turn.......
french fries and french toast became FREEDOM fries and FREEDOM toast.
From my point of veiw everything but a trade embargo was put on france. It was a pretty quick turn around on you allies for over 200 years(remember they were a huge part of your war of independance).

enough ranting, i know im gonna get flammed for this, but like i said, if you want to be free, then ill talk with the fact that i can. But think about this, if you want everyone in the world to be "free", then why do you feel that you can eject their current leader, then put a leader in his place taht the US chooses??

Yes France has a free will. But 60 some years ago they didn't have freedom. They have it now only because of the USA (WWII), or was there another country that that you can think of that helped France rid the Nazi 's of power?. And isn't it wonderful to excercise your free-ness by oppossing those that want you not to be free? Isn't it great how the top political cronies in France were collecting millions from Iraq and voting two ways?
There is a trade war with France, and France is hurting from it.
Are you one of those that admire a leader who has killed millions?
Do you support terrorism by saying it's their free right to be terrorists?
Are you saying that you support a leader who was known to have WMD's and it's history that proves he'll use them?

France was a hugh part of the independence of the US. I'll certainly agree on that point, in fact there may not have been a US without them. But without the US there wouldn't be France either!
Ive been to France and really enjoyed myself. I thought the French were great when I visited, I think that their political system is too far left towards socialism and of course today we can still name a few socialistic countries. All of those countries are suffering from a monetary view point, Socialism doesn't work.

All the best,
Cay

 

[wstein]

WOW!!! This went from congratulating a young woman that has completed a difficult journey in her life to become a soldier in her countries army to a socio-political debate. Lets all stick to the original intend of this tread and wish Amber well in her career path as a soldier, regardless of whose country it is. And start another thread to debate the merits of serving in the US military vs being a pacifist Swiss or a left-winged Frenchman.

Paul

 

[underwater daphne]

*this thread makes me angry, wasting my energy fighting with ppl who think differently. as senseless as the war in iraq!*

 

[Ontario Diver]

Yes France has a free will. But 60 some years ago they didn't have freedom. They have it now only because of the USA (WWII), or was there another country that that you can think of that helped France rid the Nazi 's of power?.

Umm

Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, South Africa, Austrailia, Ireland, Uganda, Fiji, Rhodesia, India, New Zealand, The Free French, the Free Poles, the Free Dutch, the Free Belguim

Amber,

"Every citizen [should] be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and the Romans, and must be that of every free state." (Thomas Jefferson)

Congratulations on becoming a soldier. The loyalty, dicipline, honour, and courage that you learn will be with you forever. As well, you enter into the family of all those whom ever carried arms for something they believed in. I respect your decision to serve and I hope you never have to "see the elephant"

(and time learning history is never wasted...)

Nulli Secundus

 

[RonDawg]

WOW!!! This went from congratulating a young woman that has completed a difficult journey in her life to become a soldier in her countries army to a socio-political debate. Lets all stick to the original intend of this tread and wish Amber well in her career path as a soldier, regardless of whose country it is. And start another thread to debate the merits of serving in the US military vs being a pacifist Swiss or a left-winged Frenchman.

Unfortunately when you're talking about something like the US military, it's inevitable that stuff like one's views on the war in Iraq will creep in due to people's strong feelings (one way or the other) about it.

Imagine if she said she was an intern for President Bush. Her only job may be filing non-classified paperwork and answering a few phones, and she may not even have the chance to meet him, but it's a thread that will inevitably attract the anti-Bush folks which in in turn attract his supporters who will feel compelled to defend him.

I was always told that you never mention politics or religion unless you are willing to get into a heated debate. Right now you can add "The War on Terrorism" to that list.

 

[kittyjg]

I agree with wstein. We should be leaving the political discussion to a separate forum or thread.
This one started out with a young woman proud of herself for accomplishing a difficult endeavor. Whether you agree or disagree with the situation in Iraq is irrelevant to her accomplishment. There are a lot of people who would not or COULD NOT do what she has. She has every reason and right to be proud of herself. Boot camp is not easy. A lot of recruits are discharged because they can't hack it. A strong military is a necessity and I applaud those who answer the call.
To those who wish to continue the Iraq aspects of this thread, please take it somewhere else.

 

[tracker]

Ditto on all previous + Git Ur Done!!!!!!!!!