After doing a little surfing today, I came across more letters to the editor in various newspapers (no links, they were all fairly generic) that insist that the American people (and the government) have no right to risk the lives of American servicemembers in a war with Iraq.
I would suggest that these people need to discover that the 1960's have ended. Unlike the Vietnam conflict, in which conscripted troops provided the bulk of the forces in combat, today's military is 100% voluntary, and is strongly in favor of dealing with Saddam once and for all. I won't be so arrogant to speak for all military men and women, but the group of people with whom I work want this over as soon as possible, so that we can resume a normal life.
For me personally, Saddam's little contretemps in the past have impacted me directly; I was in the first major unit deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1990, and since then I have had to deal with short-notice changes to deployment schedules because of bellicose actions on his part. I hope we take him out, and soon.
Normally, I don't get this personal, nor do I snivel about my job and its ups and downs. However, when people use me to justify their views on war, views that are not congruent with mine, I will step up to the challenge. I am quite capable of speaking for myself; I don't need someone else to tell the government what I think about the war.
posted on February 16, 2003 03:31 PM
Comments:
With all due respect, I believe it was just the other way around. There were more enlistees serving in Vietnam then were conscripts. You might want to re-check your information as to who made up the bulk of the US forces fighting there. From what information I have seen over the years, it was WWII which had the bulk of the fighting men made up of draftees (conscripts).
posted on February 16, 2003 03:31 PM
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