He's in the Army now?

The boyfriend of a young co-worker (going on 19) is going through the hoops of Army induction. According to her, he WANTS to go to Iraq. But he keeps telling her about all the money and great benefits he will get. :eyes: Of course, I am sure it satisfies his macho war fantasies. His recruiter told him to cover up his bad back, which probably wouldn't matter - they need fresh meat.

She is nice and all, so I didn't want to be mean or get too political at work, but I said, "So he wants to fight for Halliburton and Bechtel?" As expected, this went right over her head, or I probably would have played it safe and not said it. Another co-worker, a very bright guy, said, "Um, that's an interesting choice" to her news. Indeed.

Folks, this is what we're up against. This is mainstream Amurrica, where war is swell instead of hell, and plenty of young people are naively putting their lives on the line for an obscenely criminal regime and its warmongering chickenhawks and looters in this insane venture over in Iraq.

I will now shut up, obey, and watch Fox News with flag in hand.

Check these out. She'd probably flip if she read either of these.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/082203G.shtml
http://www.counterpunch.org/goff09242003.html

But she is REALLY not very smart. I have worked alongside her for over 7 weeks, and I just KNOW it would be for naught.

They (especially him I am sure) will have to learn the hard way, if they even learn at all.

Would that be him coming home with missing limbs or in a transit tube.

Sometimes properly placed comments now and then can make a diff...

ABBD? Damn, you really hate Dean THAT much?

I don't hate Dean, I just don't think he is the right man, at the right time, for the Democratic Party. But I won't hijack my own thread over it. :-)

From the frequency of the attacks and the animosity of some of the Iraqis, if he makes it 2-4 weeks, he should be fine the whole hitch.

give the kid a break, he doesn't really know anything about the world. He doesn't even know how the army treats its veterans. Check this out, from the Gulf War Veterans Resource Page, http://www.gulfweb.org/doc_show.cfm?ID=779 :

snip
I felt it very important to take time and relay to all of you, the
overwhelming evidence that is now present involving our exposure to the Chemical Warfare agents I hope that each and every person who reads this letter will urge the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, your congressmen and Senators to service connect All Gulf War Veterans as there first priority as a result of our combat wounds.
snip

Is our President really concerned about our veterans? Was, and is, his father? Where will George W. Bush, after his presidency is long over, when our new harvest of veterans start coming down with disease? He will be shaking hands with Saudis in Crawford, Texas.

Darwin Awards.

don't believe in evolution, but too many stupid people are able to survive these days.

Where the wars are fought by those who sign up for them.

Except for all those thousands of troops being held against their will under the stop loss orders.

The military stopped being 'all-volunteer' when those who's tours were up were told they couldn't get out.

Here's a picture of some folks who put this far more eloquently than I:

thats Darvinism for you