I have been dismayed by the recent reputation of the American millitary. At one point they were seen as liberators and heroes worldwide, however the inexcusable behavior of some soldiers, along with today's current media abilities seems to have shed a light on what appears to be a growing problem. I read some time ago that the US services were now allowing people to enter their folds who have considerably less than stellar criminal histories. In the previous year 15% of new Army recruits had criminal histories that in the past would have prevented them from entering the armed forces. This past year that figure is up, currently 18%.

I have the highest respect for those people who choose to save and protect my fat white lazy ass but I have to wonder if we should have these people (the 18%) who we know not to be the type who follow the rules set down before them, and expect them to follow/adhere to a code of honor, orders and instructions. Do we expect our millitary to be beyond reproach or do we just need defenders regardless of their character or past history? Are their crimes that we should disregard because theyr don't speak to a person's ability to carry out orders as instructed?

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"War is Hell"

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Eudaimonia

Yes, War is heck.

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Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating

The trashing of the reputation of America's military is due less to the increasing number of recruits with "considerably less than stellar criminal histories" than it is to the cynical, abusive, and often illegal use of the military by the political leaders in control.

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Amen to the above post...couple with that the mis-use of the military by politicos tends to lead to lower enlistments by anybody with any other options, will inevitably lead to recruiters lowering the standards of admission...

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Plug me into somethin'

If the theory does not conform to the facts, then the facts must be discarded.

No good deed ever goes unpunished

Never argue with an idiot. He'll drag you down to his level, & beat you with experience.

I feel for those that have to serve with these 18% and are left wondering why they can get by being held to a lower standard. We had some back in the 60's when I was a young combat veteran that certainly damaged the reputation of those of us who fulfilled our obligation under that law at that time and served under some socially adverse circumstances. The frightening part is what they will be like when they come out and rejoin civilian life? For now, they are just off our social radar.

Oh, and THANKS AGAIN for giving your personal thoughts WITHOUT LINKS.

You're the Internet's longest-living troll, I swear. Jesus, how many posts to the countdown to a million thread while how many of your countrymen die in Iraq? What would the Eagle Scouts say about that?

Steph,

I can only tell you what our Eagle Scouts might do. They would probably continue to question the merits of several of America’s foreign policies.

As merit badge counselor for Citizenship in the Nation & Citizenship in the World, that is what I try to teach them to do.

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Eudaimonia

That's an interesting phrase.

Abilities.

So much of the media in America is weighed down with advertising considerations.

My ill-fated Iraq/Haliburton thread touched on this.

My heart cried about this from the beginning: this war was fought over rich mens' money.

The rich men manipulated the money.

It's now the economy, stupid.

You have to realize that America is looked on in a pitiful stance from many nations now. It's sad. It's sad that I yelled about this in Pixies because I cared and now what are people doing? Still nodding as they watch FOX?

PLEASE don't get me wrong. I appreciate the US. I just see the shifting change with Burma and Armenia and see that the rest of the First World is ignoring the US and we've gone on to *have* to consider international policy without you.