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So what are Americans doing from stopping their Army? (I'm not saying it's Americans fault, just govt administration, as everywhere) For me this video it's jus

by eagleal 17y ago

So what are Americans doing from stopping their Army? (I'm not saying it's Americans fault, just govt administration, as everywhere) For me this video it's just a tool for journalists to play with, and the media to make some money with. Nothing more. Has the army retired from war? No. The administration could be punished only once it finishes its goal.

dkarl 17y ago
So what are Americans doing from stopping their Army? Choosing between the candidate who supported the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan and the candidate who only supported the invasion of Afghanistan.
- eagleal 17y ago
  I think you missed my point: > The administration could be punished only once it finishes its goal.
  - dkarl 17y ago
    I think you missed my point. Concern about killing innocent Iraqis is far, far off from the American political center. I suspect the army is actually held to higher moral standards than the average American citizen would choose to enforce. Americans are strongly biased to empathize with our own troops' fears and frustrations and to blame Iraqis for any encounters that end badly. For instance, in the case of shooting up the van and the people who tried to help the wounded man, we would say that they didn't do anything to identify themselves as not being insurgents. Plus, they were clearly scared and in a hurry, so they knew they were putting themselves in danger and were therefore responsible for the consequences. There are all kinds of ways to make excuses and avoid siding with savage foreigners against our poor scared boys. Should Americans stand up to their government and demand what they want? Between the opinions expressed by Americans on this page and the opinions expressed by the soldiers in the video, the (mythical and/or aggregate) will of the American people is closer to the latter, so mass democratic action would not help anything.
    - eagleal 17y ago
      (Old discussion, but I'm replying anyway) I got your point from the start, but still all this video/discussion/etc it's just a tool for journalists to play with, and the media to make some money with.

by eagleal 17y ago

dkarl 17y ago

So what are Americans doing from stopping their Army? Choosing between the candidate who supported the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan and the candidate who only supported the invasion of Afghanistan.

eagleal 17y ago
I think you missed my point: > The administration could be punished only once it finishes its goal.
- dkarl 17y ago
  I think you missed my point. Concern about killing innocent Iraqis is far, far off from the American political center. I suspect the army is actually held to higher moral standards than the average American citizen would choose to enforce. Americans are strongly biased to empathize with our own troops' fears and frustrations and to blame Iraqis for any encounters that end badly. For instance, in the case of shooting up the van and the people who tried to help the wounded man, we would say that they didn't do anything to identify themselves as not being insurgents. Plus, they were clearly scared and in a hurry, so they knew they were putting themselves in danger and were therefore responsible for the consequences. There are all kinds of ways to make excuses and avoid siding with savage foreigners against our poor scared boys. Should Americans stand up to their government and demand what they want? Between the opinions expressed by Americans on this page and the opinions expressed by the soldiers in the video, the (mythical and/or aggregate) will of the American people is closer to the latter, so mass democratic action would not help anything.
  - eagleal 17y ago
    (Old discussion, but I'm replying anyway) I got your point from the start, but still all this video/discussion/etc it's just a tool for journalists to play with, and the media to make some money with.