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Oh, I think you misunderstood me. I don't blame the people who enlist at all. I also point my finger at the profit-makers. When I say "you guys" I mean "Americ

Oh, I think you misunderstood me. I don't blame the people who enlist at all. I also point my finger at the profit-makers. When I say "you guys" I mean "Americans". All of you. PS: What a weird thing to down vote this post -- it simply clarifies my initial message.

james-watson 10y ago
Ah yes, because average Americans control US geopolitical strategy.
- dumb-saint 10y ago
  So you gave up on democracy?
  - holyOrIonsBelt 10y ago
    First: The U.S. is a republic. Second: Your idealism is compelling, yet you overstate the facilities available to the common citizen. Third: Pointing the finger at 'Americans' and saying 'Why don't you quit fighting so much?' only serves to feed the narrative that Americans are war-hungry. Case in point: there is not a single military battle being fought on American soil. We, the 'war hungry' Americans, only commit to actionable defense of foreign states whose sovereignty is threatened by whatever forces are objectively creating a threat. We do so because we stand on the principle that it is better to stand up for the weak than it is to kowtow to dictators or totalitarian states. Now, we do this in a manner that is selective because geopolitics isn't a black and white decision matrix, and we have to pick battles that that we not only think we can win, but that won't serve to exacerbate the problems of totalitarianism and despotic rule.
sjg007 10y ago
It is the President who declares war... one guy for better or worse.
- sigzero 10y ago
  No, in the United States, Congress declares war (a bunch of guys).
  - lawpoop 10y ago
    Since the War Powers Act, it's basically been the president who makes war. Congressional declarations are a formality. Many of the events that we think of as wars are "military actions"-- Korean "War", Vietnam "War", First Iraq "war", second Iraq "war", Afghanistan "war", Kosovo, Libya, etc https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_war_by_the_United_States#Military_engagements_authorized_by_Congress https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_war_by_the_Unit...
- nothrabannosir 10y ago
  Not without the blessing of congress. Not officially, at least.

james-watson 10y ago

Ah yes, because average Americans control US geopolitical strategy.

dumb-saint 10y ago
So you gave up on democracy?
- holyOrIonsBelt 10y ago
  First: The U.S. is a republic. Second: Your idealism is compelling, yet you overstate the facilities available to the common citizen. Third: Pointing the finger at 'Americans' and saying 'Why don't you quit fighting so much?' only serves to feed the narrative that Americans are war-hungry. Case in point: there is not a single military battle being fought on American soil. We, the 'war hungry' Americans, only commit to actionable defense of foreign states whose sovereignty is threatened by whatever forces are objectively creating a threat. We do so because we stand on the principle that it is better to stand up for the weak than it is to kowtow to dictators or totalitarian states. Now, we do this in a manner that is selective because geopolitics isn't a black and white decision matrix, and we have to pick battles that that we not only think we can win, but that won't serve to exacerbate the problems of totalitarianism and despotic rule.

sjg007 10y ago

It is the President who declares war... one guy for better or worse.

sigzero 10y ago
No, in the United States, Congress declares war (a bunch of guys).
- lawpoop 10y ago
  Since the War Powers Act, it's basically been the president who makes war. Congressional declarations are a formality. Many of the events that we think of as wars are "military actions"-- Korean "War", Vietnam "War", First Iraq "war", second Iraq "war", Afghanistan "war", Kosovo, Libya, etc https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_war_by_the_United_States#Military_engagements_authorized_by_Congress https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_war_by_the_Unit...
nothrabannosir 10y ago
Not without the blessing of congress. Not officially, at least.