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I didn't read (or skim) the article, but there are recent examples. Chechen vets coming back to Russia and forming into what Russia calls "OPGs" Organized Crimi
by throw1234651234 6y ago
I didn't read (or skim) the article, but there are recent examples. Chechen vets coming back to Russia and forming into what Russia calls "OPGs" Organized Criminal Groups. Now that I think about it, Mexico has this without the colonial wars in the form of cartel enforcers.
Then we had the US vet running around South America this year and embarrassing the US.
There are several examples of ex-troops assassinating presidents.
The French Foreign Legion started trouble in France when bored after multiple deployments.
I can think of probably a 100 examples.
- pattusk 6y agoRight, but this is a problem of not knowing how (or not wanting) to manage returning vets, nothing specific to imperial bellicose ventures overseas. Most ancient societies had strict purification rituals for returning warriors, so that they could cleanse themselves spiritually and socially of the violence committed on the battlefield. Modernity and rationality have gotten rid of these religious rituals but not of their psychological necessity.
- throw1234651234 6y agoAgreed.
- chrxr 6y agoBut how many applications of soldiers overseas are there other than in the advancement of imperial aims? Dubious peace keeping claims? I understand this is a very subjective topic, but its at least understandable that someone should make this connection. I read the article as arguing that the USA is an empire, and as such its soldiers are overseas furthering those imperial aims. So in that sense it is the imperial ventures that are creating the vets who need to be managed at home.
- 0max 6y agoSam Esmail's Homecoming comes to mind...