As Frederick Nietze(sp?) said, “If you stare into the abyss long enough, the abyss stares back at you.” Perhaps meaning that the evil the U.S. went to Iraq to avenge may have consumed some parties. I find it prophetic that Nietze is consistantly so right. Also, why do some people become suceptible to this, but others can remain resolute to the mission and take the high road? What accounts for this? “Between stimulus and response is our greatest freedom: Choice” (Stephen Covey)- Why did some person chose to conduct themselves so horribly?
Dumbass REMF’s fuck things up every time. Ever notice that you never see photos of CIA action teams, SEALs, CCT’s, Deltas, Blackwater guys? Well people, now you know exactly why. It is always better to be a ghost than be on the front page of the Washington Post or all over CNN. One of the most powerful weapons of mass destruction is the camera phone. It appears to have undermined the entire U.S. war effort in the hands of a few stupid PFC’s playing grabass.
Happy Memorial Day: More U.S. soldiers died in the 48 hours following June 6, 1944 than in the entire Vietnam conflict. Today it is worth honoring the memory of those who sacrificed their lives and compromised their families so we may be free and happy and safe.
**As Frederick Nietze(sp?) said, “If you stare into the abyss long enough, the abyss stares back at you.” Perhaps meaning that the evil the U.S. went to Iraq to avenge may have consumed some parties. I find it prophetic that Nietze is consistantly so right. **I think I’ve mentioned it before, but I’ve always respected Nietzsche for having the courage and honesty to follow his beliefs all the way through to their logical conclusions. Evidently, there are a lot of atheists here who must go apoplectic when reading his work.
** Also, why do some people become suceptible to this, but others can remain resolute to the mission and take the high road? What accounts for this? “Between stimulus and response is our greatest freedom: Choice” (Stephen Covey)- Why did some person chose to conduct themselves so horribly?** Question of the day. I’d answer more fully, but since it won’t get me ahead in the Jackass voting anyway (WTF?), I’ll just say that as a society, we better start trying to figure this one out.
**Happy Memorial Day: More U.S. soldiers died in the 48 hours following June 6, 1944 than in the entire Vietnam conflict. Today it is worth honoring the memory of those who sacrificed their lives and compromised their families so we may be free and happy and safe. **Amen to that, and Happy Memorial Day to everyone out there.
Man I’m so glad someone brought up atheism. We just don’t have enough threads going lately to deal with that topic.
Oh, so sorry to have, again, responded to someone else’s post. I suppose you think it’s fine to bring up Nietzsche, just so long as we don’t mention atheism? A little hard to discuss his philosophy under those terms, don’t you think?
Maybe you should take this up with Tom D- he’s the one who started the post. Somehow I don’t think you will.
Tom, I don’t think that you are right about the last one. Total combat deaths in WWII, along with total MIA, were about 400,000 while total combat deaths in Vietnam were 55,000 to 57,000. Just a detail though. We should honor the memory of all those that have given their lives so that we can live in freedom.
I heard a figure quoted (don’t remember where- it was several years ago) that was in vicinity of 30,000- for both the 48 hours surrounding D-Day and the entire Vietnam conflict.
I most certainly could be mistaken but the statistic stuck in my mind. I wish I could remember the source. I seem to remember it as part of the publicity surrounding the release of the movie “Saving Private Ryan” when it was first released.
It may also have come from a book called “Now You know” which was full of stories by D-Day survivors.
Tom, I must let you know that I have taken issue with a reply to your post. I am holding you 9.2% responsible for allowing vitus to mention atheism. You are being held accountable.
Insincere, I suspect. And inaccurate. Tom D was close to 100% responsible for opening the door for me to mention atheism.
Here’s what I suggest you do if you have a problem with my posts. Search through all the posts I’ve made, and pay close attention to how many off-topic threads I’ve *started. *It isn’t many.
Personally, I enjoy the off-topic stuff. If you don’t, don’t read them. Or if it’s just my posts you don’t like, skip them. But if you’re looking to hold someone accountable for the amount of off-topic threads and you think it’s me. . .You got the wrong guy. I was framed.
<<More U.S. soldiers died in the 48 hours following June 6, 1944 than in the entire Vietnam conflict. Today it is worth honoring the memory of those who sacrificed their lives and compromised their families so we may be free and happy and safe.>>
If memory serves correct, the 82nd Airborne took close to 70% casualties during their role in D-Day.
I watched a little of the WWII Memorial Dedication on TV. Got a little choked up. What an amazing generation.
A sincere, heart-felt thank you to all of the brave men and women who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces. God Bless you all.
When I was in the military there was a little ribbon on my uniform when I got to my unit. It came with membership in the unit, but I did not earn it.
It was the Meritorious Unit Citation, won by my unit in WWII on D-Day by men I never knew. They stormed the cliffs at Point du Hoc, France to destroy German 88mm gun emplacements on top of the cliffs. 70% of them were killed. The unit had to climb the veritcal cliffs under withering gunfire using ropes and grappling hooks- right out of a James Bond movie. Once at the top the survivors discoverd their objective was not there- it had been moved. So, outgunned, outnumbered, wounded and dying they managed to find their objective and destroy it.
And I got a little ribbon on my uniform for it.
Nothing I could have ever done would validate that ribbon on my uniform. It was earned by men braver than me, tougher than me, more daring than me. Earned by heroes, paid for with their lives.
Wearing it was humbling. It was a heavy decoration to wear. It still sits on the unform of every soldier in Company F, 425th Infantry (LRSU) Michigan National Guard.
As I type this the majority of the men in that unit- right now- are somewhaere I can’t say doing something I can’t talk about. We may or may not ever hear about it.
My entire philosophy can be summed up with two names: Ayn Rand and Friedrich Nietzsche. Well, okay, you can sprinkle some Socrates on top for good measure(the good life and such). Whenever I tell people this, they are horrified because they know nothing about him expect for some vague association with the Nazis(which has nothing to to with him, actually). Beyond having an accurate, if somewhat negative view towards people, I find his writings on self-empowerment, the herd, and the way society enslaves the strong to be dead on.
In a somewhat similar vein, I am constantly amazed at how much wisdom and topical pertinence U2’s music contains. I was listening to All That You Can’t Leave Behind yesterday while on the CT, and find that many of the songs are just as pertinent now as when they were written in 2000.
Regarding what you are talking about, from Heaven on Earth, “…you become a monster, so the monster cannot break you.”
Re: camera phones… the photos may not have been plain stupidity. My recollection is that the photos were taken and shown to more “high-value” prisoners in order to get them to talk (and avoid the same treatment).
My interpretation is that some if not all the Iraqis in the photos were just being used to “motivate” other prisoners. My gut feeling is that they themselves were either minor criminals or bystanders.
tom, remember that Delta does not exist. My friend in that unit is officially classified as a telephone operator by the army. The only thing correct about that is operator.
