800,000 Privileged Youths Enlist To Fight In Iraq

[The Architect]

The Onion

More than 800,000 young people from upper-middle- and upper-class families have put aside their education, careers, and physical well-being to enlist in the military, new data from the Department Of Defense shows.

U.S. Gen. John Abizaid, who has in the past argued against a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq, now says that with the influx of nearly a million troops expected to be on the ground Feb. 1, the region should be stabilized within six weeks.

Basically these kids are giving up the chance to get an education at some of the best colleges on the country an instead they go to risk there lifes in Iraq.
??

[Jack]

You do know the Onion is a parody news site, right?
In the real world, there's a possibility that Prince Harry will soon be serving in Iraq. Perhaps the Bush twins will take this as a challenge to their patriotism and sign up to serve as well. That would be interesting.

[gr8fuldaniel]

We dont know if that would matter. If the twins joined up. Bush didnt even go to his own baby sisters funeral, so he may not care if the twins die in a bloodbath of his own making in a distant land. It would just be a couple more dead soldiers. So what.

[Praxius]

If it was actually true, those kids are not as bright as they make them out to be.

If Bush's popularity and support for the war is at an all time low, then why in hell would 800,000 rich kids decide to go off to fight? Rebellion against their parents? Yeah.... that's a good way. :rolleyes:

[RickSp]

Quote by: Praxius If it was actually true, those kids are not as bright as they make them out to be.

As Isherwood pointed out, the Onion is a satire site. They make stuff up to be funny.

[The Architect]

Well...now I look like a fool. The article looked convincing.

[brien]

Praxius wrote:

If it was actually true, those kids are not as bright as they make them out to be.

So may we conclude that you believe only stupid people enlist in the services?

[Gods_Mercenary]

Yow, that's a stinger. Anyway, perhaps these kids (hypothetically, if this is true) wanted to sort of share the load with the troops. Why is that stupid, you can be educated any time.

[Praxius]

Quote by: brien So may we conclude that you believe only stupid people enlist in the services?

Nope..... I am saying that if they were in a comfortable position in life, had the upper class life, going to university/college, and all that "great future" crap, just to give it all up and get dumped into Iraq to get blown up, sounds kinda stupid.

I didn't say stupid people join the military, I said if these people in particular, hypothetically joined the military, they would have been stupid.

Please try not to look too far into my posts.

Why would kids who got it good in your society want to join up in a war that the majority of the country opposes? That's what I was trying to get at.

[Gods_Mercenary]

So rich people shouldn't give back to their country? They should just wallow in their money and privelege?

[brien]

Quote by: Praxius Nope..... I am saying that if they were in a comfortable position in life, had the upper class life, going to university/college, and all that "great future" crap, just to give it all up and get dumped into Iraq to get blown up, sounds kinda stupid. I didn't say stupid people join the military, I said if these people in particular, hypothetically joined the military, they would have been stupid. Please try not to look too far into my posts. Why would kids who got it good in your society want to join up in a war that the majority of the country opposes? That's what I was trying to get at.

Your quote and your explanation makes it sound as if you think joining the military for some is a stupid thing to do.

[G. Adams]

Quote by: Isherwood You do know the Onion is a parody news site, right? In the real world, there's a possibility that Prince Harry will soon be serving in Iraq. Perhaps the Bush twins will take this as a challenge to their patriotism and sign up to serve as well. That would be interesting.

The only reason Harry stands a chance to be sent to Iraq is because he isn't Charles son, he's James Love Hewitts.

[Praxius]

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary So rich people shouldn't give back to their country? They should just wallow in their money and privelege?

You quote and your explanation makes it sound as if you think joining the military for some is a stupid thing to do.

I swear it must be my maritime accent.......

In response to Quote 1:

No, I didn't say rich people should just wallow in their money and stay out of the military. I'm saying that generally most rich people would rather not, based on their status...... everyone should join the military if they think it's the right thing to do for themselves..... but you and I both know that people who are in a rich status in life would rather stay where they are happy rather then join the army and risk it all.

I'm not agreeing that the rich should be exempted from joining the military, I just think it would be unlikely that they would join voluntarily.

In response to Quote 2:

The military being a stupid decision for some? In a sense, yes.

Not everybody is cut out for the military, and not everybody should join the military, unless they just want to be killed right away.... Not everyone has what it takes. However the above quote was about rich kids making the stupid decision of joining the military.

I based it as a stupid decision, because some were reported as already planning on going to university and already situated in life. To just pull a 180 and dump all that planning to join the military (in this situation) in a war that is not popular, nor is it directly for the defense of the country, I would consider as stupid.

I come from a military family and I've been amongst it all myself, so don't confuse my comments as being against the military. My statement was towards the fact that the bogus report didn't remotely start to make logical sense to me, hence why I said it sounded stupid.....

There were no good grounds of an explanation as to why such a large amount would join the army.... hence why I claimed a possibility of stupidness.

[PatrickHenry]

Quote by: brien Your quote and your explanation makes it sound as if you think joining the military for some is a stupid thing to do.

Honestly, brien...

Do you buy the propaganda? Joining the US military is a fool's move.

Ask Pat Tillman how it worked out...oh, wait...

[Gods_Mercenary]

Tillman chose to go to war, he was killed, as he knew he very well might. He made that choice and I doubt he would regret it.

[brien]

Quote by: PatrickHenry Honestly, brien... Do you buy the propaganda? Joining the US military is a fool's move. Ask Pat Tillman how it worked out...oh, wait...

Well Pat I do disagree. Because the CIC has blundered and sent the military into a fools war, it doesn't necessarily mean only fools join the military. So you are calling every candidate in West Point, the Coast Guard Academy, the Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy foolish and / or stupid? I may disagree with US policy, but I don't disagree the US needs the best military it can muster in order to maintain its security. If that is propaganda, yes I buy it.

Edit to add: I don't even consider the enlisted man a fool. He has his beliefs and who am I to judge him simply because I may disagree with the war in Iraq, or the policy in the Middle East. I don't advocate destroying this country's military in order to redirect the policy that drives the military. Ity is the politicians who dictate to the military, so any complaints you may have with the military can be directly laid at the feet of the policy makers in DC. They are the fools, not the enlisted or commissioned officers in the military.

[Praxius]

Once again, in case it wasn't made clear.....

It's not stupid to join the military..... it's stupid to join the military for the reason of fighting this current war.

[brien]

Quote by: Praxius Once again, in case it wasn't made clear..... It's not stupid to join the military..... it's stupid to join the military for the reason of fighting this current war.

Once again, who are you to judge another's idea of loyalty toward one's country and their expression of it? It may be foolish or stupid for YOU to join the miliatry to fight the current war, but to lay your ideals upon another is simply immaterial. It is fine for you to think the way you do, and nobody will criticize you for it, but please, allow the same courtesy to a fellow citizen. Your attitude borders on elitist because you pretend to know what is best for all when those people who wish to join the military in order to fight for their ideals simply have a different ideoligical approach than your own and you think yours is best.

[Praxius]

Quote by: brien Once again, who are you to judge another's idea of loyalty toward one's country and their expression of it? It may be foolish or stupid for YOU to join the miliatry to fight the current war, but to lay your ideals upon another is simply immaterial. It is fine for you to think the way you do, and nobody will criticize you for it, but please, allow the same courtesy to a fellow citizen. Your attitude borders on elitist because you pretend to know what is best for all when those people who wish to join the military in order to fight for their ideals simply have a different ideoligical approach than your own and you think yours is best.

It's my opinion... do you see me going around bashing people over the head with my Prax Bible? I don't care what you or anybody else does, so long as it doesn't interfere with my life.

I said it was stupid, because that's how I see the article.... I'm not imposing my beliefs on you or anybody else, so before you start preaching that I'm claiming to be better then anybody else, I'd recommend you stop looking too far into my comments.....

I know where your comment is coming from and it shows that you didn't understand what I was trying to say.... once again, it must be my accent.

[brien]

My comments are not coming from anywhere but my analysis of your post(s).

For example this is your statement.

it's stupid to join the military for the reason of fighting this current war.

I take you at your word this is your "opinion" and it speaks for itself. You further explained it and that post also speaks for itself. You think your opinion is smart and that if someone else thinks the opposite opinion, they must be dumb, in your view. You can spin it anyway you wish, but your idea(opinion) is clear to me.