Proone
Had to ignore Hundreds of thousands of volunteers....understood the great majority of the troops were in fact conscripts....we had 18 million under arms at one time thus most were not volunteers....but to declare with finality that they were conscript fought wars overstates the facts.
We should also remember we had press censorship in those two wars as well.....and excesses for the home team were not allowed to be aired. Quite a different situation to current practice.
To paint our current crop of troops as less noble...less disciplined...or in any way sub-standard is not a fair statement. As in any war....the vast majority of troops perform excellent service and do not deserve to be tarnished by the few whose conduct falls short of the standard. There have always been excesses in any war....this war is no different but I do not think hanging the few as an example is the right approach to solving the problem either.
I take my hat off to the current serving troops who are caught in some very difficult circumstances. Those who wish to point fingers ought to take a moment to consider what it must be like to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan today. The troops are under incredible stress and face a very determined and capable enemy who are fighting in an urban setting. There is no more difficult fight than that.
We have readers who are serving there....who have served there...and who have sons and daughters who also are involved. I also have some feelings for them when they are exposed to the kinds of comments some of the posters have made.
I have said it before....and I will continue to say it....those that try to take the High Moral Ground here....are wrong when they attempt to paint the troops with a big broad brush.
When you have experienced a barrage of RPG's and seen the damage they cause.....or see the results of an IED or car bomb....your perspective of what is kind and gentle will be coloured a bit.
It may not make it right....but I can begin to understand why some of the excesses have occured. That is the point I am trying to make....our troops are human and will as humans are want to do...make mistakes. It just seems they should be the recipients of the same kind of mercy that is being demanded for their enemies.