THEY'RE CHILDREN!!!! (Rant. Be advised)

[Taverner]

OK, I'm in Miami at the Miami Airport Marriott and I just met four kids (yes I mean kids, two were 18 two were 17) who were in the Army, en route to Fort Benning and then Iraq.

Fresh out of boot camp, they were all full of excitement on the promises given to them by their recruiter (he promised marketable skills, money, adventure, etc...) and still with smiles on their faces. They all felt they were defending freedom, democracy and the American way...all fucking lies given to them by some cheap ass used car salesman in uniform.

I hope they fucking come back alive. These were fucking kids - the two girls reminded me of my cousin who just went off to college - except they didn't have the oppertunities that my cousin did. They were from South Carolina, Texas, West Virginia and Central California - from towns that aren't even on maps and the only chance of advancement at home is the local fucking Wal Mart.

Jeezus fucking A Chrizt - we're sending off children to do the dirty work of Bushco. I knew it was bad before - I had friends who were "stop lossed" - but they were older. I always felt my friend Justin who got stuck back in Iraq right before finishing his ROTC duties was able to handle things. At least much better than a 17 year old.

As I left the hotel gym and the four kids, I wished them luck and safety.

"That's the way it has to be," said one of the boys in his polite Texas drawl.

[no name no slogan]

1. Isn't that illegal

except in Louisiana?

[ContraBass Black]

2. Reconsider your thread title.

[Harley Quinn]

3. I completely agree...

The SO is in the military. He waited till after college and grad school, so he has a different perspective than most of the kids in his company.

He's always complaining about the two groups of soldiers in the 18-22 age group. The first: much like the kids you described. Chock full of army-approved BS and ready to take a bullet.

The second: Disrespectful, foul-mouthed little punks who are in for a rude awakening when the bullets start flying.

The worst part, according to the SO, is that the Army treats them exactly the same way: burgers under a hot lamp. These kids are being pushed through training so fast that if they don't bring integrity, discipline, and honor with them, they never receive it.

It's truly disturbing...

[Taverner]

5. They seemed like good kids

Granted I only knew them for about 30 minutes, but they had politeness, respect, and not a clue of what the fuck was waiting for them in the deserts over there.

The Iraqis are willing to die just to make a point.

Are they ready to go with them?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. I know, Taverner

I taught college for many years, and those 17- and 18-year-olds can often look like apple-cheeked children.

During my first year of teaching, one of the guys in my first-year Japanese class celebrated his nineteenth birthday, and it suddenly struck me that I was looking at someone who was the same age as the average Vietnam War soldier.

During the anti-Vietnam War protests, one of the professors at my college made a "modest proposal" that the draft age be raised to 50. After all, he said, people over fifty are the ones who plan the wars, and they've had a good chance to live, so why not?

[Taverner]

6. In earlier times Kings were at the forefront of battle

And would die alongside their men.

Made a ruler a little choosier about which battles were worth fighting