tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2577918999251132702.post1322178427266958329..comments2024-03-29T01:24:08.489-06:00Comments on CoastConFan Blog: Veteran’s Day 2014CoastConFanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250561260148656254noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2577918999251132702.post-62831570926925942962014-11-10T09:07:13.226-06:002014-11-10T09:07:13.226-06:00The American Civil War spawned the catch phrase “A...The American Civil War spawned the catch phrase “A rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight.” In 1863 the draft was not popular back then and certainly wasn’t not later. The fact that an individual could buy their way out of mandatory attendance at a slaughter by spending $200 or by sending a substitute, made a lot people (those without the cash) quite angry at the privilege of money. I’ve never been in favor of a peacetime draft and not too sure about the quality of people taken forcefully to the military via a draft. I agree with you that those who rattler their sabers the most are the least likely to go. <br /><br />Marine Corps Major General Smedley D. Butler wrote a book called War is a Racket, in 1935 about war profiteering in WWI. Gen Butler should know, as he was a 34 year veteran starting with the Span-Am War, eventually twice being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor during his career. The term “military-industrial complex” wasn’t coined until years later, but you get the point. Gen Butler basically served in every war during that period that US Marines were present. I don’t always agree with him, but he certainly had the credentials to know what he was talking about when we speak of war. His bio is well worth a read as well as the link to this book below.<br /><br />https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler <br />https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Is_a_Racket<br />download the book: https://archive.org/details/WarIsARacket <br />CoastConFanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07250561260148656254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2577918999251132702.post-36736167440540735652014-11-10T03:49:29.217-06:002014-11-10T03:49:29.217-06:00I think the further technology advances the more c...I think the further technology advances the more common conflict will become.<br /><br />My reasons;<br /><br />A medieval soldier, had to go and butcher enemies face to face....incredibly traumatic.<br /><br />A WW1 soldier had to shoot & occasionally get in the enemies trenches & butcher them.....similarly traumatic to the first example.<br /><br />After that we have continued to get further & further away from the enemy, killing them from afar.<br /><br />I honestly think that if you have had to butcher people "up close & personal" -regardless of which country you were fighting for- your gunna be less inclined to be shouting wars vitues to the second generation.<br /><br />Not a nice notion, but my theory nonetheless.<br /><br />Thanks for the insightful article.Mr Papafakishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05449586265828153638noreply@blogger.com