Do you believe in something enough to send others to die for it?

[Q Classic]

if i didn't know those people personally, why not? they're statistics, numbers and letters being pushed around in paperwork and on computers.

[Alex]

I'd think twice about doing it. Only twice.

[Panag]

hi ,

yes

have a nice day

[Pekka]

Those who are not willing to put others and ones owns lives at risk for the greated good and common interest will never result to anything more than failure.

And you can quote me on that.

You see, there are more important things than the lives of few. Like freedom.. own values, the way of life, your own home and your country. No one can't take those away if you don't let it happen. No one. You might die for it, but everything has its price. You can ask yourself if you are willing to live as a slave of another force, or free and be your own master. Some people say that it is worth living as a slave, better than dying. But is it not worth a fight? Give it up for free? Many people throughout the history have died for YOU to live free and do what you want to do. Many people have defended your country, so that your family can live later without fear. Do you think, that it is free? Even when it was someone else who had to fight, or it was a long time ago, do you think it is free of charge to you? If you have any respect for yourself and for the people who fought, you are not only ready, but willing to do the same. So that others can live free and happily like you did.

So what good it is to be free if you're dead? Well, what good it is to live as a slave of someone and raise kids to serve someone elses values and way of life? That's even bigger crime! You live in a country, you have the citizenship of it. If you don't have the will to fight for it and accept the possibility of dying for it, or make the decisions of others going and dying for it, you can always denounce the citizenship. Nothing is free. And usually the heaviest prices have been paid for freedom and greater things. It makes me sick, that some folks have the nerves to walk down the streets, spitting to the faces of soldiers and defendors of your own countrymen, cursing them to hell and not giving them the respect that is due to them.

And to send others to die.. well, if you're in that position, then you must make tough decisions. You're serving what ever you are serving at the time, and you can't let everyone down because of being a wussy. It is not your fault that someone has to die. And you can't stop it either. But you can always try to make the best of it, so no unnecessary lives are lost. That's what I think about this issue.

[Panag]

Originally posted by Pekka
Those who are not willing to put others and ones owns lives at risk for the greated good and common interest will never result to anything more than failure.

And you can't quote me on that.

hi ,

that seems to be one of the key's without doubt to the making of battlefield decisions , ......


have a nice day

[Pekka]

And if you're not ready to make the decisions, then you're not the man for the position. Then you must make it clear and known. There is always someone who is ready for it, and that should be the man for the position.

Because at the end of the day.. you just might be lucky enough to be victorious and continue with your life. If you happen to die in the way, well.. at least you gave your best shot.

Besides, the idea is not to die, or send people to die for the country, if that is the case. It's like Patton said. You make the others die for their country. And it all comes down to protecting yourself, your family and friends and your countrymen. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Panag]

Originally posted by Pekka
And if you're not ready to make the decisions, then you're not the man for the position. Then you must make it clear and known. There is always someone who is ready for it, and that should be the man for the position.

Because at the end of the day.. you just might be lucky enough to be victorious and continue with your life. If you happen to die in the way, well.. at least you gave your best shot.

hi ,

correct ; it does not matter what you , as long as you do it , ...

instead of doing nothing , .....

have a nice day

[Pekka]

panag, exactly! The worst thing is to do nothing! That is defeat guaranteed! I don't know how some people can live and know that they didn't even try their hardest. But I guess that's just something I won't ever understand.

Damn, I'm starting to feel quite patriotic tonight

I just want to shout 'CHAAAAAAAAARGE!'

[Lorizael]

About Firemen and Policemen. Those people have volunteered themselves to go into dangerous situations, so they are not being forced to do it.

We don't recruit firemen by grabbing random people off the street, shoving hats on their heads, and throwing them into the fire.

For me personally, I try to avoid situations in which the ethical question of sacrifice would arise. It's much better that way.

[Panag]

Originally posted by Pekka
panag, exactly! The worst thing is to do nothing! That is defeat guaranteed! I don't know how some people can live and know that they didn't even try their hardest. But I guess that's just something I won't ever understand.

Damn, I'm starting to feel quite patriotic tonight

I just want to shout 'CHAAAAAAAAARGE!'

hi ,

thats why in most elite units the doctrine is , lead the way , this means that the young officer or warrant officer actually leads his or her troops forward , ......

but surprise , surprise , this is still not standard military doctrine in a whole lot of countries , .....

have a nice day

[Pekka]

panag, really? I thought that was the doctrine for at least most countries.. Of course leader must lead the troops and be there. To show example. It motivates everyone and leads to better results.

Like the saying goes, it's not 'go'.. it's 'follow me!'

[GePap]

It is more difficult to send others to die than for you to go yourself: if you were wrong, and killed, well, that ends your suffering. if you were wrong, and lot of others die, that makes your suffering and guilt very large.

(another interesting take on it would be to ask, who is really your best friend, he is is willing to die for you, or he who is willing to kill for you?)

I myself can see many reasons why I would be willing to send people to die, whether they signed on voluntarilly or not.

Oh, Panag, junior officers are expendable. They always have some of the highest rates of casualties of any ranks. Now the Colonels and above...

[Panag]

Originally posted by GePap
It is more difficult to send others to die than for you to go yourself: if you were wrong, and killed, well, that ends your suffering. if you were wrong, and lot of others die, that makes your suffering and guilt very large.

(another interesting take on it would be to ask, who is really your best friend, he is is willing to die for you, or he who is willing to kill for you?)

I myself can see many reasons why I would be willing to send people to die, whether they signed on voluntarilly or not.

Oh, Panag, junior officers are expendable. They always have some of the highest rates of casualties of any ranks. Now the Colonels and above...

hi ,

huh , what kind of doctrine is that , no-one , read again , no-one is expendable , ..... well some countries off course have funny battlefield doctrine , ......

have a nice day

[GePap]

Junior officers are always there in the front lines, and they die in disproportionate numbers to other ranks, including those lower than theirs.

Oh, and when push comes to shove, eveyrone is expendable: the question is, where is the line drawn?

[Q Classic]

they are expendable when they are faceless statistics.

just look at the red army fighting the wehrmacht.