Re: war

I was not offended at all, just wanted to relay my observations. I lived in Europe in the mid 50's and much of what you saw I did too. Visited Hiroshima when I went to Japan many years after the bombing. Was appalled in both cases. I have also visited Dachau. Don't pretend to know the answer, but it seems to me that things haven't changed much since Plato said "Only the dead have seen the end of war." Yes, there are some hawks in the military, but the difference between them and the hawks in Congress is that the military ones generally know that they will end up in harms way. The others are the ones doing the sending. For what it is worth, the motto of the Army's Combat Casualty Care Course is - War has no winners...only survivors.
Cathy
On Sunday, February 16, 2003, at 03:45 AM, Marge Talt wrote:

Well, I knew I'd offend some of you:-)  I'm an old Army brat,
myself...come from a *very* hawk-like family, so my experience of
army officer's views on war is a tad different....still, I consider
war a very poor alternative to anything else.  Happened to live in
Europe in '48 and saw the results of W.W.II first hand; hard to
believe that anyone who has either lived through war or seen the
aftermath could even consider it as a "solution".

Agree, Congress is probably even more willing to commit troops than
most military personnel...and those who have no experience of war or
its aftermath the most enthusiastic about it.   Perhaps I should
change my theory from military commanders to civilian ones to make it
more accurate:-)

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
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From: cathy carpenter <cathyc@rnet.com>
I was a soldier (albeit a nurse - one who deals directly with the
effects of war on the soldier) for 30 years (might end up one

again, as

retirees are subject to recall until age 65). My father was a

soldier

for 20 years (an armor officer), so I have had plenty of contact

with

the military -  of all ranks and specialties. Believe me, soldiers

see

war up close and personal and I don't know a class of people that

is

less bloodthirsty (there are exceptions, of course, but every group

has

its weirdos). The generals are far more reluctant to commit troops

to

combat than is our Congress - very few of whom have ever served in

the

military. In military "table top" exercises involving use of

nuclears,

it has been found time and again that civilians involved are far

readier

to use those weapons than the military participants.
Cathy

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