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Theoretical question (about the war)

ChrisRobin

Turbo Monkey
Jan 30, 2002
3,403
212
Vancouver
If things really got out of hand over there, who here would volunteer to sign up in the regular US army and go fight?

I'm not doing anything too important in my life right now so I'd be applying to fly one of those nice Apache helicopters! I'd be no good on the ground since my knees bother me. Also, 'they' (the US) would have to ignore me being a Canadian citizen.
 

Damn True

Monkey Pimp
Sep 10, 2001
4,015
3
Between a rock and a hard place.
I served for eleven years so my "obligation" is satisfied. However, I remain subject to recall and if asked I would shave my goatee, remove my ear-rings and be back in uniform in a second.
I still have a full issue sea-bag and all of my flight gear. I could report tomorow morning to any CG aviation unit.

It would have to get pretty bad though for that to happen.
 

Motionboy2

Calendar Dominator
Apr 23, 2002
1,800
0
Broomfield, Colorado
They would take me in a second, I am color blind and from what I am told that makes me less suseptable to camo. Unfortunatly I do not have what it takes and I like civilian life too much.

Might be able to get me to fly some unmanned aircraft though.
 
If my Country calls upon me I will be willing and able to serve to the best of my ability and in whatever capacity. It is an honor to fight and die for your country, preserving freedom and establishing freedom for those without.

Swiss, age never stopped anybody. You are not selfish, just uninformed. You should go to any bookstore or library and check out some of the stories about WW2. There were boys....boys 14, 15 year olds who lied about their age to defend what we take for granted. I guess it all boils down to priorities and moral stature.
 
Feb 3, 2002
58
0
mile high
Originally posted by ADSfreeride
If my Country calls upon me I will be willing and able to serve to the best of my ability and in whatever capacity. It is an honor to fight and die for your country, preserving freedom and establishing freedom for those without.
I agree wholeheartedly. I don't think I'd really want to go, but for some reason I'm sure I would. Hey swiss, you have to realize, you'd be putting your life on the line to preserve the lives and freedom of your own family, your neighbors and other innocents who can't physically defend themselves.

It's not selfish to not want to, but what would you do if an armed robber broke into your house and threatened your sisters and mom?
 

ChrisRobin

Turbo Monkey
Jan 30, 2002
3,403
212
Vancouver
Well, I don't think I'd be going to try to rid the world of evil and give up my life in the name of freedom...I'd just go to blow sh!t up.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
55,953
21,996
Sleazattle
I would join up, I actually kinda wish I was over there now. I do not believe in the current administrations policies but I would still join up. Blowing shlt up is certainly part of the desire but I am also a glutton for punishment and misery. It also does not seem fair that I home in near luxury while others are fighting and suffering.
 

heikkihall

Monkey
Dec 14, 2001
882
0
Durango, CO
If things get bad enough you can count me in over there instantly. I would love to have the honor to serve my country as many gerations before me have. I am actually thinking about finishing school and then joining the military to make a possible career out of it.
 

S.G.D

Monkey
Jun 14, 2002
505
0
Vancouver
other than my weight i would be a prime candidate. i'm fit, i have EXTREMELY good vision, good cardio, i have shot a gun, can solve basic math and electronical problems and have gradutated HS. there is one minor set back, im not partial to gettin shot.

despite that little draw back i would go, i would feel guilty if i was really needed and didnt

~SGD
 

Airborne

Chimp
Nov 21, 2002
92
0
Pittsburgh, PA
I damn near enlisted in the Marines 5-6 years ago. Placed real high on aptitude tests, had my choice of any of 36 different tracks. I chose the infantry, but was declined for that role (and combat) due to migraine headaches.

I have actually contacted a recruiter a few weeks ago for the AF Reserve; there is a post here in Pitt. I have the directions in my Palm Pilot to just head down to the office... Maybe tomorrow?:confused: Only hang up is having problems leaving my job for so long for training (dont think that is guarenteed)...
 

Moogie

Monkey
Nov 27, 2001
100
0
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
Originally posted by ADSfreeride
If my Country calls upon me I will be willing and able to serve to the best of my ability and in whatever capacity. It is an honor to fight and die for your country, preserving freedom and establishing freedom for those without.

Swiss, age never stopped anybody. You are not selfish, just uninformed. You should go to any bookstore or library and check out some of the stories about WW2. There were boys....boys 14, 15 year olds who lied about their age to defend what we take for granted. I guess it all boils down to priorities and moral stature.
sorry but i dont think you can lie about your age to get into the military today. back then those young men (im 16) were needed as WW2 claimed the lives of millions of countrymen, the government needed every able bodied person to fight.
 

TN

Hey baby, want a hot dog?
Jul 9, 2002
14,301
1,353
Jimtown, CO
I could never be in the armed forces...even if I wanted to.

I would have to say........

wait... i have to stop now...i come here to talk about bikes & stuff, not political hypothetical BS. sorry.
 

Airborne

Chimp
Nov 21, 2002
92
0
Pittsburgh, PA
Originally posted by TN_Fred
I could never be in the armed forces...even if I wanted to.

I would have to say........

wait... i have to stop now...i come here to talk about bikes & stuff, not political hypothetical BS. sorry.

BINGO! now, if you wanna talk tips for keeping dust out of your bearings in Iraq, we can start that thread up here...
 

patconnole

Monkey
Jun 4, 2002
396
0
bellingham WA
"if things got bad over there...."


I don't know. There's always that side of you that wants to fight.... fight for anything, and blow stuff up. But I don't trust this administration. I'd like to believe this was really about freeing people, but I don't think that's what's driving this at all. And I don't think the people we're about to free are ready for our style of government--- we take our way of thinking for granted.
But who knows.

So I'd love to fight for freedom, if it was totally obvious that's what we were doing--- but there's doubt. I've carried one of those "no Iraq war" signs in my car, and my g/f's dad verbally attacked me yesterday with the list of bad things Saddam has done (just out of the blue... ). After about 5 minutes of him just listing off all these horrible things, I stepped in and said, "So you think we're doing this for humanitarian reasons?" After a minute of more evil-Saddam-factoids, he said, "Yes, definitely. This is humanitarian war. And defensive for us, but humanitarian. We've got the best troops in the world. We've got the best trained troops in the world. There the nicest, most honorable....."


Me: "I don't think anybody disagrees with that...."

Him: "(cutting me off)... It's like the damn protesters think Bush should be tried as a war criminal!? "Blood for Oil?" Yeah, for France, Germany, and Russia! It's like, they think because we haven't gone after every bad guy, we're not allowed to go after this one!? If their own mother was being mugged on the street, they'd say, "Well, I can't help her, because we can't help everybody!"

Me: "Well... I think we're doing this because it's a strategic position..... mainly related to oil...."

Him: "Yeah, Blood for Oil, on France's side!..."

His wife: "You'd help your own mother wouldn't you?"

So it becomes a "who can talk while ignoring the other person talk" contest. But I'd been listening to him for about 10 minutes without saying much, so I just ignore him and say

"Well, with our invasion of Panama. That was sold as a war on drugs, a war to get a drug lord dictator, when we were really down there to reestablish our control of the canal. It was sold as something different to the public though...."

Him: "We bought and paid for the canal. Just like the Louisiana Purchase, and Alaska. We paid for it, it's ours...."

Me: "That's a quote straight from Reagan! (it was). The Panamanians weren't even involved in the contract negotiations, We just bought it from the French who didn't even own it."

Him: "So you're saying YOU'RE a CRIMINAL! What about the Indians?! You think we should just get off the land.....!"

Me: "That's a different situation.. I'm saying we didn't buy it from any native panamanians...."

Him: "Well you know what native means!? YOU'RE a NATIVE American. So am I! Native means you were born here, so WE'RE ALL NATIVE AMERICAN."

Me: "I guess, if you want to change the defintion like that...!"

Him: "I'm not changing it! Take "Gay" for example! That's a word that used to mean "happy", but the definition......"

Me: "Ok, we've got to stay on subject here, on task. (Oh jeez, you're crazy! As I get into my car, closing the door.)"



Sorry for the rant, it was just crazy with this guy. Too bad I may one day be related to him.. Ha ha. Anyway, if things got bad over there.....? Sure, I'd like to blow some stuff up.
 

LoboDelFuego

Monkey
Mar 5, 2002
193
0
If they started a draft (only possible way I would go) I'd just renounce my U.S. citizenship and continue my studies (I would be a college freshman.)
 

Echo

crooked smile
Jul 10, 2002
11,819
15
Slacking at work
I've been to the Persian Gulf. It's not a pleasant place to be. And I was on a nice air conditioned destroyer.

The air there is just nasty. Even in the middle of the Gulf, the air is full of sand and salt. You take a shower, put on clean clothes, go outside for an hour to stand watch, and you need another shower and another set of clean clothes. And I bet it's ten times worse now with the sandstorms and burning oil. It doesn't take you long to start wanting to leave.

One thing I remember vividly is that the Arab people I met were very nice and lots of fun. I'd see guys who looked like terrorists, with the beards and the turbans and drab clothes wrapped around them. They couldn't speak English and I couldn't speak Arabic. To them, I'm sure I was just as scary looking. The only way we could communicate was by being silly with our friends and laughing.

To this day I try to remember those guys, because they are the majority of the people over there. And the Iraqi army is trying to get them killed by dressing like them :(
 

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,577
277
Hershey, PA
Originally posted by ChrisRobin
Well, I don't think I'd be going to try to rid the world of evil and give up my life in the name of freedom...I'd just go to blow sh!t up.
After high school I accompanied my friend to the Army recruiter. When the Sergeant looked up and asked "can I help you?" my friend replied "yeah, I wanna blow sh!t up." He spent the next 3 years as an Army Engineer specializing in demolition. :thumb:
 

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,577
277
Hershey, PA
Originally posted by LoboDelFuego
If they started a draft (only possible way I would go) I'd just renounce my U.S. citizenship and continue my studies (I would be a college freshman.)
If they started a draft and you were in college, I believe you get a waiver. But since you would give up your citizenship to stay out of the military,why wait? Just go now.
 

TN

Hey baby, want a hot dog?
Jul 9, 2002
14,301
1,353
Jimtown, CO
Originally posted by LoboDelFuego
If they started a draft (only possible way I would go) I'd just renounce my U.S. citizenship and continue my studies (I would be a college freshman.)
Cutting your triger finger off would be way cooler.
 

bomberz1qr20

Turbo Monkey
Nov 19, 2001
1,007
0
Originally posted by LoboDelFuego
If they started a draft (only possible way I would go) I'd just renounce my U.S. citizenship and continue my studies (I would be a college freshman.)
By that I assume you mean you would keep your sovereign citizenship of the state you're from? (NY?)

Better study up on common law!
 

manimal

Ociffer Tackleberry
Feb 27, 2002
7,213
22
Blindly running into cactus
i've still got a year and a half of obligative service. could be called back at anytime so i keep my sea bag ready to go. i was actually hoping that i was called back because it's hard watching my friends over there and thinking that i should be with them. it's a bond that is difficult to understand unless you've been in the military before, especially such a small group as the marines. besides, i really miss my trusty M-16 A2 service rifle. :D
 

ohio

The Fresno Kid
Nov 26, 2001
6,649
26
SF, CA
Originally posted by golgiaparatus

Better just to tell the recruiter that Allah is the way to true freedom and then start singing some arabic song with the word jihad in it a lot.

- JB
Or hump his leg. Vigorously.
 

Drunken_Ninja

Turbo Monkey
Aug 25, 2002
1,094
1
Hangin' with Riggs and Mertah
I was looking into joining canadian forces today for a better means of obtaining a career in electronics engineering technology. I am really interested in finishing my diploma. It would be fun to join the airforce.

I would not want to leave my bicycle behind for any amount of time though. I don't think that I would survive basic training all that well. I probably am not physically capable of undergoing the training.

I think my interests lie in finishing a diploma first then obtaining further education possibly from within the canadian forces as a civillian. I may come back to it later.

I would go where ever they went, however I am in love with technology and would remain ambiguous to whatever is happening politically.
 

bomberz1qr20

Turbo Monkey
Nov 19, 2001
1,007
0
Originally posted by Drunken_Ninja
I was looking into joining canadian forces today for a better means of obtaining a career in electronics engineering technology. I am really interested in finishing my diploma. It would be fun to join the airforce.
So who says our countries don't invest in education?
All that millitary spending is teaching men valuable skills, like how to kill people from long distances!

Wow, that would be really fun! Maybe a wayward bomb will anhillate an innocent child! Fun, fun, fun!!
 

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
15,242
0
Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
Originally posted by LoboDelFuego
If they started a draft (only possible way I would go) I'd just renounce my U.S. citizenship and continue my studies (I would be a college freshman.)
Really? You must have really given some thought on this matter.

Exactly where would you become a citizen? No citizenship, no passport. Do you think that you would get to stay here?

Just go to Canada? They wouldn't want you either.

And you want to come up with the rules for the forum? Good grief you apparently couldn't think your way out of a paper sack, how is it you make it to college. America's education system is shot.
 

bomberz1qr20

Turbo Monkey
Nov 19, 2001
1,007
0
Originally posted by DRB
Really? You must have really given some thought on this matter.

Exactly where would you become a citizen? No citizenship, no passport. Do you think that you would get to stay here?

Your U.S. citizenship can be renounced and you will still have sovereign, common law citizenship of the state you are from. This allows you protection under the state constitution, as well as original USA constitutional rights, but you will no longer be ruled under federal jurisdiction.

But that is way too big a can 'o worms to open here.

No one's heard of this?
 

LoboDelFuego

Monkey
Mar 5, 2002
193
0
Originally posted by bomberz1qr20
By that I assume you mean you would keep your sovereign citizenship of the state you're from? (NY?)

Better study up on common law!
No, I have dual citizenship with Spain and the USA. Very handy for travelling, to have two passports.
 

ChrisRobin

Turbo Monkey
Jan 30, 2002
3,403
212
Vancouver
Hmmm...if I get to go riding in Vermont or NY this summer, I think I'll swing by a recruiting office and see if they'll just 'slip' me in. ;)

Plus, Canada is too damn cold! Although it is warming up a little...hey, I better keep an eye on my igloo before it caves in on me.

edit: ooh...just noticed we got bumped to the politcal forum.