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[–]SmockSignalsDeft-Wing Rationalist[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

Vice had a pretty good albeit propaganda show about the volunteers fighting alongside Kurdish Peshmurga.

These guys got their brains rattled. They'd go home and beat their gfs shoot heroin and drink like crazy. Then when alongside their emall units fighting they look much happier.

After training and fighting on the frontlines that's gotta be adrenaline and where they feel at home.

[–]penelopepnortneyBecome ungovernable 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

It's really tragic, for them and for their families.

[–]SmockSignalsDeft-Wing Rationalist[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Yeah I've got a cousin who did 5 tours in Afghanistan/Iraq and half the year works for a Def Con calibrating some device on helicopters. The rest of the time he drinks heavily, plays COD, goes shooting.


He wasn't frontlines either. He operated supply with Blackhawks, but it all takes its toll. I've got like a half dozen military cousins and friends. Another cousin was stationed off the Persian gulf.

[–]penelopepnortneyBecome ungovernable 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Obviously you don't have to be in the actual thick of the war zone to be affected. Realists understand that wars are sometimes necessary, but squandering the mental and physical health of our young people on imperial wars as our leadership regularly does is flat out criminal. No one in power should be able to vote for war who doesn't have actual skin in the game, if not their own then that of their younger relatives - who may not be willing to sacrifice themselves on the altar of greed erected by their elders. Ultimately, making this a requirement may be the only thing that stops these warmongers, who place zero value on the lives of others.

[–]SmockSignalsDeft-Wing Rationalist[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I'm convinced Greek direct democracy is a better system

Or this would work if it wasn't corrupted by big money warmongering interests