01-09-2005, 05:21 PM
Bismillah
As Salam alaikum
Every army tries to demonize and dehumanize its opponents in order to ease the soldiers minds for the job that they have to do. Most people do not like violence, do not like the murder of innocent people. How difficult must it be to think that you are serving a greater good but all you see around you is destruction from bombs and artillery? In order to cope with such tragedy and confliction, the mind develops defensive techniques like trying to pretend that the people you are hurting are not really people or that they truly deserve how they are being treated.
I do not condone any of the military actions but I am only trying to show what these people might be going through. It seems like the only decision that these soldiers get to make is whether or not they are going to be part of the war machine. After becoming involved, no longer does the soldier do the thinking for himself. He is only supposed to react to commands, just a cog in the machine doing its job. Of course, what can you expect with the education that many Americans are recieving now a days? It is no longer education to promote cognitive development but rather to develop an intrinsic sense of nationalism that automatically kicks in when ever the government needs it. It teaches children not to question wars but rather just to understand why the US is correct in fighting such wars. I am digressing. Sorry. That's another tirade.
As Salam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu