They are offered housing, clothing, food, and money in exchange for following orders

Some may be patirotic while other's opportunistic

Just like some mailmen or pilots or CEO's or teachers or cops may be patriotic and others opportunistic

(there are so many other types beyond these two -- patrioic, opportunistic of course--- as many types as there are characters and personalities)

Of course troops are sometimes called on to risk their lives --- and when they do their pay is increased (combat benefits). This facet of their profession inspires awe in some people --- especially those who fear death greatly.

Troops also have the added bonus of being talked about as heroes while most people limit their support of the troops to sticking a bumpersticker on their car

What has not been mentioned in this threadis that The United States government is indeed employing mercenary forces both overseas & domesticaly.

One of the better known outfits is called Black Water. They are currently deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and were terrorizing victims in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina.

The United States Armed Forces are not made up of mercenary enlistees. They have taken an oath to preserve & protect the Constitution.

Unfortunately, Black Water Mercenaries take no such oath. They are loyal only to their bosses & paychecks. The fact that they have already been unleashed upon American citizens should freighten all of us.

Concerning an individual’s motive for joining the armed forces, who knows?

Probably most sign up for college tuition assistance.

Some join for adventure, travel and experience and I’m sure that there is an element of patriotism involved as well, albeit a misguided sense of patriotism, at this moment in time.

As a former Marine I think the wise words of Smedley Butler, quite accurately describe WAR.

WAR is a racket. It always has been.

It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.

A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small "inside" group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes.

http://www.lexrex.com/enlightened/articles/warisaracket.htm

And to see your child dies, as the economy goes broke, and basic grain doesnt even move thorough the country any longer, the cities are going to be nightmare.

Going into Iraq in 03 was known to be a lie from the start. A person who swears to defend the constitution should know what the Constitution is, and should also understand what it means to go along legally with actions that are contrary to the Constitution. As soon as Bush usurped the Constitution, then it is the responsibility of the troops in that circumstance to disobey, or otherwise; unknowingly and knowingly become complicit in the breaking of their oath. There is no way around that.

Do I hate them? No, my brother is one, but I will not allow this excuse to continue any longer of indifference, especially for people who signed up after 03.

Prepare for you little ones, it is going to get bad, if you would like any information let me know...

Peace and love.

I agree with you joe6pak, I saw nothing in what you wrote that would offend anyone. The people in this country need to wake up and see that it is their own government they need to fear. I just can't believe that there are so many people out there who can't or won't see what this government is doing to our great country.

It's a sad state for both this country and you personally when you try so hard to prove (to make yourself feel better about the implorable things you've said) that our Military members are mercenaries.

You should be ashamed.

Mercenary? It would be a very rare military member who enlisted specifically to take up a position as a mercenary. I believe the intentions of most (if not all) military members is honorable when they swear to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. I think the problem stems from the indoctrination that basically forbids them from questioning their orders and the "establishment" telling them that their actions are, in fact, in line with their oath.

Dr. Paul frankly discusses this mentality in "The Revolution" where complacency exists because of the general public's acceptance that if the government said it, it must be true - when we, as Americans, are supposed to accept our own civic duties to question our government's involvement in anything that contradicts the words of our founding fathers. That's our DUTY.

I do agree that the actions of the military (as a whole) are mercenary in nature, but that is as a result of the establishment; and not the mentality of the military members. When you encounter a member who speaks of the good they are doing overseas, it's not a willing effort to hide bad government. They genuinely do believe their work is good - because as far as they are concerned, that's what they have been asked to do so that's what they do (under the guise of "defending the Constitution"). Additionally, in order to avoid the sheer hate our Vietnam vets experienced upon their homecoming, I don't blame military members from wanting the American public to believe they are doing good. It's a viscious cycle but it is what it is.

Is the military mercenary? Perhaps.
Are individual military members mercenaries? Not willingly.

Do you offend them? I don't know. I am prior military myself, and I am not offended, but I would caution you to choose your words selectively because in this fragile generation, the very last thing I'm sure you would ever want to do is to undermine the efforts of those who swore to protect and serve you (our military members) when they may not understand the scope of what it is they are engaged in from a global perspective. (There aren't too many 18 year old enlistees who REALLY understand what their constitution means or should mean to them).

To answer your question; "Is our Army a mercenary Army?" I would have to say that perhaps you don't understand the term. A mercenary is simply a soldier for hire, to the highest bidder. A patriot answers the call to serve his country.

When my daughter-in-law first asked me why I joined the Marines, my answer was succinct; I felt I owed a debt to the veterans who came before me.

Certainly, some folks should never serve in any military unit. I've served with a few and I truly believe that. The personal commitment required is far above that which most folks are willing to make. It takes a special breed of cat to stand between you and your foes, and you'd best want the ones most qualified, and committed, to be doing that.

As for justifications; perhaps our military has been used to further selfish interests of the group I like to call, "The big money boys." I truly believe that was the use we were put to in southeast Asia. However, the threat to the world presented by the Axis of WWII definitely needed good troops to overpower. I was born during WWII and remember to this day of hearing from returning vets how bad the enemy was, and what they did to the peoples they overtook. The Germans, Italians, and Japs all had to be stopped, and the only way to do that was by force of arms.

On the other hand, the illegal invasions of Panama, and Iraq seem to me a lot like the things the Axis did in the prelude to the Second World War. As for Afghanistan, it remains to be seen if there were any justifications for that invasion.

Bosnia was comrade clinton's war, so there is no doubt in my military mind that it was done to further someones pocket book.

Somalia started out as a rescue mission by Bush Sr., and was successful in stopping Somalia's warlords from stealing food from the starving populace. When comrade clinton got involved though, it turned into a fiasco.

So, as my final answer to your question, I do not feel that troops serving in the the American military services join to be mercenaries, but I can say that they have been misused in that regard. I agree with Dr. Paul that our military should be brought home and used for national defense, and not used in any war without a congressional declaration of that war, goals set, and when achieved, returning the military to it's primary role of defending America at home.

I don't worry about nuthin.....
Unless it jumps right out in front of me......
Then I don't worry about it......
Unless it tries to bite me.......
Then I don't worry about it......
I just kill it!
No worries!

Thanks for your service cdhop!

*Salute*

Joe 6Pak,

I totally agree.

DSC

I am in the military, and to tell you the truth, it feels like we are being used for anything but national defense. Many join thinking that they are serving our country and defending freedom. When they get sent to Iraq (and other places), practically everyone that returns suffers from physical or psychological trauma, and America's freedom and safety is worse off than before they went. I respect the people who go and serve, they endure incredible hardships, but I do not agree that the 'Mission' is in the best interests of the United States. In fact, the sooner we get out of Iraq, and reestablish reason (what a long holiday she has taken) in Washington, the better for America. The only justifiable us of our military is national defense. I am not mad at the tool, it is those who are destroying America from the highest offices of our Government that have engendered my contempt. Many service members are aware of the 'mistakes' in our national policy. Regulations limit their expression of their views, but they have done what they can (for example, The Ron Paul Campaign has received more donations from service members than all the other Presidential Campaigns combined).

Right now the most effective course of action is to work towards waking-up our friends, to the nature of our problems, and then seize opportunities to make a difference (for example the Ron Paul Campaign).