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Soldiers That Kill

Do you think it is 'fun' to shoot people? well, this Marine thinks it is...

From CNN:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A three-star Marine general who said it was "fun to shoot some people" should have chosen his words more carefully, the Marine Corps commandant said Thursday.

Lt. Gen. James Mattis, who commanded Marine expeditions in Afghanistan and Iraq, made the comments Tuesday during a panel discussion in San Diego, California.

"Actually it's quite fun to fight them, you know. It's a hell of a hoot," Mattis said, prompting laughter from some military members in the audience. "It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up there with you. I like brawling.

"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil," Mattis said. "You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them..."

https://www.cnn.com/2005/US/02/03/general.shoot/index.html

Kill Soldiers

That is the normal warrior mentality. The warrior who takes upon himself the responsibility to protect the helpless, support freedom, and get rid of the "bad guys" (in this case, the Taliban), doesn't take all that much to reach the point where it is "fun" to eliminate the bad guys. Especially when they see the horrors that the bad guys have inflicted.

Is it "fun" in the sense that participating in a ball game is fun? Probably not. It is probably more of a sense of accomplishment.

I have no problem with what he said.

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You do not have a problem with your interpretation of what he said or what he really said?.

Kill Soldiers

I have no problem with what he said. It appears to me that those who do have a problem with it are the same people who are hypercritical of everything to do with the military anyway. So, it doesn't matter how any military member says anything, they will be criticized for it, particularly if it shows any sort of pride or happiness with what they are doing.

For some reason, recently, everyone is on the bandwagon of trying to make warriors appear to be ogres, and trying to force them to become milquetoasts. They are warriors. They feel things differently than civilians, they react differently, and they speak differently.

Kill Soldiers

I absolutly disagree with this statement. I personally do not think I am hypercritical of the military yet I do see a problem with his statement.

Any NORMAL person in my opinion, do not enjoy 'killing and shooting people' if anyone says such a thing, they have either a mental disability or they see what they do as a hunting sport, except they are human beings the ones that they are hunting. I have met many military people in my life and NONE of them ever said they enjoy killing people (even if it was the enemy). The mentality of not seeing nothing wrong with what this guy said it's scary in my point of view, it causes an indirect justification of actions like in Guantanamo right now (torture to prisoners), after all the military " feel things differently than civilians, they react differently, and they speak differently".

Edited: LDS_forever on 4th Feb, 2005 - 4:47pm

Soldiers That Kill

It isn't a matter of "enjoying" killing people, as far as I can see. It is a matter of enjoying setting things right. Eliminating those people who brought so much misery to others. Do you really think that the men who liberated Aushwitz wouldn't have "enjoyed" killing those responsible? Of course they would. It doesn't mean that they are "killing machines", it means that they would be thrilled to have the opportunity to set things right.

Not as an attack on you personally, but it does appear that you subscribe to many of the same attitudes about the military that are so predominant in the mainstream media and on the left. Speaking now in generalities, not about you specifically, I see that no matter what a military member (or former military member) says about war, if it doesn't amount to a flat out statement of condemnation of warrior-like conduct, it is to be criticized, and viewed with abhorrence.

So, when warriors speak as such, while other warriors recognize exactly what they are saying, those who are critical of warriors and their profession most frequently take their words to have the worst possible meaning.

Personally, if I were a marine or soldier, I would probably find satisfaction in destroying the Taliban and other oppressive groups. That would include bringing worldly justice to those monsters.

The tank commanders and drivers in Iraq whoop and holler whenever they get the opportunity to drop a round downrange onto a sniper. It is what they do, and what they are. They are warriors. It doesn't mean that they take joy in the suffering and deaths of other people. It means they take satisfaction in doing exactly what they are supposed to do - break things and kill people - the right people, the monsters posing as humans, the Taliban, al Qaeda, terrorist of all stripes.

Soldiers Kill

First of all let me clarify something since it seems like you think I do not fully understand the work and role of a soldier. I perfectly understand and agree that the work of the soldier is to fight and kill the enemy. I fully understand this and it is part of the soldier's work. I do not think part of the soldier's work is to "enjoy" killing the enemy, as I said before, I do not think any normal person would enjoy killing another human being. It does not matter who they are or what they have done. It is great that the soldier 'enjoy' putting things right and I have no problem with that at all, I do have a problem if he says he 'enjoys' shooting them (and no way there is no misconception or misinterpretation of what he wanted to say).

I hope not and if that's the case, then this guy should have thought a little more before speaking up. But again, I guess this is one of the topics we will not agree. I fully support and admire the work of any soldier, I think is admirable! but I cannot accept statements like that.

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The editor of OpinionJournal had this to say about it:

We guess we have to agree, reluctantly, that "fun to shoot them" is slightly over the top (though doubtless true). But damned if he hasn't got the rest of this exactly right. Susan Sontag might not have agreed, but guys who slap women around are cowardly and contemptible, and good for Mattis for saying so. The National Organization of Women should give him a medal.

While I don't doubt that you understand and support the soldiers, I really don't think most women, nor many men, understand the mindset that is required to make a good warrior.