[lbo-talk] We can lose, or we can just lose later

[Wojtek Sokolowski]

Doug:
> No. They're trained killers who follow orders without question. Yeah,
> I know all about the pressures that make people join, but they are,
> in the final analysis, volunteers. And yeah, it's nasty risky work,
> but they signed on the dotted line. I don't owe them any gratitude.
> 
> And, as we learned at Nuremburg, following orders is no excuse.

I am certainly sympathetic to this line of reasoning, but I also spent
enough time among the GIs to believe that things are that simple.  Yes, they
do voluntarily sign the dotted line, but they are not necessarily trained
killers who follow orders without question.  More likely, they become such
killers as a result of the circumstances - as for example superbly portrayed
in the film _A full metal jacket_.  

I think there is a lot of middle ground and shadows of grey between
gratitude and condemnation.

Wojtek