Honor the Troops? Maybe We Should Hold Them Accountable Instead.

Many are socially okay with condemning war but balk at laying blame at the feet of those who sign up to participate in it. Many of us have been programmed to "honor the troops" by a government which continually needs new inductees to brainwash for what I consider a global mafia.

I'm not a pacifist. I understand how many in the military have good intentions and bad people exist in the world so we have to have mechanism of defensive force (non-government solutions do exist, btw). The U.S. military today goes way beyond that, in my opinion. It is the monopoly of force which defines government, props up the world reserve currency, and destroys things in the name of "U.S. Interests." Stepping back to see the big picture, how can we support those who use violence and indoctrination while justifying it with statistically irrelevant fear mongering such as "the war on terror"?

A common response to this line of thinking is "But what about the Nazis and World War II?"

We live in a different world today. War is no longer honored as a virtuous activity as it was leading up to WWI and even into WWII. Violent competition does not increase wellbeing compared to cooperation. We're now globally connected. We are evolving as a species, and it's time our words and actions reflect our values. War, and those who enthusiastically participate in it, should not be honored. Those stuck in that meat grinder machine (or who are considering entering it) should be rehabilitated with love and compassion. Some might even argue they should be shamed.

In sharing my opinion, I don't intend to label, shame, or attack any specific individual based on their group/tribal membership. I view tribalism as our shared enemy. Many wonderful, honorable, moral people work professionally in the armed forces. Their daily actions define their character, but they also can't be completely excused (from my perspective) for supporting and participating in such an organization.

They call it "serving" in the military, but I see that as a story told to recruits as they are indoctrinated via bootcamp brainwashing. Reformatting human minds is part of what they do to turn a human being into property of the United States government.

I'm not okay with this.

I'm also not an isolationist. I don't think non-intervention is automatically the same thing. I don't believe the narrative that "we" (please, let's all stop using that word in this context) are a "global force for good." From my perspective, the reality is closer to this military being involved in other countries for U.S. Interests which include power, money, and influence. If a country is experiencing a bloody civil war or genocide, this government isn't all that motivated to get involved unless there's an upside for themselves. From what I see, it's not about compassion. The recent $100B arms deal with Saudi Arabia — not exactly a free country nor does it respect human rights — is just one of many examples showing the true nature of the military industrial complex.

Often people (rightly) point out how the U.S. government and military is better than many others. They don't purposefully target civilians (for the most part) and at least pay lip service to the democratic process within this constitutional republic. Fair point indeed, but when will we recognize how similar this is to comparing and contrasting various mafia families to evaluate which one runs the most beneficial protection racket?

At what point do we move beyond violence and try more effective tools like non-violent communication? Often, those who think violence is the only answer haven't heard Marshall Rosenberg describe it as a tragic expression of an unmet need. Watch some of his videos on YouTube before you disregard it. His techniques have stopped violent conflicts which have been raging for generations.

For a broader perspective, give War is a Racket a read. Major General Smedley Butler was, during his time, the most highly decorated Marine ever. His perspective is important for us all to understand. Or maybe spend some time with this visualization of the estimated 3,341 people killed in Pakistan via Drone Strikes since 2004, only 2% considered "high-profile" with the rest being civilians, children, and alleged combatants. That's just one country among many. Sure, the total numbers are disputed, but drone attacks are just one angle. There are also economic sanctions, strategic blockades, and projects like the F-35 wasting over $1.5 trillion.

I know this is a complicated, emotional topic and some will say I'm painting with too broad a brush while oversimplifying global and national dynamics. That may be so. I've never personally been in the military. I've had a number of discussions, but I can't possibly know just what it's like. Does that mean I have no basis for arguing we should not honor those who think it's virtuous to be part of an organization which massively wastes resources while killing other human beings?

I don't think so.

I think talking about this openly might be one of the most important things we can do to help change the world for the better. Can you imagine if people around the world started encouraging their loved ones to quit the military and start a business or get a job which directly benefits others and doesn't pay them with money extorted from citizens?

I'm open to constructive criticism and dialogue here. These are my current opinions, and they are flexible if countered with good evidence-based arguments. That said, if your emotional response is too strong to reasonably consider my views, the programming may go deeper than you realize.

^{All images under CC0 Public Domain via Pixabay}

---

Luke Stokes is a father, husband, business owner, programmer, voluntaryist, and blockchain enthusiast. He wants to help create a world we all want to live in.