RE: enough Goff

[Charles Jannuzi <b_rieux@xxxxxxxxx>]

One of the true pseudonymous lights of the list,
Xenon, writes:

>>funny, i don't see much of what you appear to see.
and wasn't the bulk of
stan goff's active duty on special forces?<<

I'm not sure just what it is you are even trying to
see, but you do seem to be stating something clearly
here. I just don't know what it is.

>>would guess that might
explain the "not your typical grunt" tone.<<

That he finished out his twenty years tells me
something, as most don't.

 >> as for the lack of morality in
his language, i don't know what standard you
apparently have, but most of
his writings online, particularly on politically left
mailing lists and in
his current "military matters" column for FRSO, seem
plenty humanist enough
- for me at least.<<

Great, why don't you stick that material instead of
defending Goff, who isn't even on this list?

>>  and btw, they're (the military) now going deep
into the
reserves and even the national guard - from what i
know (both personally
and indirectly) many or even most of these didn't sign
up primarily for the
killing (although i won't deny that recruiters,
advertisements and popular
culture have significant sway in this regard), but for
college money, job
skills, etc.<<

How many on this list even know that Rumsfeld worked
two years to de-emphasize the use of the reserves and
guard? As I stated before on this list, political
activity in communities with guard and reserve units
has more potential than trying to do anything with
full-time troops. But it isn't about their looming
victimhood. It's about why is that you have all these
small towns who rely on guard and reserve payrolls for
a huge chunk of their economy? How many on this list
even know such towns exist?

What motivates these part-time military  also
motivates plenty who take full-time duty. But if
politicized discussion is possible in the US military
(it isn't other than the service-wide culture that
holds contempt for most Democrats and anything left of
them), then why does it take a war to get anyone to
pursue it?



cej


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