this post was submitted on 16 Oct 2025
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You are using a modern, privileged metric informed by an intensive media penetration that was unavailable during the first three campaigns you mention, and only to a slightly higher degree in the last two.
Most enlisted I have known, and it's a lot, thought they were defending the world from despots. Hell, even the officers I know initially thought they were serving the public good. The rest I know who don't fit into that category just wanted to be able to afford college and a family.
And even if the Marine in the picture knows NOW he only served a bloodthirsty tyrannical regime, the fraternity of the USMC, the commitment to the Constitution... It's some deep, deep connection. Even the most disillusioned Marines I know are still loyal to the Corps and the Constitution. Moreover, it is better that one realizes US hegemony later than never, yes? So how about we welcome those have opened their eyes and remedied their ways?
Or we can just keep shitting on allies and see how that works for us.
It's one of those rare occasions I wish I could break Lemmy and upvote this comment more than once. Thank you.
One of those rare comments where you want to smash upvote harder.
I'll lend you mine.
And mine
Thank you. Jesus. The guys I've always been friends with served. Weird how that worked out because I didn't. They mostly say, "Didn't give a shit, it was a job." LOL, two of my tightest friends went AWOL and got kicked, not even a dishonorable discharge.
One of my only current friends is my black Marine neighbor. Hate to say, "I'm OK, got a black friend.", but it's relevant, particularly given the Marine pictured. He joined, did his best job, now he's out, not retired, only 30. At least he has some benefits and bought a brand-new house on my block. Also moved in the finest "girl next door" I've ever seen. :) (My ex's daughter. 🙄)
I joke, but seriously, this guy is suffering alcoholism, but at least he's got some backup from the government. Guess I need to visit more often. I try to drag him out now and again, get shot down, excuses. Need to press the attack.
Just a job by participating in the murder and torture of innocent people that happens to be living in the wrong place at the wrong time.
At least he doesn't shoot you down literally.
Quite the assumption to say someone directly participated in murder and torture, without knowing anything about them, or the job they had in the military. Coulda been a cook for all you know.
Murder is also a legal term, and supposing this person didn't act outside of the RoE, wouldn't have committed murder. Being a soldier in a warzone, that killed someone does not make you a murderer. I shall now await your post about how awful the US is, and that I'm such a terrible person.
I didn't kill anyone! I only fed, housed, trained, paid, pointed out the target, and/or drove them to the site of the murder.
Vietnam had tons of media showing exactly what was going on, which is why there were so many people protesting it.
I agree that there was unfavorable media coverage of the Vietnam Conflict. There was also a fire hose of positive media coverage, as well as a very intensive campaign to conceal how badly things were going, along with a lot of disinformation around why the US was there in the first place. Hell, I recall reading newly disclosed details about the Gulf of Tonkin Incident not too long ago.
Anecdotally, my family were boat people fleeing the Communist regime. To this day, to a one, they are all hard-line Conservative, even when subjected to profiling under this administration. I like to think I'm somewhat informed and have certainly consumed a lot of media regarding the US and Vietnam. Somehow, I only first heard of the My Lai Massacre around 2005. Again, merely anecdote, but media control by the governments is a hell of a drug.
My original points stand: we get to Monday morning quarterback a lot of shit; better an imperfect ally than more enemies; and however long it takes for someone to come around, better that they come around than not.
Sounds similar to Cubans who fled Castro to the US.
You are being disingenuous, leftists always knew those were sham wars. This was not hidden information back than any more than we knew there were no WMD's in Iraq.
Likewise just because someone is gullible and stupid enough to buy into their countries propaganda about being the good guys, that does not in any way excuse their war crimes. Many Russians in Ukraine legit believe they're the good guys fighting Western Nazi's, they're not and neither is the US army fighting communists or terrorists or whatever *ist you want to use to label the people of the country you want to dehumanise.
And guess what if he knows NOW and recognises US imperialism, he should take that fucking uniform off and throw it in the fire. You know those vets who threw away their medals and denounced the military after their wars? Those are the few who actually came around and know better NOW.
Americans are not my ally? You're a revolting nation comparable with Russia or China.