All true, and good, but vague, questions.....
by Marine Domer (2024-02-05 16:09:03)

In reply to: In 2000, the USS Cole was attacked in Aden,  posted by BeijingIrish

Cannot Reply Return to Political

I agree with the premise that safety of our forces should be a very high priority. I cannot say it is the only priority, because that is not the nature of service or warfare. There will always be risks. So I don't know what you mean by "what requires that we continue to put our people at risk?" I would assume you'd add the modifier "unnecessary" in there somewhere. Otherwise, why have a military.

There are economic measures that can be taken, or at least tried, to keep people from hating us. They are not always successful. But that doesn't mean we are then required to stay away from the area. Sometimes force, or at least a show of force, is required to modify behavior.

Yemen may be a treeless shithole, but it sits in a rather important neighborhood.

I still don’t know what to think
by airborneirish  (2024-02-05 18:02:34)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Cannot reply

But my wife sent me this link a couple of weeks ago and I sobbed after watching it. Even 3 years ago I thought there was no way I would go back there. But this instagram reel gave me hope and made me consider that perhaps something good may come from our time there yet.

I am glad we continue to have a presence in Iraq. I would seethe with anger if we had another Afghanistan in Iraq. But these are the feelings I try to tamp down and bubble up at times… and others get caught in the crossfire of that misplaced anger.