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Look, maybe this is a harsh truth, but I haven't noticed many govts give a shit about the soldeirs who actually died fighting in their wars of politician's penis length. The idea they might give a shit about those who were injured must therefore be considered fantastical. the US is no different from any other in this regard. When Cheney sneers that soldiers are expendable because "they volunteered" he is simply saying aloud what most politicians think.

As for the impact of distressed soldiers upon civil society, I think you'll find that polticians don't live there either. Although we dumb schmucks imagine that, in a democracy, we employ polticians; their attitude is very different. They are above us and we are merely pawns in their games to be gamed and misled, but otherwise keep quiet.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Fri Jan 9th, 2009 at 06:53:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]
say what you will about Israel's policies and how they use their army, but they do seem to take a lot more care of their soldiers (dead, injured, prisoners) and veterans. Maybe it's just that whole society is a lot more militarised than anythign we're familiar wit hto day in Europe, but it is worth noting.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Fri Jan 9th, 2009 at 08:09:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I think that attitude comes from another part of Israeli society's psyche, related to the nature of its foundation and collectivist beliefs, rather than its militarism. After look at the USA, miltarised to an extent that's insane, and they are as bad as it gets with regard to consideration of soldiers after deployment.

In this, Irael is worth emulating, but i think most people would prefer their militaries weren't involved in the sort of politically expedient aggressions the West seems to increasingly favour these days. After all, it's a hard sell to say your son died "so's X could get elected" or "Y could get a milllion euro dividend bonus"

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Fri Jan 9th, 2009 at 08:36:56 AM EST
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