December 19th, 2004
Foot in the Mouth
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On Friday, I was at the Atlanta airport to drop off a friend and was walking around the terminal when I made an absolutely distasteful and mean remark which I regretted almost instantly. I saw many soldiers of different ranks, all bundled up to go off to war to Iraq. I just looked at them with saddened eyes and said, “They are all going off to die”. I am not sure what made me say such a despicable thing but guess, part of it stems from an unjustifiable war. The sight of soldiers going off to war in itself is depressing at a personal level. But then again, it is neither my war nor is it my country and most importantly, why wish ill of the poor soldiers who are doing nothing wrong except obey the orders of a higher command. Most probably, all of the soldiers might not even be in favor of the war but are bound to their duty just they were forty years ago in Vietnam. After reading the influencing article for Friday’s post, I just was filled with anger at the blatant stubbornness of higher powers that relentlessly pursue a redundant strategy against raging insurgents. The hapless foot soldier, without considering the overarching objectives of the war which may be noble, is willing to venture out into the chaotic killing fields to hunt down an enemy with no recognizable countenance or national affiliation. There are no Jerries with emblazoned swastikas, which you readily spot from miles away and train your telescopic lens on.
My remark is not justifiable under any circumstances because it erases any hope of a determined soul brave enough to fight for a cause that he may not believe in completely. He is just heeding the call of duty and willing to fight even at the peril of his own life. History is testimony to the fact that no matter how virtuous or disgraceful a war is, the unknown soldier pays the heaviest cost. All we can and should hope is that, most of them on either sides live to see yet another sunrise because at the end of the day, each one is a father, son, brother, uncle, or just a friend to another soul whom he seeks to protect.
Why am I even exposing myself to obvious criticism for such an insensitive remark? Because I believe that may be my only redemption against the forces of karma. Feel free to hurl your brickbats at this soul in shame.
by Patrix | on Sunday, December 19th, 2004 at 11:05 pm | 
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December 20th, 2004 at 1:11 am reply
Dont kill yourself dude. That was just a remark. You can always say sorry and forget about it.
When was the last time a war was justified? Never,I guess.
People talk about Ebola, Aids and stuff. But the deadliest virus that kept on killing humans is this organized killing called war.
It is amazing to see this war thing survived till date.
What a waste.
December 20th, 2004 at 1:19 am reply
In itself, the remark sounds insensitive. But that is was made almost involuntarily due to the anger you felt towards the higher powers, excuses it. This whole war is going nowhere. God alone know how it will end.
December 20th, 2004 at 1:29 am reply
Balls mate! Take the inverse of your comment, and try looking at it. We’ve heard similar rhetoric through the ages. The buggering Germans used it as an excuse to massacre over 12 million innocents. Not a single German soldier ever raised his voice against those heinious crimes.
The excuse? We were just following our orders, and that is what good soldiers do! Balls, I say. No way that a soldier can justify killing innocents by passing the blame on to the decision-makers. Somehow… we tend to sympathize with the soldiers who’ve chosen to take on that career. Remember, it is always a decision that one made.
My Point?
Would the remark have been worse if you said “They’re all off to kill those innocents?” A good half of America (Canada and Mexico included) [and more than twice that number around the world] would agree with that statement!
Now, please come over and help me get this largish foot out of my largish mouth. :)
December 20th, 2004 at 2:18 am reply
Kind of agree and disagree with Heretic.
Usually invading forces end up looting, raping, killing and destroying. We cant go on assuming that the soldier is selfless and ready to give out his life for the country. It is a job one takes upon willingly for some truly selfish motives (salary, career etc) knowing fully in advance about the risks involved.
At the same time, a soldier is not entitled an opinion. He HAS to execute as per the orders. It its loot, then it is looting. If its kill, then it is killing. I think ‘A Few Good Men’ captured a soldier’s dilemma very well.
Heretic dude, please help me in unplugging my cable.
December 20th, 2004 at 6:32 am reply
Hey, all of us make such insensitive, quite-unlike-your-nature statements once in a while. The difference lies in how you feel after that. Do you gloat over it or does it hurt? As long as you feel the prick of conscience, as long as you make an effort to avoid repeating such mistakes, you are on the right track. So no worries about the karmic cycle for this one. :))
December 20th, 2004 at 7:35 am reply
Soldiers go to war to die? Reminds me of a paper I read long back – author was a Friedman (not Milton or Thomas) – game theory applied to war.
Part of the argument was thus. A soldier’s main objective is to survive the war. The easiest way to do so is to desert during battle. So the top guns devise methods to prevent that. (1) Desertion ensures a shooting squad – so the soldier weighs cost of fighting (Probability of getting killed) vs cost of desertion (prob of getting caught), and might want to stay on. The ancient practise of uniforms was also designed, partly, to detect desertion. (2) Brainwashing and bonding. So incentive is affection/love for teammates/country/cause/whatever. The extreme was in an assassin sect in Persia, where homosexual partners were paired up as attack teams – you don’t desert your lover.
The paper also argued that there never was the romantic version of a cavalry regiment charging into an infantry battalion – one team would balk at the last minute and either veer off (cavalry) or break ranks (infantry).
Brilliant paper but I have lost it, its references, and google doesn’t help. Older than 1993 when I read this.
Sorry - comment turned out longer than I wanted it to be.
December 20th, 2004 at 9:08 am reply
Absolutely nothing wrong with the remark buddy - I am surprised why you are even apologetic about it. We are all entitled to our opinions.
I sometimes wonder for example, as to what will happen to our world, if someone does not gather their guts and make up their minds to fight the menace that has given rise to 200,000 insurgents in that poor country.
December 20th, 2004 at 11:59 am reply
Smiley - Nope. Not killing myself but just afraid that the soldiers might be killing themselves for am unjustified cause.The War to end all wars hasn’t happened yet I guess.
Killing and looting over an extended period of time desensitizes even the most empathatic soldier. No wonder the psychological clinics in the US work overtime to handle the dramatic shift in the climate…almost nothing in the US to chaotic violence in Vietnam, Iraq, Somalia, etc.
Seema - I just hope it ends soon..how is another matter.
Heretic - Looks like you have put the whole thing in a different perspective. But I will disagree. If soldiers start making individual decisions, then we could never run a war effectively..yup, decisions go bad but not as bad as a clutter of individual random decisions.
Jahnvi - whew! thanks..that felt better…guess was just using the cathratic utilities of my blog
HPP - Sounds like an interesting paper. I would like a copy of that, if you have it. Eventually all the things can be explained in an economic (rational) way but then at the same time, some decisions like flinging yourself atop a grenade to save your mates beats all explanations..its the missing link.
Kiran - Whoa! you sound more incensed about the war than me to even find fault with the soldiers…you would never win the US presidency :)
December 20th, 2004 at 5:45 pm reply
dude, dint know u were in atlanta … might meet ya soon ;-)
and oh yeah, im not good at throwing brickbats
December 20th, 2004 at 8:07 pm reply
Adi - Drop me a line when you get here..will defn.meet up.
December 20th, 2004 at 11:26 pm reply
HPP: Would love to get my hands on the paper.
December 21st, 2004 at 7:17 am reply
Hey, seems a lot of interest in the paper. Have lost it but shall try to track it. (No access to acad databases in my current job). For those of you at a univ with access to a catalogue. Hints: author: friedman. paper was some time in early 1990s. key words: game theory, war; should help but could be too many papers.
If you find the paper, i’d be grateful for a copy.
December 21st, 2004 at 5:02 pm reply
Child, confession time is up. You shall be forgiven only if you come with me to the corner…
December 21st, 2004 at 11:37 pm reply
FATHER ALPHA, looks like kink has caught on.
December 22nd, 2004 at 9:14 am reply
ainks genie! You here too? I am not planning on a ‘kisshie move’.
December 22nd, 2004 at 3:14 pm reply
hey patrix.. dont be so hard on yourself..
there’s a lot of truth in your post…
December 22nd, 2004 at 8:42 pm reply
Father Alpha/alpha - Some absences are better left unexplained but the next post should let you know. Corner? When? Which? Pi out of town?…yay!
Genie - Alpha has literally invented kink
Deepa - Thanks..I have moved on..momentary lapse of reason.
December 23rd, 2004 at 3:54 am reply
Alpha..tu jaha jaha rahega..mera sayaa saath hogaa mera saayaa…..aaaa……