A Place to Talk About War

I would like to hear from soldiers who have been in combat situations, from their families, or from others interested in this conversation. I am a graduate student interested in war rhetoric. I have no preset agenda: I simply want to listen, to learn, and to be supportive.

Name:
Location: Texas, United States

Married, two kids. Worked in the defense industry for 20 years before taking a different path. I'll be starting my dissertation on the rhetoric of war in a few months. This semester I am teaching Freshman Composition. I DON'T CARE ABOUT BLOGGERS' SPELLING, PUNCTUATION, OR ANY OTHER GRAMMAR MATTERS--I JUST WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

What are your obligations if you support the war?

I teach at a conservative university. Most of my students are disengaged from politics, and most of them wholeheartedly support the war in Iraq. None of them would ever consider enlisting. The war, according to them, ought to be fought, but only by people who have "made that choice in their lives."

I'm curious to know your opinions. If you're capable of serving, is it hypocritical to favor having other people fight, but not you? Or does the fact that our military service is voluntary indeed mitigate any obligation on the part of a pro-war individual who is disinclined to take part?