Why would anyone want to join the service ? ...

[dogtag]

So you kill the enemy and celebrate because the now
deceased was a barbaric SOB who deserved to be dead.
Oh, but celebrating is a crime.
We're not going to win a war with either Russia or China
with stupid rules like this. Wars are not won by nice guys.
When I was in Egypt we were told that if we shot the guy
on the wrong side of the wire - drag him in.
Being a gentleman about killing each other worked for only
a few weeks in WW1 before our boys got gassed.
The Marquess of Queensbury rules are for Boxing.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ter-death.html

[clintonhater]

There was a cable TV program a couple of yrs ago that followed an Army platoon in Afghan; consisted of combat footage combined with lots of small talk back at the base. I was shocked to hear some of these young guys express not bitter hated toward the vicious murderous vermin they were fighting, but what could only be described as "compassion."

[Vern Humphrey]

Old Captain Buster Skelton, who was a corporal in WWII with Merrill's Marauders used to say, "Never hate your enemy, gentlemen. Respect him."

If Buster could do it, I can do it.

[dogtag]

Old Captain Buster Skelton, who was a corporal in WWII with Merrill's Marauders used to say, "Never hate your enemy, gentlemen. Respect him."

If Buster could do it, I can do it.

You respect an enemy who burn and drown their prisoners,
cut their heads off, kidnap and rape schoolgirls ?
Bully for you.

[Roadkingtrax]

You respect an enemy who burn and drown their prisoners,
cut their heads off, kidnap and rape schoolgirls ?
Bully for you.

Respect what they can do. Sounds like you understand perfectly.

[clintonhater]

Respect what they can do. Sounds like you understand perfectly.

Suppose then that serial killer who recently claimed 90 victims really deserves your respect; damned hard to get away with even a fraction of that number without getting caught!

[Roadkingtrax]

Suppose then that serial killer who recently claimed 90 victims really deserves your respect; damned hard to get away with even a fraction of that number without getting caught!

Explain what you mean?

[JB White]

There has to be some limits as far as celebrating but celebration should be expected. Depending upon the contest, athletes celebrate to a certain extent. A fist pump, a high five, the Lambeau Leap etc. Now put a soldier into a life or death- do or die contest. Do you really think they'll settle for "A-hem, not too shabby"? Screw that! If anyone thinks that is possible then they have never experienced a "HOLY $HIT" adrenaline rush.

[S.A. Boggs]

You respect an enemy who burn and drown their prisoners,
cut their heads off, kidnap and rape schoolgirls ?
Bully for you.

You are missing the point that Vern made! You respect your enemies capabilities, not what he/she can/will do it is that simple. To hate will cloud your thinking and get you killed very easy. Vern has seen combat in many forms, what have you gone up against?
Sam

[clintonhater]

Explain what you mean?

If you respect the vicious cowards of the Taliban for their "accomplishments" in murdering defenseless civilians, why not an exceptional serial killer?

[clintonhater]

You are missing the point that Vern made! You respect your enemies capabilities, not what he/she can/will do it is that simple. To hate will cloud your thinking and get you killed very easy.

"Respect" is misleading in this context, because it suggests some level of admiration; but what it really means is no more than a keen & constant awareness of the enemies' military capabilities. Why would that be incompatible with hate--hate of the pure evil exemplified by ISIS & Taliban? Hate doesn't have to mean blind mindless rage, like the behavior of a Berserker. You don't believe most of the GIs fighting on Iwo Jima & Okinawa didn't hate Japs, at the same time they "respected" very highly their skill in defensive warfare? (In fact, ALL Japs, not just the ones in uniform, as they were depicted in war propaganda films.) Or the Russians when they invaded Germany, thirsting for revenge for Stalingrad, etc?

[togor]

Possibly some hair splitting on connotations applied to words. The OP reminds me of how the Boche were regarded in the Great War. The further from the front, the freer the emotional arguments against them. Those within harm's way took a more sober view based on the enemy's capabilities.

[clintonhater]

Those within harm's way took a more sober view based on the enemy's capabilities.

They were fighting an enemy with the same ideals of honor as themselves--not savage animals devoid of any concept of right & wrong.

[togor]

They were fighting an enemy with the same ideals of honor as themselves--not savage animals devoid of any concept of right & wrong.

Not according to the allied propagandists! Go back and look at the old posters, read the lurid tales of supposedly what was done to the Belgians. Now an important difference....ISIS and the Taliban literally did do such horrible things, as did the Germans themselves in WW2. But anyways this is beside the point and immaterial to the fighting man on the ground, who as others have said here, needs to concern himself with what the enemy can do. I recall reading an early account of action against the Taliban. Once of the things that struck the American forces was the Taliban's ability to coordinate fire and manuver.

[Vern Humphrey]

Hate gains nothing for you. Respect your enemy for his warrior abilities.