Sure, they're paid to be over there, but it's not a lot. Oh and excuse me for being presumptuous, your life isn't on the line every day you go to work, now is it? I say they all deserve something that's actually fun on their time off.

It all depends if people are actually grateful for the stuff you do on a daily basis. It doesn't hurt to feel a more human attachment towards people who do the things we take for granted, instead of seeing all function in a financial way.

Would it be wrong if we'd want to help out doctors who try their best to save lives everyday? Would it be condemnable to want to make things easier for firefighters who are there to help us, even though it's just their job?




Some people are grateful for what soldiers are doing for the country, and therefore they'd like to help out a little more through personal generosity. Even though I don't support military action, I still think it's a very noble cause to want to send them videogames.

@ThornedVenom:

Fair enough. Good points as far as public service goes, I just don't really see how fighting either of these wars is public service. It's become clear that Saddam was never a threat to us, and despite the dismantling of Al Qaeda and the Taliban, terrorist attacks are still happening in the West (Madrid, London).

@Paulmichael: I'm not trying to be a jerk, but it's not like there is a draft for soliders. They chose a career that puts them in harm's way, that's part of being in the military. They could have chosen a job that doesn't put them in harm's way if that was an issue. Like I wrote above, I don't really feel any obligation to soldiers since the motives for sending them there were somewhat specious.

Chris, the soldiers don't determine who the US fights, the government does. We're not sending handhelds to Bush & Cheney. We're sending them to people who have decided to put their lives on the line in the defense of our country. Whether or not they're fighting a worthwhile battle is irrelevant, they're fighting a battle. It's incredibly difficult and traumatizing work. If a PSP or DS can help these guys get through another day, I think it's well worth it.

I'm quite critical of the "war" in Iraq, but our troops who are there deserve every benefit we can give them. It's not like they're getting rich while they're dodging bullets and mines.

I agree with Nate. It's not about who they fight that's important. It's the fact they they're fighting ANYTHING and putting their lives in danger is what is important.

They are protecting a country they love, and for that we should show them nothing but respect, even if we don't agree with the reason.

Yeah, good point. No one benefits from the machinery of the military-industrial complex more than soldiers like these, who make barely $20k a year. I mean, if these guys are able to afford to generously purchase their own body armor, shouldn't they be able to afford videogames?

Their is also the fact that it isn't hard for your to just quit your job, while these guys get tied into a backdoor draft and unexpectedly extended tours of duty. It is in fact possible to be against the military industrial complex and the war while supporting the troops (in a lot of ways, it would seem to be more on "their side" to not want them to die frivously, but that is the current state of our politics)

Every soldier that signs up for military service knows that they sign up for 4 years of active duty, and then 4 years of reserve duty, for a total of 8 years of possible service. Being a time of war, soldiers should expect to be called up in their 4 reserve years.

The OP has a good point it's not like letters of support which can't be bought, it's entertainment required because their job has long boring sections.
I'd send gifts to drafted soldiers, but these are volunteers doing their chosen profession.
Buy your own.

Chris Langston: I actually agree with you.
They have jobs, they CAN afford $100 - 200 for a Game boy or PSP. Id much rather give my old DS to an ill child with a few months left to live than a guy who got a $10,000 signing bonus to go kill innocent brown people.

Yea, these games could make these guys actually want to shoot someone.

that's classified. :x

Here's what a soldier is supposed to do for his country: obey orders from the government. Fortunately for the Americans, they're living in a democratic country in which they can choose their own governmental representatives to make choices in the name of the American people (although its state of democracy in practice is much more debatable if you just glance at the voter participation ratio at elections in the US).

The point is that THEORETICALLY, the war is being fought in the name of the American people (the decision being passed by Congress, if I'm correct) and therefore the "public service" the military is performing is by obeying the country's/people's will.




Even if personally, I am against the Iraq war (and all wars in general: I'm a pacifist), my beliefs are beside the point in this subject matter. You asked an interesting question concerning what good they're doing for their country, but the military is just a tool used by their democratic government, and therefore by its people. The military branch therefore cannot be judged as good or bad, since it obeys the decisions that were made by the government (again, theoretically representing the people), unless if it is heavily corrupted or if it disobeys its government.

Furthermore, my position on the war is irrelevant to the subject matter because the individual soldier isn't to be confused with military machine, just like a government shouldn't be confused with its people.




The soldier's choice to surrender his own personal freedom to serve the ideals of the majority is subject to debate, but nevertheless, soldiers are people and since they're supposed to serve our will, we should be thankful for that.

Complaints about military decisions and actions should be addressed democratically to the government and let the majority win. If the government fails to represent its people, then it fails at its most basic function of democracy.

>>Whether or not we agree with the terms that put us there in the first place[...]

Us?

@CJH

couldn't agree more

That sounds like a very bad personal problem, feeling negatively about people who decide to put their lives on the line in service to their country.

I agree with Crono as well.

Despite the actions of a select few individuals, those guys put their lives on the line for the defense of our country. To me those who say this war has no reason behind it never had a loved one be killed in a terrorist attack. I lost a family member in the 9/11 attack and although I dont like going to war at this point and length, the fact that we took action made me feel more relieved that as a country we are fighting back.

I hope this war comes to an end as soon as possible, but to say this war had no meaning to it is just plain idiotic.

How DARE someone from the military try to recruit you at your important job as a pharmacist! While the military-industrial complex is an evil multinational corporate conglomerate that ruthlessly seeks profit even if it means that people will have to die, the pharmaceutical industry is...well...umm...nevermind.

Umm where did I say that I love the industry I work in? I just think its pretty annoying and stupid that I have to put up with some jerk who thinks his job is somehow more important than mine because hes in a uniform while I'm WORKING on filling a prescription...

And no its not a personal problem dumbass. Just because I don't suck the military's dick doesn't mean I hate them all.

Its that kinda of blind thinking (or should I say patriotism) that got us into the shithole that is Iraq. Keeping using 9/11 to scare and guilt people into doing whatever you want them to do.

Lets just ignore the fact that America is not perfect and that we're not entirely blameless for all the hostility that is aimed at us around the world.

You said

"I can't help but feel negative when I think about them(military) as a whole."

And thats a piss poor attitude. You don't have to like war or support the iraq war to be able to feel good about the military.

I am so fucking sick of everybody pissing and moaning about America being the bane of the world's existence. If America suddenly decided to take an isolationist approach to world politics and withdrew all of its foreign operations, other countries would be pissed off about that.
Instead of worrying about the U.S. toppling ruthless dictators, which I am always in favor of by the way, I would be slightly more concerned about China and Russia becoming major players again. If you don't think that Putin wants to put the USSR back into Russia, you might want to take a closer look at that whole situation.
But whatever, hating the U.S. is the "in" thing to do.

"I disagree with both wars, and I'm really appaled that my goverment chose to support both although we've sinced pulled out of Iraq and are now "only" active in afghanistan."

If you are really that misinformed about the wars, then you aren't allowed to have an opinion.

Here's a clue: We haven't pulled out of Iraq.

Depends what country he's from.

Oh yeah...

Nevermind. My bad.

glad you guys got back ok

I'm really, really, really hoping that first statement was an attempt at sarcasm.

It's amazing how he manages to post something stupid in almost every single thread...

I'll leave it up to you to decide.

Either way I'm not keen on shipping trained murderers my old toys.

You must be awfully naïve to think that the US soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan are there for a reason that has anything to do with defending your freedoms. Sure, they might get told things like that by their higher-ups, but they're told this for the purpose of motivation, not because it's actually true.

And you must be awfully cynical if you can't see past political agenda to see the truth in his words.

Thank you for that writing on the soldier. I have a GRANDSON who is a Marine in Afghanistan. I am very proud of him. His decision was a personal choice which we all have the right to make. Some have to be warriors to this day. Don't judge..you only have your own shoes to walk in. But the soldier is definitely responsible for our freedoms..all of them..from the beginning of time.

most soldiers have everything they need. especially now, that we have 'occupied' iraq and afganistan for so long. there are alot of amenities there now they didn't have at the start of the conflict.

plus... when a soldier goes over there he replaces another soldier, and usually there is an informal selling of stuff for real cheap. when I got there I bought a mini fridge, a bike, and a tv from the guy I was replacing and when I left I sold it all to the guy who replaced me.

if you want to get him something, get him a portable dvd player that can play the bootlegged divx movies. that will come in handy.