John1234

That is actually a good point.
However there are 3 things that alter the situation.

#1 Is that Americans, especially youth, do not trust anything our government is doing any more in regard to foreign policy, or in regard to much of anything.
When there is a giant war for profit going on that is looting our country while it destroys another, it sort of over shadows the much smaller and legitimate effort in Afghanistan.

#2 Is that the effort in Afghanistan has plenty of troops. They are simply stationed in the wrong place.
And that muffles the "call to duty" feeling that any patriotic American might otherwise feel.

#3 Is that you can not join the military on the condition that you only go to Afghanistan.

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The division over the Iraq War is nothing remotely like anything that would occur with a real war or a war like WW2.
Someone, (i think you), mentioned a lacking of moral fortitude.
What you do not seem to understand is that for many, having high morals is what makes them oppose this war to start with.
Of those that oppose the war, there are those that oppose it simply due to its cost to us, and there are those that oppose it because it is unjust and wrong.
There was no large number of people saying WW2 was unjust or wrong.

I have very high confidence that this country would have the endurance to go to war with any attacker.
Its not going to war that Americans oppose.
Its the wars that our government chooses to fight.

aegyptos

Nothing but excuses. You make my point for me even better than the other guy.

rathi

WW2 was about defending our nation and protecting our allies who were under invasion. It was about defeating Fascism and stopping genocide. Our nation was attacked by the Japanese and Britain was under siege. The war had a cause to fight for and a solid enemy to defeat. There is little comparison to Iraq. We invaded Iraq without cause or plan. Our cause is rebuild a nation that we messed up in the first place, and our enemies are the people who we are supposed to be helping? I agree that you'd get more people who protest because of the weapons or methods we use. However, thats not the reason the majority doesn't support the war. Americans are willing to fight a die in quantity, but only when they truly need to. Vietnam and Iraq have both proved that there is a limit what we will sacrifice to fight pointless wars.

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He'd be right at home on some ancient battlefield, swinging an axe into somebody's face.

mpg

If Neville Chamberlain was alive today he'd be the most respected man in the world. If we were facing that situation right now, most people would be saying that Hitler can't attack us.

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"Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength." - Eric Hoffer

rathi

For following appeasement and loosing once the fighting began?

Hitler could have certainly attacked us, and Japan actually did. Hitler was in control of the most powerful military in the world in the 39-40 time frame and perfectly capable of eventually mounting a trans-Atlantic invasion. Furthermore, he already attacked our allies and was in search of world conquest.

There has been no country comparable to the Nazi's in WW2 and its highly inaccurate to compare any War that has been fought since. WW2 was the largest and last of the full scale conflicts between powerful nations.

the makeout hobo

Of course the Millennials would be able to stomach it. We just don't have the right cause. Most of us disagree with the decision to invade Iraq.

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The Makeout Hobo is real, and does indeed travel around the country in his van and make out with ladies... If you meet the Makeout Hobo, it is customary to greet him with a shot of whiskey and a high five (if you are a dude) or passionate makeouts (if you are a lady).Vague is a man of honor

PeteEU

WW2 had nothing to do with stopping genocide. Most people had no idea what was going on in the death camps till the end of the war. At best it was to stop fascism, and even that can be debated, as both the UK and US imposed fascist like laws and policies before and after the war started. Freedom of speech was curtailed in the UK for example, and the US interned all its Japanese citizens.

The UK was "under siege" for a long time before the US entered the war. So defending ones allies is also not correct. The US politicians were isolationists and quite a few were cheering for the Nazies. The US traded with Nazi Germany long after the war started. The only backer the UK had in the US was in fact Roosevelt.

I agree, the enemy was much easier to define back then.

I agree, comparing Iraq and WW2 is stupid.

As for this generation stomach a carnage of a world war. Well, considering how blood thirsty this generation is, then I suspect it would, but it aint "this generation" that are the people in power.. thats still in part the WW2 generation or its children.

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PeteEU

John1234

Hitler did attack us.
He attacked our vessels bringing aid to England.
And he sent a Submarine right up our harbor to spy on us and to test how far we can be penetrated for a surprise attack.

He also invaded most all of Europe.
And he bombed the living crap out of England.

Additionally, Hitler made his intent clear that Germany was to become a "Global Empire"
(Just like McCain has also made that intent clear)

PeteEU

Not exactly correct. I have never seen a documented attack by a U-Boat on a US flaged ship before December 7th 1941. In fact I have seen documentation that Hitler had given strict orders NOT to attack US flaged ships. The lend lease program gave US ships to the UK but they were under UK flag and hence fair game.

Well, so did the US during the cold war against the USSR. He did send spies though, but then again so did the US and UK and others.

That he did.

Well relatively to what the allies did to Germany.. no. Yes the bombing of the UK, especially Coventry and parts of London was bad, but many UK cities were almost not attacked. Cant say that about Germany now can we.

Yes he did, and so have many politicians after him, both democratic and not, not to mention religious nut jobs like the mullahs and religious right.

mikhail

I think so are mentalities can soon change.It doesent take all that much to go into battle mode.the most sensitive liberal minded skinny hippy woman will turn into a lioness when he childen are threatened and besides anything people are always at their best when joined in comadeship against a common enemy.

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The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.