Do people who cheer on this kind of military aggression not understand that American troops rape and murder innocent civilians?

@ArkBallet I said American troops rape and murder innocent civilians. I didn't say all American troops do it. Just that it is done regularly because it is. That is the function of invasions. If you want to add a disclaimer then fine but I didn't feel the need.

@SinlessOnslaught That's fair. It's a grim reality in war, and it should be faced honestly. I just get defensive when I think people disrespect the soldiers who are trying to do right. Too many people get swept up in the politics and forget to recognize the humans. Thanks for clarifying.

@SinlessOnslaught

I don't think this thread needs a disclaimer.

There are endless posts and tributes about soldiers being heroes..

Not a single day ever didacted to honor the victims.

Maybe if more people spent time acknowledging the unarmed victims, they would be less likely to cheer to war. The narrative does matter.

@ArkBallet https://similarworlds.com/countries/united-states/5442425-An-American-historical-figure-Im-actually-proud-of

@Miram I hear ya.

@ArkBallet What is courageous about the world's most powerful army invading a struggling developing country to steal their oil?

That's like saying a group of 7 graders are courageous for stuffing one 2 grader's head into a toilet.

@Nightwings I think it's important to separate out the people on the ground, who might be trying to do the best they can in a terrible situation, from the decision-makers who start and profit from wars. It's easy to judge the whole military, but sometimes the best people are fighting against the system from within.

@ArkBallet That still doesn't make those soldiers courageous lol.

@Nightwings My point is I just think it's important to remember there are real people involved, with families, hopes, fears, dreams. They aren't all monsters with a taste for violence. Most of them are average folks trying to do their best, in a job that's often horrific.

@ArkBallet That I would never argue with, although it's probably a liiiiiiiittle more horrific for the real people (with families, hopes, fears, dreams) whose country you guys attacked. 😉

@Nightwings Oh, no doubt. The innocent civilians of any country involved in conflict are the biggest victims. The damage they suffer isn't just physical, it's psychological, cultural, economical, generational. And there's no denying that the American military (and other countries, don't get me wrong) has caused unimaginable trauma for people around the world. It's an ugly, messy business. But we're all just humans at the end of the day.

@ArkBallet Is it easier for you to say "the people involved", rather than "the people we attacked"?

I really wonder what has to happen before Americans realize that they've gone from being "heroes" (in their own minds, no one else ever thought so), to undeniable villains.

At least you people used to say "we're fighting terrorism". Now you're just like "they have oil 🫪".

@Nightwings I just refuse to believe the only choices are “cheerlead the troops blindly” or “hate every single person wearing the uniform equally.” There’s room for hating the empire while still seeing the humans it uses as fuel. That’s not centrism. That’s just refusing to let the war machine turn my empathy into another casualty. You’re right that the victims rarely get their day. The tributes, the flyovers, the “thank you for your service” platitudes, it drowns out the mourning that should be happening for the people whose lives we shattered. I wish there were more spaces that forced that acknowledgment. Maybe then fewer people would be so quick to cheer when the next “axis of evil” gets announced. So yeah I’ll own that America has a long, ugly ledger of atrocities. I just won’t pretend the ledger is written entirely in the blood of the people who were handed rifles and sent to collect the debt. That’s where I stand.