McCain against expanding GI Bill benefits?

[necrotechno]

Get ready for 8 years of Dems giving away more of America.

Who was it put us in the deepest deficit hole we've ever been in? Democrats? I don't think so. Their core platform includes a balanced budget amendment.

[necrotechno]

The best answer for fixing our military personnel issues is to re-instate the draft. Dangling bullshit incentives in front of guys who can't find any other job will only get you a fighting force of the lowest quality.

Republicans oppose the draft, of course, because it creates the possibility that their children might be called to serve. The advanced media technology would make it harder to pull off what BushJr. did to get out of harm's way. And today, even the National Guard goes off to foreign theaters.

[VACharvel]

Dangling bullshit incentives in front of guys who can't find any other job will only get you a fighting force of the lowest quality.

That's about the most insulting thing I've heard yet about our military.....these same people "who can't find any other jobs" are the ones dying for us in Iraq and Afghanistan.

You so conveniently speak of the draft...others of compulsory service....how many would volunteer their sons or daughters to this cause??

The reason you sleep at night protected is these same people "who can't find any other jobs" are putting it on the line for us....seeing things that horror movies can't even fathom.

You Sir are a tool of the first degree...if you truly feel this way about our military....relinquish your citizenship and move to Russia or some other alternative country of your choice.

[drockilles]

The retention thing holds no water. In the navy, retention has not gone down any since the war, I believe it's gone up. I for one can say the reenlistment bonuses/education benefits don't play much into the decision to get out or not. The miltary attempts to scare you into staying in, making it sound like it's impossible to get a job as a civilian, and lots of young first termers buy into it, and reenlist.
The SRBs (selective reenlistment bonuses) are all but gone for most rates, other than those with specific Naval Enlisted Classifications. My rate (electronics tech) used to get 40k for reupping for another 6. We don't get anything now, we're overmanned, making advancement that much harder (I won't even go into the Navy's bullshit advancement system). This applies to many of the rates.
Of course, the main reason GI Bill expansion will not affect retention, is that it's cheaper to stay in and get the free tuition assistance and CLEP the courses, than to use your whopping 40k GI Bill which may cover a year of school.
Re-instating the draft? Whole other bag of worms, but let's just say we get enough bad apples that volunteer. Forcing today's youth into the service is just asking for problems.
As far as me not being able to get another job, I'm not gonna fucking touch that one.
EDIT: oh, and yes, we enlisted really don't make shit for pay

[JacksonDean]

The best answer for fixing our military personnel issues is to re-instate the draft. Dangling bullshit incentives in front of guys who can't find any other job will only get you a fighting force of the lowest quality.

Republicans oppose the draft, of course, because it creates the possibility that their children might be called to serve. The advanced media technology would make it harder to pull off what BushJr. did to get out of harm's way. And today, even the National Guard goes off to foreign theaters.

Well, you're welcome to your opinion however misinformed you are.

[donf]

The best answer for fixing our military personnel issues is to re-instate the draft. Dangling bullshit incentives in front of guys who can't find any other job will only get you a fighting force of the lowest quality.

Republicans oppose the draft, of course, because it creates the possibility that their children might be called to serve. The advanced media technology would make it harder to pull off what BushJr. did to get out of harm's way. And today, even the National Guard goes off to foreign theaters.

I don't even know where to start on this one.........:ROTF:

[hippietim]

Dangling bullshit incentives in front of guys who can't find any other job will only get you a fighting force of the lowest quality.

that was a pitiful statement. like airjamie, you should embrace your douchery.

[VACharvel]

that was a pitiful statement. like airjamie, you should embrace your douchery.

[JacksonDean]

that was a pitiful statement. like airjamie, you should embrace your douchery.

:ROTF:

[Spivonious]

That's about the most insulting thing I've heard yet about our military.....these same people "who can't find any other jobs" are the ones dying for us in Iraq and Afghanistan.

They're not dying for me. They're dying because some crazed idiot thinks keeping our troops there somehow stifles terrorism, even though before we invaded Iraq there was no link to Al Qaeda. We went into Afghanistan because of 9/11, and I agree that we should have, but our original mission was to get Osama, and he's either dead or lost, so why are we still there?

Note: I am a Republican. I just don't think Bush and McCain are Republicans.

[Newc]

I don't get the first statement. Please explain the thinking here.

I was under the impression everyone knew about the brainwashing of POWs? Stockholm Syndrome, anyone? After hearing Anti-American propaganda in a POW camp it becomes ingrained into the psyche. Years later when you become a politician, with a bid for the White House, it all comes back - "Where is my government? Why aren't they sending in the Marines to rescue me? I'm expendable. I'll show them whose expendable when I get home." etc, etc.

It's no secret the US Guvmint betrayed the military in Vietnam. It's also no big secret that many want revenge for that, as well as revenge for being spit on and insulted by the civilians when they got home. Put a POW in the White House and you're taking a huge risk.

They're not dying for me. They're dying because some crazed idiot thinks keeping our troops there somehow stifles terrorism, even though before we invaded Iraq there was no link to Al Qaeda. We went into Afghanistan because of 9/11, and I agree that we should have, but our original mission was to get Osama, and he's either dead or lost, so why are we still there?

Answer this question: would you rather have radical Muslims firing rockets up and down your street and the ACLU screaming that they have a legitimate grievance with the system and have a Constitutional Right to express their opinions in such a manner, or would you rather we were shooting their civilians?

The reason we're over there is to keep them from coming over here. We're Infidels in the Holy Land. We're pissing on their Muslimicity by being there, so they flock to wherever we are to fight us. We blow up their cities, not ours. They're planting IEDs alongside the roads their children walk, not ours. They're blowing up schools and hospitals and taking away basic services from their own people, not ours.

I fail to see the confusion here.

The fact is, we're going to have to fight them. Whether it's over here or over there, there's no avoiding it. May as well kill them in their own country.

Of course, with the heavily-armed and morally depraved citizenry over here, we could show them what a Holy War is: being anal-raped on YouTube with a pig's penis and forced to swallow a pork chop sounds like a fitting punishment for being a terrorist.


Now, the only incentive the military could give me to join up is to say "The enemy is over there. Eliminate them by any means necessary. If you need anything, press this button and it will be delivered in 30 minutes or less."

You do not "fight" a war, you either win or lose.

As Patton said: The object of war is not to die for your country - it's to make the other guy die for his.

Preferably, you would kill the other guy in his country.

[Spivonious]

I like debating, so I'll continue this, but bear in mind that we'll never convince each other to switch sides.

Answer this question: would you rather have radical Muslims firing rockets up and down your street and the ACLU screaming that they have a legitimate grievance with the system and have a Constitutional Right to express their opinions in such a manner, or would you rather we were shooting their civilians?

Nowhere in the Constitution does it give citizens permission to blow up people or property in protest. Anyway, how does us being in Iraq prevent the Muslims in this country from going berserk?

The reason we're over there is to keep them from coming over here. We're Infidels in the Holy Land. We're pissing on their Muslimicity by being there, so they flock to wherever we are to fight us.

So you admit that they fight us because we're over there. The easy solution here is to leave and let them sort out their own problems. Did the American Revolutionists wait for another country to come in with troops before declaring independence from Britain?

We blow up their cities, not ours. They're planting IEDs alongside the roads their children walk, not ours. They're blowing up schools and hospitals and taking away basic services from their own people, not ours.

Again, if they want to blow up their children/hospitals/schools why should we stop them?

I fail to see the confusion here.

The fact is, we're going to have to fight them. Whether it's over here or over there, there's no avoiding it. May as well kill them in their own country.

Personally, I'd love to see some well-organized terrorist organization try to attack our country again. Not only would the entire country be behind any action taken, but enlistment in the Armed Forces would skyrocket. I think the reason Bush's approval rating is so low is because this war (which by the way was never declared, which makes it an illegal war) is because no one in Iraq has ever attacked the United States.

Of course, with the heavily-armed and morally depraved citizenry over here, we could show them what a Holy War is: being anal-raped on YouTube with a pig's penis and forced to swallow a pork chop sounds like a fitting punishment for being a terrorist.

I agree moral values in this country are slipping...but what does this have to do with anything?

Now, the only incentive the military could give me to join up is to say "The enemy is over there. Eliminate them by any means necessary. If you need anything, press this button and it will be delivered in 30 minutes or less."

The enemy is over there. Here's your gun. Yet you're not enlisted.

You do not "fight" a war, you either win or lose.

As Patton said: The object of war is not to die for your country - it's to make the other guy die for his.

Preferably, you would kill the other guy in his country.

The Iraqis won't follow us out of Iraq. There is enough infighting there already. What really needs to be done is to give the Sunnis their own country, the Shiites their own country, and the Kurds their own country. The only thing they have uniting them now is a common enemy in the Americans.

[Bengal]

When will all this bullshit stop? Fox News is dangerous.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24860437/?GT1=43001

[SEEGERMANY]

"as usual, I was misquoted. What I actually said was I'd like to be in a threesome with Mr G and Rachel Ray, scarfing down a huge load of the G-Man's junk"

[SEEGERMANY]

"warm ocean water mixed with medium grade sand and a touch of Bill O'Reilly and you have the ultimate tropical douchery."