A question that needs some answers

So, today I was on YouTube checking out some videos. To make a long story short, in time I got in on videos from our Swedish soldiers working as peace keepers in Afghanistan. It was pretty different from the way you see American soldiers behave in Iraq - our soldiers worked a LOT with what they call "hearts and minds", i.e., winning the hearts and minds of the civilian population. As a result, they're openly, and warmly welcomed in Afghanistan by the civilian population, and they're really doing good work down there.

So, my less cynical side (not the one that says, "gimmie a break, I'll bleed for money, but I sure as hell won't bleed for a bloody flag, i.e. my country", but the other side), suddenly felt an urge to rejoin the military and apply for a tour of duty in either Afghanistan or one of our other missions around the world - I think we now have one in Tchad and of course we still have one in Kosovo).

It wasn't an urge to see battle. That'd just be plain stupid, of course. No, it was partly an urge to actually have a chance to help out over there, partly a chance to see the world, and partly, though it sounds a bit whacko I guess, plain old thirst for adventure.

Now, I'm NOT going to sign up and go to Afghanistan. At least not now.

But I can't help but wonder how this co-relates to my conspiracy theorist side. I mean, we all know that Iraq was a war fought over oil (or one of the thousands of other interests that is NOT peace and democracy). And Afghanistan...well, I've heard rumors, but nothing concise about that war. And even then, the fact is, the Swedish contingent down there IS helping the people, whether or not the war in itself is right. That's what I feel at least.

So can I really justify going to Afghanistan because I feel the Swedish soldiers down there do good even if the war itself may or may not be wrong, as a conspiracy theorist?

That's my question, and I've yet to find an answer.


And again; I do NOT have any plans currently to go to Afghanistan. It was just an impulse that awakened this thought in me.

Sounds to me like the focus in your question is on helping and not necessarily the conflict of interests Virus. I mean, look at the aid workers who go to third world countries to help the starving and poor - they don't necessarily agree with the governments or country's policies but they do believe in humanitarian work - which is what they are doing. Maybe I missed the point of your post, but I think what you are drawn to is helping innocent people in need. The military/conspiracy conflict is separate.

Well, yeah, but still, if I did go down, I would go down as a soldier first and foremost.

That, of course, would mean there would be battle, if "only" against talebans, and not only "hearts and minds" operations. So I'd still be part of the war in Afghanistan. I would get the chance to help out in the country, and, yeah, rebuild it. But I'd still fight in a war that was actually initiated by the elite that really rules the US, and ultimately, I might even be doing their bidding for them.

Even if I go down to help, nobody can deny I'm going there to fight a war, either, because part of the Swedish soldiers' job is to keep Mazar-e-Sharif, a region in Northern Afghanistan, safe - which means fighting taleban and Al-Qaeda rebels (as far as the latter exists at all).

The core issue, I think, though, is whether or not it can be morally justified by a conspiracy theorist like me who knows how much crap really is behind the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, to go down as a volunteer to the war in Afghanistan, even if only because I feel I could help the population down there? Or would this be hypocrisy, to be against the politics the Americans have in the region, and yet volunteer to participate in military duties in the conflict there?

I think I formulated it better this time.
And now I'm off to bed. Need me beauty sleep I do.

Yep, a hypocrit you might very well be and the conflict might be overwhelming, but your mission would be true as your leaders will keep you focused.

Here is the thing, at least your comrads will probably be more like you in your thinking and the risk of being killed by so called friendly fire won't be an issue that you would have to worry about in contrast to my self.

Imagine if I was to join the military??? I would need to put a camera behind my head to watch my back as I watch where I am going all at the same time.

I've often written that my enemy, 'the enemy' is not the one that 'they' are searching out, but the real enemy is the one right here in my own back yard or the guy behind me if I was in the military. Anyone can be conditioned to see evil where evil does not exist, if the brainwashing is properly indoctrinated at a core level, basically it is this indoctrination that moves me so far away from belief structures. This is a great opening to insert a link to my writings on Organized Religions, and identifying these structures as they can be found in places far from Religious buildings. Our military here in America is a fine example of a religion organized and built on the same model as any other religious structure, the police and many medical practices also fall into this model... It is big business...

I knew a guy who went to war and never came back, so of course I don't want you to go. There have been so many young men who go in all brave and strong but have had to watch a comrad die or face whatever atrocities there are. Some are never the same again. I know you want to help people , so I will stand by you no matter what your decision is.

There are other ways to help, other establishments you might think of joining, rather than the military. I don't know what is available in Sweden, but I think you could find some way of helping that doesn't involve rejoining the military.

Soldiers are meant to kill. That is there function. They might be used for other things, but killing remains their primary purpose. Don't let the humanitarian work done at times of war fool you into thinking otherwise. Those are dangerous thoughts.

Obviously and very much my thoughts...

All you have to do is read my writings particularly The Evolution of Religion and an out pouring of thought overwhelms the idea to do as my Grandmother had envisioned.

Visions of the future can be changed.

First we have to view what could be and move forward accordingly.

My writings are very much in line with the Quaker beliefs of pacifism. Finding ways to arrive at a peaceful solution even in the midst of great assault both emotional and physical.

As Richard said: it is dangerous!!!!!!!!!!!!!