"Whites of Their Eyes"

The US military has for years been training their troops with video games.  Now we can finally see the results of such a training regimen. Soldiers today are killing as a distance using video cameras and drones to "see" the target. The targets are shot at from hundreds of meters. The soldier is not a real participant in the battle and so they have become callous to the death of others. They are as detached from the actual killing as we are watching them kill.

War has been around for as long as humans have been around. We are tied to it because of the collective stupidity in ideas such as nationalism and patriotism. Because of this ignorance, there is no hope of eliminating war, it is part of our humanity; it is who we are.  How I only wish that since we are forced to live with such a system that at least the killing would be done, as in the good 'ol days, between the actual armies.  Just as we would like to see a ban on nuclear weapons, we should also ban weapons that allow killing from afar. Ban planes, and bombs, and missles and anything that can shoot over 100 meters. Bring back the sword and the shield, the axe and the spear.   Let the two opposing armies meet in a field and fight it out, hand to hand. Like real men. I wonder how often then, we would hear the laughter of soldiers in a "battle engagement". How is it possilble to talk of "brave" pilots if they have total control of the sky and kill from miles away? Imagine how it was for Colonel Jackson and his men in the War of 1812 when he told them to hold their fire until they see the "whites of their eyes".  How many of these video game jockeys could actually fire if they had to wait until that moment?

When the Iraqi War began, I remember an "embedded" jounalist talking to a group of American soldiers who had engaged some Iraqi fighters. The Iraqis were holed up in a school. The news video showed them running from window to window in the school, carrying AK 47s and with only bandanas on their heads. The American solider commented how he thought the Iraqis were cowards for using a school as a shelter.  The American soldier had on a Kevlar helmet, steel plated body armour, had a superior M16 rifle with a scope, night vision goggles, a radio and GPS so he was able to call in artillary strikes, M1 Abram tank back up and air support if necessary. It was clear to me who was really brave and who was acting like a coward. 

GTB

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