What does war do to you?

*Godfather* · 03-30-2006, 02:56 PM

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&pubid=968163964505&cid=114 3718868455&col=968705899037&call_page=TS_News&call _pageid=968332188492&call_pagepath=News/News

Now I know for damned sure this is not new to the world; but my God, you just have to read that story. It's not detailed, vivid, or lengthy but it's more than enough information.

Why is it that these men become so warped? I doubt I'll understand unless I end up enlisting in the Canadian forces, but if this is what war and the horrors of the experience do to you, I dont think I want to risk the person that I am. Not saying I'm some great person or anything at all, but I know for damned sure that I dont want to go kicking severed heads around like a game; and I doubt that those men went over the twisted f**ks that they must be now to do such a thing.

Please, comments.

*G_Man* · 03-30-2006, 03:01 PM

I haven't read the article, yet, but it reminds me of something I once heard.

"Killing for your country is a greater sacrafice than dying for it"

My take on that is that killing and seeing death and war is harder to deal with than simply dying, where you are labled a hero and that is that.

********** have now read the article and I think my post is still relevant.

dave · 03-30-2006, 03:03 PM

As I understand it, doing anything over and over numbs you to it. At first, you shoot those who are clearly soldiers, until some 10 year old, or woman rushes you with a gun, then everyone is suspicious.
From there, it's shoot first, ask question later. With a philosophy like that, I highly doubt that anyone is even a person anymore. Instead everything is a perceived threat with no humanism whatsoever. The claim of the men kicking around the severed head would be no different in thier minds to them kicking around a dropped gun. Both are just mechanism that threaten a soldier's existence.

*Godfather* · 03-30-2006, 03:07 PM

Wow. Two very strong thoughts! Thank you

wyeast · 03-30-2006, 04:32 PM

War does different things to different people. Depends on the situation and your experiences both during and in the aftermath. Families uprooted and forced to flee hundreds of miles to escape persecution. Entire societies built upon the anticipation of the next wave of artillery.

In some ways how you cope afterwards is just as, if not more powerful. War is war, but trying to make the adjustment back to "civil" society can be hard. A friend of mine's dad was in Vietnam, and only now has he come to terms with the whole experience and can live largely free of the demons that haunt him.

wIggy · 03-30-2006, 06:07 PM

I've got a friend that spent 9 months in Iraq, as a prison guard at Abu Ghirab, he was on the first wave of Air Force guys to take it over from the army, so he still worked hand in hand with them, he was involved in a riot, which almost killed him. He got stuck somewhere and a fire was started, one of his lungs collapsed, and, he's not able to talk about it without some strong emotions. I guess, he didn't have to kill anyone, but the constant state of fear they must live in, has to have some serious effects on people.

**Sp00k** · 03-31-2006, 08:31 AM

Having no experience whatsoever in the military I can only surmise that to be at the helm or epicentre of any kind of conflict must have a hell of an impact on individuals. The psychological damage must be immeasurable.

However some people come back unscathed after years of duty & with no mental instabilities. Everyone has there own limits & built in mechanisms to deal with any given crisis'.

Think of it this way GF, imagine your there & you see the enemy gun down or torture your best friend, or your sister or member of family. I'll defy any living person not to react strongly in those circumstances.

Don't get me wrong I'm not condoning their actions, I'm just trying to analyse it & come to their way of reacting to a situation. Any normal sane person would be appalled, disgusted but you know I would imagine the effects of war would blinker the rationalisation of a lot of soldiers. The goodness in all men can be stretched beyond the realms of humanity if put in extreme disadvantages or danger.

No excuse I know but just giving you my thoughts.

jedi · 04-02-2006, 08:42 AM

War is taking normal human beings and putting them in abnormal situations.... there's bound to be some sort of change mentally to a person who's experienced those sort of things.

*G_Man* · 04-02-2006, 09:36 AM

Lets see if this simplifies and encompasses what we are all trying to say:

War obviously takes a physical toll on people. If you aren't strong and don't have proper supplies/protection you get hurt.

You just have to figure it takes the same mental toll on people. If you aren't mentally fit and you don't have supplies/protection you get hurt. Sometimes, just like physically, you get hurt no matter what.

I mean, War - been there, done that. Wasn't that bad for me, but I'll tell you right now, it changed me. And I'll tell you I was a different person while I was down there.

**Sp00k** · 04-02-2006, 09:44 AM

That sums it all up really, unless you really experience the full physical & mentally emotional side of it, we at the backbenches so to speak can't even begin to imagine the stresses & strains put on everyobody that is been in the midst of battle/war.