do soldiers have to give an acount...

There are several types of killing some necessary and some unnecessary. The two types you're confusing are "Responsible, duty related killing" and "Irresponsible, non duty related killing." Both will leave the enemy just as dead, but one falls into the parameters of the Geneva Convention...

 

You've observed people's genetics? How do you know it isn't nurture rather than nature?

 

oddly enough I have friends who adopted 2 kids both as infants, one is a nutty violent sort the other is a really sweet guy and very responsible. both grew up in the same family.

 

I can't beleive it, but I actually kind of agree with bq here.

 

I don't know what you mean by "markers". We had our credits given by Marines on the ground. I can remember that I was happy when we got to change targets. When we changed targets then the enemy was neutralized.

Then they opened the mess deck, becaue we were hungry. Sometimes we would go without proper nourishment for six hours or more. We had it rough but we ruled the roost.

Some of my shipmates would disagree with me. It looked like we were running but they did not know the big picture and prefer to forget it.

 

I agree with moen also though. To say that killing is in your blood, I think its just an excuse for the fact that killing somehow makes you feel good or proud.

 

AdamL, I am a kind and gentle soul who cannot gut an animal but when doodoo hits the fan then killing gets in your blood real quick.

 

Killing when you have to, and it being in your blood are two different things.
I lost my stomach for killing animals years ago and quit hunting. I prefer not to kill anything. But, I would kill in a heartbeat to protect my family.

 

Chuckle, then killing IS in your blood, just like everyone else on the planet. It's in a latent form, but when certain trigger's are flipped you would kill without question.

Nearly all other species will simply run or swim away and accept the death without showing remorse, the exceptions are few when it comes to this remorse (elephants, large apes) and none will seek out and retaliate for a sibling or offspring killed.

I believe this quality of delayed retaliation is one of the sides of being human...

 

Soldiers have to be taught to kill. In WW2 on average only 2% of soldiers shot to kill in battle so now troops are desensitized and trained to react with deadly force when under fire. But it doesn't stop the nightmares and the feelings of remorse that come after the battles have stopped. So maybe soldiers have to forgive themselves before worrying about anyone or anything else.

 

Using your figures, I don't know what that other 98% was shooting at, but what ever it was we managed to get the job done. Oh, and it doesn't bother me either way. What is done is done and that is the way it is!

 

In USSR for war of 1941-45 there not many guns for army, soldier often go to battle without gun and wait for comrade die, then take his gun. Also because so many men die of battle, women take up guns and fight. They fight meaner than men accord to German witness of battles. Never mess with woman of Russia, she fight for Motherland!:hail:

Lyuda Pavlichenka