Gun battle message shocks parents

[Tokis-Phoenix]

"A US couple checking their answering machine heard a frightening three-minute recording of their son caught in a battle in Afghanistan.

Stephen Phillips, 22, was fighting insurgents when his mobile phone was pressed, causing it to dial his parent's number in Otis, Oregon.

Most of the sounds were gunfire, but swearing and shouts of "more ammo!" and "incoming!" could also be heard";

BBC NEWS | Americas | Gun battle message shocks parents


The thing i think is so stupid about this is how shocked the parents were- what the heck do they think US soldiers are doing in Afghanistan? Kissing children's foreheads?
Despite all the glory and honor Americans attach to their wars, people seem to be forgetting that real people are fighting to the death, and real people are dying- their soldiers are killing real people in a foreign country. People die in war on both sides.
Personally, i don't know how a loving, caring parent could willingly encourage and send of their son, a soldier, to fight and kill in a war in another country, knowing that their son who they have lovingly raised could possibly get blown to bits etc- but each to their own i guess ☝ . Personally i don't buy all the propaganda about going to war etc, but thats just me- i lost faith and trust in my government a long time ago.

 

[Haruspex]

As long as patriots go to war in my place, im proud of them lol.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Ah but there isn't even that- there's no mandatory sign-up to the American army right now, so it isn't even like those patriots are going in your place Derfel; fighting in the current American wars is a completely personal choice.

 

[Hollow_Desires]

why the hell was he carrying his mobile phone around with him? I can't see how it would be useful in a combat situation anyway, and if his unit was trying to get into an area without being seen imagine someone haf called him, it would have alerted all kinds of hell and his unit would have been dead.....so silly..

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Actually at age 18, it is mandatory to register with "Selective Services" (I think it's called). What that means is that if the draft is ever reinstated for whatever reason, every person in the country is registered and ready to be drafted beforehand.

This might only apply to boys, as I don't have any sisters, so I don't know whether girls are required to register or not as well.

EDIT: Sorry, Derfel. I meant in the USA.

 

[Haruspex]

Hmm, not in Hungary, so Im spared lol.

 

[Flashjeff]

The thing i think is so stupid about this is how shocked the parents were- what the heck do they think US soldiers are doing in Afghanistan? Kissing children's foreheads?

Let's be reasonable here. Not everyone has every experienced the horrors of combat or even knows what it's all about, so the reaction of the parents was perfectly understandable. Show some charity.

Despite all the glory and honor Americans attach to their wars, people seem to be forgetting that real people are fighting to the death, and real people are dying- their soldiers are killing real people in a foreign country. People die in war on both sides.

Let's clear up something right freaking now. Don't go painting an entire country's citizens with so broad a brush. Nothing pisses me off more than that because I hate being judged that way when you don't know me. For starters, not all Americans glorify war, I damn sure don't glorify it, and I served in my country's Armed Forces (Navy) for twenty years, I thank God I never had to steam into a foreign country in wartime or that I never served on an instrument that took a life of another human being.

A lot of sensible people in this country hate this war which our brave men and women were basically hoodwinked into fighting thanks to our miserable cretin of a president looking for someone to punish for 9/11. And nobody's forgotten what war is all about, everyone's painfully aware of what this current nightmare is all about, it's because people are so sick and tired of the senseless bloodshed and loss of life on both sides is why we've been pestering our politicians to end this war with all due expediency.

 

[Anohito]

"You can fool too many of the people too much of the time."
James Thurber

That is one aspect of the current political situation in the USA. Another is that policy about the war is dominated by ultra-nationalists and profiteers, whatever their numbers may be. As far as I'm concerned, way too many people in the USA are intimidated by those who figuratively wrap themselves in the American flag, spout Messianic Nationalist rhetoric at the top of their lungs (again, figuratively), and are obviously lusting to destroy anyone who is not a hyper-nationalist. Hence the ridiculous manufactured "controversy" over flag lapel pins in the current Presidential campaign.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Let's be reasonable here. Not everyone has every experienced the horrors of combat or even knows what it's all about, so the reaction of the parents was perfectly understandable. Show some charity.

I've never experienced the horrors of war however i don't have any delusions about such horrors.

Perhaps back in the days of the war in Vietnam it was understandable that many people were still pretty oblivious to the horrors of war due to the lack of media coverage on certain areas, but then gruesome photos and footage was released about the sorts of things which were going on in Vietnam and many people were pretty horrified at what they saw in the photo's and films.
But we live in a day and age where there is so much media coverage about war in general, it would be seriously naive to not have some concept of the horrors of war. Parents shouldn't send their sons and daughters off to war not releasing that there's a chance their sons and daughters could get killed- someone has to be really blind not to know of the horrors of war in this day and age. If your TV coverage is anything like ours on current wars, then i am sure you often hear about suicide bombers and terrorists blowing up civilians and soldiers alike to bits.

Let's clear up something right freaking now. Don't go painting an entire country's citizens with so broad a brush. Nothing pisses me off more than that because I hate being judged that way when you don't know me. For starters, not all Americans glorify war, I damn sure don't glorify it, and I served in my country's Armed Forces (Navy) for twenty years, I thank God I never had to steam into a foreign country in wartime or that I never served on an instrument that took a life of another human being.
A lot of sensible people in this country hate this war which our brave men and women were basically hoodwinked into fighting thanks to our miserable cretin of a president looking for someone to punish for 9/11. And nobody's forgotten what war is all about, everyone's painfully aware of what this current nightmare is all about, it's because people are so sick and tired of the senseless bloodshed and loss of life on both sides is why we've been pestering our politicians to end this war with all due expediency.

Yes i know i was making a generalized statement, and i admit that- and i know that you don't glorify war (although i have seen some people here on this forum in the past that have seemed to do that), however you gotta admit that the stereotype of American pride and glorification of their wars is not a completely undeserved one. Of course not all American's glorify war and stuff, but there is doubt that such Americans are in the majority, hence the stereotypes etc.

Its not that i agree or disagree, but over here there are many that are annoyed with the American government and its strong supporters (who always shout louder than any non-extreme American) over much that has happened over the last 8 years. Over here there are many people like you (and i with you) who are very discontented with the current government, but we can't really turn to anyone- us English have always been allies with you Americans, however we feel increasingly unhappy with our current state of affairs together.
Discontent will not stop until new and better people are in top power in politics- i think this applies very much to both sides.

Although my generalized statement does not apply to you and numerous others, i'm not painting you with a brush, only voicing my opinions towards those who the statement most applies to.