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[MetalSlimeHunt]

The military hasn't executed anyone in a few decades, if memory serves. I think one was authorized a few months ago, but I don't think it has been carried out yet.

Wasn't that for the dude who murdered/executed a bunch of citizens? I have a hard time thinking that he doesn't deserve it...

If you are speaking of the one who killed 25 Afghan civilians when his traumatic brain injury suddenly triggered a fit of psychotic rage, no. I don't know where he is now. The one I'm speaking of raped and murdered some of his fellow soldiers some years ago.

[Sirus]

The military hasn't executed anyone in a few decades, if memory serves. I think one was authorized a few months ago, but I don't think it has been carried out yet.

Wasn't that for the dude who murdered/executed a bunch of citizens? I have a hard time thinking that he doesn't deserve it...

If you are speaking of the one who killed 25 Afghan civilians when his traumatic brain injury suddenly triggered a fit of psychotic rage, no. I don't know where he is now. The one I'm speaking of raped and murdered some of his fellow soldiers some years ago.

Huh. I thought they gave that dude the death penalty as well. Or maybe I got confused by the calls for his death. Not sure anymore

[jester]

I know it happened (people putting the gun down and saying 'fuckit') a fair bit in vietnam, you would be sent to military prison for a while then dishon discharged.  Some of the guys were charged with 'providing comfort to the enemy' which can carry a few years, and they would pretty much all get beaten badly by MPs in the lockup, def. not executed though.  It one of those things you dont hear much about like larger scale military mutinies, they dont get reported on.

edit:  So wikipedia says 49 given the death sentence during ww2, 48 commuted to lesser penalty, military stopped doing executions in 62, did 149 before that (ww2 onward), mostly for rape or murder.

[palsch]

According to this, death can indeed be the maximum punishment for cowardice. However, I'm not sure how many cowards are actually executed nowadays; something tells me there'd be a s**t-storm if it happened.

My understanding of this is that the punishment is designed to fit the results of the crime.

So someone who runs away the night before a support deployment might cause a few staffing issues and get a dishonourable discharge and no other action.
Someone who leaves their squad a man short before a combat mission will probably get harsher treatment.
Someone who abandons a post with the direct result of squad mates being killed...

[Alexhans]

McCain, to me at least, is more like the Joker than a real soldier.

This definitely feels like a No true Scotsman fallacy.

It's an interesting proposition, saying that a former soldier will value peace but I think it all depends on the experiences of that particular soldier so, all in all, I'd say we can't really predict how someone will vote for/against war just by differentiating between soldier and civilian.  The particular mindset of a person and how he acts (and if its consistent with what he says) should be more important.

[darkrider2]

I'm interested in seeing what the general consensus on warfare is from countries who have lost wars on their own soil. I get the impression that my country (America) is doing more harm abroad then it realizes. Although the past few years have been slightly better.

[FearfulJesuit]

There has been far too little comic relief in this thread recently. Why not learn about the Pilgrims and NASA with a group of animated dinosaurs brought to you by Herman Cain?

Don't miss the homeless guy ranting about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

[Sheb]

Well, it seems to me that the US would have been a far more peaceful place if Japan had managed to occupy part of the country in World War II or something. You may rant all you want about Pearl Harbor, but that was a strike on a military base far from the mainland. You guys don't remember what war is like.

[kaijyuu]

Sure we do. It's like Rambo. First we realize war is hell, then we forget and glorify it to hell and back for the sequels.

[Sheb]

No, you get the "War is hell" part from veteran coming back, but that's a totally different memory from actually living in a war zone. I'm half-german, and my grandma's memory are of hiding in a cave for years fighting rats for food. Even when they got back home and managed to organize enough food for them, the neighbour's kids would come in and ask for their potato peels.


You just have nothing like that in your collective memory.

[Aqizzar]

Okay, this has gone on long enough.  New conversation...

Goddamn this election is turning out a lot more boring than I had any idea it would.  So... The Obama campaign's new thing is riding Romney's ass over his foreign bank accounts that professional tax gurus told Vanity Fair they can't make heads or tails of.  Thoughts?

[Truean]

Okay, this has gone on long enough.  New conversation...

Goddamn this election is turning out a lot more boring than I had any idea it would.  So... The Obama campaign's new thing is riding Romney's ass over his foreign bank accounts that professional tax gurus told Vanity Fair they can't make heads or tails of.  Thoughts?

[Shrugs] Romney is a rich guy and shelters his money in various ways. This is what rich people do, because they hate taxes more than I hate Aardvarks.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Just look at him all being an aardvark. Tell me he's not up to no good.... Can't do it can ya?

Honestly, I'm seriously surprised Obama isn't openly congratulating Romney on having ObamaRomneycare being upheld as constitutional. That'd totally mess with the heads of all of his supporters seeing as the law has been demonized with full on Godwin.

In the meantime, Democratic interests are calling for Romney's tax records. This is an easy one. Obama wants to tax the rich to pay for the country's massive debts and Romney is totally rich. This is where the offshore accounts Aquizzar mentioned come right into the picture:

"Americans need to ask themselves why does an American businessman need a Swiss bank account and secretive investments like that?" Schultz said.

If you're going to go on a "tax the rich" strat, then pointing out or otherwise implicating that the rich aren't boyscouts helps with that tactically. It also goes right to the point to question the offshore accounts, because the line of logic goes, "see, the rich really aren't paying their fair share of taxes and look that Romney guy isn't either cause he's dodging taxes with offshore accounts." Tactically not a bad play. Pretty much Romney is making use of complicated tax loopholes and sheltering techniques like basically all the other rich people do. Obama is pointing at this and crying foul.

Draw your own conclusion.

[Mictlantecuhtli]

Man wants to become president of nation who he refuses to support with his taxes, yet will be demanding exorbitant payment from those in a strata lower than ultra-rich in order to try and alleviate the debt of the nation [that is, IF he goes the route of even giving a damn about the fiscal issues instead of deciding to focus on a Jihad against social equality, which is much more likely (See: Romney is a mouthpiece of his party)]. Let's not forget to ask the poor to pay their fair share and take less in medical benefits and food stamps, because those negatively affect the quality of life for rich people.

I.e. Romney is a douchebag.

[Duuvian]

I mean really, do we even need polls for this one? Republicans had a chance and aimed directly downward; not only that but shot through their foot, not only that but splintered the bone in a bonesplosion, then the shot richochetted back and hit the foot again tearing away more flesh. Then the other bullets go because it's apparently full auto with a rubber band around the trigger with them. Now we reach current times with the 25th bullet as previous shots ricochet and nick those guys who are bystanders and all hell breaks loose after the 30th for the Republican party which will probably be after the election and maybe, just maybe, reasonable people take charge.

[RedKing]

Although honestly, the tax shelter thing is a potentially dangerous route of attack, and here's why: people aren't upset about it because they perceive it as morally wrong. They're upset because they wish they they could do that too. And that they had enough money worth hiding.

Somewhere along the way, the basic purpose and concept of taxes (to fund the public good) got lost. Most people just see taxes as "the damn gubmint takin' my money!" So tax evasion is almost seen as a Robin Hood-esque crime....you're somehow "stickin' it to the Man".

That can resonate with people who already feel like they pay too much in taxes, regardless of whether they objectively have something to complain about or not.