Reds, some help on brainstorming for class assignment(you'll like it)

[Kingpin]

Hello communists.

I do not agree with the War in Afghanistan, but I don't know whether to insult the military on the ground or not.

I have to write a letter to a random soldier in Afghanistan. Supposedly no one will read it until the soldier opens it. (You are supposed to encourage them and give them thanks)

What would you write to a soldier in Afghanistan?

Would you insult him and explicitly tell him he is cannon fodder for imperialists, tell him to continue fighting for America, or indoctrinate him with Marxist dogma or what?

I am limited to one sheet of notebook paper, front and back.

[Drace]

Insulting them in the form of "Your an imperialist patriotic douche bag." is not the way to go.

Rather, be critical of their choice to serve and educate them on US imperialism, past and present.

[IcarusAngel]

Lots of reasons to be against the war in Afghanistan.

The Taliban offered up Osama bin Laden if there was evidence he was behind the attacks.

The US has installed a business friendly dictator that is not helping the people.

The US has gotten in bed with the Northern Alliance which were so bad many people actually welecomed the taliban when it came to power.

The US helped expand the taliban and may have even created the offshoots from the Taliban due to the fact that they armed the most extreme fundamentalists they could find to fight the Soviet Union when it invaded (unjustly as well), and then didn't help to rebuild the country.

This 'surge' workers propaganda is nonsense. If the surge worked how come Iraq is still one of the most dangerous places on earth? Al-Sadr merely called off his forces and the Iranians brokered a deal with some of the Iraqi leaders to lay down their arms. They want to keep the pot boiling, but they don't want Iraq to overboil, as then Iran will lose all influence in Iraq and it could be dangerous to Iran.

A lot of the conflicts turned into internecine battles as well.

The wars have been a 'boon' to islamic fundamentalism.

The US has a proven track record of making countries worse than the dictatorships they had, by installing markets that leave millions of people dying and allowing the corrupt politicians to take power.

Whenever you hear propaganda like "the surge is working" or "we need to send more troops to Afghanistan" be sure you look at some international relations experts to get the real facts.

Some sources:

Guardian.
Counterpunch
commondreams
Foreign Policy mag (they occassionaly have a good author here or there).

[Drace]

The US helped expand the taliban and may have even created the offshoots from the Taliban due to the fact that they armed the most extreme fundamentalists they could find to fight the Soviet Union when it invaded (unjustly as well), and then didn't help to rebuild the country.I had someone say that the US were arming, not Islamic fundamentalists, but normal civilians ("freedom fighters") who were against the Soviet Union. :)

Here is a good article on Afghanistan if you want.
http://www.michaelparenti.org/afghanistan%20story%20untold.html

[Die Rote Fahne]

Remember that a lot of soldiers are there because it's the only choice they had.

So, thank him for being brave, but be critical of the war itself. Not the soldiers, but the idea behind the war.

A lost of soldiers still think Saddam was involved in 9/11.

Education, not condemnation.

[Pirate turtle the 11th]

So, thank him for being brave

No , No and no again.

Although its tempting to be a super hardcore anti imperialist super badarse motherfucker from the streets and write him a detailed letter explaining how you had sex with his wife in the hope he kills himself, its just not going to work. Your better off really writing your views on the subject (they are not right to be there , they did fuck all a good choice in joining up and should get no praise as it will only muddle matters be blunt and straight to the point and carefully and articulately express your arguments in the hope it may stop the guy on the receiving end reenlisting , gate crash some army forum for practice (ps when they verbally abuse you as they will and when you get bored theres nothing wrong with a good old low blow to keep yourself amused).

Also no stalin love.

[Demogorgon]

This kind of assignment is creepy and encourages militarism. Anything that pushes children or teenagers in a pro-military direction is wrong in my book. One might argue that you aren't being asked to agree with a conflict, simply respect the military. However asking people to respect the military is the problem in of itself. Every dictatorship there has ever been has encouraged military worship and the view that it is somehow a superior institution.

Of course at the same time being rude to an individual soldier is just mean and won't achieve anything.

If nobody reads it until the soldier opens it, the solution is obvious: submit a blank piece of paper. That way you are neither being offensive, nor taking part in glorification of the military.

[Havet]

Remember that a lot of soldiers are there because it's the only choice they had.

So, thank him for being brave, but be critical of the war itself. Not the soldiers, but the idea behind the war.

A lost of soldiers still think Saddam was involved in 9/11.

Education, not condemnation.

this

[danyboy27]

dear random soldier

dont be an assole, dont kill civilian and come back alive so we ca hate the governement together for its insane foreign politics.

regards

danyboy

[#FF0000]

Copy/paste Smedley Butler's "War Is A Racket" and mail that.

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

convince him to turn against his superiors and give away their positions and secret shit to the enemies

[danyboy27]

convince him to turn against his superiors and give away their positions and secret shit to the enemies

are you insane? do you actually know the risk this young boy would take by doing such stupid action?

[Chambered Word]

are you insane? do you actually know the risk this young boy would take by doing such stupid action?

LOL. You know he wasn't serious, right?

Anyway, just write to the soldier respectfully. Tell him how you appreciate what he has to go through in his line of work but let him know that the only people gaining from it are the wealthy corporatists and politicians.

Basically object to the conflict and tell them how you feel about it but treat the soldier like a fellow human being.

Propagandhi is right:


Remember that a lot of soldiers are there because it's the only choice they had.

So, thank him for being brave, but be critical of the war itself. Not the soldiers, but the idea behind the war.

A lost of soldiers still think Saddam was involved in 9/11.

Education, not condemnation.

That's basically it. Dispelling alot of myths like the aforementioned one about Saddam being involved in the 9/11 attacks is good. Let them know they're being lied to.

Good luck with your assignment, comrade. :)

[Valeofruin]

Claim you have the right to not be forced to write a letter to a soldier due to your political beliefs and protest the assignment?

The army is not sympathetic to your cause, and chances are, they don't give a damn about your letter. SO don't worry, relax and do something that may actually make a difference.

[Drace]

If nobody reads it until the soldier opens it, the solution is obvious: submit a blank piece of paper. That way you are neither being offensive, nor taking part in glorification of the military.Oh yea, with the current economic crisis, they surely would love to receive a piece of blank paper.

[btpound]

Claim you have the right to not be forced to write a letter to a soldier due to your political beliefs and protest the assignment?

The army is not sympathetic to your cause, and chances are, they don't give a damn about your letter. SO don't worry, relax and do something that may actually make a difference.

Valeofruin is right about one thing, the soldier probably doesn't give a shit about your letter. He has bigger problems on his hands than a moral dilema about what a 7th grade student in Anytown USA thinks about the Afghan war. Most of them aren't there because they love their country, most of them aren't there because they want to liberate Afghanistan. Most of them are there for the same reason people work at Wal-Mart, or Footlocker. They are there because they are the proletariat, the wholly propertyless, and they needed the money. I have friends who are in the military, they are there for a career. It is just a job to them. However, on the topic of what our position to the troops whould be, should we support our troops but not the war? Let's put this into context. Should we support the rapist but not the rape? Should we support the murderer but not the murder? No. We should support the victim. We should support the Afghani people. We need to let the troops know that this is a war for profit, not for human liberation, and what they are doing is wrong. That they are being used, and they need to take a firm stand against the war and support the real cause for human liberation.

Good luck fitting the complex arguement against the war into roughly 400 words. I say blank sheet. Or something inoquois like a big smiley face.

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

are you insane? do you actually know the risk this young boy would take by doing such stupid action?


which young boy?
the US soldier?
I think we're all hoping US soldiers don't prevail in this war, so taking risks, even unecessary ones, is fine with me

[danyboy27]

which young boy?
the US soldier?
I think we're all hoping US soldiers don't prevail in this war, so taking risks, even unecessary ones, is fine with me

you basicly suggested to the young boy to write to us soldier, asking him to commit deliberate act of sabotage in order to get more us soldier killed in afghanistan

sure, the soldier who will receive this will never collaborate with those crackpot fundamentalist, but he can tell his superior about it and the boy who have written this letter could end up with a LOT of trouble.

[danyboy27]

LOL. You know he wasn't serious, right?


you know, usually i am able to distinguish when someone is joking, but with marxist leninist its always more complicated you know.

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

you basicly suggested to the young boy to write to us soldier, asking him to commit deliberate act of sabotage in order to get more us soldier killed in afghanistan

sure, the soldier who will receive this will never collaborate with those crackpot fundamentalist, but he can tell his superior about it and the boy who have written this letter could end up with a LOT of trouble.

Yes, I suppose that wouldbe incitement.
Maybe I should write to US soldiers. I'll make up a return address from the US so they'll think it's a fellow American telling them to shoot their superiors. Think it could work?

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

I have to write a letter to a random soldier in Afghanistan. Supposedly no one will read it until the soldier opens it. (You are supposed to encourage them and give them thanks)

stuff the envelope with anthrax

[danyboy27]

Yes, I suppose that wouldbe incitement.
Maybe I should write to US soldiers. I'll make up a return address from the US so they'll think it's a fellow American telling them to shoot their superiors. Think it could work?

stop trolling

[Demogorgon]

Yes, I suppose that wouldbe incitement.
Maybe I should write to US soldiers. I'll make up a return address from the US so they'll think it's a fellow American telling them to shoot their superiors. Think it could work?
You don't think the Brazilian postmark might just give you away?:rolleyes:

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

shit, I didn't think of that

[Red Icepick]

Yeah, explain to him or her how the Taliban would treat the Afghan people much better than President Obama. Great ideas, guys!