Open Left

Mercenary or Professionalization/Specialization

In a republic the entire population mobilizes for war.

The movement toward mercenaries starts with the liberal elite. Their children do not serve in the military. Many know not a single young person serving in the military. In a republic the elite serve in the military. In a oligarchy they do not. In addition, most of the US population is uninvolved in any practical way in the current wars. They have hired hands, called the military, handling the dirty work.

While young, possibly conservative men from rural and and small town fly-over areas so despised by chi-chi liberals die and get maimed to protect our republic, graduates of the liberal elite's favorite universities go to Wall street and recklessly undermine our economy. Privileged, expensive children futz around with career experiments and self-indulgent foreign travel at their parents' expense before moving on to high paying jobs where they mix only with people like themselves.

The US military used to be the most effective democratizing institution in the US. Elite kids and poor kids mixed and learned to respect each other, as did people of different ethnic backgrounds. Youth from different regions gained a better understanding of other regions.

When elite youth refuse to serve in the military, or their parents forbid such declasse actions, instead of viewing the military as a duty, then democracy erodes. The path is open to the use of mercenaries. In many ways regular US soldiers are now mercenaries of the elite of America. Why not go all the way and hire real mercenaries?

If the children of the elite served in the military, the use of mercenaries would be hard to tolerate politically, or the hired troops would be held accountable in line with military standards.

Liberals, look to yourselves for the roots of this problem.

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by: Citizen0 @ Sun Jun 07, 2009 at 10:23:48 AM CDT