Throughout history we have seen instances of poor people brutalize other poor people in exchange for financial security and, lately, college education. We’ve seen it in Vietnam, we saw it in Afghanistan, and we’re seeing it now in Iran.
Recently, the president’s top U.S. counterterrorism official, Joe Kent, has resigned from his position. His reasoning being “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” Kent said in an X (formerly Twitter) post. A statement which President Donald Trump has denied.
If someone like Joe Kent, who has connections with right-wing extremists, according to the Associated Press, had the gall to speak up against this completely unjustified war, more officials should do the same.
At least six American soldiers have died in Iran, with the youngest being 20 years old. Sometimes you have to ask yourself, are they doing this for the promise of democracy and freedom? Or are people dying in exchange for not having the means to pay for college?
To those that choose to go into the military — and, ultimately, to war — you have to ask yourself, what did I vote for? Is this democracy? Is dying alone thousands of miles away from home for a sum of money that’s roughly worth the price of a Camaro and no student loans worth it?
Lots of people are scared of being drafted, like what happened in the Vietnam War. But would the government let that happen again? Not yet, at least. But it wouldn’t be the first time our government lacked the compassion in its heart for people to not have to sacrifice their lives in war. The government may want to avoid backlash from the public and subsequent protests if it decided to take that step.
But what the government does generally want is for its citizens to be in a perpetual state of poverty.
From what I’ve seen, U.S. Army recruiters specifically target low-income communities and desperate high schoolers. Why else would the army constantly send recruiters into low-income communities? Have you ever seen army recruiters in Los Altos? In Cupertino? Palo Alto? I definitely haven’t. Army recruiters specifically target low-income communities and desperate high schoolers. Call this process whatever you want, but at its core it is predatory.
For those looking to sign up, do you really want to be part of an organization that “accidentally” kills 150 school girls on the streets of Iran?
The Army offers perks such as free college, a $50,000 sign-up bonus, and student loan forgiveness. The cost being your life.
What have our soldiers done recently that was justified? Fight for Israel? For oil? To all my active service members reading: would you rather fight for Israel or America?
Fighting for freedom and democracy is a false truth. A myth from a bygone era. The US armed forces have roughly 750 military bases in over 80 countries as a deterrence from invaders and the largest military budget on the planet. An attack on the U.S. and its allies, with all its nuclear missiles, is not only improbable but irresponsible to the people of the world.
The US spends more on the military than the next ten countries combined according to the Peterson Foundation. This is estimated to be around $995 billion dollars as reported by the Department of Defense. With $30 billion every year, homelessness can be ended in America. Every year, $93 billion dollars can be spent to end world hunger, as reported by the United Nations.
There is no reason for the US to have to spend this much on the military. It’s not like we’re actively under threat of a foreign invasion.
With so many other issues in America, the unlikely scenario that the U.S. will need to be protected from outside forces is hardly a priority when our citizens have faced attacks from other government law enforcement agencies recently, such as ICE and the National Guard.
With looming threats of unemployment and homelessness, should being offered a stable job and free college education be worth your own life — or someone else’s?
