I've hesitated to comment on this because I might inflame everyone.  I served in Vietnam (MACV TM 21 Pleiku, 1969-1970)  in the US Army.

and I found that war sucks..and the that the US Government will not take care of the wounded..and that the streets become littered with homeless ..like the Walking Dead.   Chemicals eg like agent orange, the noise of combat, getting sprayed by you buddies flesh and blood..all leads to costs we as a nation still try to pretent do not exhist.  That the War in Iraq was off the books astonished me. With the exception of chasing Al-Quida; we have conducted a series of Wars based on political/ecopnomic theory, miss direction and outright lies.  We have not been threatened by Vietnam, Iran, Afghanistan, the former Yugolav states etc etc.  Thus, to say all those who have died in these wars died to keep us free etc is not wholly truthful and that is why I have this problem with this holiday..that and of course survivors' remorse.

Serowbot wrote on 05/30/12 at 20:13:30:


Agreed.  I won't honor the wars; just the men and women who fought and died in them.  Thank you for bringing this up, Trippah.  I believe it's at least as important to remember how worthless some of the sacrifices have been as it is to remember how worthy others have been.  Neither should be forgotten nor swept under the rug.