The last war that could be possibly defended on moral, ethical and legal grounds was W.W.II when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. That was clearly an attack on the country by an imperial power. Joining and fighting to defend America after Pearl Harbor could be seen as a justified moral and ethical decision.
All our wars since can not be justified on moral and ethical grounds. Korea could be justified as legal as it was fought under U.N. authorization. No war since can be justified as legal.
But returning to the soldiers in our wars; "choosing" to fight in a war is a matter of conscience and a conscious choice. Again, when one "chooses" to fight in a war, it becomes their war, as one can "choose" not to fight in it.
I believe there is a popular assumption that a soldier has no "choice" but to fight in whatever war our "leaders" decide to engage in. That is a fallacy i.e., "Well he had no choice but to go and fight". That is nonsense.
Obviously, in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 some "chose" to join the military believing the country was attacked, it was their patriotic duty to enlist and they wanted to defend it. That may have been an honorable and immediate reaction.
But in the aftermath of "joining up", serving and fighting and then concluding that war was wrong, what he doing in it was wrong, that soldier did have a " choice" and he could have chosen not to fight any longer (obviously willing to suffer the consequences of his decision). Again, it is assumed the popular belief is he (she) has no real "choice" as he'll be branded as a traitor, be dishonorably discharged and seen as a pariah and so in light of these likely consequences, most soldiers in our wars "choose" to continue to fight in them; even if they disagree with that war.
Be that as it may, that is the personal dilemma of those in the military.
The truly ironic element in all this is most soldiers in war don't see themselves as heroes. They are often embarrassed when civilian crowds in airports spontaneously get up and clap and yell and extol them as if they were heroes.
It is terrible and horrific to put our military in harms way unnecessarily. Most are honorable, join as patriots and want to serve and defend the country.
But sadly, all our wars now are unnecessary wars of "choice" by leaders who are morally and ethically compromised with no integrity. They are despicable and hide behind the fig leaf of law that protects them even when they authorize wrongful war and put our people in harms way unnecessarily. That is unforgiveable. They are truly war criminals, but sadly will never be held to account for their wrongful decision to authorize war.
That old saw of "my country right or wrong" is a naà ¯ve and foolish notion. The only truly heroic position is to "choose" not to engage in unnecessary and wrongful war. There is nothing heroic in fighting such wars.
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