Originally Posted by Manx

I can fault anyone for blindly following a command of their superior or boss. If I work at an accounting firm and my boss instructs me to cheat on a clients taxes, I would be at fault if I carried out that instruction. Soldiers have the ability to determine if they support the overall actions of the people at the top giving them commands. If a soldier feels it is immoral to continue the actions as outlined by those at the top, the soldier has a responsibility to disobey those orders.

Simply because they are in the military does not preclude them the ability or requirement to judge the actions of their country. They are not robots, even as much as they are trained to be. They remain human, and if they forsake their humanity for their country, they are at fault.

Personally, I find fault in killing innocent people for the political machinations of the President and the Defense Secretary. I find it inexcusable for a soldier to accept the killing of innocents (or even the guilty if there are other avenues towards defense) for those political machinations. Therefore, I find fault with the soldiers fighting this war. Do I consider them baby murderers? No. That's a loaded description. I'm certain they feel they are doing the right thing, even while I know they are not. Their intentions are admirable, even as their actions, on behalf of the President, are deplorable. They are simply misguided - in every sense of the word.