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Rich man's war, poor man's fight?

Is the war in Iraq a rich man's war, but a poor man's fight?

  • Yes

    Votes: 12 52.2%
  • No

    Votes: 6 26.1%
  • Don't know.

    Votes: 5 21.7%

  • Total voters
    23
  • Poll closed .

Yerda

Veteran Member
Every war is a rich man/woman's war. The intention might be slightly blurred from time to time, but the beneficiaries are invariably businesspeople. Members of the upper classes in the army don't appear to be expected to act as cannon fodder, but as officers directing the cannon fodder.
 

Ardent Listener

Active Member
Jaiket said:
Every war is a rich man/woman's war. The intention might be slightly blurred from time to time, but the beneficiaries are invariably businesspeople. Members of the upper classes in the army don't appear to be expected to act as cannon fodder, but as officers directing the cannon fodder.
My brother was an officer in the U.S. Marines, and he was not rich when he inlisted and went to O.C.S. But I like your "cannon fodder".:) It would be nice to see more rich guy and gals out there on the front lines directing the cannon fodders like the wars of old.:bounce
 

Smoke

Done here.
AtheistAJ said:
I didn't read through this, but I heard of some NFL football player who was offered millions to play, which he refused to "defent his country"... then he died in Iraq. No doubt though this war is all about oil (which I didn't think when it started), as now Iran has WMDs and troops are still there 1/2 year after "Mission Accomplished".
Actually, it's now 2½ years since Bush declared Mission Accomplished in Iraq.
 

Ardent Listener

Active Member
I can see that it is going to be an on-going debate as to if the "rich" start the wars and if the "poor" are the ones who fight in them, but can we all agree it is the middle class who ends up paying for them?
 

bartdanr

Member
AtheistAJ said:
I didn't read through this, but I heard of some NFL football player who was offered millions to play, which he refused to "defent his country"... then he died in Iraq. No doubt though this war is all about oil (which I didn't think when it started), as now Iran has WMDs and troops are still there 1/2 year after "Mission Accomplished".

HI AtheistA, thanks for your post.

The NFL player was Pat Tilmann, and he died in Afghanistan, not Iraq. And there's no oil in Afghanistan...though maybe the Afghan was was all about drugs, to take control of the poppy fields? ;)

Peace
 

bartdanr

Member
Ardent Listener said:
I can see that it is going to be an on-going debate as to if the "rich" start the wars and if the "poor" are the ones who fight in them, but can we all agree it is the middle class who ends up paying for them?

HI Ardent Listener, thanks for your post.

Actually, in terms of taxes, the rich pay far more than anyone else:

From http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/250.html

*Top 1% of taxpayers (making > $295,495) pay 34.27% of all personal income taxes

*Top 5% of taxpayers (making > $130,080) pay 54.36% of all personal income taxes

*Top 25% of taxpayers (making > $57,343) pay 83.88% of all personal income taxes

Peace
 

bartdanr

Member
Jaiket said:
Every war is a rich man/woman's war. The intention might be slightly blurred from time to time, but the beneficiaries are invariably businesspeople. Members of the upper classes in the army don't appear to be expected to act as cannon fodder, but as officers directing the cannon fodder.

Hi Jaiket, thanks for your post.

Actually, junior officers (2nd Lt, 1st Lt, Cap) have extremely high mortality rates...and no one (except for Doctors, Lawyers and such) gets to skip those first few steps on the officer ladder.

Peace
 

Terrywoodenpic

Oldest Heretic
bartdanr said:
Hi Jaiket, thanks for your post.

Actually, junior officers (2nd Lt, 1st Lt, Cap) have extremely high mortality rates...and no one (except for Doctors, Lawyers and such) gets to skip those first few steps on the officer ladder.

Peace
In the first world war British Junior officers led every attack from the front.
Almost none lasted more than a fortnight, unless they were lucky enough to get wounded.

Terry__________________________
Blessed are the pure of heart, they shall behold their God.
 

Ardent Listener

Active Member
bartdanr said:
HI Ardent Listener, thanks for your post.

Actually, in terms of taxes, the rich pay far more than anyone else:

From http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/250.html

*Top 1% of taxpayers (making > $295,495) pay 34.27% of all personal income taxes

*Top 5% of taxpayers (making > $130,080) pay 54.36% of all personal income taxes

*Top 25% of taxpayers (making > $57,343) pay 83.88% of all personal income taxes

Peace
Thank you for your reply and the statistics.;)
 

michel

Administrator Emeritus
Staff member
Terrywoodenpic said:
In the first world war British Junior officers led every attack from the front.
Almost none lasted more than a fortnight, unless they were lucky enough to get wounded.

Terry__________________________
Blessed are the pure of heart, they shall behold their God.
I can't even begin to think about it; I have heard such horrendous tales......:(
 
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