Would you fight for your country..

I served 12 years in the U.S. Marine Corps so although I never served in combat I guess I have to say 'yes' and ignore the modifiers added to that poll option.

That said I understand and respect anyone who chooses not to serve or who finds moral, religious or other objecion, as long as they afford the same respect of choice for those who did or do serve.

I can't even enlist because I'm on antidepressants, so I don't have much to worry about.

The only way to fight for my country, at this point, would be to fight against its government

I have a lot of trouble with the poll question "No, I'm a coward", as if pacifism is only for the skittish. I make no claims of bravery, but many, many years ago, in a flash of a moment without even thinking, I jumped in on a group of older teenagers who 'ganged up' on one frightened homeless street kid. I drove them off by swinging a crutch as I had just injured my ankle a few days earlier. A few years later, I adopted the street youth and he remains a loyal son.There are many stories like this from so called cowards. It's not a matter of fear to resist fighting, but principle. America has involved itself with few just wars since WWII, and that will always play a significant roll in the "will you fight for your country" question for Americans.

Edited by SteveG - August 19 2016 at 04:07

 American's seem pretty good at killing each other without anyone needing to invade them, if we wait a few years we'll be able to walk in and take the colonies back without firing a single shot.

Pacifistic loser.

Other.
Voted "No" because as far as I can see the governments* are still blackmailed over paedophilia.
I'd fight a war to get rid of the Monarchy and bring over half the government to trial, but that's about it.
Oh and remember the Serbian conflict yours and our troops were involved in?
You must be so pleased to see Slobodan Milosevic being found innocent (after dying in prison).
The amount of money, resources and it wasn't as big as Iraq or Afghanistan!
If Milosevic is found innocent, you are aware one of these days (Probably a few decades or even a Century away) Osama will be absolved of involvement with 9/11?
How inconvenient would that be?
I used to say I support the people but not the institutions of this country. But these days, I don't even support them!
So I'll take imprisonment over conscription, and luckily my beard will make my incarcerated conversion to "Islam" that much easier on my arse!

*= All over the world!

Edited by AZF - August 18 2016 at 11:36

One of the options that was available to conscientious objectors was exemption only from combatant duties, which included many (many) roles within the armed services such as stores and materiel movements, pay-role, airfield ground-crew and medics, and of course bomb disposal (over 400 Brit conscientious objectors volunteered for bomb disposal during WW2 and no one would question their bravery or call them cowards). 

Edited by Dean - August 18 2016 at 11:02

I'm a diabetic so they wouldn't let me in. But even if they would I wouldn't. The USA's military activity of the past 50 years has been questionable to say the least, and a military draft is an absolutely disgusting concept - I could never support a country that had an active one in place.