I compare it to nazi Germany. I don’t really condemn Germans who served in the armed forces rather than be punished for draft evasion. There were soldiers who just fought as they were told to and without doing anything clearly immoral or illegal - not all we’re out there murdering Jews or civilians, or executing prisoners, or whatever. Same with Israelis. It takes a lot of courage to go to prison by active choice, and I don’t think it’s reasonable to condemn people for not having that courage unless the alternative was themselves taking part in war crimes.
While I’d say conscripts are easier to forgive than volunteer forces, they are still culpable. They offsetting the suffering they’d endure in prison onto other people, with which their respective fascistic armed forces are targeting. I’m more understanding of their position but they are still guilty.
Also, while the individual soldier may have themselves not conducted any crimes, by serving in a fascist military, you are still aiding them in committing crimes. By providing gains for that military through your service, it gives the force more opportunity and power to commit atrocities.
This is so beside the point but I was thinking about how conscription in the US wouldn’t work. A huge majority of people would either be unfit or just say no and there would be so many young people in jail the economy would grind to a halt. I love that for us
You can choose to sit in Jail instead, lots of Israeli youth do. you always have a choice not to join a genocidal army.
I compare it to nazi Germany. I don’t really condemn Germans who served in the armed forces rather than be punished for draft evasion. There were soldiers who just fought as they were told to and without doing anything clearly immoral or illegal - not all we’re out there murdering Jews or civilians, or executing prisoners, or whatever. Same with Israelis. It takes a lot of courage to go to prison by active choice, and I don’t think it’s reasonable to condemn people for not having that courage unless the alternative was themselves taking part in war crimes.
“Just following orders” does not hold up in court today nor did it hold up in the Nuremberg trials.
That is a quote about clearly illegal orders, which I specifically treated differently in my comment.
While I’d say conscripts are easier to forgive than volunteer forces, they are still culpable. They offsetting the suffering they’d endure in prison onto other people, with which their respective fascistic armed forces are targeting. I’m more understanding of their position but they are still guilty.
Also, while the individual soldier may have themselves not conducted any crimes, by serving in a fascist military, you are still aiding them in committing crimes. By providing gains for that military through your service, it gives the force more opportunity and power to commit atrocities.
This is so beside the point but I was thinking about how conscription in the US wouldn’t work. A huge majority of people would either be unfit or just say no and there would be so many young people in jail the economy would grind to a halt. I love that for us