My 1,58692 € cents

I think we are seeing two different perspectives; that of Soldier and that of Parent. They are both partially correct. Here is my perspective (that of Friend/Voter/Potential Draftdodger). We do have a volunteer army (although this is a loose term, because not everyone can volunteer, and those who can aren't allowed to do many of the jobs unless they have that most important of all military equipment: a Penis... sorry, it's a sore spot right now. The issue, not my... you know what I mean). All american soldiers who die defending other's right to life and freedom die tragically but not wastefully. I think that as long as we fight "wars" (we usually don't actually declare war) of revenge and profit and don't answer to international courts it is hard for me to ascribe such high ideals to the american war machine (I don't mean this as a derogatory term, but I want to include more than the military itself, but also mercenaries, arms companies and politicians). According to the american government, burning oil is a human rights violation, but not torturing someone to death or killing children are not. There is something wrong with that. (sidenote: it is also against international law to kill anyone who makes or ratifies international laws). I think that our soldiers are made up of the same spectrum of people as the rest of the world. There are good eggs and bad eggs, sharp tacks and dull tacks. In the end I would say that the sacrifice is not a waste if the individual person was fighting for the rest of us. If a soldier dies in an unjust war while trying his or her best to help those involved it is not a waste, and if a soldier dies fighting for the wrong reasons in a just war then it is a waste. Dieing for hate or profit is a waste. Not because of some higher moral reason or a sense of right and wrong, but because you can't hate or profit after you are dead, while a life sacrificed for the good of others is outlived by that good.