Our discussion yesterday about censoring Google Earth led me to ponder about military censoring in general. Should the United States censor anything? Isn’t this the land of the free? I believe the obvious answer to that question is that some censorship of delicate information is vital for any nation. Military persons are not allowed to divulge sensitive information. However where do you draw the line? It is important that military censorship does not go too far so as to infringe on the rights of the citizens and soldiers of this great country.
During WWI, censorship was common for British soldiers. Any » Read More

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Google Earth has revolutionized the way that people look at our world today. With just the click of a button, you can travel to any destination to see an aerial view of that location. This is a beautiful piece of technology indeed. But is it something that could easily be utilized to harm America or other nations? The one reason people argue against such a claim is that the images from google earth are months old. However many military bases around the world do not change there operation every few months.
The United States government has certain military bases/sites censored by » Read More

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The Judge Advocate General’s Corps refers to the judicial segment of any of the United States military forces. JAGs in the Marines, Air Force, and Coast guard maintain active officer status while serving. However JAGs in the Army and Navy only serve as law officials without officer status.
You may remember the popular TV show, JAG which introduced the public to the ideas and procedures that are a part of the military court system. JAGs are commissioned to defend and prosecute based on military law. This law is based on the Uniform Code of Military Justice. This code, also known as » Read More

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President Bush recently met with the leader of North Korea, to discuss the relationship of the two nations. As I saw this, I couldn’t help but wonder what will amount between the United States and North Korea. It seems that in recent years, the relationship of North Korea and the United States has been characterized by US prevention of North Korea utilizing Nuclear weapons. North Korea has attempted to make peace with the United States lately for fear of possible attacks.
In the press conference, President Bush announced that trade between the two nations would resume once again. This of course » Read More

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What are they? Well, the Rules of Engagement vary depending on the situation at hand and the people giving orders. In general, rules of engagement are rules laid down by superior officers which dictate what actions military officers are permitted to take during specific situations. Common rules of engagement for military and civilian interaction are such as: “Do not fire unless fired upon.”
In short, these rules are developed by every government to help ensure that conflicts are not escalated more than necessary. However some people argue that these rules are too infringing to military personal. Take the case of the » Read More

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I have heard such cries lobbied against the United States on more than one occasion. Individuals from the United States and abroad have tried to identify America as an International Police Force. If we are a Police Force, is that really a negative thing? What else could someone hope for if not our government which functions based on democracy?
Granted our government is not perfect but I do believe that it is the best option when weighed against a dictatorship or communism. Why is communism steadily declining in this world and free trade gaining popularity? Because it is what most people » Read More

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When is it ok for civilians to die as a result of our war efforts? Civilian casualties are virtually unavoidable. But where do we draw the line. How hard should our government be working to ensure that civilians’ lives are not threatened? As we have talked about lately, our military has engaged in many wars and attacks which have caused thousands of civilian casualties. That is why people are opposed to cluster bombs, because civilians are affected the most.
Let’s look at this from an ethical perspective. When dealing with issues of war, if we do not have ethics, we are » Read More

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What do you define as an ethical reason for entering war? Should war be entered only at the last minute? Or is it something that must be accomplished in order to maintain political influence? When exactly is war acceptable and when should it be avoided?
I believe that most individuals would agree that war should be avoided if at all possible. If you can avoid going to war without sacrificing more than you might lose in battle, then it is logical to avoid entering. For instance, a country probably shouldn’t go to war to protect a trade agreement that is worth » Read More

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There has never been a war in the United States that was protested so much as the Vietnam War. Opinions and theories on the Vietnam War are never in short supply. It is an interesting topic to discuss because so many of those who fought in Vietnam are still alive today.
As with most American conflicts of the era, this war began as a result of an American policy to fight the spread of communism. America ventured into Vietnam to fight against the communist Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The war later ended with a cease-fire between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. » Read More

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The cashier took what seemed an eternity to fix the jammed tape in her cash register at Food Lion last Saturday afternoon. She was obviously in no hurry to get those of us waiting to pay for our groceries out the door until she had fully figured out the rocket science behind that machine. In front of me, a twenty-something mother of three stood with an over-flowing shopping cart. As she reached to pull her trio of preschool-aged sons off the candy rack they were alternately attempting to do chin-ups on, her checkbook » Read More

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