lol you missed the irony in my post.  In theory killing of any kind means you won't go to heaven, so killing in the name of religion is still murder.  The death penalty is still murder because a life has been taken regardless of the law.

We are back to the bit about sacrificing the few to save the many, soldiers are the few that are sacrificed for the many.  How many afganistan people are glad that the American troops are being killed every day to help them take back their land?

Soldiers are spared the ethical decisions as they are not subject to the morality of war, they are taught to do a job and they will do it to the best of their ability.  Much as suicide bombers are taught a purpose then go out and murder lots of innocent people.  So solders kill, suicide bombers murder, judges sentence prisoners to death but thats justice not murder. Army commanders send in troops for combat.  These are all labels for the same, the removal of a life.  

So in my mind there is a huge ethical question, why are we still killing, murdering, sentencing people to death and sending troops in for combat?  Thought we in the 20th century became enlightened people?

Sorry Suz, I must have gone over all American (irony is a foreign concept to most).

lol Stuart for making me laugh you are forgiven many times (hugs)

Suzi

So up and about and up to no good then. Haven't you got any pans to polish, meals to cook?
Good morning Suz. hope you're well on this fine frosty morning.
What I really miss in America is the pick up truck - I loved that truck, country rock on the radio, freeways stretching for miles absolutely bloody great,in fact I nearly started watching nascar (joke for the Yanks).
They are nice people, mostly, and talking to them they find it hard to undertsnad how disliked and feared they are around the world.

lmao!  No i have the bathroom to clean from top to bottom, the stairs to hoover and a livingroom to re organise after the wee ones party.  Then dinner to cook later.  Oh and no one to help me do it all.  Knackered at the thought of it all.

I have lots of American friends who as you say cannot understand why their country is so hated.  Some of them revel in it,  Better to be famous for being hated than being an obscure wee island next Europe so they say.  Think i would rather be a nobody than a hated figure.