Why is soldiers dying such a big deal?

Question

This question is not meant to be insensitive, but I am wondering why a mere 132 deaths for the UK, and a more significant 3000 deaths for the US is such a media focal point? In previous wars, many countries, the UK, and US included have suffered many, many times that figure of casualties, sometimes in days, and yet there was not the furore then as there is now.
I am not trying to belittle the work of the armed forces, or their efforts, but they knew the job before they signed on (except in the case of conscripts...) , are in the main intelligent people, and they knew that it was not going to be all skydiving and snowboarding like the army adverts would have us believe. Presumably their relatives, knew as well, and yet there are still people touting the deaths of loved ones as Blairs/ Bushs fault. Why? It is the soldiers job to fight. And occassionally, that means people get hurt. I value their sacrifices, but I wish the media would not keep giving us a front page kill count.

mickl84, did you not read my question? You are talking about unecessary risk?!? In a soldiers line of work? Are you expecting the enemy to conform to Health and Safety regulations?

Why are people so sure that the soldiers are dying for nothing? If it is all a big, bad, Bush conspiracy, and there deaths expose it, is that not something? If not, then they are fighting for freedom and democracy, which again is something.
Soldiers do not die in vain.

For those of you telling me I should sign up, I did try actually, but am medically unable to join, as I have ashtma. I do have a lot of friends in the forces, mainly front line units like the Royal Marines, and the Paras, so I do worry for their safety. I have the deepest respect for the military, and if my health were better, would be in Officer Training right now. I am merely asking a question, am I not allowed free speech as I am not a Marine? No, so please, leave the personal attacks for someone else.

to mickl84 tried to reply to you email...but it failed.. so here is my reply: Fair enough. But my point was that it is a soldiers job to fight, and if necessary die for their country. It should be an accepted fact.Whether their cause is just or not does not matter to them when the bullets are flying. But I think the media is profiting from their deaths, and that is what I am against. Yes they are dying, yes they should be remembered, but their deaths should not be laid at the feet of Blair and Bush. We voted in a government to act in our best interests, which I believe, a majority, if a growing slimmer one, still support.
Hope this explains my point as well.
No hard feelings

to slice264... I understand you would be upset, as would I if a mate or family member died.. but firemen sometimes die in fires, and seaman sometimes drown, it is an occupational hazard, as is death and injury while being a soldier.

At Sandhurst the potential officers are shown a video. It is grainy, and in black and white. It shows soldiers going over the top at a whistle blow, into darkness, mud and death. In the corner, there is a counter that goes up, slowly at first, then speeding up. The officer in charge of the cadets, asks if they know what this is. It is the real time deathcount of the battle of the Somme. While he talks, the number continues to rise, and he looks into their fresh young faces, and says "I will see each of you at the end of a rope before that happens again."
In WW1, the casualties were horrendous. The media did not make as much a fuss as they have done about Iraq. All life is precious, and war is a terrible, but I believe it can be necessary. Modern warfare is different, but people still die. It is sad, but it happens. And let us not forget, Vietnam was lost due to poor morale at home, not on the battlefield...caused by high US casualties, so we need to keep our nerve.

Answer 1

I think at the present time, sadly, because so many people feel that this war should never have happened in the first place.

Answer 2

Seeing that you planned to join as an officer was no surprise. They have the view that soldiers dying isnt such a big deal either,so long as their safe what do they care? Soldiers die for a cause, yes they might realise they could end up in hairy situations when they join. They dont,however, want to die. They choose to put their lives on the line, I agree. But to actually die for a cause they may or may not believe in, is the ultimate sacrifice. That is why we make such a big deal out of it. I have lost 1 friend in Iraq, I have several still out there at the moment. Just because they are in the Army, it doesnt mean i think they should die. Its not the army of old, where the boys used to run over the top. This is the modern army, people dont need to die.

Answer 3

Complex issue. But the war is over. The U.S and allies are now in the occupation stage. Hence the media feel that every Death now is an indication of not having an "Exit Strategy" that was going to work. Also information is exchanged at such a fast rate now that those who opposed the war on legal grounds feel every extra death is a waste. But to the brave lads doing the job lets hope we all support them when they return and not have a repeat of what happened to Vietnam veterans, and if they don't lets make sure we honour their sacrifice for a war that went wrong. It is not the numbers it is the sacrifice that the papers are reporting, the numbers are way to drive the point home.

Answer 4

It's a big deal because it's death dude. You can ask yourself the same question about Princess Di. and more recently Anna NIcole Smith. Why is it such a big deal that they died? Are they not people just like the rest of us? Think back further into the politics of things, main focus the war. What better way to gain the backing of the general public than to show what the enemy is doing to our soldiers. Yes, we are expected to fight and in some cases get hurt or die, but like when the rest of the world dies, wheather it be a soldier or a celebrity, it is going to be publicly shown to gain support and ratings. I mean really, is it really important that Anna Nicole Smith died? I'm sure she commited suicide with all the drugs she'd been taking. Is her death more important than world events? It sure seems like it, that is all that has been on the news. Look deeper into your question. The answer is very complicated and I can go on and on but I'm sure you are quite capable of researching. It's politics man. I'm in the military and I fight in war, so death is a big deal to me and even though there are less casualties than in previous wars know that every death is important and a big deal to someone, like my wife and two little girls. I may not ever be able to answer your question fully because of the manner in which you asked, it is derived from personal opinion and not from a factual hard statement. I personally think that they don't make a big deal at all. Have you heard lately of the war in Afghanistan? I'm sure not much, mostly Iraq on every news station. Well people are still dying in Afghanistan every day but you wont hear about that. We're better trained and technology helps in the reduction of casualties to answer the other part of your question.

Answer 5

Are you suggesting that somehow the VT shootings are not newsworthy? I would have to disagree with you there. But the mass murder at VT is a "big deal" in two major respects. First, the mass murder of so many individuals (not soldiers) is a sad, senseless and repulsive thing. Such events not only raise questions about the sanity of such murderers, but also the society that produced them. Second, it goes to the heart of an extremely important domestic issue: the ownership and use of guns. No matter where you stand on the issue, these sort of events forces us to re-examine the role of guns in our society.

Answer 6

Well perhaps it is true that the media can use the figures for political persuasion. Also that statistics such as these are relevant to public opinions.

What you have nowadays also is the fact that the whole affair was unjustified from the beginning. Anyone dying for unjustified reasons is unnaccepatble. Soldiers or civilians.

Consider also the numbers of civilians that have been killed during the strife.

Now I could understand that in comparison to those much higher figures why you ask that question.

To reiterate no unnecessary deaths are acceptable.

Answer 7

I can see where you are going with this question and the answer is ....
Sensationalism.
Deaths sell Newspaper and advertising dollars/pounds .
Yes Soldiers know what they are getting into when they sign up. No they didn't believe it was going to be like skydiving or snowboarding. I know that my family knew what I was getting into but that didn't stop them from worrying about me.
Please remember that Soldiers (Generic term for all Service members whichever the Branch) do not have the luxury of picking or choosing which battles they will fight. Whether they believe in the war or not. They have orders that they must obey. They have all sworn an oath. Most civilians cannot understand this. Soldiers fight for their Comrades in Arms.
Never belittle a Soldiers death. They have died in a most honorable way. They were fighting for a cause. Whether it was for a Nation or a Comrade they have payed the Ultimate Sacrifice and without them No One would have the right to freely disagree with what their Nation is or is not doing.

Clive: British Soldiers signed up for the same reasons that American Soldiers signed up. Britain has been and shall always be America's Number 1 Ally. Hopefully the US will do the same for Britain when needed in the future. The US asked for and received Britains Support for the war in Iraq and on Terrorism. You may believe what you want but at least be true to your Nation. Your duly elected Government sent its troops to support its Ally. That is the reason that Britain is in Iraq. For whatever pretext said Ally gave, Britain supported its Ally. I personally respect the hell out of Britain, whether they thought it was right or wrong they still supported their Ally.

Answer 8

Since every death will be someones son,brother,husband etc and most people feel (in the UK at least and prob in the US ) that the deaths are totaly unnecerssary ,the media will make sure all those politicians that sent those guys over there will not be allowed to push the war to the background and hope people will stop noticing .

Answer 9

Firstly, the UK only make about a quarter of the total troops out in Iraq so the death tol is bound to seem smaller than that of the US.
The people who have lost relatives and blame the leaders is because they disagreed with the war in the first place probably even before the deaths of their loved ones.
Soldiers know the risks they r not shy to them it is sad but they knew what they were signing up to.I'm sure dying for their countries was an honour to them

Answer 10

To some it is a big deal because they are related to or friends of those who died.

On the other hand the media only publishes death rates because it is more exciting than reporting that some soldier helped a kid. It is basically a ploy to gain ratings. You also have to take into effect that when they pump out this crap, it provides fuel to rival political parties as well as new age hippies. They are all opportunists and ride the free media attention.

Answer 11

I'm sure it was a big deal in previous wars before, but media was not that big then. I'm sure people were just as unhappy about things then.
People get hurt and yes, they did make the decision to join the army. But surely you would try to find someone to blame if one of your loved ones would get hurt or even worse killed. And in the end the easiest person to blame is Bush or Blair.