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Semper WiFi
Roblimo writes "Armed Forces personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan increasingly use the Internet to communicate with their familes back home, but there are not nearly enough computers and connections for them. Lt. Phillip Geiger, Medical Officer with the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, suggested using a privately-funded, long-range WiFi network to help troops stay in touch. The idea has grown from there, all funded privately with cash and equipment donations. Joe Barr has the details on NewsForge (which, like Slashdot, is part of OSTG)."
This sounds like an Operational Security nightmare. Unless it is well secured (and fully encrypted end-to-end), it could well be a valuable source of information for the Bad Guys.
Remember, information wants to be free...
A house divided against itself cannot stand.
Probably because most people know a guy down the road or from school or in the family who's over there, and especially those who have family in service know what it's like to be out of touch for long periods of time and would want to fix that. It's human nature to care more about people who are closer to you. Also I'd guess most people have a mindset that makes them think whatever they put in would be so small as to be a drop in the bucket in the rebuilding effort (whether that's true or not i can't say)...with this wireless thing you can donate equipment and know you put a piece of it in place.
That said, even though you're trolling you have somewhat of a point...
If you can't see the value in jet powered ants you should turn in your nerd card. - Dunbal (464142)
Having received e-mails from a friend in Iraq....I think this a great idea. Their time is often limited when they can gain any kind of Internet access and the access points are few. I was happy just to hear a few words from him when he was able to have access.
The logistics and security of a WiFI system obviously would take a lot of work; let's hope independent developers can work it out instead of our ummm "thrifty" federal government.
--- There is a man in a smiling bag.
...it would be nice if they left the network in place, if this were at all possible. I'm sure the Iraqis could make great use of it.
Well, some people went into the military because it was the best choice for them. They're not blood-thirsty or enjoy killing. Most were likely just poor, were trying to escape a bad household, or just were not suited for a regular school. Some were just fooled into believing that the military is just piloting million dollar equipment and having honor.
They took the risk of having to hurt someone to get what they wanted. There is no way you can blame their youthful ambition or ignorance. If you are young, you have it. And if you are older, you laugh at yourself for having so much of it (but you still miss it).
With all due respect, I think you have it backwards. The Army and military in general is NOT trained for rebuilding infrastructure or even for "peacekeeping" or law enforcement. The military is trained for one thing: Achieve their military objectives as quickly and efficiently as possible. Military objectives generally fall into 3 categories.
1. Kill that guy.
2. Keep that guy from killing someone else (method: see #1).
3. Train for 1 and 2.
This is the reason Vietnam turned out the way it did. If you expect the military to effectively do anything but kill the enemy, be prepared to be disappointed.
IMHO, Civilian contractors, US, Iraqi, or otherwise, should be doing the reconstruction. It is the Iraqi government's responsibility to oversee this task and the US government's responsibility to assist as appropriate.
nos laetus epulor qui would domito nos
The people there now are most certainly "fighting for us"
Now Saddam Hussain has gone, the occupying force has an absolute responsibility to hand the country over to responsible governance. The alternative would be balkanisation and the development of mini states led by fanatics. Many of these warlords would benefit greatly from supporting global terrorism.
Dont kid yourself, Iraq is most deffinitely a threat now and it is a vital responsibility of the occupying forces to support the development of the new government - for our sakes as much as for the Iraquis
For many people opposition to the war before it began was for this very reason - that we doubted that the US would be capable of returning Iraq to peace and prosperity after removing their vile dictator. In particular we doubted that the American electorate had the stomach to take responsibility for the winning of the peace after the war.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of starting the thing, it is now of vital importance to finish the job.
Facts are history now plebs have politics for religion on social media.
However, US soldiers who enrolled (i.e. all US soldiers in Iraq), did so willingly. They didn't get that job to play tennis, they knew they could very well be asked to go do some killing on behalf of the government. So, I don't care if they went there to get money for tuition, or to make their families proud, or just to "see some action", they're hired killers and they're this administration's accomplices in starting this illegal war and invasion of a sovereign country.
So, what are you saying?
Are you saying that all soldiers in all armies in the world are "hired killers"? Is it your position that no good person should ever join the military?
Or are you saying that soldiers should independently evaluate each conflict that comes along and decide whether or not they think this one is "moral"?
Or are you saying that people should only join the military whey they know there's a war coming up that they think is worth fighting in?
Or are you saying something else? Please explain, so we can tell you why you're wrong.
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