iPods at War

phaedo00 writes "Ars Technica has put together an outstanding piece of journalism about the use of personal technology in America's military and how these devices along with blatant piracy is causing new problems in the face of war: "While soldiers once deployed with little more than a backpack and a rifle, today's crop of infantry troops pack along MP3 players, digital cameras, DVD players, video games, movie collections, and computers of their own. The personal electronics have made modern American warfare the most comfortable it has ever been, but they've also brought a new set of problems onto the battlefield.""

Comments

Re:Unfounded Criticism

[saskboy]

I think Improvised Explosive Dells are a more serious concern for both the military and the general public.

It's a sad comment on the condition of humanity when we see youths describing how they turned up their MP3 player while "killing the enemy" in Iraq. There's a horrible scene in Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" when a solider starts singing "The roof is on fire... we don't need no water let the [mellonfarmer] burn, burn [mellonfarmer].. burn!" to describe his work from the past days. But as he or a comrade said, it's important to get fired up and "get in the mood". It's not the iPod's fault how it's used, but the military might want to reconsider its missions if it needs to lure people in with the "comfort" of their music players to get the job done at all.

Goooood Mooorrrning Vietnamm!

[rts008]

You have obviously never served your country. (ie:military, USO,Red Cross, etc.), so, STFU!
Traitor?!?
"And I could make an argument for calling you a traitor, or perhaps more accurately as being "Unamerican", for not being a proper defendant of the true American way. Nothing is more important to this society that the promulgation of profit."

You sir, are a complete asshat, and are not deserving of an opinion as far as "being a traitor" or an American.

If you want to seperate yourself from the real world, then ok- your fantasy world may work for you....good luck with that.

You have NO rights to infer "traitor" to anyone with your attitude, and as for your "god-given DUTY", then all I can say is show up here:
708 S. McDonald St., Stillwater, OK 74074 at at ANY TIME and I will set you straight, or end your miserable existence on this planet..that is a PROMISE, not a threat.

Un-American?, you have no fsckin' clue, assclown. Got a problem with this?- Fsck you- show up and we can discuss this face to fist.
Yeah I'm militant about this, but having been in combat and fscked-up firefights in E.Berlin, Vietnam, and a few other places I would (gladly- for you) have to kill you for telling you about, I can tell you that the front-line troops are more worried about keeping themselves and their buddies alive, and have NO thoughts about copyright/patent infringement.

If they can download tunes to keep themselves entertained, so good for them.

Got a problem with that?....Tough shiite! Take it up with the front- line troops, or (better yet for me) follow my address to me, it's above.

BTW, I don't agree we should be in Iraq still, or should have even went there, but will support and defend my alumni at all costs. Not every mission do you as an individual ( as military personel) have a choice on deployment, but you still have an obligation to do your duty.

On the subject of imposing our will on oil/capitalism: yes, that may be an issue, but not the only one at stake.

Consider free choice about the way the respective countries are wanting to exercise their rights.

Also, where do you get off on the "god-given DUTY" aspect of the arg's? What gives you the right to invoke your "god" in this. That is already a defeatist argument.

Yes, I mod only when drunk, so SUE ME!- Ive got karma to burn!!!!