American army Quote by Noam Chomsky
“The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that too, but it couldn't take it after awhile. It's not the kind of job you can give to conscripts who are not trained to be murderers.”
About This Quote
The quote argues that using untrained conscripts for brutal warfare is unsustainable, highlighting the reliance on professional killers and the moral limits of such tactics.
In simple terms: Professional soldiers are needed for extreme violence.
Key Takeaway
Conscription fails in genocidal conflicts.
Themes
war ethics
military professionalism
moral limits
conscription
state violence
Mood
grim
critical
cynical
Type
political commentary
historical observation
When to use this quote
- counterinsurgency operations
- foreign interventions
- civil wars
- state-sponsored atrocities
Key Concepts
military strategy
human rights
psychological impact
Practical Applications
- policy reform on recruitment
- training standards for troops
Questions to Reflect On
- What are the ethical implications of using mercenaries versus national troops?
- How does professionalization affect accountability in war?
A Different Perspective
Some argue that any trained soldier, regardless of background, can be ordered to commit atrocities, making the distinction between mercenaries and conscripts less significant.
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
