Snipers And Special Forces Soldiers example essay topic

America's Homegrown Terrorists Every time you turn on the television, read a newspaper or listen to the radio you are bound to hear something related to terrorism or war. In today's world, conflict or disagreement between people or nations is inevitable and it just so happens all of the peaceful na " ive Americans are stuck in the middle of it. You see it's fine and dandy to be concerned with gang members armed with automatic weapons, terrorists from other nations and the occasional lunatic down the street who decides to randomly kill people. But why is no one concerned with the people the United States government trains to kill?

The government spends millions of dollars training a select few individuals in explosives, long range sharp-shooting, reconnaissance, infiltration, extraction, and several other lethal tactics unknown to civilians. Not only do these select individuals receive this intense training in the art of war, they are also desensitized to the point where they are almost not human. These once highly intelligent and very physically and mentally fit men are now highly sophisticated, extremely intelligent killing machines. Their number one priority is the accomplishment of the mission, and they will do what- ever necessary to finish their objective. In fact, these men are so elite and so deadly, the terrorists themselves decided to employ the same training regimens in the training of fellow terrorists. What about Oklahoma City, the Twin Towers of 911, the recent killing of three wives by special forces soldiers returning from Afghanistan, the D.C. sniper and the Uni-bomber?

All these acts revolve around the intent to kill in a concealed manner using unconventional methods. The same methods our special forces units thrive on. With the exception of the special forces soldiers who killed their wives, all of these terrorist acts involved the reconnaissance of the area, the analysis of the information gained, the construction of a plan, and carrying out the mission itself. All of these events were done by extremely intelligent and highly trained individuals. Ted Kaczynski didn't receive his training in the military, but the others did and the terrorists who perpetrated the 911 attacks received similar training from military officials. So why are very few people concerned with the government training individuals in the art of war, then placing them in live fire situations, sending them off to war to kill, and then returning them to the streets when their time is done?

It's shocking to look around and see how many homeless people, bums and blue collar factory or construction workers are ex-military infantry or special forces. These people receive no real job training, they are taken mentally and physically to levels beyond that of a normal human being, and are eventually discarded by the same government who took away their individuality and spirit. If you really think about the job opportunities for these individuals when they are discharged from the military; other than law enforcement, security and mercenaries, there are very few positions these people are trained for. Even then, very few people who work with these individuals can withstand the intensity and directness imbedded into these individuals. I was personally fired from my first three jobs after being discharged for being too harsh and direct with both fellow employees and my employers. I not only questioned the work ethic and laziness of the employees, but the lack of organization of the employer as well.

Granted, I was correct about the employees being lazy, I handled it with a Marine's mentality and flat out told them they were lazy pieces of shit. There were better ways to deal with the situation, but at the time that's how I was used to being treated and dealt with. In the Corps if you were lazy or made a mistake, someone told you so in a very direct manner and nothing was sugar coated or politically correct. By no means am I saying these men are weak-minded cold-hearted killers nor am I saying all special forces soldiers will pose a threat to society when they are discharged from active duty; I am saying with the training and skills these men possess they are just as dangerous, if not more so, than the very terrorists currently carefully selecting American and Allied targets around the world. Who better to kill American citizens then the very men we trained to protect us? Many of these elite soldiers, from the Vietnam era especially, have grudges against America for its treatment of veterans.

As Washington D.C. recently learned, a highly trained soldier or Marine with a scoped single shot. 308 or other high powered assault rifle, and a bad attitude, poses a real threat to society. Any of these soldiers who, for one reason or another, gets pissed off or angered by life have the potential to negatively effect a lot of lives. And what makes them more dangerous than the average Joe going "postal", is the average Joe hasn't undergone several years and millions of dollars of schooling and training to learn how to kill. After all there are reasons why snipers and special forces soldiers alike use the phrase "Swift, Silent, and Deadly".

These soldiers don't need to go on frequent killing sprees to prove they have the ability to be a threat to society. Isolated incidences such as Oklahoma City, where two soldiers killed hundreds in one morning, and the D.C. sniper case in which multiple people were killed in a two to three week time frame have to raise questions as to whether or not there is the potential for these people we train to be a threat to society. These elite men have sacrificed their lives for their country and unfortunately most who survived combat, will never lead normal lives again. However, you seriously have to question why the government lets these people on the streets.

I would rather walk down the street in the middle of a gang war or know there is a serial killer on the loose, because with them, 99% of the time they will confront you and tell you they are going to kill you. Whereas, a solider or mercenary will use special covert tactics to kill you, leaving you with no clue or warning you are about to be assassinated for no reason. I have the greatest respect and admiration for these individuals, however, they are also some of the deadliest men on the planet and should be handled as such. Personally, I think these individuals should be required to serve their twenty or longer. This would be another sacrifice on their lives, but it would be no greater than the sacrifice they have already made..