re: #70 The Ghost of a Flea

When Trump describes soldiers as killers, there’s no deeper level of meaning. The ethics of soldiering, that soldiers are people, that commanding others to do harm is a burden, simply aren’t present in his worldview.

Ultimately, we’re talking about people who believe that power justifies itself, and thus find greater and greater license thrilling. A man who kills freely, to suit his tastes and emotion rather than according to a standard of conduct, is exciting. It’s who they want to be; sadistic, enjoying cruelty openly and freely rather than through coded means.

You’re absolutely right about how he sees soldiers and it honestly comes from a place of being insulated from the reality of warfare. My grandfather I have no doubt was seriously impacted by what he saw in Korea as were my grand uncles who fought in WWII.