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Tayyab - d/acc
@tayyab
Why do militaries or soldiers follow what dictators say? For example, what is happening in Venezuela. I’m sure the soldiers have families who are ready for a change as well. Is it as simple as “obedience”?
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Just Build
@justbuild
Aren't they trained to follow mandate of the generals/commands of who they serve in most cases? Even in the US where they serve a civilian command, if the generals were to suddenly pledge fealty to a elected President that claimed power I always assumed the machine in many cases would fall in line. This is coming from someone that has never served, so just an observed opinion.
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Sunny
@sunnysangwan
really depends on the country/region and kind of unrest I guess. In regions/countries with historical unrest, soldiers are primed to think differently. Fealties change frequently, alliances are dynamic and the only way to survive is to be able to adapt and move in numbers. For the US, don't you think there'd be some resistance to the general's orders if they clashed with the constitution?
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Just Build
@justbuild
I do, but I also feel that there is a growing interest in authoritarian figures in the United States, to a degree I never thought possible. I personally believe very passionately that no current leader in the armed forces would do this, as they are honor bound to serve the constitution as are a significant percentage of the troops. But on a generational arc, I can also see this changing and the number of individuals needed to run a military force reducing over time. Both trends open the opportunity for a minority to exert a greater force for a larger body.
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Sunny
@sunnysangwan
I can see down this chain of thought but I feel militias are so deeply entrenched in America that I see the possibility of militias breaking away from organized forces far more than a military wide hijack.
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Just Build
@justbuild
I think that is a fair and solid assessment, but that's only under current conditions. If we were to under say under another prolonged lockdown due to a new pandemic, massive civil unrest due to a market crash, etc. then the nation would be tested and based on recent developments the survival of the nation in its current form is nowhere near as clear cut as I would have thought, but maybe that was always the case.
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