Drugs and alcohol give new meaning to "the fog of war"

there is no such thing as nationalism in africa. that is because in africa all the countries were just drawn up by westerners, and while in Europe and America there were enough people to bullshit us into believing in the existence of nations, this hasn't happened in africa, where people are usually seperated by tribes and other pre-nation ideas. you think these people give a shit about their country? of course not, they care about themselves and people from their tribe.
somebody picks you up, dresses you up in a uniform, gives you a weapon, and suddenly you're a soldier?

Sounds to me like this is a fast downward spiral towards the implosion of the FARDC.

The drugs seem very appealing to reluctant soldiers to get them, at least mentally out of the hellish scenario and with the infighting that has been reported it may get them out of it physically as well.

By physically I mean dead.

Apocalypse is from the Greek, and it has a surprising root definition. It comes from "to reveal, to unveil." When the system breaks down, we see the truth of the system's center, of its root. --Reverend Billy

They lack discipline and strong leadership

its turned killing into there way of life for so long. there blind and insane.

How else does one cope with killing people that are your neighbors, people that are just like you, and for no reason? Escape as far from reality as possible. This war is for no reason. It makes no sense. It is violent and looks to get worse.

Apocalypse Now...

" the horror , the horror "

Dude! I shot the pink elephant!

I think that these guys are just trying to cope and are frightened to death and the only reason they are in uniform is to try and prolong their own life.

What seems to be going on over there is crazed madness...

Let it end so they can move on, heal and live life.

Live Learn Love Grow Evolve, Create-Greatness and give it away...

I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm not. War and drugs have always seemed to have gone hand in hand.

thats sad, there seems to be some odd news feed on a daily basis about the congo and the rebel fighting there, or the fleeing refugees, or the sometimes illegal diamond trade, or the coal trade which kills the trees- That country clearly needs some outside help to keep the peace. The Sikhs are there for peace keeping but it obviously is not working. as for the pot smoking, its just another example of the major biodiversity that those old growth forests harbor.

The mind can only take so much before it needs some form of diversion. Our soldiers do and did similar things.

its unbelievable that so much of the world chooses to ignore atrocities like this. smoking pot and drink may be somewhat unavoidable in war, so why not work to stop the war? why not give a crap for a change?

What a person sees during war is undeniably horrible. And then they have to live with the memories of those experiences and images.

What price freedom...

This is unavoidable in a hopeless war... even in Vietnam our own US soldiers smoked pot, did heroin and even dropped acid... I can't even begin to imagine.

Our troops are now in Iraq trying to train the Iraqi military who they say are constantly smoking hash and opium whenever they get a chance. Our soldiers are confused about how they manage, but they can't really do much about it cause they need them to be happy and cooperate.

I say you are certainly entitled to some forms of relief if you're putting yourself in that kind of danger. Of course the cutting off of genitals goes more towards the insanity of war. War is a horrible horrible thing....

The fighting that goes on in central Africa feels like a forgotten conflict, it is rarely critically engaged with and because of that people have no idea what is happening there.

perhaps they should try and be better than the fuckers they're after, that is of course if they actually intend to get their country back or maybe they just like wasting life, time, and bullets. This military indulgence (minus the nut hacking) was what George Washington dealt with and he saw it had no place in a civilized military and promptly sought to get rid of it.

aint life grand