Question for all of you

[39mto39g]

There just games, thats all. Cartoons are just as violent.
If someone is influenced to do or not do something because of a video game then they may have a different problem in life.
If someone thinks they can drive a NASCAR car because they played the video then they will also think they can do the Rambo thing in a war. Let them think that, We need Volenteers in the Army.
Some people have to blane someone else for them killing there family, (it was the VN video)
Bull, Its a game, thats all.
People don't have a RESET.

Ron

[Tamaroa]

What Keith said. I couldn't have said it any better.

Isn't there enough violence and pain in life without trying to recreate it in video game form. It is my guess that some a small minority can use these games to stimulate themselves into action on a reality basis. They might be useful for the military to teach battlefield strategy or something of the like. But . . . . it is my opinion they certainly do more harm than good.

Bill

[darrels joy]

In the news - America's Army video game is one of the top 5 of online games in the world.

[David]

NEAR FALLUJAH, Iraq (AP) -- With weapons drawn, U.S. Marines dove through blown-out windows of an abandoned building near the insurgent stronghold Fallujah, searching for gunmen.

This time it was training. Soon, it may be for real, as Marines prepare for a showdown against Sunni Muslim fighters in Fallujah, the focus of Iraqi resistance.

"I know this is the video game generation," a Marine instructor bellowed at troops during urban warfare drills. "And what you see when you're playing 'Medal of Honor.' well, the same thing you see there is what will keep you alive outside."

U.S. commanders who hope to quell Iraq's insurgency before nationwide elections in January say Fallujah has become a main planning and staging center for violence and needs to be brought under control. But they also stress the order to attack must come from Iraq's interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi.

Since Marines aborted an April attack on Fallujah amid widespread Iraqi dismay over reports of civilian casualties, the insurgents have been bombing U.S. convoys and hitting their bases daily with mortar and rocket fire.

The Marines are packing ammunition, cleaning their rifles and practicing urban assault tactics as they prepare to strike.

"We just want to go in and get the job done. We've had a leash on for five months and we're seeing our buddies die everyday," said Cpl. Trevor Hill, 23, of Boise, Idaho. "Right now, we're in the boxing ring - with our hands tied behind our backs."

In one camp near Fallujah, 40 miles west of Baghdad, the men of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines sat in the sun and polished their assault weapons to the sounds of rap impresario Dr. Dre.

They unloaded ammunition from shipping containers, listened to first aid instruction and fired assault weapons and machine guns at the shooting range. Hot meals have been curtailed and the Marines have been mostly eating prepackaged rations from plastic pouches.

Their commanders expect a tough fight. The Iraqi prime minister has warned Fallujah he will use force if the city does not hand over foreign fighters - who city fathers claim aren't there.

While other officers estimate up to 5,000 fighters are in Fallujah, Lt. Col. Willy Buhl said only about 1,000 will likely "stand their ground (and) resist" in the city of mosques and markets on the banks of the Euphrates.

Insurgents also are girding for battle by boobytrapping and blocking roads and disguising sniper emplacements, U.S. officers say. Skirmishes on the outskirts of the city are reported almost daily.

On Thursday, four masked insurgents set up a mortar position in one of the city's dusty courtyards, laying sandbags to support the base of the launching tube, Associated Press Television News footage showed. A man dressed in black crouched down and squinted at a small compass, apparently to direct the firing. The men fired several mortar shells, shouting "Allahu akbar" or "God is Great" with each shot.

Some of the toughest Fallujah fighters are likely men from Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, said Buhl, 42, of Los Gatos, Calif.

While no estimate of the number of foreign fighters exists, Buhl said U.S. forces are seeing "increasing numbers" of such fighters, who have taken over much of Fallujah's southern areas.

Buhl said they've also captured militants trained in the armed forces of neighboring Syria, although he didn't know if the men were currently serving. "We've certainly detained some with solid military skills," he said.

The U.S. forces entering Fallujah would be searching for the al-Qaida-allied Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who Buhl said is "in and out of the city."

Buhl said another target would be Omar Hadid, an Iraqi he called the "de-facto military leader" in Fallujah.

Buhl said infighting among the various armed factions in Fallujah has been reported and the fighters are trying to co-opt historical tribal rule in the region, using extortion and murder to pressure sheiks to their side.

"The city has clearly been a safe haven for terrorists," Buhl said, adding the absence of U.S. forces "has given them the opportunity to plan, organize and execute terrorism. The independence of that city has been a lure for foreign fighters."

"We believe that eliminating this terror base will help bring that city, and Iraq, into the process of legitimate governance."

While young Marines privately owned up to an amount of trepidation ahead of any Fallujah assault, they also welcomed a chance to fight their way into the annals of military history.

"This is the most important thing of my generation and I'm part of it. I can already see the pages in the history books," said Lance Cpl. Mike Detmer, 25, of Lynchburg, Va.

After months living under the daily hail of mortar and rocket fire, Detmer paraphrases Civil War Gen. Stonewall Jackson: "I feel as safe on the battlefield as I do in bed."

Jackson died of wounds suffered in a "friendly fire" incident at the Battle of Chancellorsville.

[MORTARDUDE]

I play "Blackhawk Down" with players all over the world. I have developed a lot of friendships with folks, particularly in the UK. I have also educated a lot of the younger generation about the Vietnam War and exposed a lot of wannabes and liars who masqueraded as Vietnam vets, Navy Seals, Green Berets etc. My son bought one of the Vietnam online games..forgot the name and I played about 10 mins..but it reminded me of Cambodia and I haven't played it since...before I played Blackhawk Down, I mostly played "Team Fortress Classic", a spin-off of "Halflife", neither of which are like the first person shooters with simulated current day soldiers. My screen name on "Blackhawk Down" is "NamVet70", and on TFC is "12_Monkeys" ( one of my favorite movies... I seem to identify with the Brad Pitt character LOL )

Larry

[Boats]

I think its another long range goal to quicken the eye and hand movements or coordination aspects. The new war is so high tech and computerized that only a quick eye and hand movement will in the future save your butt. Couple this with a fast acting pc and you will get the results.

Just my thoughts. Its a new type of strategy and the government is taking advantage of the the kids today who are basically training themselves for the future.

Industry and the government must in some way be working together because the technologies are such today that you have to gain some advantage in training. These kids today are so quick and so smart on so many of these games that its uncanny.

If you think about it - its a prototype to future events.

[David]

I think you are right Boats. I remember the movie Starfighter were an alien race used a video game to find the best fighter pilots for their crafts. On the surface it may all seem silly but we are moving swiftly to a fight by wire military.

Most of our aircraft are already fly by wire and the pilot being located in the craft is really just a throwback to bygone eras. There is no real need to have pilots in aircrafts nowadays. There are some real huge advantages to fighting by wire as well such as the fact that you can rotate shifts to keep the operators alert. Again in the case of aircraft, g-force means little to a remotely controlled craft.

There is a reason people fear and respect our military and much of that has to do with our cutting edge technology.

[David]

The point to the links below is that most of these vehicles use an operator controlling the craft much the same as one plays a video game.


link to some unmanned aircraft

http://www.patriotfiles.com/photopos...thumb=1&si=uav

Spawar robot database

http://robot.spawar.navy.mil/

Spawar robot home page

http://www.nosc.mil/robots/

Robotic combat aircraft

http://www.space.com/businesstechnol...ut_020523.html

Military Swarm Robots

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993661

US Military Robots Employed in Iraqi War

http://www.auvsi.org/iraq/index.cfm