RE: Statism is Powerful Drug: Not Everyone is Ready to Discard their Dogma
All the war in the world is caused by a religion, whether that religion is Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or Statism. All the soldiers are hired thugs whose wages are subsidized by propaganda that causes zealotry, or "Patriotism." They reap the benefits from the oppressed people of the world, rewarded by their state or church to higher rankings for their loyalty.
Indeed it impossible for a man to see the evil of the state if his paycheck is payed by it. Cognitive dissonance forces them to believe that they're making the world a better place, even when they're using violence. Instead of realizing they're extorting people, they think they're doing duty. Instead of waging war to protect the states financial interests, they think they're protecting their families.
Everybody would be safe from violence if we all applied the principles of non-aggression and non-compliance with the state. The state would simply cease to exist. Then we would be free to provide goods and services for each other in a world free from extortion.
I disagree with your assertion that "All soldiers are hired thugs,,," as I believe that nothing could be further from the truth. While there is certainly a small percentage of people who serve that meet the criteria of a thug, I believe it is vanishingly small. I speak against this assertion as one who served for over thirty years. The argument for the anarchist model will not be won by aggressive posturing, nor, by the pseudo-intellectual who questions the motives and intelligence of those who choose to serve the nation as it is currently configured. I urge you to consider that your time would be better spent educating those who do not understand the non-aggression principle, rather than venting anger at, perhaps misguided, but, honorable and decent people.
Yeah, I suppose not all soldiers are actually violent. Many of them have not even seen combat. But soldiers are willing to be violent, in exchange for money. And I believe that violates the principle of non-aggression.