Звездный десант
Chapter 5
Ifyouwantedtoteachababyalesson,wouldyoucutitsheadoff?"
"Why...no,sir!"
"Ofcoursenot.You’dpaddleit.Therecanbecircumstanceswhenit’sjustasfoolishtohitanenemycitywithanH-bombasitwouldbetospankababywithanax.Warisnotviolenceandkilling,pureandsimple;wariscontrolledviolence,forapurpose.Thepurposeofwaristosupportyourgovernment’sdecisionsbyforce.Thepurposeisnevertokilltheenemyjusttobekillinghim...buttomakehimdowhatyouwanthimtodo.Notkilling...butcontrolledandpurposefulviolence.Butit’snotyourbusinessorminetodecidethepurposeorthecontrol.It’sneverasoldier’sbusinesstodecidewhenorwhereorhow—orwhy—hefights;thatbelongstothestatesmenandthegenerals.Thestatesmendecidewhyandhowmuch;thegeneralstakeitfromthereandtelluswhereandwhenandhow.Wesupplytheviolence;otherpeople—‘olderandwiserheads,’astheysay—supplythecontrol.Whichisasitshouldbe.That’sthebestanswerIcangiveyou.Ifitdoesn’tsatisfyyou,I’llgetyouachittogotalktotheregimentalcommander.Ifhecan’tconvinceyou—thengohomeandbeacivilian!Becauseinthatcaseyouwillcertainlynevermakeasoldier."
Zimbouncedtohisfeet."Ithinkyou’vekeptmetalkingjusttogoldbrick.Upyoucome,soldiers!Onthebounce!Manstations,ontarget—
Hendrick,youfirst.ThistimeIwantyoutothrowthatknifesouthofyou.South,getit?Notnorth.
