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On macho posturing

From Nate Fick’s book One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer:
Two…

by Andrew Potter on Thursday, March 31, 2011 8:44pm - 7 Comments

From Nate Fick’s book One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer:

Two guys in a bar bump chests, get up in each other’s faces, and yell. If a fight follows, it’s about honor, about saving face. That’s posturing. Marines on the battlefield must exhibit predatory behavior. In that bar, a predator would smile politely at his opponent, wait for him to turn around, and then cave in the back of his skull with a barstool.

Tags: debates, marines, nate fick, posturing

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Just Joe

Yikes. I don't know if I want to read that — yet I cannot resist the urge to look for a book review. Hooked.

andrew potter

I'm 80 pages in, it's very good so far. Fick, you may recall, is the Lt in Generation Kill. He's now the CEO of the Centre for a new American Security.

Just Joe

Okay. Under $10.00 for e-book. Sweet.

OriginalEmily1

Which is how we end up with things like 'trophy photos' from Afghanistan.
Chris

When the stakes are highest, the predators will win. I used to work in a young offender facility. The toughest criminals – the ones that made us wary by age 15 – were/were becoming gang leaders, pure pack hunting predators. There was no concept of honour or of a fair fight, it was all about who wins in the end. We knew they'd never go at a guard or other inmate alone, but they'd organize a 4 on 1 swarm.
frequent traveler

Nate Fick makes a very good case for treating a Marine as if they are a dangerous animal.