Could you be an "insurgent"

I do not know if a similar post posing this question has been done before. Even if it has, it may be time to revisit the thoughts and see if things may have changed.

Since the early days of the war in Afganistan and then Iraq, I have wondered "just what would make a person want to be identified with an 'insurgent movement'?

From the ways which the American media say this term, it sounds as though it is most definately dirty. For someone to make the personal decision to become a part of something which is always cast in a bad light is something foreign to my western upbringing. When I was growing up it was always impressed upon me to hold myself up in such a way as to be thought above reproach when dealing either with my elders or my peers.

After some closer inspection and deeper thought I became aware of just what might be driving the young men of these countries to take on such a role. I would now like to pass on this line of thinking to others and maybe find a general concensus of opinion which could tell me if my own thoughts fall in line with those of others who may read this post.

Question : What would it take for you to willingly become an insurgent here in "your home country"?

I am not talking about going into a country different from the one in which you were born or currently live. I know many people are now living in places other than where they were born. Very often their hearts and minds are still held by that emotional bond for that place of their birth, and in this case "this": would be their home country.

If you were to take up arms and join in the fighting with an insurgent movement, how would you then define your motives for doing so?

At this time allow me to explain my own thoughts and feelings on this question. I am most interested to hear from others on this question.

I will openly admit I would be classed as an insurgent in a heart beat if I felt it necessary to fight as a civilian in defense of my home, family, and/or country. I will do this to the very best of whatever abilities I could muster and may heaven have mercy on those whom I find as a threat to that which I am defending.

I, for one, do not equate defending my home land as anything less than patriotic. Let me say here that the most fearsome fighter in any conflict is a "patriotic warrior."
Generally speaking these fighters have come to realize they have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Wheather it is fighting the oppression of their own government of the invading forces of a foreign army, the intensity of their resolve is much the same.

This is what our military faced in Iraq and what they are currently going up against in Afganistan. I am not attempting to take away anything from our own soldiers or marines. They are the best trained and best equipt fighters the world has ever had. The problems come from the the mind set of their adversaries. They have vertually nothing to lose and this has nothing to do with any religious beliefs.

I could easily detour into my thoughts about the causes for war but, in this thread, I wish to learn the thoughts of others along the lines of becoming an insurgent.

An insurgent is a government term for a terrorist. Apart from that the government can kiss my

Originally posted by Redevilfan09
An insurgent is a government term for a terrorist. Apart from that the government can kiss my

I am only able to draw from your reply and that you read the post but I must admit I am not sure of the meaning of your response.

But thanks, anyway.

reply to post by hdutton


Yes anyone can be classed as an insurgent.

Originally posted by hdutton
If you were to take up arms and join in the fighting with an insurgent movement, how would you then define your motives for doing so?

If my government started harming innocent protesters to the extent that they were being killed, then and only then would I take up arms against them.

It would take less though for me to become active to a cause, although I would never resort to violence unless the sentence above were to become fact.

I hope to hell that this never happens but the way the world is going, who knows..