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But if they're sacrificing themselves for something that's worthless (to exaggerate), what does that mean?


Well, then we should appreciate them all the more, for if true it means they are willing to pay the ultimate price for no net gain to their country. One would assume, though, that they do not themselves have such a defeatist attitude, though I agree with your assessment of the likely result.

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On the flip side, are not squandered resources more valuable than those spent meaningfully? Would you rather have back that $500 you spent to get an empeg or that $10 that fell out of your wallet last week? So maybe they're more valuable.


That's a glib way of looking at it, but I can't really dispute it.