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Analysis Of War Is Betrayal By Chris Hedges

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War is a subject that is deeply imbedded in the culture of the United States; this country was founded because of it. The Americans that fight in war are often referred to as heroes and held at a higher social standard than regular civilians. But Chris Hedges has a bleaker view of war and veterans. In his article “War Is Betrayal,” he explains how war is just another way for the elite to prey on the poor and gullible. He argues that rich and powerful do not go into combat, but instead they create an enticing narrative, of honor, experience, and status, that lures weak onto the battlefield. These same people after return from war with mental health problems. While Hedges includes some appeal to credibility in his article, he mainly employs emotional appeals to make his claim. Hedges opens the article by offering his firsthand experience with the negative effects of war on the poor, thus establishing credibility. Hedges states, “Those I knew in prep school did not seek out the military and were not sought by it. But in the improvised enclaves of central Maine, where I had relatives living in trailers, nearly everyone was a veteran” (321). Here, Hedges explains how the poor turned to military for a better life, whereas the rich did not have to join the military. Hedges grew up on both sides of the metaphorical railroad track. He acquired an authentic viewpoint on how the military lures in the poor with empty promises of a fast climb up the social ladder. Later in the

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